The value of 3600 minus 3600 times the price is worth it.
The value of 3600 minus 3600 times the price is worth it.
I was checking numerous discussions to understand the topic better. From the responses I read, it seems people aren't as active anymore compared to the 3600x era. Is the extra $40 for upgrading from 3600 to 3600x worth it? Or would that amount be more useful for other upgrades like RAM or a GPU? I’m planning to build a gaming PC and want it to last longer. My overall budget was about $1200, which already covers the monitor and keyboard/mouse. Likely it will drop closer to $900–1000 just for the PC components.
It's better to focus on a cooler setup. You're likely to end up with a low-quality monitor and accessories for just $200. I strongly caution against cutting corners. This component tends to be used in many future projects, making it worthwhile to invest in quality. Otherwise, you'll end up with an unbalanced build; aiming for a 1650 Super is pointless without a monitor that meets at least 60hz.
That looks like a tight budget. You're considering spending about $700 on the PC and $500 on the tower and stuff, with the monitor costing $360.
I planned to invest a bit more in the monitor, likely choosing a budget keyboard and mouse first. For the case, I didn’t need much, so around $500 should cover tower and accessories plus about $900 for the PC. That suggests my $1200 budget was a bit tight.
Regarding your question: Is the MSI B450-A PRO MAX ATX AM4 motherboard a better choice than the X570? The price difference is roughly $50 or less, depending on deals. My sources also mention a microcenter offer of $20 off a bundle with CPU and Gigabyte.
If you only need one M.2 slot and don’t want RGB lighting, it makes sense to focus on reliability and performance for RAM support.
There could be a chance to purchase the B450 and Ryzen 5 3600 together for $240 including extra items.
Don't get an X570 MSI motherboard, they're trash. I wouldn't get one at all honestly, especially if you're looking at the basic A Pro one. You don't really gain a great deal from X570. If they have an X470 on sale I'd maybe consider that. The Gigabyte would be better than the Asus, for the ones you've pointed out above.
Determine the price difference needed to reach the target, whether it's a $20 or $30 gap.
It's tough to say definitively. In my opinion, the 3600x chip is a more practical choice. It offers a solid performance boost without the need for additional cores. Unless you specifically require the extra processing power, the gain from moving up to 3700x or higher is minimal—just a few percent at most. That's why the 3600 remains the best value right now. Honestly, if I could afford it, I'd wait for a slight premium on the 3600x, but I don't see a strong reason to do so.