What affordable AM4 and DDR4 processors and motherboards are available?
What affordable AM4 and DDR4 processors and motherboards are available?
I'm working on upgrading my motherboard, CPU, and RAM. I initially considered the Ryzen 5 9600X and Gigabyte B850M, but noticed the prices for DDR5 RAM. The cheapest 16GB DDR4 RAM seems more affordable compared to DDR5. I'm aiming for long-term reliability, not needing frequent upgrades like every few years. Gaming at 1080p is acceptable. I want everything under $200 for the motherboard and CPU. Current setup includes a Montech Air 900 argb case, a 550w Phanteks Amp PSU, and an RX 570 4GB GPU. I'm thinking of possibly upgrading to a 9060 XT 16GB or an RTX 5060 later.
PSU: Phanteks Amp 550w 80+gold
How long has this PSU been used, and has it been keeping the RX 570 running throughout its time?
Budget under $200 for the motherboard and under $200 for the CPU.
Where are you located? Which site do you prefer for buying?
As a general tip, consider a B550 chipsetted board with a dual channel DDR4-3600MHz or DDR4-3600MT/s RAM kit that has low latency.
Here are some alternatives you could consider:
https://a.co/d/be9dbVQ
A bit more for the CPU, but you still get an i7.
If needed, a used 12700 is available at a lower price.
For the motherboard, I’m currently using one with an i7 14700. I’ve added a Thermalright so-100 CPU cooler to both the board and the CPU, and it works well for 1440p.
Micro Center offers certain packages available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=mivro+ce...iv..._sb_noss_1
The i7 12700kf is four years old now. The price is decent for the 5800xt, but I'm unsure about its gaming performance since I haven't found any benchmarks online.
You're right about the 5800xt being a follow-up to the 5800x launched in 2020. It's true it offers a 100mhz faster boost clock. The platform does give you more flexibility for future upgrades, like adding a 14th generation CPU later, while the AM4 socket is no longer supported. Still, it provides a better long-term option.