Source
r/buildapc•
endwolf76

Am I putting too much money into the processor?

Build Help

So, I have a budget around 2 grand. I want to make a PC that will be able to run games at 1440p at a high frame rate, on high settings. I'm not trying to build a 4k monster, and the RX 6800's performance seems fine, and the graphics card is typically pretty easy to upgrade.

I'm going overkill on the processor, I know. I would be able to get significantly more performance by going with like a 6950 XT and getting like a $300 processor. However, my thought process is this.

I'm very happy with the cost per frame, performance, and VRAM of the RX 6800 compared to other cards. The 7800x3D uses AM5, which is what AMD will be using for the foreseeable future. It also will allow me to use DDR5 RAM. By having todays best performing CPU, with AMDs new AM5 sockets and the new DDR5 RAM my PC will remain modern for a much higher timeframe. The CPU being so powerful, means I wont have to worry about any significant bottlenecks if I feel the need to upgrade the GPU in 3-5 years.

So what is the reddit consensus here. Am allocating to much into the CPU, even taking into account my justifications. Or am I making sense. I want to hear a different opinion, so I know i'm not buying that CPU because it's new and shiny.

[PCPartPicker Part List](https://pcpartpicker.com/list/4gx2hk)

​

Type|Item|Price

:----|:----|:----

**CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/3hyH99/amd-ryzen-7-7800x3d-42-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000910wof) | $449.00 @ Amazon

**Motherboard** | [Asus ROG STRIX X670E-I GAMING WIFI Mini ITX AM5 Motherboard](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/xkVmP6/asus-rog-strix-x670e-i-gaming-wifi-mini-itx-am5-motherboard-rog-strix-x670e-i-gaming-wifi) | $427.99 @ Amazon

**Memory** | [Corsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5200 CL40 Memory](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/YBWzK8/corsair-vengeance-32-gb-2-x-16-gb-ddr5-5200-cl40-memory-cmk32gx5m2b5200c40) | $92.99 @ Newegg

**Storage** | [Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Zxw7YJ/samsung-970-evo-plus-1-tb-m2-2280-nvme-solid-state-drive-mz-v7s1t0bam) | $59.99 @ Amazon

**Video Card** | [Gigabyte GAMING OC Radeon RX 6800 16 GB Video Card](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Nw9tt6/gigabyte-radeon-rx-6800-16-gb-gaming-oc-video-card-gv-r68gaming-oc-16gd) | $454.99 @ Newegg

**Case** | [Cooler Master NR200P MAX Mini ITX Tower Case](https://pcpartpicker.com/product/DdfnTW/cooler-master-nr200p-max-mini-itx-tower-case-nr200p-mcnn85-sl0) | $469.99 @ Newegg

| *Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts* |

| **Total** | **$1954.95**

| Generated by [PCPartPicker](https://pcpartpicker.com) 2023-05-02 14:09 EDT-0400 |

Posted May 2, 2023, 6:28 PM UTC

214
psimwork I ❤️ undervolting•

CPU is fine. You're actually putting too much into the motherboard, IMO, unless you desperately need Asus' weird sound pod, or thunderbolt 4, you're far better off getting a B650 chipset board.

PCPartPicker Part List

TypeItemPrice
CPUAMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2 GHz 8-Core Processor$449.00 @ Amazon
MotherboardGigabyte B650I AORUS ULTRA Mini ITX AM5 Motherboard$259.99 @ Newegg
MemoryG.Skill Flare X5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL32 Memory$114.99 @ Amazon
StorageAddlink S70 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive$46.44 @ Amazon
Video CardMSI GAMING Z TRIO Radeon RX 6800 XT 16 GB Video Card$509.99 @ Newegg
CaseCooler Master NR200P MAX Mini ITX Tower Case$469.99 @ Newegg
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
Total$1850.40
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-05-02 14:31 EDT-0400
3
endwolf76OP•

Yeah, I actually had the Gigabyte board on there, and just put in the ASUS one for fun, but I wasn't going to spend that much for the ASUS lol, I just forgot to swap it back out.

Why did you choose that SSD? Was it just because it's cheaper?

1
psimwork I ❤️ undervolting•

Basically, yes. The Addlink S70 is one of those drives that not a ton of people use, but should. It's a PCIe 3.0 drive that has a DRAM cache, that is damn near as fast as the 970 Evo Plus, and is ~25% cheaper.

1
endwolf76OP•

Sick, I'll go with it off your recommendation. What about the RAM change. I was under the impression that DDR5-5200 was plenty with the 7800x3d due to the V Cache making the RAM speed almost irrelevant.

