[SOLVED] Intel or AMD

ScyberMhaster

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May 22, 2015
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Good day!

I am torn between these two gaming builds, the price different is minimal, but I don't know if which one is better, in performance for gaming.

AMD

MotherboardGigabyte B450 Aorus Pro Wi-Fi
ProcessorAMD Ryzen 5 3600
Cooler (CPU)NZXT Kraken X52
Memory (RAM)32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 Elite Delta TUF RGB 3200 MHz
Graphics CardMSI Radeon RX 5700 XT Mech OC
Storage
NVMeADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256GB
SSDADATA SU650 480GB 3D-NAND
Power SupplySeasonic Focus Plus 850 80+ Gold
ChassisNZXT H500i

Intel

MotherboardIntel® Core™ i5-9400F
ProcessorGigabyte B360 Aorus Gaming 3
Cooler (CPU)NZXT Kraken X52
Memory (RAM)32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 T-Force Delta RGB 3000 MHz
Graphics CardGigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2060 Super
Storage
NVMeADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256GB
SSDADATA SU650 480GB 3D-NAND
Power SupplySeasonic Focus Plus 850 80+ Gold
ChassisNZXT H500i

My final thoughts:


MotherboardGigabyte X570 Aorus Pro Wi-Fi
ProcessorAMD Ryzen 5 3600X
Cooler (CPU)Wraith Spire
Memory (RAM)32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 Elite Delta TUF RGB 3200 MHz
Graphics CardMSI Radeon RX 5700 XT Mech OC
Storage
NVMeADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256GB
SSD
Power SupplySeasonic Focus Plus 850 80+ Gold
ChassisNZXT H500i
 
Last edited:
Solution
Personally, and it's just personally, I would go 2 x 16GB if you are intent on having 32GB. Why put more stress on the memory controller?
Also, that's a pricey case when the H510i is available for $99. But again, the H510 (non "i") is even less at $69 for essentially the same case.
I would go
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($238.89 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte X570 I AORUS PRO WIFI Mini ITX AM4 Motherboard ($219.00 @ B&H)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($149.99 @ Best Buy)
Storage: ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 512 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($75.98 @ Amazon)
Video Card:...

Stef Pro

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In my opinion the amd processor is better. The intel rig has an rtx 2060 super which supports Ray tracing, but the 5700 xt, while it doesn't support it, I can say it is faster. Now it is up to you what would you choose, but I would go with the amd pc
 
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Thank you for your reply sir. How is that you don't consider the i5 a contender sir?
There are games that are already push 6 core/thread i5’s very hard. While the average FPS is still good the can suffer worse lows. I saw how 4 core/thread i5’s became an issue and to me I can see the current 6 cores going the same way. The 12 threads of the 3600 make it a much better investment in my opinion.
 

ScyberMhaster

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There are games that are already push 6 core/thread i5’s very hard. While the average FPS is still good the can suffer worse lows. I saw how 4 core/thread i5’s became an issue and to me I can see the current 6 cores going the same way. The 12 threads of the 3600 make it a much better investment in my opinion.

Should I go with my AMD Build? Or change the GPU to Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 Super from RX 5700 XT?
 

oldcracc

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Should I go with my AMD Build? Or change the GPU to Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 Super from RX 5700 XT?
You should go with the AMD build, I don't see why you would change the GPU (as I believe the 2070 Super has similar performance), but if you have the money then you can if you want. You could also just build one yourself if your dead-set on a 2070 Super, you could probably build a Ryzen 3000 system with a 2070 for around $1200.
 

Stef Pro

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Should I go with my AMD Build? Or change the GPU to Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 Super from RX 5700 XT?
I think you should stay with the rx 5700 xt and go with the amd build, the 2070 super is much more expensive and it isn't very faster, it is nearly on par with the 5700 xt, so I think you should go with the amd build and don't change anything
 

ScyberMhaster

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You should go with the AMD build, I don't see why you would change the GPU (as I believe the 2070 Super has similar performance), but if you have the money then you can if you want. You could also just build one yourself if your dead-set on a 2070 Super, you could probably build a Ryzen 3000 system with a 2070 for around $1200.

