[SOLVED] Should I buy the Ryzen 7 3700X or the i7 8700k?

vulpix

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I want to replace my CPU. Right now I use a Ryzen 5 2600 and the performance is simply not enough anymore. My focus is on games like fortnite. I´ll also buy a new motherboard and cooler for the cpu. The problem is that I dont really know what cpu will be better for playing fortnite. I might oc my cpu aswell later on so maybe you can give me some suggestions on that aswell but I mainly want to know whether I should buy the Ryzen 7 3700X or the i7 8700k for playing fortnite.
 
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I would like to get stable 160fps since I have a 144hz monitor and I would definetly replace my motherboard since its only a prime a320m-k. My problem is that some people say that the ryzen is better but I have my problems with that because Intel is known for better gaming performance.

Forget about what you know about Intel vs. AMD. Today, AMD CPUs deliver higher overall performance and have an architectural path to continue that trend whereas Intel appears to be topping out. Also, as far as value for the money, AMD is the way to go and they are positioned to continue delivering higher performance CPUs going forward, especially if game developers continue to take advantage of multicore technology, which AMD dominates. Keep in...
The i7 would probably be slightly better, but it's on a dead platform and if you don't have a really high end GPU and high refresh monitor the i7's gaming advantage would not be apparent to you.

Odds are you could also drop the 3700x onto your existing motherboard (maybe not if it's an A320 board or some other low end AM4 board with no third gen Ryzen support), so that's another point in its favour.
 
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vulpix

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The i7 would probably be slightly better, but it's on a dead platform and if you don't have a really high end GPU and high refresh monitor the i7's gaming advantage would not be apparent to you.

Odds are you could also drop the 3700x onto your existing motherboard (maybe not if it's an A320 board or some other low end AM4 board with no third gen Ryzen support), so that's another point in its favour.
I would like to get stable 160fps since I have a 144hz monitor and I would definetly replace my motherboard since its only a prime a320m-k. My problem is that some people say that the ryzen is better but I have my problems with that because Intel is known for better gaming performance.
 
I would like to get stable 160fps since I have a 144hz monitor and I would definetly replace my motherboard since its only a prime a320m-k. My problem is that some people say that the ryzen is better but I have my problems with that because Intel is known for better gaming performance.

Intel offers the best gaming performance, but it's not a huge gap anymore in most circumstances. What resolution are you running and which GPU do you have? The GPU will most likely be your main limiting factor unless you have a very high end card eg. RTX 2070 Super or higher and are running at 1080p resolution. If you really wanted to buy an Intel CPU now, you're probably better off buying a 10th generation CPU like the 10600k rather than the 8700k at this point.

It would probably also help to know what RAM you have, Ryzen CPUs are more sensitive to RAM speed and slower RAM can significantly slow them down.
 

vulpix

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Intel offers the best gaming performance, but it's not a huge gap anymore in most circumstances. What resolution are you running and which GPU do you have? The GPU will most likely be your main limiting factor unless you have a very high end card eg. RTX 2070 Super or higher and are running at 1080p resolution. If you really wanted to buy an Intel CPU now, you're probably better off buying a 10th generation CPU like the 10600k rather than the 8700k at this point.

It would probably also help to know what RAM you have, Ryzen CPUs are more sensitive to RAM speed and slower RAM can significantly slow them down.
I am using the gtx 1070 armor and 16gb of ram 3000mhz oc´ed to 3200mhz. But as much as I know you don´t need the best gpu for fortnite.
 
I am using the gtx 1070 armor and 16gb of ram 3000mhz oc´ed to 3200mhz. But as much as I know you don´t need the best gpu for fortnite.

I'm not sure how much a CPU upgrade would help you then, I think you might be more GPU limited. What I'd suggest you do is try dropping the game's graphics settings and see how that changes performance. If you're still not getting that consistent 160FPS you want even at low settings, then maybe a CPU upgrade would help. If you do get the performance you want at reduced settings, then you are more likely GPU limited.
 
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vulpix

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I'm not sure how much a CPU upgrade would help you then, I think you might be more GPU limited. What I'd suggest you do is try dropping the game's graphics settings and see how that changes performance. If you're still not getting that consistent 160FPS you want even at low settings, then maybe a CPU upgrade would help. If you do get the performance you want at reduced settings, then you are more likely GPU limited.
Yeah all my settings are low and I optimized my whole pc and I still have fps problems with the ryzen 5 2600.
 
For fornite, If you can find a decent price i5 10600/10600K, thats what I would buy (if you wana have some upgrade path in the near future with current cpus).

If you go with a non-overclockable mother (B460) get a decent kit of 2x8GB of DDR4 2666. If you get the Z490 mobo then aim for atleast 2x8GB DDR4 3200 CL16.

Add a decent cooler and you are done.

Also, What GPU do you have?, Are you sure is the CPU holding you back?
 
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vulpix

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For fornite, If you can find a decent price i5 10600/10600K, thats what I would buy (if you wana have some upgrade path in the near future with current cpus).

