Would you rather: 2700X for $170 or 3700X for $280

[kapone32]

just nope, very similar performance in gaming....

Actually based on reviews the 3700X is about 15 to 20 percent faster in games. Not that you would notice it, unless you game at 720P or 1080P low.

Board compatible maybe, but you'd run into the same crap AM4 has now which is the same crap we had back in the FX Bulldozer days: you get CPUs unfit for the VRM on the boards, CPUs that can blow the whole thing up, and CPUs that suffer from severely limited OC potential due to board choice.

None of that is pretty, especially in public opinion/mindshare. And really as a manufacturer, why would you not use every opportunity to do a board update as it keeps them cost effective AND up to date. Updating bios for new CPUs is costly. Especially if you have a huge product stack; and then you can also add up those Spectre mitigations for good measure.

Seriously if you do these same socket upgrades all it tells me is you should have saved or waited a bit longer before jumping.

Are you sure about the VRM statement. As far as I can tell AM4 boards have great VRMs. Unless you are talking about the sub $100 market.

 

[theonek]

Actually based on reviews the 3700X is about 15 to 20 percent faster in games. Not that you would notice it, unless you game at 720P or 1080P low.



Are you sure about the VRM statement. As far as I can tell AM4 boards have great VRMs. Unless you are talking about the sub $100 market.

well, you mean more like 2% faster than 2700x in most of the games in 2k and in 4k are equal, so I am telling it's all about money, if you have currently 2700x it won't need an upgrade to 3700x, and if you are a budget oriented pc builder of course you will take the cheaper one cpu with similar performance, rather than the new expensive one...

 

[kapone32]

well, you mean more like 2% faster than 2700x in most of the games in 2k and in 4k are equal, so I am telling it's all about money, if you have currently 2700x it won't need an upgrade to 3700x, and if you are a budget oriented pc builder of course you will take the cheaper one cpu with similar performance, rather than the new expensive one...
View attachment 126486

You do realize that just like the first gen, the X570 is having some teething problems. The OC is a great example it would seem that no one can get over 4.3 GHZ with the 3700X while the boost clock (according to AMD) is 4.4. There are other things in the 3700X vs the 2700X that also factor in like power draw 65 vs 105 is pretty significant. Once the teething problems have been resolved you should be able to hit over 4.5 with the proper cooling and that would definitely help in gaming. There is also the amount of L3 cache on the 3700x vs 2700x that will improve performance with BIOS revisions....on X570 and Windows updates.

 

[MercJ]

Micro Center gives you an Instant savings of $30 when purchasing a CPU and Motherboard combination in store. For a limited time they are giving $50 off on any 3000 series CPU and X570 motherboard. So the CPU ends up costing $280.

I just have to say something about this quick...

It doesn't actually bring the price down to $280. You can't spend just $280 and get that CPU. You have to spend $330+motherboard (cheapest one they had was at least $150)-$50, for somewhere around $430+ for both. So really, it's a $430 CPU with a free motherboard...which is just as meaningless of a statement, since you can't just walk in and take a motherboard for free

Marketing...

I mean, I totally understand the point, it DOES make the overall package less expensive than it would have been otherwise, the cost savings are real for sure, but it ONLY saves you money IF you were walking in to buy both of those exact items ANYWAY.

Feel free to use this same logic to explain to wives/girlfriends/husbands/boyfriends/SOs about Buy One / Get One Half off sales etc. etc....

 

[Vario]

I just have to say something about this quick...

It doesn't actually bring the price down to $280. You can't spend just $280 and get that CPU. You have to spend $330+motherboard (cheapest one they had was at least $150)-$50, for somewhere around $430+ for both. So really, it's a $430 CPU with a free motherboard...which is just as meaningless of a statement, since you can't just walk in and take a motherboard for free

Marketing...

I mean, I totally understand the point, it DOES make the overall package less expensive than it would have been otherwise, the cost savings are real for sure, but it ONLY saves you money IF you were walking in to buy both of those exact items ANYWAY.

Feel free to use this same logic to explain to wives/girlfriends/husbands/boyfriends/SOs about Buy One / Get One Half off sales etc. etc....

I don't like the boards that Microcenter offers with these deals last time I was building a system 2 years ago. I was looking at the 8600K combo deal, bought the CPU there, but ended up buying the motherboard seperately. I like ASRock motherboards but Microcenter's motherboard selection was mid tier Gigabyte and garbage tier everything else.

 

[MercJ]

I don't like the boards that Microcenter offers with these deals last time I was building a system 2 years ago. I was looking at the 8600K combo deal, bought the CPU there, but ended up buying the motherboard seperately. I like ASRock motherboards but Microcenter's motherboard selection was mid tier Gigabyte and garbage tier everything else.

