5600x -> 5800x worth the jump?
Posted by Weak_Box_7024@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 39 comments
Hey guys, I am building a new PC and I'm not too sure whether to upgrade my CPU to a 5800x for 4k light gaming (except a few games like Cities Skylines 2 which I'll probably use upscaling on). My 5600x is perfectly fine in literally every game I play, but I feel since I am upgrading from a 3060ti to 9070xt the CPU bottleneck might be large... especially on a heavy simulation game like Cities Skylines 2. Usually I don't play much impacting games like that and I play light games that are usually older or indie games.
Beehj84@reddit
No - definitely not. For 4k gaming, your 5600x is going to be basically indistinguishable from a 5800x in most scenarios.
I've just gone from a 3070 to a 9070xt on my Ryzen 9 5900x at 4k, and *IF* there are ever CPU bottlenecks occurring, its a low/single core/thread or IPC performance capping out.
You've said that you think the 5600x is perfectly fine in literally every game you play, and I agree. It is.
You should wait for the prices on DDR5 to keep dropping (which has already started), wait for Zen6 to launch (which is allegedly bringing about a 50% increase in cores and cache alongside further clockspeed and IPC increases) ... and hold on to your AM4 system through at least one more generation.
That's what I'm doing. I want that future hypothetical Ryzen 7 - 11800x3D with 12cores/24threads on a single CCD, with 48mb of on-die L3 cache and 96mb of x3D cache, and hitting 6ghz with support for DDR5 7200-8400 (again, according to the current leaks/rumours). This is going to be an all-round monster and a truly worthwhile upgrade, for me at least.
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
Thank you. This seems like the best choice, I play Cities Skylines 2 which is an extremely CPU heavy game but it is the only game where I really need a beefy CPU, everything else I play is really not even hitting anywhere close to 100%. I also want to hold on to my 9070 XT for the foreseeable future.
Beehj84@reddit
You're welcome. Cities Skylines 2 crushes my system too - that series in particular gains a lot from high clock speed/IPC and cache, so the x3D CPUs excell there. You would notice gains with a 5700x3D or 5800x3D, as well as with any platform upgrade to AM5 or latest gen intel especially with fast memory etc.
That's one of the exceptions to the rule, along with Baldurs Gate 3 and some other high-CPU usage titles. Most games that I play are fully saturated on the 9070xt at 4k with my 5900x (and will be similarly with your 5600x).
So yeah, hold out with your current setup and be patient with the issues with Cities 2 - hopefully the new devs improve performance in the meantime through efficiencies in the render pipeline.
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
I read in their developer thing they are working on performance improvements actually so I don't even think a CPU upgrade is necessary. I'll only replace it with a 5500X3D or whatever if it is fried but if it fries from OC it or something then the mobo might be dead too so at that point I'll just build a new gen system
ArseholeryEnthusiast@reddit
At 4k you'll still be GPU bound. Except now you can turn up settings. Even if you were CPU bound the 5800x will give you practically nothing in games. 5800x3d if you can pick it up cheap second hand might give you a bump which is what I did. It technically can give 30% but that's at 1080p low. My recommendation is continue with your 5600x and do a platform upgrade later when prices at least reach some form of normal. More importantly play your games. Stop worrying too much about specs.
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the advice. I'm not really worrying just more so of how can I maximise performance while spending the least amount of money
ArseholeryEnthusiast@reddit
Something you can do for free is enable pbo in your bios. And make sure your memory speed is set to xmp so it's running at the right speed. It's a common pit fall. Again at 4k you'll almost always be GPU bottlenecked which is fine. What refresh rate are you targeting?
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
I am looking at a 4K 32" 120hz and 144hz monitor right now but if I was going to stay with a 27" monitor I would go 1440p 165hz probably.
ArseholeryEnthusiast@reddit
At 165hz you may run into some CPU bottlenecks however in competitive multiplayer games you should be fine. But the 5800x non 3d would likely not fix your problem. With frame gen your CPU will not hold you back though. If you find yourself hitting CPU bottlenecks it can be worth upping your settings quality as it means you have GPU room. At 4k you'll be hitting your GPU bottleneck before CPU. It's important to note you'll always have some bottleneck in a system. Be it CPU GPU or monitor.
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
Does a 5500X3D sound good instead?
ArseholeryEnthusiast@reddit
It might perform a little bit better. But I feel your money is better spent. Like if you could pick up a 5700x3d second hand or something.
NewestAccount2023@reddit
No definitely not, for gaming those CPUs are barely any different. The ONLY upgrade you should consider is any 3d chip (5600x3d, 5700x3d) or am5
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
Thank you.
my5cworth@reddit
The 5600x is a great cpu but a terrible position to be in when upgrading within AM4.
