No, the A6-9500 upgrade path offers the most significant in-socket improvement over the Ryzen 9 5950X.
No, the A6-9500 upgrade path offers the most significant in-socket improvement over the Ryzen 9 5950X.
I've been reflecting on the AM4 platform after AMD's recent AM5 announcements. It highlights just how powerful this system was. Not only did it cover five years of new processors, but AMD eventually extended support to older chipsets. This means that many users who started with the AM4 in 2017 can now upgrade to top-tier CPUs today. It made me consider how impressive it would be to switch from an early Bristol Ridge APU like the A6-9500 to a high-end 5950X in 2022 for roughly $600, including a good dual-tower cooler—possibly matching the original build cost plus monitor and accessories from 2017. Essentially, instead of building a new basic PC, someone could simply swap in an upgrade, assuming their motherboard can handle it, and achieve a significant speed boost. For those unfamiliar, the A6-9500 was a 2-core, 2-thread APU with 3.5GHz base and 3.8GHz boost, built on a 28nm architecture with a single Bulldozer module. It earned about 135 points in Cinebench R15 multi-core. The 5950X delivers around 275 points for single core and 4,365 for multi-core—more than 32 times stronger. I don’t see many direct comparisons, likely because such a leap seems unrealistic, but it’s possible someone could actually make that kind of jump. Have others ever achieved something like this before? To reach a 32-fold improvement through an in-socket upgrade? Intel’s LGA 775 platform was impressive back then, but moving from a single-core Celeron 420 at 1.6GHz to a Core 2 Quad QX 9770 is a massive step, even if it is substantial. The same applies to other AMD and Intel architectures I know of. There aren’t many platforms with that kind of gap between the fastest and slowest options.
They'd need an extremely powerful CPU, a top-notch motherboard that also works with current chips, and unfortunately they'd still lack support for PCIe 4.0. While the performance improvement is significant, it's unlikely anyone could realistically achieve such a setup.
The reasoning comes from observing power consumption data and real-world performance tests. The Ryzen 9 5950X draws 142W at stock, matching other high-end models like the 5800X, 5900X, and 3900X. Evidence suggests boards such as the Asrock AB350M Pro4 can manage similar chips with minimal performance drop, even after BIOS updates. This indicates that a B350 board from 2017 could indeed support a stock Ryzen 9 5950X without major issues.
It seems you're looking for a comparison of processor options. A possible setup could involve the Xeon E5 1603 V4 with its core and thread count, while the high-end model would be the 22-core 44-thread version of the same series. Keep in mind these are consumer-grade components, not typical consumer boards like an AM4 platform.
brings back memories of when AMD made the FX9590 work in any AM3+ slot, but using lower-end boards can cause damage
Well, it’s not completely out of the question. I’ve met people who chose Ryzen 3 or even A-series chips for future upgrades. AMD’s commitment to four years of socket support was a big advantage for those wanting to invest now and upgrade later. B350 and X370 boards with good heat sinks were available, though early models weren’t great. Still, I’m sure someone picked a really poor CPU initially and managed to afford a massive jump to the 5000 series. Also, remember the 5700X3D – it seems to offer solid undervolting and efficiency. It’s not as dramatic as some claims, but my girlfriend has an X570 P and Ryzen 3 2200G. A big mismatch (the board cost four times the CPU), but with upgrade goals in mind, a 5950X is definitely on the list. Going from first gen to the 5000 series in one go really hits the part of my mind that enjoys flashy upgrades.
I believe you're overlooking the core of my argument. You'd need a solid 300 board that accommodates new chips, yet you'd still be left out of PCIe 4.0. An A6 chip feels like a poor choice—definitely not a great option. If she prioritizes CPU speed, she’d have benefited more from a quality motherboard and a stronger processor. Otherwise, the 5950X wouldn’t even be considered. My main concern is that an A6 wasn't meant for the AM4 platform, and it's unrealistic to highlight jumping to a 5950X since it doesn't fit practical needs. The complexity of hardware and individual decisions are too great. Plus, some modern features might not work at all.
The 2200G was a smart choice from a friend, so we decided to go with it at first. The build might have been better if more cores were allocated, but this turned out to be a solid deal. It seems right for what Zen-based athletics are meant for.