Thank you sir.
 
for a bit of tweaking, get an X570 instead of the B450 motherboard.

the combo of a 3000-series cpu, X570 mobo and RX 5700/XT gives PCIe 4.0 on the gpu, giving faster performance. not a huge amount of FPS, but why leave any performance on the table?

heres what I'd suggest:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming 4 ATX AM4 Motherboard ($152.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper Steel 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3733 Memory ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ B&H)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB TUF Gaming X3 OC Video Card ($369.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Aerocool Cylon ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair TXM Gold 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply ($68.98 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link Archer T6E AC1300 PCIe x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter ($13.05 @ Amazon)
Total: $1089.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-01-21 15:56 EST-0500
 
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AMD, start with the 3600. Upgrade to the 3900X down the road.

Also, 32GB ram is too much in a gaming rig. cut it in half (16GB) and put the savings into your gpu budget.
32GB could be more useful down the line if they plan on keeping the system a number of years. And the additional memory ranks can result in slightly better performance in certain scenarios as well.

Before cutting RAM, I would cut back on the cooler. A ~$130 Kraken X52 seems quite overkill for either of these processors. If one wants an aftermarket cooler, even a mid-range tower cooler for under $40 would do a great job cooling these processors quietly and effectively, and leave around $90 more to put toward components that will affect performance, like the graphics card.

Also, unless those SSDs are already owned, I would swap those two smallish SSDs with a single 1TB model, as there are a number of 1TB NVMe SSDs for not much more than $100 now.
 

Endre

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Good day!

I am torn between these two gaming builds, the price different is minimal, but I don't know if which one is better, in performance for gaming.

AMD

MotherboardGigabyte B450 Aorus Pro Wi-Fi
ProcessorAMD Ryzen 5 3600
Cooler (CPU)NZXT Kraken X52
Memory (RAM)32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 Elite Delta TUF RGB 3200 MHz
Graphics CardMSI Radeon RX 5700 XT Mech OC
Storage
NVMeADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256GB
SSDADATA SU650 480GB 3D-NAND
Power SupplySeasonic Focus Plus 850 80+ Gold
ChassisNZXT H500i

Intel

MotherboardIntel® Core™ i5-9400F
ProcessorGigabyte B360 Aorus Gaming 3
Cooler (CPU)NZXT Kraken X52
Memory (RAM)32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 T-Force Delta RGB 3000 MHz
Graphics CardGigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2060 Super
Storage
NVMeADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256GB
SSDADATA SU650 480GB 3D-NAND
Power SupplySeasonic Focus Plus 850 80+ Gold
ChassisNZXT H500i

The i5-9400F is a locked processor wherein the Ryzen 5 3600 is unlocked. Hmmm.

I’d choose the AMD.
 

throwawayaccnt

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Apr 20, 2016
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Good day!

I am torn between these two gaming builds, the price different is minimal, but I don't know if which one is better, in performance for gaming.

AMD

MotherboardGigabyte B450 Aorus Pro Wi-Fi
ProcessorAMD Ryzen 5 3600
Cooler (CPU)NZXT Kraken X52
Memory (RAM)32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 Elite Delta TUF RGB 3200 MHz
Graphics CardMSI Radeon RX 5700 XT Mech OC
Storage
NVMeADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256GB
SSDADATA SU650 480GB 3D-NAND
Power SupplySeasonic Focus Plus 850 80+ Gold
ChassisNZXT H500i

Intel

MotherboardIntel® Core™ i5-9400F
ProcessorGigabyte B360 Aorus Gaming 3
Cooler (CPU)NZXT Kraken X52
Memory (RAM)32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 T-Force Delta RGB 3000 MHz
Graphics CardGigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2060 Super
Storage
NVMeADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256GB
SSDADATA SU650 480GB 3D-NAND
Power SupplySeasonic Focus Plus 850 80+ Gold
ChassisNZXT H500i

The i5-9400F is a locked processor wherein the Ryzen 5 3600 is unlocked. Hmmm.
As an Intel "fanboy" I would recommend you pick the Ryzen build for longevity and upgradability, the i5 is locked into the 300series socket which is probably at the EOL in the near future as Intel tries to ditch their 14nm process, AMD's AM4 socket looks like it should provide the opportunity for upgradability down the line.

Ryzen's 3000 series is also phenomenal for price to performance, if your question had been 1st or 2nd gen Ryzen vs the 9400f I might side towards Intel, but the 3600 is just newer and better by many margins.

That being said you won't be disappointed too much if you do a build with the i5, it's a great little chip for gaming, just take into account its limitations at 6core/6thread & no overclocking for anything you do besides gaming.