If you go with a non-overclockable mother (B460) get a decent kit of 2x8GB of DDR4 2666. If you get the Z490 mobo then aim for atleast 2x8GB DDR4 3200 CL16.

Add a decent cooler and you are done.

Also, What GPU do you have?, Are you sure is the CPU holding you back?
I have a gtx 1070 and all my settings are on low.
 

PewterScreaminMach

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If I can ever get Fortnite to finish updating, I'll run a test for you with my setup to check what FPS I get at maxed settings. It's an 8700K and 1080 Ti, which I know is a significantly better GPU than your 1070, but it's some level of real world information with the same processor you were considering.

Plus I'm just kind of curious now haha.
 
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Now that I think about it more carefully, if you have a R5 2600, you probably have, a B450 motherboard, so between those two cpu you wrote, then the R7 3700X + a good cooler + some 2x8 DDR4 3200 memory kit is a very nice "budget" update.
Keep in mind if you have a B450 mobo you will probably need to update the BIOS to use the R7 3700X. Most motherboard vendors have diferent ways to update the BIOS, some even need you to put one BIOS version in first, and just then you can update the the very last one.

For edge fast FPS (it will depend on other factors but...), intel chips still wins most times.
 
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PewterScreaminMach

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My test might actually be useful info for you (or not lol). I just updated Fortnite and ran it at fully maxed out settings with my 8700K and 1080 Ti.

Seemed to be averaging around 160 fps during gameplay, much higher when nothing going on or standing still but around there when I was actually doing something.

Also monitored my Task Manager Performance tab while doing so. My 8700K hovered around 45-50% the entire time and my GPU stayed pegged around 99% almost the entire time.

Again, this is all on fully maxed out settings.
 
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For gaming and gaming only especially high FPS, the 10600K is near on up there in gaming performance with the best in the 9900K/10700K/10900K...if you can find it at a good price. It is circa $270...
the 10600K is a 8700K but with a better cooling design and slightly higher out of the box base and boost clocks..
 
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Turtle Rig

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Also go to Nvidia panel and turn everything on all the AA methods and turn on everything to high quality and fortnite can be everything set on highest quality and you should still be able to get 144 FPS to match your monitor.

;)
 
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Now that I think about it more carefully, if you have a R5 2600, you probably have, a B450 motherboard, so between those two cpu you wrote, then the R7 3700X + a good cooler + some 2x8 DDR4 3200 memory kit is a very nice "budget" update.
They mentioned above that it's only an a320 board, though they apparently have their RAM running at 3200 speed already. They didn't mention if it's a 2x8GB or 1x16GB kit though, and a single stick could be hurting performance if that were the case.

Personally, I would wait a little longer for Ryzens featuring the new Zen 3 architecture to launch, which will likely be within the next few months, to see what those have to offer.

If you did want to upgrade right away, an i7-8700K might be a bit of a waste unless you are buying one substantially discounted somewhere. The newer i5-10600K is pretty much a slightly better version of the same processor with more room for future upgrades on the platform, though pricing and availability isn't quite where it should be for an i5 right now. Also, if you are thinking of overclocking in the future (or running your RAM at more than DDR4-2666 speed), you would need a compatible Z-series motherboard for those Intel CPUs, along with a cooler that's capable of handling those processors with an overclock.

So, between the processor, motherboard and cooler, you might be looking at spending nearly $500 for the upgrade. You might be able to sell your existing parts to make a portion of that back, but it would still likely cost you more than a few-hundred dollars in all. You might get somewhat better frame rates, but since you are probably getting over 100fps already, it might not be too noticeable, particularly if you are using Free-Sync / G-Sync on your monitor. In fact, if you are using a form of adaptive sync like that, it may be better to limit your frame rate to slightly below 144Hz so that can remain active, otherwise you are likely to experience some screen tearing outside that refresh range. What monitor is it, and what frame rates are you typically seeing in the game?

I’ll also note (maybe the most useful part for you) that my results match pretty much spot on with this benchmark “calculator”, so running this for your current setup and then possible hardware upgrades might be useful for figuring out your best bang for the buck.
I'm not so sure. According to that, their existing Ryzen 2600 with a GTX 1070 should be averaging around 217fps in Fortnite at 1080p low settings, which is what they are apparently using. >_>
 
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PewterScreaminMach

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They mentioned above that it's only an a320 board, though they apparently have their RAM running at 3200 speed already. They didn't mention if it's a 2x8GB or 1x16GB kit though, and a single stick could be hurting performance if that were the case.

Personally, I would wait a little longer for Ryzens featuring the new Zen 3 architecture to launch, which will likely be within the next few months, to see what those have to offer.

If you did want to upgrade right away, an i7-8700K might be a bit of a waste unless you are buying one substantially discounted somewhere. The newer i5-10600K is pretty much a slightly better version of the same processor with more room for future upgrades on the platform, though pricing and availability isn't quite where it should be for an i5 right now. Also, if you are thinking of overclocking in the future (or running your RAM at more than DDR4-2666 speed), you would need a compatible Z-series motherboard for those Intel CPUs, along with a cooler that's capable of handling those processors with an overclock.