Exactly - promotions like these are a really good way to sell boards people probably weren't as interested in before...or a way to offload inventory that you'd have trouble selling otherwise.

As far as the OP, I'm definitely interested in Zen 2 / Ryzen 3000, mostly because they're finally equivalent to Intel in gaming. More cores, just as fast, better compatibility, and cheaper. There aren't any more downsides that I can think of.

That being said, depending on the game, any of the first/second gen Ryzen parts aren't a bad deal at their current prices either. I have an R7-1700 and an R7-2700X, and both are still pretty capable (the extra clockspeeds on the 2700X are nice for gaming, it's basically equivalent in most games to my 5GHz 7700K, so I'm betting the 3000 series will be indistinguishable from Intel for gaming).

 

[advanced3]

I just have to say something about this quick...

It doesn't actually bring the price down to $280. You can't spend just $280 and get that CPU. You have to spend $330+motherboard (cheapest one they had was at least $150)-$50, for somewhere around $430+ for both. So really, it's a $430 CPU with a free motherboard...which is just as meaningless of a statement, since you can't just walk in and take a motherboard for free

Marketing...

I mean, I totally understand the point, it DOES make the overall package less expensive than it would have been otherwise, the cost savings are real for sure, but it ONLY saves you money IF you were walking in to buy both of those exact items ANYWAY.

Feel free to use this same logic to explain to wives/girlfriends/husbands/boyfriends/SOs about Buy One / Get One Half off sales etc. etc....

Ya no kidding Captain Obvious, thats why its called a "combination" deal. Feel free to take it off the CPU or motherboard after your purchase. Either way you look at it its still $50 off.

PS: My wife loves when I save money on purchases, I don't know many women who don't. I don't question why she needs new shoes every time we go out, she doesn't question my PC addiction, Its great.

 

[MercJ]

Ya no kidding Captain Obvious, thats why its called a "combination" deal. Feel free to take it off the CPU or motherboard after your purchase. Either way you look at it its still $50 off.

PS: My wife loves when I save money on purchases, I don't know many women who don't. I don't question why she needs new shoes every time we go out, she doesn't question my PC addiction, Its great.

Congrats on your healthy relationship! We should all be so lucky. However, maybe read it again Chief, you seemed to have missed the point.

You can not buy a Ryzen R7 3700X anywhere for $280. That is my point.

You can buy one for $430+ though, and get a motherboard with it.

All of it is beside the original point though, but OP should adjust the poll to reflect the actual price of the 3700X is all I'm saying...

 

[advanced3]

But that will be the ACTUAL price of the CPU he purchases. Hes buying a B450 motherboard so he gets $50 off the CPU. The question is for the price listed, which is what he will be paying what CPU would you purchase. I would go with the 3700x simply because its newer. It would go good with a Carbon b450 or Tomahawk B450.

 

[Keullo-e]

I'd go for a 3600 from those.

 

[mintpyramid]

3700x for sure. Will also hold value better.

But honestly AMD is still the best at the bottom range (for gaming) so the b450+3600x with a plan 4600/4700x bump will be better than a static buy of 3700x

To be honest I'm planning for that bump even with the 3700x. Bet on the longterm value of that chip considering it's perf/energy consumption. That 3700x can be put in anything and run forever. Wonder how much it could be undervolted without catastrophic performance loss.

 

[phanbuey]

To be honest I'm planning for that bump even with the 3700x. Bet on the longterm value of that chip considering it's perf/energy consumption. That 3700x can be put in anything and run forever. Wonder how much it could be undervolted without catastrophic performance loss.

true... that much speed at that wattage is insane.

 

[Lorec]

I'd go for a 3600 from those.

Not sure if there is a point to do so, sure IPC is better and power draw is lower a bit but other than that Your 2600 still going strong

...unless You want cores, then 3700x
which I might consider at some point.

 

[Keullo-e]

Not sure if there is a point to do so, sure IPC is better and power draw is lower a bit but other than that Your 2600 still going strong

...unless You want cores, then 3700x
which I might consider at some point.

Exactly, my next CPU will be 3700X

edit: ah! I thought that what I'd recommend for OP, ofc I'd go for 3700X.

 

[Athlonite]

If I could get a 3700X here for $280 bucks I'd jump on it but that's not the case here in Gougeland (NZ)

 

[Liquid Cool]

I'd go for a 3600 from those.

At 150. I'd be inclined to grab one too...but I have the 2600(paid 144.95) now and I'm quite pleased with it... .

