3700X vs 9900K, that is the question...

[trparky]

So I'm sitting here thinking about building a new system, I already have an nVidia GTX 1060 so that saves me some cash in building the system.

I have two systems with parts chosen...

Config #1: Intel 9900K, Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra, and a Corsair Hydro H115i Platinum
Config #2: AMD 3700X and a Gigabyte X570 Gaming X (this config would use the AMD Prism cooler)

Both systems would have 16 GBs of RAM and a Samsung 970 EVO 500 GB SSD.

Of course, if I go by price, I could save myself almost $400 by going with the AMD config but as with everything in life, it's really not that easy.

Here's some background... I play Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2 casually, I game casually and I really don't care about extremely high frames per second. I may get back into World of Warcraft at some point but that's a maybe. Hell, I still have two 1080p-class monitors locked at 60Hz. The most I would probably get is a 75Hz Freesync monitor that's again a 1080p-class monitor. Again I don't care about extremely high refresh rates for I'm not into the whole competitive gaming scene. I also like to spin up Hyper-V virtual machines for testing stuff in... just because. Right now I have a Hyper-V VM that I test Windows 10 Fast Builds in just to see what Microsoft is up to.

Yes, I have posted in other threads about how Intel is best for gaming IF you are into highly competitive gaming and you absolutely must have the highest FPS. But again, I'm not the kind of person.

So with all of that said, the question of course is... Do I need an Intel build for my needs or should I save some cash (nearly $400) and go with the AMD build?

 

[cucker tarlson]

why change the 8700K ?

oh a brand new one.
then 3700+570 or 3600 on b450 really.

 

[trparky]

why change the 8700K ?

Giving it to my father.

 

[cucker tarlson]

got it.updated.

see this thread

Ryzen 2600X build, Need case/psu suggestions

So i finally have the means to do a full system upgrade (minus rx 480) and here is what i have come up with: Ryzen 2600X https://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=4_1210_64&item_id=120459 DDR4 16GB Team T-Force Dark...

www.techpowerup.com

 

[HD64G]

If I was in your place I wouldn't think at all and would buy a Ryzen 3000 CPU at once. You will have the ability to upgrade to both the upcoming 16C/32T in a few months and both to the next series in 2020 that will be even better while using the same board and memory. And with the 3900X you will already have a powerhouse in your PC that consumes very little. Just take care of its cooling to allow it to boost as high as possible.

 

[cucker tarlson]

If I was in your place I wouldn't think at all and would buy a Ryzen 3000 CPU at once. You will have the ability to upgrade to both the upcoming 16C/32T in a few months and both to the next series in 2020 that will be even better while using the same board and memory. And with the 3900X you will already have a powerhouse in your PC that consumes very little. Just take care of its cooling to allow it to boost as high as possible.

dafuq?
did you read what he said ?

he's asking about 3700x,not 3900x.why would he get a 3900x for 60 fps gaming ? and then upgrade to 16 cores ?
people and their drugs.all he needs is a 3600 and 3700x if he really wants to pay premium.

 

[Vario]

It seems to me you artificially increased the price between the two setups to make that $400 gap.
You could buy a much cheaper Z390 board that is $100 less and have the same experience. Similarly you picked an expensive CPU heatsink, $140. You will likely be dissapointed with the lackluster Prism cooler, so you may as well apply that overpriced corsair heatsink to both of them, then the Intel setup is actually ~$160 greater.
You could also pick a 9700 instead of a 9900K and then the cost is about the same.

 

[cucker tarlson]

It seems to me you artificially increased the price between the two setups to make that $400 gap.
You could buy a much cheaper Z390 board that is $100 less and have the same experience. Similarly you picked an expensive CPU heatsink. You would be dissapointed with the lackluster Prism cooler, so you may as well apply the expensive heatsink to both of them.
You could also pick a 9700 instead of a 9900K.

he's comparing wraith prism to 115i plat
wrairth prism maybe matches $30 aftermarket coolers,and that's hopeful.meanwhile,amd has no igpu and once you're between gpus or one dies on your pc is unusable.but that's not added value for the red team apparently.

 

[Vario]

he's comparing wraith prism to 115i plat

Yeah, somehow thanks to marketing, people believe the Prism cooler is somehow sufficient when the AMD setup runs hot as hell with it and the real world AMD performance depends so much on thermals. I am also not sure why the top of the line Intel with a top of the line motherboard and a top of the line AIO heatsink is being compared to a midrange AMD with a midrange motherboard and a low end heatsink. No wonder somehow the price differential needlessly becomes $400.

 

[trparky]

Alright, no arguments here. The plain question is... Can I get away with the 3700X based upon my needs?

Well for one, the 9900K is a power-hungry beast of a chip (thus a motherboard with a very good VRM array) and it needs serious cooling to keep it cool (thus a 280mm radiator cooler).

