cpuInteresting crossroads
cpuInteresting crossroads
In short, I'm planning to upgrade my CPU. My current setup is an i5 4690 with a R9 390 graphics card, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 10GB SSD. The motherboard supports two PCIe 3.0 x4 slots and a 550W power supply from HUNTKEY. I mainly use my PC for photo editing and eventually video, but not at high resolutions yet—mostly 1080p. I also play older games smoothly, usually hitting 60+ frames per second. Next year I aim to run GTA 6.
I have two upgrade paths: an R5 upgrade kit (R5 3600) or an R7 2700X. The R5 3600 is more powerful and better suited for my workloads, especially since I plan to use Photoshop later. While the R7 2700X offers similar pricing, benchmarks show it struggles in gaming performance compared to the R5 3600.
My main concern is power delivery. My PSU can't handle full CPU and GPU speeds right now—it only supports -40% on the GPU. That’s not a big problem since I still run games above 60 FPS, but it limits me. If I choose the R5, I won’t need to upgrade my PSU and could let the GPU run at full capacity. Switching to the R7 would require a new PSU, which adds cost.
For storage, I’m looking to add another 4GB of RAM and possibly an SSD. The R5 3600 should last longer than the R7 2700X thanks to its Zen 2 architecture, even with fewer cores.
What do you think?
Choose a fresh PSU, a 550W unit can comfortably run the setup. If the PSU falls short of its requirements, avoid using it. It lacks an APFC feature, another strong reason not to proceed. Personally, I recommend going with 3600 here—Zen2 really improved performance for many tasks.
It's quite an old CPU power supply design... consider swapping it out. The 3600X offers higher performance and better efficiency, while the 2700X provides more cores but lower IPC. The 3600X delivers stronger performance and improved memory clock speeds, though it sacrifices core count. A noticeable gap in frame rates—around 20 fps—depends on your needs. If you're aiming for better overall productivity, investing in a more capable chip could save time and boost throughput. Some threads perform better with the 3600X, which can speed up production. The choice really comes down to balancing cost and performance for your specific goals.
Absolutely. I believe upgrading the CPU and RAM will help, especially if your PC struggles with power delivery.
The price will drop for the 2700x model. Besides the CPU, what else changes in the package?
My two cents suggest grabbing the 3600/3600X and whatever else. The 2700x isn't terrible—it offers two more cores and four more threads—but it doesn’t quite match the 3600/3600X. I have both; the 3600 model is better for most scenarios, except when raw core count becomes the deciding factor.
The power supply unit is likely the most crucial part of any setup—always verify that’s solid! Why bother with top-notch graphics cards and quicker processors if they depend on unreliable, underpowered PSUs? It’s really frustrating seeing so many discussions online where people ignore the importance of a good PSU!