Ryzen 2600X vs 15-9400F for $850 Budget on 1080p work/gaming PC...?

[Anomaly1964]

I want to build a max budget $850 work/1080p gaming pc - mostly shooters, to be able to play on HIGH or ULTRA settings - which processor would you recommend?

 

[coercitiv]

R5 3600 - it will be faster than both 2600X and 9400F.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

R5 3600 - it will be faster than both 2600X and 9400F.

Yup, worth the extra money. There was a DDR4 3600 16GB kit for $70 yesterday, Gskill sniper I think. $100 B450 mobo, and which ever 1080p vid card you prefer, and you have a solid and inexpensive build. I saw a RX590 for under $200 that would go well with it.

 

[Topweasel]

Can you eek a 3600 in for that price? I think the bonus over the 2600x might be worth it.

 

[TheGiant]

dont even think about anything else than ryzen 3600 non x
as for the GPU, 1660Ti is my choice here

 

[epsilon84]

On a $850 budget, you'll be GPU limited no matter what CPU you choose, so the choice would go to the better productivity CPU, which is hands down Ryzen, unless we are talking very specific apps like Photoshop which are lightly multi-threaded and don't really show the benefits of Ryzen as much as say, video encoding or rendering would.

Like the others my vote goes to the 3600 if you can stretch the budget a little.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Another vote for the 3600.

Got one yesterday and I'm extremely impressed so far.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I just put my 3600 in. Seems pretty nice, but my B450 AORUS PRO WIFI lost two (*SoC-driven?) SATA ports with the 3600 installed, with BIOS F40.

 

[JimKiler]

I read this review of the 3600 (non X) and I have to say i would get the 3600X because my budget is higher but this review makes me think in real world gaming (those of use who are not competitive) we don't need anything better than this CPU for gaming. Obviously productivity apps may make people want the Ryzen 8-16 core parts but at 1440p this $200 CPU is a phenom!

https://www.techspot.com/review/1871-amd-ryzen-3600/

 

[Insert_Nickname]

I read this review of the 3600 (non X) and I have to say i would get the 3600X because my budget is higher but this review makes me think in real world gaming (those of use who are not competitive) we don't need anything better than this CPU for gaming. Obviously productivity apps may make people want the Ryzen 8-16 core parts but at 1440p this $200 CPU is a phenom!

I'd advise to budget on getting a 3rd party cooler, if you're thinking of getting a 3600X. The Wraith Stealth is fine, but to get the most out of a 3600X, you'd want something just a bit beefier.

At $200 the 3600non-X is a steal...! You even get the full 32MB L3. This performance level cost $360 just a week ago.

 

[DarthKyrie]

I'd advise to budget on getting a 3rd party cooler, if you're thinking of getting a 3600X. The Wraith Stealth is fine, but to get the most out of a 3600X, you'd want something just a bit beefier.

At $200 the 3600non-X is a steal...! You even get the full 32MB L3. This performance level cost $360 just a week ago.

No need for a 3rd party cooler with the 3600X, it comes with the copper core heatsink Wraith Spire unlike the 3600 with its aluminum core heatsink Wraith Stealth. For the $50 difference between the 2, you are getting an increase in guaranteed clocks and a better heatsink (the fan is the same) with a 30W boost to TDP.

The last line above about the differences holds true for the 3700X and 3800X as well, you are getting a 30W boost to TDP with guaranteed higher clocks and an upgraded fan with RGB (the heatsink is the same in this case).

 

[VirtualLarry]

I don't know about the "guaranteed higher clocks". I put my 3600 into my Gigabyte B450 board, and it ran fairly hot, using a 65W TDP heatsink from an R3 1200 (looked mostly the same as the one included with the R5 3600). So I put a copper-cored 95W heatsink from an R5 1600 retail box on. Still, gets up to 95C, while crunching on 10/12 threads. Also have two RX 570 8GB dGPUs crunching too, mostly they're running 78C/83C max, so the CPU heats up a bunch, even with the 95W heatsink.

After continuous load for a few minutes, top all-core clocks are around 3.7-3.8Ghz. On a 3600 (which may be poorly binned, TBH).

