CPU for dual-streaming setup?

Ed B · 30 Jul 2020 at 13:05

I'm spec'ing up a desktop PC that will be used to stream to YouTube and am wondering about the processor. It will be used to stream live events (won't be used for gaming at all) and will need to stream to 2 YouTube channels simultaneously so will have OBS running twice, along with various other apps (PowerPoint, media player, etc)

Whilst the budget isn't tiny, it's also not huge so I'm trying to make sure nothing unnecessary is in there. I've got RAM and SSD spec'd and it's just the CPU I'm wondering about.

The options are a Ryzen 5 3600XT or a Ryzen 7 3800X, with the latter being around £100 dearer. If it makes sense to go for the 7 then that's fine, I just don't want to spend for the sake of spending if the 5 will be more than capable of handling things.

Just wondering if anyone with more knowledge than me on the subject could offer any pointers?

Biz.Kid09 · 30 Jul 2020 at 14:04

The more cores the better, especially for concurrent streaming. For 100 get the 3800x.

Ed B · 30 Jul 2020 at 14:07

Biz.Kid09 said:
The more cores the better, especially for concurrent streaming. For 100 get the 3800x.

Thank you! That's the push I needed

EsaT · 30 Jul 2020 at 19:55

Per money reasonable choises are 3600 and 3700X.
3600 eXpensives don't even come with good cooler.
Neither does 3800X bring proper cooler for its price over 3700X.

Those highest advertised clocks are dependant on temperatures staying under certain limits...
And not overpriced model of particular core count and separate cooler is no doubt better combination.

Ed B · 30 Jul 2020 at 20:09

EsaT said:
Per money reasonable choises are 3600 and 3700X.
3600 eXpensives don't even come with good cooler.
Neither does 3800X bring proper cooler for its price over 3700X.

Those highest advertised clocks are dependant on temperatures staying under certain limits...
And not overpriced model of particular core count and separate cooler is no doubt better combination.

Thanks for the advice, very helpful. Just taken a peep at comparisons and yes, the 3700X defo looks the better option...3800X looks like 20% more cash for a 3% performance gain!

sideways14a · 30 Jul 2020 at 20:15

3700 and spend the rest on a decent cooler.

EsaT · 30 Jul 2020 at 20:18

Here's £21 cooler which would cool 6 core laughably easy and wouldn't be bad even for 12/16 core:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/arctic-freezer-34-cpu-cooler-120mm-hs-077-ar.html
(level better than any AMD bundled cooler)