AMD Mid-Range Gaming Build: CPU
While all of the components we are selecting here today are what we would go with, and priced from vendors we trust, it is always a good idea to shop around as deals on these, or other good options, pop up from other reliable vendors all the time. With that said, let’s dive right into the first order of business.
CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X $299.99 (Currently $279.99)
60 FPS
- Best Value In AMD Gaming Performance*
- 4.4GHz Max Boost*
- 65W TDP
- Decent Overclocking Potential
30 FPS
- That Whole Max Boost Kerfuffle*
- 8 Core Product, If That Matters For Other Things You Do
- 3.6Ghz Base
CPU Alternate
AMD Ryzen 5 3600X $249.99 (Currently $209.99)
60 FPS
- Close Second To Ryzen 7 3700X For Best Value In AMD Gaming Performance
- Same Max Boost As Ryzen 7 3700X*
- 200Mhz Base Clock Boost Over Ryzen 5 3600
30 FPS
- Value Is Dependent On Pricing
- 6 Core Product, If That Matters For Other Things You Do
While AMD’s Ryzen 9 3950X and 3900X may well be the “champs” of the enthusiast portion of AMD’s lineup, most users don’t buy into product stacks at those ranges. However, with the development, AMD has done with its Ryzen series of processors buying in at the more manageable Ryzen 7 level still nets you a CPU that will enable you to have an excellent gaming experience without breaking the bank.
So, today’s number one pick for a processor in this range is the Ryzen 7 3700X. You get almost all of the performance of its bigger brothers but at a much more manageable price. As our own Dan Dobrowolski opined; “In most cases, the Ryzen 7 3700X is the best bang for your buck for productivity and gaming. While there are some instances where other options are faster, they are always more expensive or less versatile.” Sure, you can get a product that has a higher core count from AMD and drop it in here, but that isn’t a decision that is going to yield you much in the way of gaming performance at this time. So, the Ryzen 7 3700X is probably the “it” chip in this price range/product range.
For those looking to shave some cost of their system, but not sacrifice too much in the way of performance, we are stepping back to the Ryzen 5 3600X. You actually end up gaining a bit on the base clock speed here, but you drop your core count again and come in at a 6 core product at this point. On top of that, both chips have similar max boosts and that all taken together means you probably won’t hinder your gaming action too much with this choice. In the end, this a pure price play product and that can be summed up, in the words of our own Dan Dobrowolski, as “ Make no mistake, the 3600X is a good CPU. However, I think there are better values bracketing this particular CPU model. However, if you can score a Ryzen 5 3600X for under MSRP, like this pricing at Microcenter it’s a great option and a good buy. That price changes the game for the 3600X’s value. It’s all about the pricing you can get this CPU at. “