Is it really worth it to upgrade from a 3700X CPU?

Posted by Soulsun1@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 45 comments

I'm using a computer with a 3700X cpu and a 2070S gpu. I play almost all the new games out there, and I don't feel like I've been limited my PC when it comes to gaming.

I'm playing on a ultrawide 1440p 100hz monitor and so far I haven't felt like I needed to upgrade. But after playing Oblivion Remastered I just felt like maybe I should look into atleast upgrading my CPU to a 5700X3D or something.

I don't think I want to build a whole new rig but I'm not against it either.

Since I'm playing at 1440p my CPU actually never really bottlenecks me and I feel like it is quite capable.
So maybe I shouldn't upgrade the CPU. And let's say that I just upgrade the GPU, then I feel like I have to buy a new monitor to really get to utilize the GPU upgrade. Maybe a better 1440p monitor with a higher refresh rate or even a 4K one.

Am I stupid or should I just use this computer until I feel like it is time to upgrade to AM5?

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grapersdelight@reddit

I upgraded from a 3600x to a 5800x3d and in two games I barely notice a difference. AMD 7900 xt does al the pulling at 21:9 1440p gaming. In your case, upgrade both for a reasonable performance boost.

X-lem@reddit

I have a 3700x cpu also on 1440p. It’s worked great. Last year I bought a Radeon 6800. I noticed I wasn’t getting the frame rates that I was seeing online. Also 1% lows have been really noticeable on newer games. As far as I can tell it’s because my CPU is the bottleneck. I’m upgrading to an X3D chip (waiting for a few more parts to come in the mail). I’ve heard those are fantastic for 1% lows. We’ll see how it goes!

greggm2000@reddit

Definitely upgrade your CPU to a 5700X3D while you can, you might even see improved fps, if your existing CPU is limiting you (and it may be, depending on game and settings). Ofc if you are already capped at 100 fps (bc of your monitor) on the games you play, then there’s less advantage, but even there you should see less stuttering as 1% lows will be better.

Dimo145@reddit

generally if ur pc is satisfying your needs, don't upgrade.

if you want to upgrade thou, get 5700x3d, don't get AM5, it will be more than capable to get you through until whatever am6 is gonna be, and will be more than capable for a modern GPU as well, of the likes of 5070ti or what not. (then again, idk how good your mobo is)

Also at anything higher than 1080p, iirc 5700x3d all the way to 9800x3d were pretty much identical in performance ; and at 1080p it's like, are you getting 900 fps in your competitive title or 1500 fps, totally meaningless numbers

The only reason you might wanna consider 5700x3d right now is potentially the fact that it's slowly rising in price now, as there's still high demand for it, but iirc AMD stopped producing it.

adelphepothia@reddit

Good advice, but I disagree on the general statement to get a 5700x3d (or any of the 5000 series x3d chips). It's only worth it if you can get one for a reasonable amount less then the cost of upgrading to am5 when factoring in what you can sell your current am4 setup for. The availability of reasonably priced 5000 series x3d chips is quite frankly terrible in many parts of the world now, so the value isn't what it used to be.

Adorable-Hyena-2965@reddit

I just upgrade to a 5800x3d

Paweron@reddit

A 5700x3d and 9800x3d are absolutely not anywhere near identical at 1440p with any decent GPU.

And with how high the cost of a 5700x3d has gotten compared to the galling cost of AM5 stuff, it cam be cheaper to sell the old parts and buy AM5

DRMNER11@reddit

At 1440p yes, the 9700x3d will be like 15% faster. At 4k they are basically the same. I disagree, and would say a 5700x3d is a lot better value.

I mean... you cannot disagree about prices.

It depends on the country where you buy the parts. But speaking for Germany (and I know US prices are similar.

7500f + b650 mainboard + 32GB RAM: 130€+100€+90€ = 320€

5700x3d alone is 220€.

The performance of these 2 options is similar. If you sell your old AM4 stuff, the cost will be almost the same. But the first option offers an upgrade path for the future.