 

[cucker tarlson]

Alright, no arguments here. The plain question is... Can I get away with the 3700X based upon my needs?

Well for one, the 9900K is a power-hungry beast of a chip (thus a motherboard with a very good VRM array) and it needs serious cooling to keep it cool (thus a 280mm radiator cooler).

absolutely.

 

[Vario]

Alright, no arguments here. The plain question is... Can I get away with the 3700X based upon my needs?

If you game and all you do is game why do you need more than a 8700K? Are you gaming while also running the VM at the same time?

Does your father truly need an 8700K?

 

[trparky]

If you game and all you do is game why do you need more than a 8700K? Are you gaming while also running the VM at the same time?

Again, I'm giving the 8700K to my father.

Does your father truly need an 8700K?

He's got an old 3570K right now and it's showing its age.

 

[cucker tarlson]

Yeah, somehow thanks to marketing, people believe the Prism cooler is somehow sufficient when the AMD setup runs hot as hell with it and the real world AMD performance depends so much on thermals. I am also not sure why the top of the line Intel with a top of the line motherboard and a top of the line AIO heatsink is being compared to a midrange AMD with a midrange motherboard and a low end heatsink. No wonder somehow the price differential needlessly becomes $400.

that wraith cooler is pretty shit actually

Matisse (Ryzen 3000) overclocking/undervolting

(Please excuse me if this was posted already somewhere else and I missed it, If not, here we go:) Findings on how to make Ryzen 3000 CPUs go faster, or cooler, or more power efficient. Sure, the internet is full of reviews, but why not have our little corner. --- My findings today on a R7...

www.techpowerup.com

 

[Vario]

that wraith cooler is pretty shit actually

Matisse (Ryzen 3000) overclocking/undervolting

(Please excuse me if this was posted already somewhere else and I missed it, If not, here we go:) Findings on how to make Ryzen 3000 CPUs go faster, or cooler, or more power efficient. Sure, the internet is full of reviews, but why not have our little corner. --- My findings today on a R7...

www.techpowerup.com

So he may as well apply an extra $140 to the cost of the AMD so the price differential is now $260. Knock the Z390 board to a midrange and now its $160.

 

[HD64G]

The 3700X will fully cover your PC needs for years until a more powerful CPU is needed. With a 65 TDP and the box cooler being sufficient except for the case you live in a very hot region and even then, a $25 cooler will be more than enough.

 

[kapone32]

So he may as well apply an extra $140 to the cost of the AMD so the price differential is now $260. Knock the Z390 board to a midrange and now its $160.

Why a $30 dollar after market cooler will keep the 3700x good.

 

[trparky]

It seems to me you artificially increased the price between the two setups to make that $400 gap.

Hell, the motherboard is $120.

Similarly you picked an expensive CPU heatsink, $140.

You practically need a 280mm radiator to keep the 9900K from cooking itself to death.

 

[cucker tarlson]

Hell, the motherboard is $120.

You practically need a 280mm radiator to keep the 9900K from cooking itself to death.

but 80 degrees in gaming on wraith is fine

 

[Vario]

Hell, the motherboard is $120.

You practically need a 280mm radiator to keep the 9900K from cooking itself to death.

The funny thing is the 8700K will perform the same as the 9900K for your uses so if it were me I'd buy my dad a 3770K, sell his 3570K, and get a new videocard for my 8700K build. Both of the builds you have in the OP are sidegrades from your current setup.

 

[Papahyooie]

Get the 3700x and a Hyper 212 evo cooler. Call it a day. Either of those CPUs will slay 60 fps gaming without even a yawn. No need to spend extra money for that. And the 3700x would be great for your VM use case. Hell, save some more money by going with a decent x470 or even B350 motherboard, unless you need PCI-e 4 for some reason. Benchmarks show negligible difference in performance by going with the X570 boards. So there's no need, as long as you get an older motherboard with decent VRM.

(That being said, as above, it's exactly a side-grade.)

 

[xtreemchaos]

go for the Zen, the 9900k is a nice chip but runs hot at 5ghz and the savings from the ryzen is a happy place.

 

[cucker tarlson]

go for the Zen, the 9900k is a nice chip but runs hot at 5ghz and the savings from the ryzen is a happy place.

sums it up pretty much.

 

[Papahyooie]

To be clear, it's a side-grade from your 8700k for gaming. The extra 2c/4t on the 3700x can help out in a multiple VM scenario, for sure. And a win on power consumption, if you care about that sort of thing.

 

[trparky]

Yes, I am fully aware that it's a side-grade here but I wouldn't want to give my father a piece of junk either. I mean it's my father for God's sake, it's called being a good son.

As for staying with a third-generation chip, because there are no firmware upgrades for Spectre and Meltdown the chip is vulnerable.