While there are great choices to upgrade to, the jump in performance won't be reflected in the cost.
I replaced my 5600x with a used 5700x3d for $300, but only because I was getting a 5070ti as well.
Itll be less cpu-intensive when you up your gfx to 1440p/4k BUT dont rely on benchmarking youtubers to see if you need to upgrade, give the 5600x a chance and see for yourself if your eyes can notice a problem. Most of the time you won't even be aware without an fps counter.
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
Thank you
Clame@reddit
5800x is only worth it if you get a screamin deal or if you do a lot of work on your PC. Or if you're one of those freaks who keeps 700 tabs open.
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
I currently have 200 tabs open... I have tried to use other ways but having tabs open is the easiest and I can't escape the addiction... if I find something I like I will have it in a tab to save it...
Hungry_Reception_724@reddit
Only if you need the extra cores. Single core performance is almost identical.
-UserRemoved-@reddit
Worth it for most people means spending money makes a noticeable difference.
You stated your 5600X is perfectly fine right now, so I don't see any reason to upgrade right now.
Install and use your new GPU, then consider upgrading CPU if you actually notice any issues. Your concern with bottlenecks stems more from marketing than it does anything practical.
Arcangelo_Frostwolf@reddit
"Bottlenecking" is the bogeyman of the 2020s
Saneless@reddit
I think some people legitimately think if you experience one it will somehow be bad
Like yes, you will hit a bottleneck of something. But they act like if the CPU "bottlenecks" at 120fps that it will be a stuttery mess and drop down to 5fps or something
RJsRX7@reddit
It's also hilariously game-dependent. Some games turn CPU bound at like 120fps regardless of what processor you have, while others will do everything the GPU can until doomsday.
Saneless@reddit
Right. Which is why you see some benchmarks for a new GPU or CPU that use ancient games in the mix
It's just a boogeyman word
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
Thank you.
Hrmerder@reddit
This is silly... Don't worry about the CPU till it gives you a reason to worry about it.
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
No need to judge my question... I am asking because I don't know.
AcrobaticNetwork5918@reddit
5600X is honestly fine. For AM4, the only meaningful upgrades left for gaming purposes are the x3D chips, which go upwards to $400 used, which I dont think is worth it for an older CPU.
Given you are playing at a higher resolution, the CPU bottleneck will be less noticeable than if you're playing at 1080p.
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
Ah oki thank you
WillPill_@reddit
You’re not going to see a noticeable difference unless you buy an x3d chip. With the price of am4 x3d it’s not worth it in most cases so stick with the your 5600x until you can afford am5.
Weak_Box_7024@reddit (OP)
I can afford AM5, I just don't need to go to AM5 for the expense and the price of buying new parts when my current parts work good so I will use my current parts.
Zuokula@reddit
Going up a tier of the same gen is never worth it, was never worth it and will never be worth it. Thats for both GPUs and CPUs. Only if you can get full cost back of the hardware you're upgrading from or you just don't care about money. But the later is no longer a question of "worth it?" but how much performance you get from it.
Ill_Scientist_3681@reddit
I’d go through and check comparisons between the two if you haven’t already and just use you new GPU with what you already have because even if your bottlenecked you will either see slight gains or no change at all but better headroom for higher settings I don’t have an Amd cpu but I have a bottleneck due to playing at 1080p with a setup that’s able to run 1440p but I like my framerates high which for the time being I’m happy with.. and for folks who want the specs I’m using I’ve got a 4070 with a 12700k
TheOnlyDeityy@reddit
Either go x3d or am5, gonna be hard to find an am4 x3d for a decent price though, I would say try and get a cpu mobo ram bundle but again it's not cheap
PeanutAble1916@reddit
no its not
Accomplished_Emu_658@reddit
Well cities skylines is multi core heavy so you might see a benefit there just having more cores
Any-Surprise5229@reddit
Probably zero improvement on games using single core and a pretty decent uplift on multicore gaming. Even then, it's a 20% improvement. This is the biggest issue with AM4 IMO, there just isn't much between the modern 5s top to bottom so not much path forward other than leaving the platform.
Confident_Health_583@reddit
It appears that there can be a sizable difference in some games. A test comparing the 5600X, 5700X, and 5800X did see some pretty significant gains with the 5800X in several games. It didn't have Cities: Skylines 2, but it gives you a decent idea of what to expect if you want to go down that route.
renzbo19@reddit
nope, keep the 5600x
RJsRX7@reddit
Eh. If you can keep the total cost involved down to like $40, sure. At more than that though, I'd keep the 5600X.