Elastichedgehog@reddit

That depends entirely on the price of the 5700x3d. They are not cheap anymore and AM5 bundles can be found for a comparable price.

rednemesis337@reddit

I’d even argue and say, go for a normal 5600x or 5700x (cheaper) and spend more on gpu. Based on OPs needs

the reason I'd disagree with this is cuz he won't be upgrading this platform again, so might as well get the 5700x3d as the best option for whatever extra

Depending on the price and what OP is willing to pay

Hermelin_Dozral@reddit

True, I bought a 5700x3d and in every game I am held back by the GPU (6700XT)

My next upgrade will be a really fast GPU and if the CPU will be slow for it then I don't need to throw the GPU away.

HDDreamer@reddit

1440p 144hz, 3700x, 3070 and I'm still happy. Just finished Doom DA

earlgeorge@reddit

I'm on a 5800x3d (and rtx 4080) and while Oblivion remastered still stutters here and there, it doesn't get in the way of enjoying the gameplay at all. I imagine a 5700x3d would be similar.

ju2au@reddit

I had a similar setup as yours, Ryzen 3600 paired with RTX 2700 Super and 32GB RAM.

Last year, I upgraded just the CPU to 5700x3d and it was a very significant improvement. Everything just felt snappier and faster, it's like getting a new PC.

I tend to play games like RimWorld where the important metric is TPS rather than FPS so it's CPU dependent and the upgrade totally blew away the old CPU.

In short, if you can find a 5700x3d at a good price, it's well worth it.

stardestroyer001@reddit

I also had a 2070S and a 3800X. 5700X3D made a noticeable improvement in CPU intensive games like Kerbal Space Program

simplysalamander@reddit

Don’t let Oblivion Remastered be the reason you decide to upgrade a part. People have tested it on a variety of hardware configurations and the frame drops are an engine implementation problem, not a hardware problem. I have run it on a 3060 Ti with 5900X at 1440p and had to keep everything on medium to keep frames high and still frequently had the whole thing freeze up. Upgrading to a 5070 Ti, I could set the base quality to high but the frame drops are in the exact same places and behave the exact same way.

Not saying upgrades aren’t worth it, just saying you’ll probably be disappointed at how little you gain in Oblivion Re specifically.

Soulsun1@reddit (OP)

Yeah, I understand what you mean and I just felt like it would be fun to upgrade some parts in my PC.

I just played through GTA 5 enhanced and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and I understand that some games are just optimized poorly.

Elon_Mars@reddit

I had a 3900x and went for a 5700x3d. I was a bit sceptical that it would be better, but when I took the leap and saw the results, I should have done this much earlier

McVersatilis@reddit

I recently upgraded from a Ryzen 3600 to 57003XD and the difference was SIGNIFICANT. It was much more than I expected, like over 50% higher fps in some games, which I thought were GPU limited by my 3060Ti at 1440p. And the overall improvement to the smoothness of the frame rate was immediately noticeable.

I was fortunate to be able to find a 57003XD at MSRP, definitely worth the upgrade.

ImBored_104@reddit

This is a pretty balanced system so upgrading either the CPU or GPU would cause a bottleneck.

The best thing you could do here would be to save up for a whole new rig.

_Leighton_@reddit

The "well balanced system" is a myth. Upgrading your CPU in a circumstance like this would provide massive uplift. My 1500X 1070ti combo more than doubled it's frame rates after I upgraded to a 5600X3D.

roehnin@reddit

Your MB can probably support the 5800x3D which will be a noticeable boost!

I went from a 3800X to the 5800 and it was well worth itーand you will see even more improvement from the 3700X.

DeusXNex@reddit

If you’re happy with performance there’s no reason to upgrade. Maybe wait for Black Friday sales and see if you can still snag a 5700x3d for like below $200 if you really want to upgrade

Primus_is_OK_I_guess@reddit

It's definitely not worth it before you upgrade the GPU. You're not CPU limited currently. I would just stick with what you have until you have the money for a full upgrade.

