- Joined
- Jun 13, 2005
- Messages
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- Reaction score
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Physical cores are more important than multi-threading to game performance, but you've abandoned future-proofing as part of your argument. Past i7's have proven more resilient in Game Debate tracked spec requirement minimums over i5's from the same generation thanks to this. Furthermore, if you are going to argue from a practical point of view, 8 cores (vs. 6 cores) isn't the practical argument.I'd still get an Intel CPU. 9700k doesn't need hyperthreading. It's 8 physical Intel cores @ 4+ ghz. Games like physical cores more than hyperthreads.
Talking less than $80 more with a good cooler than the 3700x. Worth it.
Per core performance is still the main factor for CPU performance in games.
It's why this gen of consoles are so underpowered on the CPU side despite having 8 cores/16 threads you simply can't do much with sub 2ghz clock speed and low IPC of the weak AMD cores they used.
BTW, you brought up streamers earlier. They all use two PCs. One for gaming, one for streaming. If one wants to game and stream on a single PC these AMD processors will scorch their Intel counterparts thanks to that hyperthreading.
I'll do my best to steelman the 9700K below.
R5-3600
- ($180) Best Buy, w/code "AUGSAVE19" via Google Express
- ($150) = Microcenter, Total Effective Tender
- ($200) Microcenter [w/$50 off when bundled with motherboard]
R7-3700X
- ($310) Best Buy, w/code "AUGSAVE19" via Google Express
- ($280) Microcenter, Total Effective Tender
- ($330) Microcenter [w/$50 off when bundled with a motherboard]
i7-9700K
- ($381) Discrete Market, Total Effective Tender
- ($290) Microcenter, Total Effective Tender
- ($300) Microcenter [w/$30 off when bundled with motherboard]
- ($20) Enermax ETS-N31 CPU Cooler
VALUE SCORE
Discrete Market
5.56 pts = R5-3600
3.03 pts = R7-3700X
2.83 pts = i7-9700K
Microcenter
6.67 pts = R5-3600
3.56 pts = R7-3700X
3.71 pts = i7-9700K
CPPC
0.92 pts = R5-3600
0.85 pts = R7-3700X
0.78 pts = i7-9700K
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