So, between the processor, motherboard and cooler, you might be looking at spending nearly $500 for the upgrade. You might be able to sell your existing parts to make a portion of that back, but it would still likely cost you more than a few-hundred dollars in all. You might get somewhat better frame rates, but since you are probably getting over 100fps already, it might not be too noticeable, particularly if you are using Free-Sync / G-Sync on your monitor. In fact, if you are using a form of adaptive sync like that, it may be better to limit your frame rate to slightly below 144Hz so that can remain active, otherwise you are likely to experience some screen tearing outside that refresh range. What monitor is it, and what frame rates are you typically seeing in the game?


I'm not so sure. According to that, their existing Ryzen 2600 with a GTX 1070 should be averaging around 217fps in Fortnite at 1080p low settings, which is what they are apparently using. >_>
Ah, I checked it for their setup at max settings, not low as they said, so you're right. I wonder if a benchmark of the OP's setup might reveal any sort of situation where their computer is not running to full potential. Maybe not but just a thought. Or maybe that calculator is way off in some scenarios. Mine was on basically to the number but I'm just one example.
 
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Nathaniel_9

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I would like to get stable 160fps since I have a 144hz monitor and I would definetly replace my motherboard since its only a prime a320m-k. My problem is that some people say that the ryzen is better but I have my problems with that because Intel is known for better gaming performance.

Forget about what you know about Intel vs. AMD. Today, AMD CPUs deliver higher overall performance and have an architectural path to continue that trend whereas Intel appears to be topping out. Also, as far as value for the money, AMD is the way to go and they are positioned to continue delivering higher performance CPUs going forward, especially if game developers continue to take advantage of multicore technology, which AMD dominates. Keep in mind that once you buy a motherboard, you will be stuck with that socket on the next upgrade. Also, there's no reason to expect higher FPS than your monitor can refresh. If your monitor is 144Hz, having a PC that can deliver more than 144 FPS is pointless.

More than anything, your GPU will dictate FPS, so if you have a budget, it would be wise to dedicate most of your money into the GPU if you're really concerned about FPS. Although the relationship isn't linear, once you reach a certain CPU and RAM capacity, you start to hit a ceiling that only the GPU can break through. Bottomline is if you can't afford an RTX 2080 Ti, I see no reason to waste time nit-picking about the CPU when so many will deliver the goods.
 
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vulpix

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Forget about what you know about Intel vs. AMD. Today, AMD CPUs deliver higher overall performance and have an architectural path to continue that trend whereas Intel appears to be topping out. Also, as far as value for the money, AMD is the way to go and they are positioned to continue delivering higher performance CPUs going forward, especially if game developers continue to take advantage of multicore technology, which AMD dominates. Keep in mind that once you buy a motherboard, you will be stuck with that socket on the next upgrade. Also, there's no reason to expect higher FPS than your monitor can refresh. If your monitor is 144Hz, having a PC that can deliver more than 144 FPS is pointless.

More than anything, your GPU will dictate FPS, so if you have a budget, it would be wise to dedicate most of your money into the GPU if you're really concerned about FPS. Although the relationship isn't linear, once you reach a certain CPU and RAM capacity, you start to hit a ceiling that only the GPU can break through. Bottomline is if you can't afford an RTX 2080 Ti, I see no reason to waste time nit-picking about the CPU when so many will deliver the goods.
Yeah I guess I´ll stick with amd for now but I thought the gpu doesn´t matter as much in fortnite since I have all settings on all. The usage is really not that high while playing and tons of people told me that cpu is way more important in fortnite.
 

Nathaniel_9

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Yeah I guess I´ll stick with amd for now but I thought the gpu doesn´t matter as much in fortnite since I have all settings on all. The usage is really not that high while playing and tons of people told me that cpu is way more important in fortnite.
Take a look at some benchmarks with the hardware and software you're interested in. People tend to wax on and on about stuff in the abstract (including myself). Real-world benchmarks are very useful in my opinion!
 

Zerk2012

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I want to replace my CPU. Right now I use a Ryzen 5 2600 and the performance is simply not enough anymore. My focus is on games like fortnite. I´ll also buy a new motherboard and cooler for the cpu. The problem is that I dont really know what cpu will be better for playing fortnite. I might oc my cpu aswell later on so maybe you can give me some suggestions on that aswell but I mainly want to know whether I should buy the Ryzen 7 3700X or the i7 8700k for playing fortnite.
I would get the i5 10600K before buying a 8700K.
 

HaizRail007

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it's been awhile since I ran amd, but amd is taking advantage of pcie 4.0 so you'd have better nmve m.2 support, Meaning less bottle neck on the cpu. as far as price goes the amd is cheaper, but not by a lot. and according to passmark the 3700 out preforms the 8700k. if your running amd stick with it and for those running intel like myself stick with it, no need in jumping ship yet.