Need a recommendation for a "future proof" non gaming CPU (Part II)

logicalxm

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Jul 21, 2009
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Hi,

I have initially posted a similar thread while I was looking to get my dad a refurbished PC and was inquiring about what kind of budget CPU would be a good choice for basic tasks.
After giving the issue some more thought and examining the suggestions from the thread, I have decided to give my dad my current i5 2500k six year old build, and use it as an opportunity to build myself a new rig.

I have started doing some research and was quite surprised that AMD Ryzen is now the recommended choice for PC builders from the price/value standpoint. The Ryzen 5 1500x is not too expensive and it got grreat reviews. I am not a gamer, and if I will decide to play some games, they will probably be non graphic intnsive games which I will play just for nostalgia (GTA, Call of Duty, Max Payne). So I do not need a top of the line CPU.

What I do want to get is a CPU that will be able to perform well for basic multitasking and viewing 4k and HDR movies well into the future. Sort of like the i5 2500k was back in 2012, which still meets my expectations. I am aware that the video card and sufficient RAM play a more important role in that regard, but I view the CPU choice as important nonetheless.
I acknowledge the fact that even a cheaper Intel i3 CPU would meet my needs at the moment, but I am not looking to buy the cheapest CPU possible and would prefer to spend extra to have some security.
I have no particular budget for the CPU, and even though I expect not to spend too much due to my basic requirements ($150-200), I would still prefer to get a CPU that can perform well and will meet my goals for the future.

Would you guys say that the Ryzen 5 1500x is a good choice for my needs? Would getting an Intel i5 CPU prove to be a better choice for non gamers?

Thank you.
 

whm1974

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Jul 24, 2016
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I wouldn't get the 1500X as it has been replaced by the 2200G and 2400G APUs. If you are not going to overclock, then don't get the X and K CPUs.

If you not going to have a video card, then the Ryzen 2400G should fine as will the Intel i5-8400. If you are going to get a video card then I recommend getting the 2600 which has six core and twelve threads which should you last a very long time.

Keep in mind that the Ryzen 2000 series APUs have a iGPU while the CPUs do not but have more cores/threads.
 

Markfw

Moderator Emeritus, Elite Member
May 16, 2002
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I don't like the limitations for the APU (2400G) type processors. For the small difference in price, a 2700x@$300 including a good cooler (at stock) will give you many years (future proof) of enjoyment. As for the video card, for a "non-gamer" the 1050TI is inexpensive and plenty fast. Get fast memory also, at least 3000, 3200 preferred and 16 gig of it.
 
May 11, 2008
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When you go for the 2xxx series ryzens, be sure that you have a motherboard that is updated to a bios level that supports the ryzen 2xxx series.
There are still quite a few B350 boards out there that require a bios update. If you are going to buy such a board, make sure that the supplier either updates the board for you for free or a small fee or provides a board that is already having the proper bios programmed by the manufacturer.
 
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whm1974

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Jul 24, 2016
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I don't like the limitations for the APU (2400G) type processors. For the small difference in price, a 2700x@$300 including a good cooler (at stock) will give you many years (future proof) of enjoyment. As for the video card, for a "non-gamer" the 1050TI is inexpensive and plenty fast. Get fast memory also, at least 3000, 3200 preferred and 16 gig of it.
I would have recommend the 2700 but I didn't know if the OP is willing to spend ~$300 on a CPU
 

logicalxm

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Jul 21, 2009
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Not sure if getting a Ryzen 2200G with on board graphics is a good option. Even if it is cheaper, watching movies or Youtube streaming at the highest setting is a priority for me. I don't have much knowledge on the matter, but I think I am limiting myself by getting an APU and always viewed that choice as being the best option for someone on a strict budget.
I did initially say that I don't have a particular budget, but I would ideally like to spend between $150-200 USD
 

logicalxm

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Jul 21, 2009
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Thanks for the suggestions.
So you guys believe that the Ryzen 5 2600 would be a good choice for a "future proof" non-gaming build? It still did not receive a lot of reviews even if it came out about 3 months ago, which makes me believe it is not such a great choice compared to the 1500 or the Intel i5 8400, which is similarly priced. Nonetheless, the 2nd generation of Ryzen is consistently good in benchmarks. There is also the issue of not having compatible motherboards out of the box. I understand that only X470 mobos would be compatible with the Ryzen 2nd generation 2600. I was planning to get a mATX mobo, but most x470 are ATX form factor. I will most likely purchase a mid tower case, so it is not a huge issue.

Would it be a better choice than the Intel i5 8400? I'm trying to decipher the reviews, but they are obviously concentrated on gaming performances. Once again, my priority is not so much gaming, but building a future proof computer used for media streaming in HD and smooth browsing for years to come..
 

whm1974

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Jul 24, 2016
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Thanks for the suggestions.
So you guys believe that the Ryzen 5 2600 would be a good choice for a "future proof" non-gaming build? It still did not receive a lot of reviews even if it came out about 3 months ago, which makes me believe it is not such a great choice compared to the 1500 or the Intel i5 8400, which is similarly priced. Nonetheless, the 2nd generation of Ryzen is consistently good in benchmarks. There is also the issue of not having compatible motherboards out of the box. I understand that only X470 mobos would be compatible with the Ryzen 2nd generation 2600. I was planning to get a mATX mobo, but most x470 are ATX form factor. I will most likely purchase a mid tower case, so it is not a huge issue.