 

[DarthKyrie]

I don't know about the "guaranteed higher clocks". I put my 3600 into my Gigabyte B450 board, and it ran fairly hot, using a 65W TDP heatsink from an R3 1200 (looked mostly the same as the one included with the R5 3600). So I put a copper-cored 95W heatsink from an R5 1600 retail box on. Still, gets up to 95C, while crunching on 10/12 threads. Also have two RX 570 8GB dGPUs crunching too, mostly they're running 78C/83C max, so the CPU heats up a bunch, even with the 95W heatsink.

After continuous load for a few minutes, top all-core clocks are around 3.7-3.8Ghz. On a 3600 (which may be poorly binned, TBH).

What I meant by guaranteed higher clocks is that the base and boost are higher on the 3600X and 3800X.

I saw you mention your 3600 running hot in another thread and I wanted to mention that it may be due to the BIOS. I don't think the 300 and 400 series boards have gotten the updated AGESA that fixed the issue with the 3000 series being a power hog.

 

[IEC]

I don't know about the "guaranteed higher clocks". I put my 3600 into my Gigabyte B450 board, and it ran fairly hot, using a 65W TDP heatsink from an R3 1200 (looked mostly the same as the one included with the R5 3600). So I put a copper-cored 95W heatsink from an R5 1600 retail box on. Still, gets up to 95C, while crunching on 10/12 threads. Also have two RX 570 8GB dGPUs crunching too, mostly they're running 78C/83C max, so the CPU heats up a bunch, even with the 95W heatsink.

After continuous load for a few minutes, top all-core clocks are around 3.7-3.8Ghz. On a 3600 (which may be poorly binned, TBH).

Are you running your PCs in a hutch or a cubby with limited airflow? Because those are really high temps on the GPUs as well...

 

[VirtualLarry]

Are you running your PCs in a hutch or a cubby with limited airflow? Because those are really high temps on the GPUs as well...

Yes, in a cubby.

I recall when I had some Z170 / G4400 @ 4.0Ghz / 16GB DDR4 rigs, I had a pair, each with an HIS 7950 dGPU, that had a single central fan.

I tried combining both GPUs into one PC, and running them that way, they overheated pretty badly in the cubby.

So, I guess the same thing is happening here. I thought that RX 570 was new enough and ran cool enough to run dual cards without issues. But my ATX case doesn't have any top vents whatsoever.

 

[killster1]

Yes, in a cubby.

I recall when I had some Z170 / G4400 @ 4.0Ghz / 16GB DDR4 rigs, I had a pair, each with an HIS 7950 dGPU, that had a single central fan.

I tried combining both GPUs into one PC, and running them that way, they overheated pretty badly in the cubby.

So, I guess the same thing is happening here. I thought that RX 570 was new enough and ran cool enough to run dual cards without issues. But my ATX case doesn't have any top vents whatsoever.

ok ok.. so this has nothing to do with the case! you put it in a zero airflow situation so it has no fresh air! (not sure what cubby you have it in!) i bet that is it tho.

 

[VirtualLarry]

so this has nothing to do with the case! you put it in a zero airflow situation so it has no fresh air!

Not exactly zero fresh air. The front of the cubby is completely open, where the dual 120mm intake fans are. And there's a few inches at the top, between the top of the PC case, and the upper shelf/top of cubby. The problem is, the back of the cubby, only has some smaller openings at the bottom and top rear, mostly for cable routing, and not airflow.

This is compounded by the fact that the case has no top ventilation.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Not exactly zero fresh air. The front of the cubby is completely open, where the dual 120mm intake fans are. And there's a few inches at the top, between the top of the PC case, and the upper shelf/top of cubby. The problem is, the back of the cubby, only has some smaller openings at the bottom and top rear, mostly for cable routing, and not airflow.

This is compounded by the fact that the case has no top ventilation.

I have mine in a full tower with that 120mm AIO you sent me and it hasn't cracked 50c yet, 49c is the highest I have seen so far with CPUz MT bench and 3DMark benching. I will see how it handles one of my 8hr Total War: Warhammer II session though, as that is the game that stresses my CPUs and VRMs the most.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

No need for a 3rd party cooler with the 3600X, it comes with the copper core heatsink Wraith Spire unlike the 3600 with its aluminum core heatsink Wraith Stealth. For the $50 difference between the 2, you are getting an increase in guaranteed clocks and a better heatsink (the fan is the same) with a 30W boost to TDP.

