[SOLVED] Should I stick to amd or go with intel for my upgrade?

[ayoowavy]

I am planning to upgrade both my cpu and mobo together. I currently have a 3200g apu and an rx 5600xt inside a gigabyte b450m dsh3. I am choosing between upgrading to a 5600/5600x paired with a b550 motherboard or change platforms and go with the 12400f/12400 and b660.

My third option is to stick with my b450 motherboard and go with a 5600/5600x but I am still wondering if it's worth sacrificing for the absence of pcie gen 4 and other features I'm missing like a better audio codec, addressable RGB ports, and a better internet port (i think?). I also plan on getting an nvme drive to replace my sata ssd which is not possible with my current mobo.

I mainly play more cpu-intensive games at 1080p which really requires me to upgrade. I also use my pc for AutoCAD, Photoshop, and light Video Editing for school projects.

current specs:
Ryzen 3 3200g
Gigabyte B450M dsh3 v2
Radeon RX 5600XT
16GB 3200mhz CL16
550w PSU
120GB Sata SSD
1tb HDD

 

[Fix_that_Glitch]

Whichever is the cheapest for you. They are about even as far as processors go. AMD platform limits you to upgrade to a 5950x whereas the Intel platform lets you upgrade up to the 13900k and use ddr5 if you ever choose to do so..

 

[DSzymborski]

The third option seems the best to me. Some of the advantages to switching motherboards here are overblown or non-existent.

For one, your current motherboard, if identified correctly, absolutely supports an NVMe drive. Second, PCIE 4.0 only really matters at all for workstation-type applications; you'll get just about zero benefit in gaming and the impact is small even when talking about sequential files (no real world benefit from non-workstation usage). Is your internet faster than a Gbps? If not, no gain there internet-wise. And it's unlikely you would notice a simple codex upgrade unless you're using audiophile-level equipment and have a very sensitive psychoacoustic profile.

In most typical cases, you'd basically be buying a new motherboard for...addressable RGB. I like RGB, too, but I'm personally not going to spend $175 on a sidegrade just to get better RGB options. But your mileage may vary; different people value different things differently.

 

[helper800]

I am also very partial to the third option. You can also get an external dac/amp combo for cheaper than a motherboard upgrade if sound is important to you. You can also buy an A-RGB controller unit and add it to your PC for all the RGB you want at the cost of a single USB 2.0 header on the motherboard and a piece of software to control the effects.

 

[hotaru.hino]

If you're trying to save money, the third option is best. PCIe 3.0 still doesn't offer any appreciable performance loss on PCIe 4.0 hardware; you'd only be able to tell through benchmarks. I'd also not really worry about the audio codec. On-board audio has gotten good enough to service all but the most die-hard of audiophiles.

If you were to buy a new motherboard though, I'd argue go with Intel in your options because you have an upgrade path to a 13th gen processor, if that sort of thing matters to you.

 

[ayoowavy]

I appreciate these things y'all point out!

I didn't know that most of the "benefits" from upgrading the motherboard is not that significant yet. Some tech youtubers make them sound a necessity in the system.

I will most probably just go with my third option then and maybe spend the saved money for a new monitor and additional storage.

 

[bill001g]

You have to be very careful about youtube and any really any social media content. Many youtubers are paid to promote product but even when they don't they are still dependent on clicks for revenue. To keep getting new content they have to talk about new stuff. To them all new stuff is a necessity not because they are going to use it but they need to make new videos.
Be very suspect of anyone who always recommends the newest toys. You want to more trust someones opinion more that has nothing to gain like most the forum users here.