AMD just shocked the consumer PC market with the powerful lineup of new AMD Ryzen 3000 processors that I recently featured on HDG. Isn’t it time to finally switch from Intel to AMD?
In this article, I’ll take a look at the new AMD Ryzen processors and give some tips on which processor brand you should choose in 2019 and 2020 when building a new computer.
Keep in mind that since AMD Ryzen 3000 chips are so new, we can’t offer accurate benchmarks yet, but we can still provide a rough price comparison to compare the performance of the new AMD Ryzen 3000 processors with similar Intel offerings.
For budget builds, be sure to read my post on Intel vs. AMD (Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 CPUs). This article will focus on the higher end processors from both companies.
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X vs Intel i9-9900K
We’ll start at the top because we think this is where the most attention will be drawn. If you’re a serious gamer or content creator, the best processor available was the Intel i9-9900K. But AMD Ryzen 9 3900X could change that completely.
Let’s talk about prices first. The AMD Ryzen 9 3900X will retail for $ 499, while the i9-9900K is currently priced at around $ 485. Prices for Intel’s best gaming processor may drop in an attempt to compete with the new Ryzen lineup, but prices are very comparable at the moment.
On the surface, the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X has enough power to outperform the i9 9900K. We are still awaiting test results, but we have something to rejoice over. First, the new AMD Ryzen 9 3900X processor uses a 7nm process. Smaller transistors mean processors can be more energy efficient, doing more computation without reaching thermal limits.
So the move to 7nm from 14nm is already a big deal for Ryzen and should mean better single threaded performance. The base clock is 3.8GHz, which is faster than the 3.6GHz base clock of the i9 9900K, and you also get a much larger cache at 6MB / 64MB versus 2MB / 16MB. In terms of multi-threaded performance, everything looks pretty impressive too. You get 12 cores and 24 threads with the Ryzen 9 3900X, compared to 8 cores and 16 threads on the Intel i9 9900K.
Ultimately, the Ryzen 9 3900X could easily be a more powerful alternative to the i9 9900K at pretty much the same price point. And, if you want even more processing power, the $ 749 AMD Ryzen 9 3950X takes things to ludicrous levels by offering 16 cores, 32 threads, 8MB / 64MB cache, and a 3.8GHz base clock. Intel is definitely worried right now.
AMD Ryzen 7 3800X vs Intel i7-9700K
A little behind the i9-9900K, the i7-9700K, which usually costs about $ 400, is now. AMD’s newest competitor at this price point is the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X.
Again, the 3800X uses a 7nm process, well ahead of the 14nm process used by the Intel i7-9700K. In terms of other raw specs, the Ryzen 7 3800X features 8 cores, 16 threads at a 3.9GHz base clock. The total cache memory is 4MB / 32MB.
The i7-9700K has a total of 8 cores, 8 threads and a 12MB L3 cache. Once again, I wouldn’t be surprised if AMD kicks the ball out of the park in terms of performance if you compare AMD Ryzen 7 3800X to i7-9700K
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 vs i5-9600K
But what about the lower level? Suddenly AMD may have just beaten Intel in high-end gaming performance, but can they still hold onto the title of best low-end processor? Well, the best way to find out is to compare the new AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus the i5-9600K.
For starters, the i5-9600K is now priced at $ 230, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 will retail for $ 199. I would be very shocked if Intel hadn’t lowered the price of the i5-9600K to compete with the new Ryzen 5 3600, so let’s assume the prices are the same.
Even at this price point, AMD still wins with the best architecture – their cheapest new AMD Ryzen 5, the 3600, still uses a 7nm processor, leaving the 14nm i5-9600K in the dust. Both processors can be boosted, but the i5-9600K starts at 3.7GHz up from the 3.6GHz base clock for the Ryzen 5 3600.
That extra 100 MHz doesn’t mean anything if you figure the Ryzen 5 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Compared to the six single-threaded cores on the i5, the Ryzen 5 3600 has a lot more room to improve performance.
I believe the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 will perform much better benchmarking than the i5-9600K.
AMD vs Intel in 2020 – who will win?
Ultimately, at all price points, AMD completely outclassed Intel’s offering. So what will Intel do to compete? For now, Intel may cut prices a bit to offer customers a better deal, but even so, AMD is likely to win in the price / performance game.
Intel is of course working on its own line of 7nm processors. When they do, we won’t be surprised if Intel does better again, but it may not be until 2020 or later. If you’re looking for a good gaming processor, AMD’s new Ryzen lineup is a great place to start.
If you are a gamer or content creator, I absolutely cannot recommend AMD more than Intel at the moment. The new line will launch on July 7, so I suggest waiting a few months after that date to make sure there aren’t any major production issues. This makes the new AMD Ryzen 3000 processor the perfect holiday gift.
Summary
So, should you upgrade to the new AMD Ryzen 3000 lineup? Well, of course, if you want to buy a new processor. If you already own an i9-9900K, it might not make sense to upgrade unless you need a new computer within the next 6 months.
If you are using anything less powerful, then upgrading the CPU to the new AMD Ryzen 3000 CPU will definitely bring you enough performance boost to get you a return on your investment.
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