I didn't realise the 3600X came with the Spire, I'm sure I saw the Stealth specified somewhere. No matter, the Spire w/ copper core is an excellent fit. I tend to focus on power usage, so I stayed with the regular 3600. I didn't feel the extra 200MHz was worth it alone, and the 3600 has no trouble boosting to 4.2 all the time.

 

[amrnuke]

Not exactly zero fresh air. The front of the cubby is completely open, where the dual 120mm intake fans are. And there's a few inches at the top, between the top of the PC case, and the upper shelf/top of cubby. The problem is, the back of the cubby, only has some smaller openings at the bottom and top rear, mostly for cable routing, and not airflow.

This is compounded by the fact that the case has no top ventilation.

I'd like to add my thoughts:

Air flow is a big issue - even with a few inches, it's probably not efficient enough to clear out the hot air, so it's being spit out to the front, where some of it is being re-inhaled.

AFAIK Gigabyte (I have a DS3H) have not released a 1.0.0.3 AGESA update, which may play a role in some of this.

 

[PotatoWithEarsOnSide]

I don't know about the "guaranteed higher clocks". I put my 3600 into my Gigabyte B450 board, and it ran fairly hot, using a 65W TDP heatsink from an R3 1200 (looked mostly the same as the one included with the R5 3600). So I put a copper-cored 95W heatsink from an R5 1600 retail box on. Still, gets up to 95C, while crunching on 10/12 threads. Also have two RX 570 8GB dGPUs crunching too, mostly they're running 78C/83C max, so the CPU heats up a bunch, even with the 95W heatsink.

After continuous load for a few minutes, top all-core clocks are around 3.7-3.8Ghz. On a 3600 (which may be poorly binned, TBH).

At 95C it is thermally constrained, hence those clocks.

 

[tomatosummit]

Another vote for the 3600, but the stock cooler is indeed pants. Running mine with an old wraith spire on ab350mpro4 in quite a fan filled case and it's quite happy to stay at 4.2ghz all core but I haven't tested it that much outside of cpuz and some games.

I have a stealth from my old 2400g and it's just a terrible piece of kit. It really hurts the 2600 and now the 3600. The new turbo specs really call for better coolers, expecially for home builders.

 

[amrnuke]

Another vote for the 3600, but the stock cooler is indeed pants. Running mine with an old wraith spire on ab350mpro4 in quite a fan filled case and it's quite happy to stay at 4.2ghz all core but I haven't tested it that much outside of cpuz and some games.

I have a stealth from my old 2400g and it's just a terrible piece of kit. It really hurts the 2600 and now the 3600. The new turbo specs really call for better coolers, expecially for home builders.

Interesting.

Techspot review shows they only were able to maintain 4 GHz or so with the Stealth on their Blender 1 hour test, 4.025 with PBO. With a beefier solution they got a 4.125 GHz maintenance and a peak of 4.210 GHz.

GamersNexus reported they could take it up to 1.43V to get 4.3 GHz all-core, and it maintained 4.1 GHz all-core during stressing with some bumps of individual cores up to 4.2, but it appears they did not pursue this under stock cooling environment.

There are numerous reports of people running 3600 stock cooling in a well-ventilated case hitting 4.3+GHz single core boost with 4.1 all-core, with temps peaking at 75C, with PBO and auto OC.

GN was running a production sample. Techspot I'm not sure. But I'm guessing there are some binning issues for the 3600.

I guess the decision will come down to, since it seems thermally limited, either running through Silicon Lottery or buying a Wraith Max, Dark Rock, etc. Since I'm not sure one way is better than the other, probably best to just buy the 3600 then see if it's a PBO/OC dud or not, if it is, then beef up the cooling.

 

[tomatosummit]

Interesting.

Techspot review shows they only were able to maintain 4 GHz or so with the Stealth on their Blender 1 hour test, 4.025 with PBO. With a beefier solution they got a 4.125 GHz maintenance and a peak of 4.210 GHz.

etc.

I'll do a some more testing when I get home tonight, as I said I was certainly not thorough and it may only have hit 4.2all core for a few seconds when I was looking.

 

[fkoehler]

But my ATX case doesn't have any top vents whatsoever.

Harbor Freight hole saw for $10 and drop a nice exhaust or intake fan on that badboy.