Would it be a better choice than the Intel i5 8400? I'm trying to decipher the reviews, but they are obviously concentrated on gaming performances. Once again, my priority is not so much gaming, but building a future proof computer used for media streaming in HD and smooth browsing for years to come..
Isn't the Ryzen 1500 a quad core processor with SMT? B350 boards work fine with the Ryzen 2000 series as long as the BIOS has been update. Personally I would just go for the Ryzen 7 2700 along with a 1050Ti and SSD.
 

scannall

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Jan 1, 2012
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Thanks for the suggestions.
So you guys believe that the Ryzen 5 2600 would be a good choice for a "future proof" non-gaming build? It still did not receive a lot of reviews even if it came out about 3 months ago, which makes me believe it is not such a great choice compared to the 1500 or the Intel i5 8400, which is similarly priced. Nonetheless, the 2nd generation of Ryzen is consistently good in benchmarks. There is also the issue of not having compatible motherboards out of the box. I understand that only X470 mobos would be compatible with the Ryzen 2nd generation 2600. I was planning to get a mATX mobo, but most x470 are ATX form factor. I will most likely purchase a mid tower case, so it is not a huge issue.

Would it be a better choice than the Intel i5 8400? I'm trying to decipher the reviews, but they are obviously concentrated on gaming performances. Once again, my priority is not so much gaming, but building a future proof computer used for media streaming in HD and smooth browsing for years to come..

Probably because the 2600x is only $15 to $20 more than the 2600. It's faster and comes with a better cooler. At $209 it's a great value.
 

logicalxm

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Jul 21, 2009
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Isn't the Ryzen 1500 a quad core processor with SMT? B350 boards work fine with the Ryzen 2000 series as long as the BIOS has been update. Personally I would just go for the Ryzen 7 2700 along with a 1050Ti and SSD.

Since the difference in price between the 1500/1600 and 2600 is not significant, I will probably choose the 2600. The Ryzen 7 2700 is above budget however, considering that as you have suggested, I will opt up buying the 1050Ti GPU, which is a low end video card, but still costs more then what I was initially planning to spend on a video card.

Probably because the 2600x is only $15 to $20 more than the 2600. It's faster and comes with a better cooler. At $209 it's a great value.

Here in Canada, the price difference between the 2600 and 2600x is $45 :(
Wondering if it is worth the extra $45 since I am not a gamer..
 

scannall

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Jan 1, 2012
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Since the difference in price between the 1500/1600 and 2600 is not significant, I will probably choose the 2600. The Ryzen 7 2700 is above budget however, considering that as you have suggested, I will opt up buying the 1050Ti GPU, which is a low end video card, but still costs more then what I was initially planning to spend on a video card.



Here in Canada, the price difference between the 2600 and 2600x is $45 :(
Wondering if it is worth the extra $45 since I am not a gamer..
Probably not.
 

SlowBox

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Jul 4, 2018
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The difference between a i7 and i5 is ,, i5 does not have HT thus 4 cores 4 threads. HT is used for professional apps. 3D Modeling, Video Editing, Premiere, PS,Vegas or DAW and what not. If you do any of the mentioned grab a i7 8700k and couple that with a 1060 6GB. Now the reason I say 1060 is because the 1180 is coming soon very soon. Your going to feel bad if you buy a 1080 or 1080 Ti or 1070 and you see the new 1180 is only 700 bucks. But if you do not do any of the mentioned then grab a i5. good luck
 
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whm1974

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The difference between a i7 and i5 is ,, i5 does not have HT thus 4 cores 4 threads. Where as the K versions have HT so a quad core would have 8 threads. HT is used for professional apps. 3D Modeling, Video Editing, Premiere, PS,Vegas or DAW and what not. If you do any of the mentioned grab a i7 8700k and couple that with a 1060 6GB. Now the reason I say 1060 is because the 1180 is coming soon very soon. Your going to feel bad if you buy a 1080 or 1080 Ti or 1070 and you see the new 1180 is only 700 bucks. But if you do not do any of the mentioned then grab a i5. good luck
Actually the newer Coffer Lake i5 CPUs are 6c/6t, not 4c/4t. Intel up the core number with Coffee Lake.
 

SlowBox

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Jul 4, 2018
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Which for the OP use case it should a last a while. My i5-4670 has served me well during the past five years and still going strong.

Man yes you don't need a upgrade until games use 100 percent of CPU power. Right now I play Unreal Tournament Alpha and its using like avg 9 percent CPU power. So ya my old mans Sandy has been going strong and my dad never complains about speed and what not.
 

whm1974

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Man yes you don't need a upgrade until games use 100 percent of CPU power. Right now I play Unreal Tournament Alpha and its using like avg 9 percent CPU power. So ya my old mans Sandy has been going strong and my dad never complains about speed and what not.
And if your dad starts complaining about speed, you can always add an SSD to his system unless he has one already.
 