1
psimwork I ❤️ undervolting•

So that's a bit of a can of worms, but I'll try to make a long story short. The way that Ryzen CPUs operate includes a function called Infinity Fabric. It's something that I very much don't understand completely, but from what I have VERY loosely understood, it's how the CPU moves instructions between cores, regardless of cache levels. This effectively works by taking the instruction, dropping it into RAM, and then another core can grab it out of RAM (again, I could be mistaken in my understanding).

Because of this, you want the Infinity Fabric (which works on a certain clockspeed) working in-sync with your RAM clockspeed, so that it's not waiting on it. In the case of something like Ryzen 5000, the commonly ideal speed was 3600MHz, because at that point, the Infinity Fabric could run at 1800MHz and they would be in a 2:1 sync (3600MHz : 1800MHz). Using RAM at other speeds meant that they would not run in-sync, and you could either lower (or, less likely, raise) the IF clock, or just run them out-of-sync. Lowered IF clock was definitely not desirable, and out-of-sync wasn't ideal.

With Ryzen 7000, AMD has said that the sweetspot is 6000MHz for RAM, because at that point, you can have the IF clock running at 2000MHz, and the RAM will run 1:3 in-sync with the IF clock.

Is it a night-and-day difference? No. But for $20, it's usually worth doing.

1
LightmanDavidL•

I would be able to get significantly more performance by going with like a 6950 XT and getting like a $300 processor.

Seems you have less interest in performance then.

Build this and call it a win...

PCPartPicker Part List

TypeItemPrice
CPUIntel Core i5-13500 4.8 GHz 14-Core Processor$237.98 @ Newegg
CPU CoolerThermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler$34.90 @ Amazon
MotherboardMSI B760 GAMING PLUS WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard$171.98 @ Newegg
MemoryCorsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-6000 CL36 Memory$99.99 @ Newegg
StorageWestern Digital Black SN770 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive$109.99 @ Newegg
Video CardASRock Phantom Gaming OC Radeon RX 6950 XT 16 GB Video Card$599.99 @ Newegg
CaseCorsair 4000D Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case$94.99 @ Amazon
Power SupplySuper Flower Leadex III Gold 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply$114.99 @ Newegg Sellers (directly from Super Flower)
Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts
Total$1464.81
Generated by PCPartPicker 2023-05-02 14:44 EDT-0400
3
superrob1500•

Way too much on the CPU and way too much on the motherboard.

2
endwolf76OP•

Yeah I wasn't going to get that MOBO I just put it in and forgot to take it out. MOBO will be Gigabyte B650I AORUS $259.99

1
superrob1500•

Definitely better but for this kind of price range, unless you're going for very high refresh gaming at 1080p low you're probably fine with something like a 7700X and getting a better GPU.

1
fornickate•

Disclaimer: I might have some slight bias as I'm running a 7800X3D right now.

I don't think you're spending too much on the processor. My 7800X3D I've been running also at 1440p, everything cranked to high, paired with a 4070 and it's getting the job done. 8 cores, 16 threads, with the 3D V-Cache should be good for the next 3-5 years barring some huge leap in CPU utilization for game engines. I upgraded from a 7700X and while the highs haven't improved too much, the 1% lows have been crazy better. Small stuttering/FPS drops that I used to get with some games are gone, and temps have been a lot better too. I think it's worth it.

1
endwolf76OP•

Yeah 1% lows are much more important than making the average much higher, hence why I just went with the cheapest 16 gb GPU available.

I'm not trying to get the highest AVG FPS as high as possible, but just have the best possible 70 FPS+ experience as possible. I can always upgrade the GPU pretty easily. No way, I'm digging out the CPU to upgrade it lol.

1
fuzzywuzzybear76•

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/g9WB2m

changed to 6950xt. gotta admit though the 6800 @ $455 is a good price. 6800xt will be ~10% more performant and 6950xt another 10.

1
Blu3Jell0P0wd3r•

With a RX 6800 at 1440p i don't think you will see framerate improvement with a 7800X3D vs a 7700/7700X CPU, even the RTX 4090 at 1080p struggles to separate the two in most of the games, and the 7700/7700X would have plenty of performance to give you very high framerates with a better GPU.

I would save the money on the CPU and go with a $500 RX 6800 XT or better instead. There's also the RX 6950 XT for $600, it's worth taking a look at.

For RAM you have better options with faster timings and lower latency for that kinda of money, check the Teamgroup 5600 CL32 kit, any of the G.SKILL or Corsair 6000 CL36 kits, those options should give a bump in performance at high framerates.

  • 6000 CL30 from the G.SKILL NEO kits would be a bit better for high refresh gaming, would give you slight better 1% lows, but they are around $130-140, and i would only go with if you go with a better GPU instead.
1