Was quite disappointed to see no review from TPU on this mighty little processor, so I hunted around this morning on youtube. Definitely pleased to see the Cinebench speed increase from Ryzen 5 1600 to 3600 series...quite the jump!

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Review, Price to Performance Champ!

It is the only cpu I actually got excited about in the 2000 series release and now Gen 2 looks like a price/performance winner as well.

I'll be adding one to my rig sooner or later, although...a graphics card is first on my list and I'm in no rush there either. Very happy with the way my pc runs as it is....actually a bit of overkill going on here.

Best,

Liquid Cool

 

[Lorec]

If I could get a 3700X here for $280 bucks I'd jump on it but that's not the case here in Gougeland (NZ)

wait a second $280? I just checked currency calculator and here its $394.
for $280 3700x and $170 2700x Id get both...

 

[Athlonite]

wait a second $280? I just checked currency calculator and here its $394.
for $280 3700x and $170 2700x Id get both...

yeah that would be nice but here the 3700X costs $573 NZD and the 2700X costs $469 NZD so it aint gonna happen for quite a while until prices come down considerably which also probably wont happen because I live in Gougeland where we are routinely over charged for everything electronic

 

[kapone32]

yeah that would be nice but here the 3700X costs $573 NZD and the 2700X costs $469 NZD so it aint gonna happen for quite a while until prices come down considerably which also probably wont happen because I live in Gougeland where we are routinely over charged for everything electronic

Sounds just like Canada $449 for the 3700X and surprisingly $359 for the 2700x and $429.99 for the 50th edition 2700x. The one I really am leaning towards is the 3600 though. It is "only" $269.99 and has a beautiful TDP of 65W

 

[TheGuruStud]

Not fully boosted single core, just 4.1 all core and CL16 3200 ram. For your consideration...ditch the 2700x.

 

[kapone32]

View attachment 126534 Not fully boosted single core, just 4.1 all core and CL16 3200 ram. For your consideration...ditch the 2700x.

I can't believe that these chips are faster than the Threadripper chips. This is by far the best time to get into AMD.

 

[ChaoticG8R]

Congrats on your healthy relationship! We should all be so lucky. However, maybe read it again Chief, you seemed to have missed the point.

You can not buy a Ryzen R7 3700X anywhere for $280. That is my point.

You can buy one for $430+ though, and get a motherboard with it.

All of it is beside the original point though, but OP should adjust the poll to reflect the actual price of the 3700X is all I'm saying...

Not sure why I would need to adjust the poll to reflect anything. I have to buy a motherboard in this situation as stated in the inital post, and I was pretty set on using an ASUS Strix B450-F due to the value for the product pricing. So I was looking at purchasing X & Y, and X became constant in my purchase. Y however had combination discounts that varied, and thus there was additional incentive to purchase 3rd gen over 2nd. If you were to make a poll, you're going to tell me you would ask: Should I buy a 3700X for $320 with a $80 mobo, or should I buy a $200 2700X with a $100 mobo. If you think that this version of a poll is better, then I'm sorry for you. This poll was simply for me to hear/see feedback based on some very nice prices on this new release.

To the people saying that Microcenter's mobo selection often turns them away, that's on them and their selection I guess isn't for everyone. Is Newegg/Amazon/*AnythingFromPCPartPicker* going to have a new 2nd or 3rd gen AMD motherboard for $50 less? Show me where I can buy an ASUS Strix B450-F for $45.96...even used I think thats relatively implausible. In the end I purchased a R5 3600, ASUS Strix B450-F, and 5700 XT for $595 (before tax). In your thought process I guess I should say I purchased a 5700XT and R5 3600 and they gave me a $130 (per Newegg) motherboard for free.

If someone not using Microcenter was able to get a better bundle for the same price new, or the same bundle for less I would absolutely love to know!! I don't think anything from the recent Prime Day (and competitor) sales touched this.

 

[geforce789]

I live near a microcenter and am doing a build next week. I'm running into the same issue.

3000 ryzen series is getting good reviews but as a result the 2000 series CPU's at microcenter have tanked in value

2600x for $140 and 2700 for $180 are both incredible values, especially with B450 boards being so cheap + the build is for 4k gaming so there's no performance loss compared to more expensive builds.

Also debating doing the 3600 for $200 but still pairing it with a cheap B450 board if possible (i've been told the B450 MSI tomahawk you can flash the bios with a USB drive and get the 3600 to work without needing a 1st or 2nd gen cpu). Problem with that is, is it worth the hassle/issues + losing 2 cores when I won't really see a real world difference ?