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May 11, 2008
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If you decide to go for a 2600, as you can see in my signature, i have one.
The ASROCK AB350M is a cheap board but good board, and Asrock has a revision that also works with apus(hdmi or dvi out connectors) just in case you are still considering that.
When you buy this board, there are a few things to keep in mind. It has only two memory slots, so if you want longevity go for 16GB.
If you do not want to overclock the memory, buy at least standard memory sticks of 2666MHz.
Make sure that the board comes with bios 4.5 at least but version 4.6 is better.
I have some more tips if you decide to go for a 2600.
This board hardly has any expansion, be sure you are not planning to buy some expansion card.
If you have no need for expanding or adding cards in(It only has 1 pcie2.0 x1 slot and 1pce3.0x16 slot), this board is sufficient.
 

logicalxm

Member
Jul 21, 2009
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If you decide to go for a 2600, as you can see in my signature, i have one.
The ASROCK AB350M is a cheap board but good board, and Asrock has a revision that also works with apus(hdmi or dvi out connectors) just in case you are still considering that.
When you buy this board, there are a few things to keep in mind. It has only two memory slots, so if you want longevity go for 16GB.
If you do not want to overclock the memory, buy at least standard memory sticks of 2666MHz.
Make sure that the board comes with bios 4.5 at least but version 4.6 is better.
I have some more tips if you decide to go for a 2600.
This board hardly has any expansion, be sure you are not planning to buy some expansion card.
If you have no need for expanding or adding cards in(It only has 1 pcie2.0 x1 slot and 1pce3.0x16 slot), this board is sufficient.

Good suggestion. Never had experience with ASrock boards and only used GIGABYTE mobos. Not 100% decide yet, but might wait for the B450 mobos to become available since I am currently in no rush to build the PC. I starte dlooking at the X470 boards as well since they are compatible with the 2600/2600x
 

scannall

Golden Member
Jan 1, 2012
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Good suggestion. Never had experience with ASrock boards and only used GIGABYTE mobos. Not 100% decide yet, but might wait for the B450 mobos to become available since I am currently in no rush to build the PC. I starte dlooking at the X470 boards as well since they are compatible with the 2600/2600x
The B450 motherboards are due out any time now. Supposed to be a July release.
 

Husky55

Junior Member
Jun 3, 2003
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I have an intel i5-2500k and it really was dependable and performed well for many years. With the phones and laptops, I have not built a replacement for the longest time. So to my surprise I am attracted to the AMD Ryzen cpu. So I chose the Ryzen 7 1700, 8 cores, 65w tpd and with a cooler and of course lower price since it's a year old. I have used MSI and Asus for all my builds over the many years so I am shocked to find myself going for ASRock MB. And of course I needed new ddr4. A search led me to the samsung b-die which was used in the G.Skill Flare series. I was able to use mostly ssd and hd and br drives laying around. I also have a Fractal Define R5 and a MSI r9 200 video card spares since I no longer playing games which is working fine. The system booted up and to my astonishment, it is MUCH faster and better in every way than my beloved old system. So this system should be future proof for some time. But of course the bug of updating is hard to resist!!!
 
Last edited:
May 11, 2008
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Good suggestion. Never had experience with ASrock boards and only used GIGABYTE mobos. Not 100% decide yet, but might wait for the B450 mobos to become available since I am currently in no rush to build the PC. I starte dlooking at the X470 boards as well since they are compatible with the 2600/2600x

In case you want fast ram, i went for 8 GB (2x4GB) because what i was able to buy for what i had in mind and wwhat was available and although i often hear that 8GB is not enough, for me at the moment it is more than enough, while playing games, running a virtual machine, running visual studio and other ide. Running pcb design software.
If you decide to take on 8GB, i bought the RIPJAW V from G.skill. Partnumber F4-3200C16D-8GVK. This kit is rated for 3200mHz @1.35V XMP and are single rank modules.
I have been running it for a 6 weeks now on 2933 with relaxed timings.
This weekend i am going to do some memory tests again with memtest86. Now i am going to run it on 3200MHz.
This has an advantage because the speed of the internal communication ports between the two CCX (The 2600 and the 2600X both have 2x 4 core CCX where from each CCX 1 core is disabled and both have a combined total of 16MB L3 cache.) is directly related to the memoryspeed.
In general ,the higher the clockspeed of the ram you have, the faster the two CCX communicate with each other.
 

Thunder 57

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Aug 19, 2007
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I don't like the limitations for the APU (2400G) type processors. For the small difference in price, a 2700x@$300 including a good cooler (at stock) will give you many years (future proof) of enjoyment. As for the video card, for a "non-gamer" the 1050TI is inexpensive and plenty fast. Get fast memory also, at least 3000, 3200 preferred and 16 gig of it.

So basically double the price is a "small difference"? I would recommend the 2400G or probably the 2600(X). The 2600 is a good bit cheaper but still plenty capable with 6C/12T. Since AM4 still has a future, one could always upgrade to a future 8 core Zen 2 or maybe even Zen 3.