Searching for PCIE lanes to choose a fresh CPU.
Searching for PCIE lanes to choose a fresh CPU.
I'm considering switching to SLI with a new NVME M.2 setup. My current configuration uses triple 4K and runs games at 60fps in 4K resolution. Given this usage pattern, can I still function well on a Ryzen 3? Or would I need to upgrade to something like Thread Ripper or an X299? I'm currently using an x99 board. Do I really need quad channel memory and extra lanes? Or should the chipset handle it? (I know memory and pin counts are separate, just keeping it simple.) I also edit 4K videos occasionally, but not frequently or long, so rendering speed isn't a major concern right now. Still, I want to be prepared. Budget-wise, it's not the main issue—just avoiding unnecessary spending. I'm thinking of getting a new board and CPU around $1000, but I'm open to going up to $3000 if it helps eliminate bottlenecks. Even if it doesn't boost game performance, losing bandwidth due to lane limitations would be worse than the cost. I also have many USB 3 devices, external storage, and support for multiplayer games and emulators. From what I gather, you'd typically need around 32 lanes—four per NVME drive—to prevent bottlenecks. But if I'm certain about that, I wouldn't be asking.
I didn't mention GPU, but talking about SLI suggested I'm leaning toward Nvidia. It became clear right away that the discussion might relate to tile-based rendering performance, which is indeed driver-dependent. Not sure how that ties into my CPU choice—Nvidia chipsets aren't available anymore, right? Edited February 3, 2020 by Naveronasis Second thought
1. SLI is no longer viable.
2. A Ryzen 3 comes with integrated graphics, making it unnecessary and inferior compared to newer models.
3. Intel's latest lineup for X299 is outdated; buying now would miss out on future opportunities.
4. Threadripper remains a solid option for demanding creative tasks like 4K video editing.