[SOLVED] Is there actually any reason to not go Intel for gaming?

Dec 13, 2020
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It's clear that AMD is making the biggest move in the CPU market as well as making the most progress, but there are still a lot of Intel users out there despite Intel still not using 7nm processors. I'm planning my next build for gaming and really having a hard time deciding which processor to go for. Something I've learned is that when it comes to games, optimization is still an issue and not all games perform as well on AMD as they do Intel and vice versa.

I don't know exactly why this is, but I'm questioning whether Intel is out of the picture or whether it's still a worthy consideration. Obviously the biggest issue with Intel is that they like to lock their CPUs to a single mobo making upgrade paths not only more expensive but also more troublesome to do. However with AMD soon to abandon the AM4 socket it kind of feels like a similar situation.

It seems that if I'm building a PC to last at least a few years that upgrading moving forward will still require mobo replacement regardless of which way you swing. Had this been a few years ago, or had I decided to buy a Zen 2 processor temporarily and upgrade to a Zen 3 processor later that then would be a benefit. However if I'm just jumping straight to Zen 3, unless I decided to upgrade to another processor that supported the AM4 socket there isn't much difference.

Sorry for the long winded preface, but I guess what I'm asking is whether Intel are still a good option for gaming despite still using 14nm chips unlike 7nm with AMD. Performance and optimization with gaming is really my priority, and while AMD certainly have a strong lead in performance, they still seem to fall short in some games that aren't as well optimised on AMD.
 
Solution
They are still quite good for gaming. Get whichever has the best performance within your budget.

Also a lot of the benchmarks are misleading. What I mean is the CPU isn't usually the limiting factor. It's the GPU. Now if you're going with a top tier GPU and playing at 1920x1080 for max FPS. Then your CPU choice really matters. Otherwise a more mid range GPU or 1440p or higher resolution. Your GPU will limit you, usually.

Given the new consoles use 8 core CPU. I'd recommended at least an 8 core CPU from the last generation or two from AMD or Intel. For it to last those 3-5 years.
They are still quite good for gaming. Get whichever has the best performance within your budget.

Also a lot of the benchmarks are misleading. What I mean is the CPU isn't usually the limiting factor. It's the GPU. Now if you're going with a top tier GPU and playing at 1920x1080 for max FPS. Then your CPU choice really matters. Otherwise a more mid range GPU or 1440p or higher resolution. Your GPU will limit you, usually.

Given the new consoles use 8 core CPU. I'd recommended at least an 8 core CPU from the last generation or two from AMD or Intel. For it to last those 3-5 years.
 
Solution

FoxVoxDK

Distinguished
To be quite frank with you, you have pretty much answered your own question, if you're just in it for gaming with minimal or no work done on the PC, just choose whichever is available at best price/performance. Just be aware that Intel may use more power being on a larger node, try and get at least 6 cores with HT/SMT whenever possible.
 
Jan 9, 2021
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There's still enough parity for gaming that Intel or AMD are both very viable options. And right now neither company promises motherboard longevity; Intel changes it up almost every generation, while AMD has stated that Zen 3 is the last chip that will be compatible with AM4.

On a personal note, I actually switched to AMD (Ryzen 5600x) after being on Intel for my last two gaming PCs. The AMD chips have equal gaming performance to Intel chips in their price range while being better at multitasking, and do it at a lower TDP (which was important to me, as I want to keep my gaming PC as cool and quiet as possible).

AMD is slowly climbing past Intel, but that doesn't mean that the race can't change in the next generation, nor does it mean Intel won't be relevant for gaming for a long time. Right now gamers are actually pretty lucky in that we finally have two brands capable of making competitive chips in a variety of price ranges.

So buy the chip that you can afford and actually find available. It'll be fine. Most reviews will tell you that the 5600x and i5-10600k are the top gaming chips right now in terms of price versus performance.
 
D

Deleted member 2838871

Guest
It's clear that AMD is making the biggest move in the CPU market as well as making the most progress, but there are still a lot of Intel users out there despite Intel still not using 7nm processors. I'm planning my next build for gaming and really having a hard time deciding which processor to go for. Something I've learned is that when it comes to games, optimization is still an issue and not all games perform as well on AMD as they do Intel and vice versa.

I don't know exactly why this is, but I'm questioning whether Intel is out of the picture or whether it's still a worthy consideration. Obviously the biggest issue with Intel is that they like to lock their CPUs to a single mobo making upgrade paths not only more expensive but also more troublesome to do. However with AMD soon to abandon the AM4 socket it kind of feels like a similar situation.

It seems that if I'm building a PC to last at least a few years that upgrading moving forward will still require mobo replacement regardless of which way you swing. Had this been a few years ago, or had I decided to buy a Zen 2 processor temporarily and upgrade to a Zen 3 processor later that then would be a benefit. However if I'm just jumping straight to Zen 3, unless I decided to upgrade to another processor that supported the AM4 socket there isn't much difference.

Sorry for the long winded preface, but I guess what I'm asking is whether Intel are still a good option for gaming despite still using 14nm chips unlike 7nm with AMD. Performance and optimization with gaming is really my priority, and while AMD certainly have a strong lead in performance, they still seem to fall short in some games that aren't as well optimised on AMD.
One very good reason is when you can't find the Ryzen 5600 (or whatever) anywhere in stock and not at scalper prices.
To be quite frank with you, you have pretty much answered your own question, if you're just in it for gaming with minimal or no work done on the PC, just choose whichever is available at best price/performance. Just be aware that Intel may use more power being on a larger node, try and get at least 6 cores with HT/SMT whenever possible.

All of the above.

I built my new PC a couple weeks ago and it came down to Intel 10900k at retail price or AMD whatever at retail price +60%.

Value won... and for those people that want to talk about power draw... it's nothing a good cooler can't handle. This oven of a processor is OCed to 5.2ghz all core and barely touches 80C under stress testing... everyday use is even lower temps.