The quality remained solid in 2021.
The quality remained solid in 2021.
Games work well with cores up to a limit, but the IPC isn't measured by clock speed alone. Clock speed doesn't compare directly across different products.
This performance is quite solid. It may not match the speed of newer models, but it should handle most tasks smoothly. The processor is only a couple years old and was among the top consumer options available. I own another machine with an older i7 that still performs well when pushed, especially if overclocked. There are faster chips out there, but you don’t necessarily need them unless you want the absolute latest. It’s easy to get fixated on what’s currently best, but quality can degrade over time as newer versions arrive. This particular model is still solid and reliable for now. It only starts to fall short when it can no longer keep up with your needs.
I think a 3900X falls into the midrange category today. The 5800X performs better and the 12th-gen Intel chips are strong too. I’m not sure why it has such a big L3 cache, but it’s probably not meant for gaming. Are there any programs that can utilize all its cores, like a video encoding tool? Maybe something that loads all cores to their maximum for comparison with my old 6700K?