I did two builds last year: (a.) i5-9400f + GTX 1060 (b.) Ryzen 5 2600 + GTX 1060 and it's hard to pick my favorite of the two

In short, AMD is good for longevity and would even recommend upping your GPU selection to a 2080/S
 

ScyberMhaster

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May 22, 2015
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for a bit of tweaking, get an X570 instead of the B450 motherboard.

the combo of a 3000-series cpu, X570 mobo and RX 5700/XT gives PCIe 4.0 on the gpu, giving faster performance. not a huge amount of FPS, but why leave any performance on the table?

heres what I'd suggest:

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock X570 Phantom Gaming 4 ATX AM4 Motherboard ($152.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: Patriot Viper Steel 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3733 Memory ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($99.99 @ B&H)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda Compute 2 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Asus Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB TUF Gaming X3 OC Video Card ($369.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Aerocool Cylon ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair TXM Gold 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply ($68.98 @ Newegg)
Wireless Network Adapter: TP-Link Archer T6E AC1300 PCIe x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter ($13.05 @ Amazon)
Total: $1089.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-01-21 15:56 EST-0500

I will try to find an X570 Motherboard that will somehow fit to my budget sir. Thank you for that!
 

ScyberMhaster

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May 22, 2015
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32GB could be more useful down the line if they plan on keeping the system a number of years. And the additional memory ranks can result in slightly better performance in certain scenarios as well.

Before cutting RAM, I would cut back on the cooler. A ~$130 Kraken X52 seems quite overkill for either of these processors. If one wants an aftermarket cooler, even a mid-range tower cooler for under $40 would do a great job cooling these processors quietly and effectively, and leave around $90 more to put toward components that will affect performance, like the graphics card.

Also, unless those SSDs are already owned, I would swap those two smallish SSDs with a single 1TB model, as there are a number of 1TB NVMe SSDs for not much more than $100 now.

That's what I thought also, that is why I maxed out to 32GB DDR4 on my AMD Build. But the cooler, I will just remove it.
 

ScyberMhaster

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May 22, 2015
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How about these final thoughts?

MotherboardGigabyte X570 Aorus Pro Wi-Fi
ProcessorAMD Ryzen 5 3600X
Cooler (CPU)Wraith Spire
Memory (RAM)32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 Elite Delta TUF RGB 3200 MHz
Graphics CardMSI Radeon RX 5700 XT Mech OC
Storage
NVMeADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 256GB
SSD
Power SupplySeasonic Focus Plus 850 80+ Gold
ChassisNZXT H500i
 

greigm78

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Personally, and it's just personally, I would go 2 x 16GB if you are intent on having 32GB. Why put more stress on the memory controller?
Also, that's a pricey case when the H510i is available for $99. But again, the H510 (non "i") is even less at $69 for essentially the same case.
I would go
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor ($238.89 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte X570 I AORUS PRO WIFI Mini ITX AM4 Motherboard ($219.00 @ B&H)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($149.99 @ Best Buy)
Storage: ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 512 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($75.98 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB PULSE Video Card ($409.99 @ Amazon)
Case: NZXT H510i ATX Mid Tower Case ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: SeaSonic FOCUS Plus Gold 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply ($129.99 @ B&H)
Total: $1323.83
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2020-01-22 03:35 EST-0500


You didn't leave yourself much storage on your list, a single 256GB SSD will fill up fast if you are gaming, some game files are 80-90GB on their own.
So, I went 512GB as a minimum, but strangely the same ADATA model was some $20 cheaper in 512 than it was listed in 256.
Also, the MSI Mech card got some pretty bad reviews for poor temps, the Sapphire cards get goos write ups, I have the Pulse card myself and after some driver teething issues, it's running great now.

I think there may be savings to be made on the motherboard and case/PSU (850 might be seen as overkill - I have one in my system).

One thing to consider, if you are using the stock cooler and a 5700XT, which is a power hungry card, you might want to look at adding some case fans to that NZXT, mid-tower case will be snug and might get a bit toasty, so you are going to want to move air in and out of there quite well.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Solution
I concur that the AMD build with the 3600x is a good option and will allow you upgrade room down the road. The thing on Intel, don't get me wrong, not that their chips are terrible, but this gen compared to ryzen, in my opinion unless you're looking at the i9 9900k, don't bother with Intel due to the lower thread count.

I've said before, but you already see some of the i5 quads having issues with games like battlefield 1. If that's the case, will the 6 core i5 CPUs be in that spot in 2 or 3 years? Vs the AMD should hold a little longer.