RomanJ55@reddit

Let’s talk numbers: Upgrading your CPU to a 5700X3D could boost your FPS by around 15–30%, depending on the game. A GPU upgrade to a 5060 Ti 16GB would provide an even larger improvement -around 50-60% especially since the 16GB of VRAM can make a big difference in AAA titles that are VRAM-hungry. If you decide to keep your current system for now, you could potentially go for a much bigger upgrade later. So ultimately, it depends on your priorities

semidegenerate@reddit

Yeah, but that's average FPS. Pairing a 3700X with a 5060ti has the potential to give wildly fluctuating framerates in any game that's moderately CPU intensive. Personally, the perceived stutter from poor 1% and .1% lows is irksome, to say the least.

YetanotherGrimpak@reddit

The uplift from zen2 (3000 series) to zen3 is massive in terms of in-socket upgrade. And that's just considering the "normal" cpus. Once you get into the x3d lineup, it's like you just went and did a full upgrade, cpu-wise.

5700x3d is a great gaming cpu, and if paired with a good gpu, it would probably be good for a few more years.

UgotR0BBED@reddit

As expensive as 5700x3D has become, I might just grab a $130 5700X, and a 16 GB 9060 XT later this week when they launch at $349 and call yourself good for a few more years.

laser50@reddit

Can confirm the 5700X is a very nice CPU! Especially if added to the potential to undervolt a bit and get +200Mhz from PBO. Runs like a dream, but on more cpu-hard things I do see it struggle a tiny bit, but that's extreme cases only.

tissuebandit46@reddit

I doubt you will be able to find it for $350 im going to assume its going to be around $450

PeterPaul0808@reddit

We don't know the 9060 XT's performance we should wait for the reviews first!

definitlyitsbutter@reddit

5700x3d can carry you over to am6, even with a highend gpu. Slightly faster 5800x3d vs 9800x3d with a fast gpu sees nearly no difference in 4k besides 1%low, a 25% difference in 1440p (for around 800 bucks). Even if maybe your top fps will not rise compared to the 3700x, your 1% lows will be much better and gameplay will feel much smoother.

If you are willing to spend big bucks, stay on am4 (maybe do a cheap generational upgrade, the non x3d ryzen 7 stuff goes for 100-120 used and will still give a 25% cpu boost) and get a better GPU. Even if you will maybe not use its full optimal potential, you will still get much more perfromance ( i am on a 5950x and went from a rx 6800 to a 7900xtx. I could have spend the gpu money for a 9000x3d upgrade and would not have seen the Performance i see now.)

The_Machine80@reddit

Get a 5700x3d from the cpu store on aliexpress. Completely legit for much lower price. You wont be disappointed.

Due_Shelter_5033@reddit

When I upgraded from a 3700X to a 5800X (Before X3D existed) there was a notable difference. So my answer is yes

Saneless@reddit

People underestimate how good a move is like that for frame/frame time stability

Better lows and fewer stutters are especially important if you are capped at a lower fps. Dropping from 144 to 90 on a VRR might not be a big deal. Dropping from 60 to 55 on a regular monitor or TV is massive

ggRavingGamer@reddit

Only if you play super intensive CPU games, like Cities Skylines, various simulators like that, which basically are all about the cpu.

Only reason to upgrade is to max out the am4 slot since stock of new 5000 series cpus will run low in the future

Compucaretx@reddit

Honestly GPU upgrade would be what I would look at. You have a really good CPU in the 3700x. Upgrade the GPU then when you finally do upgrade to AM5 or AM6 you wont have that added cost of the GPU.

stremstrem@reddit

hey bro litteraly had the same specs, first upgrade was to a 5700x3d and you REALLY feel the difference.

IncredibleGonzo@reddit

A 5700X3D is substantially more capable than a 3700X, across the board but especially in gaming. But whether it’s worth the upgrade is far more subjective. If your 3700X is still doing what you need it to, then you might be better off just sticking with what you have.

2ForYourM2@reddit

Somebody will always have something to sell you. If you're happy with what you have, stick with it.

vargavision@reddit

What are your PC specs?