What is the best am4 cpu for 6700 xt 12gb (1080p)?
Posted by Simo62bit@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 19 comments
The current config:
ASUS ROG STRIX B550-A GAMING
AMD ryzen 7 3800x
MSI GTX 1660 SUPER GAMING X 6gb
2*16 gb ddr4 3200mhz
NVME M.2 SSD 500 gb
wanted to buy an AMD rx 6700xt 12gb
I need to change the current cpu without spending too much because the current one would cause a lot of bottleneck in 1080p.
I would use it for gaming (high fps TLOU2), Rocket League, FH5 etc in 1080p.
Powerful-Ad2869@reddit
get an used 5600X, thats all you’ll ever need for gaming on AM4 besides the X3D chips
Numerous_Risk_8692@reddit
Get ryzen 5 5600 if you are on budget but you got money than get ryzen 7 5700x3D
Numerous_Risk_8692@reddit
Your cpu is alerady good
RBisoldandtired@reddit
A 5600/5500x will be your cheapest option. At the price ranges these days 5500x is going to give you a better gaming performance but slightly worse productivity performance.
In terms of FPS improvement… you’re not going to be getting a substantial boost in fps.
For a proper boost to gaming you’d really be looking at an x3d cpu which are very pricey now. I think even a 5500x3d is basically the same performance as 5600x and similar price point. And the 5700/5800x3d are now at a premium due to scarcity. But what kind of performance boost are you expecting?
If I were you I’d save my money towards am5 as an upgrade from where you are just doesn’t seem to make much financial sense for the small % gains.
Simo62bit@reddit (OP)
I was mainly trying to reduce the CPU bottleneck at 1080p across most games, aiming for a stable 144 FPS cap without relying on any upscaling techniques.
In heavier titles like TLOU2, my target would be around 80–90 FPS on medium settings, which is why I was considering the RX 6700 XT 12GB in the first place.
At the moment I don’t have the budget to switch to AM5 or replace the motherboard and the rest of the platform, so I’m trying to get the best possible upgrade within AM4 to balance performance and cost.
RBisoldandtired@reddit
The performance difference from the cpu you have to what you could get isn’t worth the cost. Put the extra £/$80-190 into your GPU.
Simo62bit@reddit (OP)
Just to clarify my understanding: if the goal is 1080p 144 FPS capped in lighter games, wouldn’t the 3800X already be the main bottleneck rather than the 6700 XT? In that case, would upgrading the GPU beyond a 6700 XT actually shift the bottleneck to the CPU?
Also, in CPU-heavy / lighter GPU-bound games, would the CPU bottleneck become even more noticeable if I move to a stronger GPU?
RBisoldandtired@reddit
You need to forget the word “bottleneck”. Every system has one. What you need to look at instead is percentage gained per dollar spent. You are maybe going to get 5-10fps at absolute most out of something that’s going to cost you about $150.
I’ll give you an example of performance. I have 32gb ddr 4 ram at 3600. A ryzen 5 5600 cpu and a 6750xt 12gb. FH5 I avg about 90fps on high settings (with high ray tracing and shadows) at 4k. If I dropped to 1080 I’d be hitting nearly double. Forza horizon isn’t a demanding game to run. My GPU is fully utilised in most of the games I play.
Spending any amount of money for performance gain that could be as little as a single frame is a waste of your money.
Simo62bit@reddit (OP)
I think I’m looking at it in two possible ways:
Option 1 – keep my current CPU and upgrade GPU first
I could buy the RX 6700 XT and use it mainly for more GPU-heavy games at 1080p. In CPU-heavy or esports titles, I would just keep the FPS capped at 144 to avoid pushing the CPU too hard. Then later, when I move to AM5, I would upgrade the platform properly with a new CPU and motherboard. This way I get an immediate improvement in graphics performance without wasting money on a small AM4 CPU upgrade.
Option 2 – balance the system with a cheaper GPU instead
Alternatively, I could buy a GPU in the same price range or slightly cheaper than the 6700 XT, just to make sure it matches my current 3800X better and avoids CPU limitations at 1080p. This would give me a more “balanced” system right now, but with less overall GPU performance in heavier games.
RBisoldandtired@reddit
Option 1 is the only one that makes any sense…
jbshell@reddit
Prob 5500x3d/5700x/5800x/5800xt(after a biard BIOS update) for strictly 1080p, but is the 3800x struggling in high percentage while gaming(such as overlay usage using adrenaline app overlay while gaming for CPU /GLU/VRAM/RAM % usages)?
Simo62bit@reddit (OP)
Unfortunately, I can’t test it yet because I don’t have the RX 6700 XT installed. I was planning to buy it mainly to play games like TLOU2 smoothly.
With my current GTX 1660 Super, I can’t really get a realistic idea of how the Ryzen 7 3800X would behave with a much stronger GPU.
That’s why I’m not sure how much the 3800X would hold back the 6700 XT in 1080p gaming. My concern is mainly about high-FPS scenarios where the CPU can become the limiting factor, which is why I’m considering a CPU upgrade as well.
jbshell@reddit
Oh yeah, then would def get all set up. DDU display driver uninstaller the old drivers (lots of videos online) to start with new driver. That's first. Also, verify Resize bar enabled in BIOS(may need a BIOS update for that, then enable xmp as well).
Congrats in the GPU upgrade!
Prob won't need a CPU update, tbh.
CanisMajoris85@reddit
5700x for like $175 or less on ebay probably. 5700x3d is gonna run you like $400 almost and not really worth that at all.
Simo62bit@reddit (OP)
thank you!
dweller_12@reddit
5500X3D is the only X3D model still available (must import from China via Aliexpress).
Simo62bit@reddit (OP)
you are a life saver. I checked and thats actually the price there. I was thinking that if I cap all light and competitive games at 144 FPS with a Ryzen 5 5500X3D and an RX 6700 XT, I shouldn’t run into any issues. It should help keep performance stable and smooth on a 144 Hz monitor, even if it means not using the extra FPS headroom in lighter games where the system could go much higher.
Do you think this approach makes sense?
nemanja694@reddit
5700x or 5800x
jhaluska@reddit
The best AM4 CPU is the 5800x3D.