Really stuck on an upgrade path - need advice

vossygaminghd

Prominent
Feb 12, 2018
4
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510
Will try make it snappy...

Okay, so I'm upgrading my PC this coming Monday (Mobo & CPU/RAM) and I have about £330. That makes for two obvious paths... Ryzen with a 1600/1600x, or an i5 8400.

Really don't know which path to take - it's gonna be mainly a gaming build with some premiere pro on the side (Nothing too high res - just 1080p gameplay vids)

Now I know for gaming, the i5 is better & I'd also like something aimed towards Star Citizen as my current 3470 doesn't do the best of jobs (Works, but too many spikes).

However, and forgive me as I'm not 100% sure what this means, but I've seen on benchmarks, the i5 often uses twice as much CPU usage as the Ryzen does although I'm aware this has something to do with the threads so not 100% sure what it means.

Additionally, I read the AM4 boards are good until 2020, in which space of time AMD will release further chips (Obviously Ryzen 2 coming in April which will probably be on par, or exceed the i5 8400's performance); additionally though, around the time AMD release Ryzen 2, I'd be able to afford the i7 8700 (Non K - not huge on overclocking)

Honestly, both upgrades will cost around the same as I plan to get a decent Ryzen board, but for the life of me I cannot decide.

Will also add - will use the Cemu emulator to play BotW
 
Solution
I have a Ryzen and I would not change it for anything, at the moment.
That said, if you're not into overclocking... If that means you don't really look forward into tweaking your BIOS settings to get the most of you RAM (that in Ryzen is important because RAM speed is tied to the infinity fabric speed, as you probably know), and you are mostly into gaming, then I'd say go for the i5... Or wait until Ryzen+ (not 2), when you probably could afford a 8c/16t part (R7 2700), that would allow for much better memory compatibility, and then decide between it and the 8700...

oriol.delavega

Prominent
Jan 31, 2018
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660
I have a Ryzen and I would not change it for anything, at the moment.
That said, if you're not into overclocking... If that means you don't really look forward into tweaking your BIOS settings to get the most of you RAM (that in Ryzen is important because RAM speed is tied to the infinity fabric speed, as you probably know), and you are mostly into gaming, then I'd say go for the i5... Or wait until Ryzen+ (not 2), when you probably could afford a 8c/16t part (R7 2700), that would allow for much better memory compatibility, and then decide between it and the 8700...
 
Solution

maxalge

Champion
Ambassador


for gaming and especially emulation its not close, intel wins handily

with a z370 mobo you will also get a "i7 9700" when that releases

 
MERGED QUESTION
Question from vossygaminghd : "If you had to choose..."



I5-8400 because;

a) too many unstable ryzen systems out there due to ram issues
b) Intel Single Core Score is twice of the Ryzen

c) been doing this same exercise lately to upgrade 2 computers at home, and yes I am twitching to try a Ryzen, but the numbers just don't add up for me. and looks like I will remain in the Intel crowd. (not a fan boy at all, just trust what I know works without needing constant tweaking for a month)