Is it worth buying a new Intel CPU right now?

[midiman]

Hi, Is it worth buying a new Intel CPU right now?

Because I want something that has support for PCIe 4.0 and DDR4 3200.

It seem like I am either going to have to wait for this new Rocket Lake or go with an AMD Ryzan.

What do you think?

Thanks

 

[midiman]

At the moment id wait until the rocket lake is released but its not looking good price wise or performance wise but until its release all we have to judge on is rumours it should be out sometime this month so not long to wait

HI Alex,

That's what I was thinking too. The price of them might be too high, and it looks like the technology could be limited as well.

So AMD might still have the advantage until the next release of Intel CPUs.

 

[midiman]

Yeh ive got amd 3700x was going to get 11 series intel but changed my mind unless something changes might get a 10850k instead to play about with

I'm thinking about making the switch because Intel seem to be lagging behind and I don't want to buy a stop gap overpriced Intel and wait until they release another later in the year.

The AMDs appear to be proven, have support for PCIe 4 and DDR4 3200MHz, and are still able to beat most i9's. So it is a bit of a no brainer if I am going to upgrade right now.

The only downside is they don't have built in graphics on the CPU.

I might get a Ryan 9 but I like the look of your AMD 7, 3700X too.

What is the max memory speed of these AMD CPUs, can I use DDR4 4000?

Thanks

 

[midiman]

Yes I would say, right now intel actually presents better value if you game, something I didn’t think I would ever say... they have been slashing prices and still have plenty of stock.

this is coming from someone with a 3950x and 5950x

I don't really play games. I want something that can multi task and support virtual machines running on VM Ware Workstation.

My machine will be a home office / media machine.

 

[midiman]

AMD is popular for multithreaded workloads and I'm reading plenty of articles on Intel getting beaten by AMD.

But Consider the thermals! Mainly if you are buying an AMD laptop as I think AMD chips run hotter than Intel.

I am going to be using it in a desktop and I thought about the that. But the reviews says that the CPUs are not that bad.

 

[midiman]

I have just done a huge thing and gone from Intel to AMD.

Here is what I have just ordered.

• AMD RYZEN 9 3900x Socket AM4 processor with cooler.
• MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX Motherboard

Total £585.31

Now all I need to do is find some memory. I want 64GB but I can't find anywhere with stock in the UK.

 

[midiman]

That should keep you going forva few years

I hope so.

I just purchased Corsair Vengeance® LPX 64GB (32GB x 2) DDR4 PC4-28800 3600MHz DIMM Desktop RAM.

• MD RYZEN 9 3900x Socket AM4 processor with cooler.
• MSI MAG X570 TOMAHAWK WIFI ATX Motherboard
• Corsair Vengeance® LPX 64GB (32GB x 2) DDR4 PC4-28800 3600MHz DIMM Desktop RAM.

Total upgrade cost £836.41

 

[midiman]

You need graphic card as you say you don't gaming at all. All graphic card are madness expensive and all out of stock.

Hi, I already have a HD Graphics card that I can install, or I can just buy another cheap HD one.

I dont do any gaming and I only need an HD card.

 

[midiman]

But why 64GB memory ram as it waste of money as 16GB ram are more than enough for these day for next five years. Memory ram never used all 16GB in desktop pc

Not if you use it for work and have to run multiple virtual machines. I have been maxing to 32GB and stuck on 100% CPU time.

64GB should give me twice the headroom and be good enough for the next 7 years.

I have a Server that has 96GB RAM too but I can't use that as my everyday PC.

 

[midiman]

Congrats on the upgrade.

Thanks, I think that I have picked out some good parts for a good price and I am looking forward to putting them altogether in my case.

I have gone from a decent 7 year old spec to a mouth watering on in a day lol.

I started looking when I got up and closed the orders at 2AM then went to bed lol.

And I went from Intel to AMD for the first time ever.

 

[midiman]

It's quite easy to use that much memory when you're working. I frequently use over 64gb.

See my reply above.

It can be when you are running lots of memory intensive projects on your machine. I was nearly maxing out on 32GB RAM and my CPU was sitting at 100%.

As part of my job I have to run virtual pcs and do other media related tasks. So I have a lot of photos, video and other documents open all the time.

64GB will give me 2x the capacity and headroom to continue working comfortably for the next 7 years.

I also went for the 2 x 32GB DDR kit, so that I have the option to add some more modules if I want to up to 128 in the future.

 

[midiman]

Intel said Alder Lake will be launched in September. Better simply wait to see it.
It will have DDR5 and PCIe 5.

Too late now, and we could always around for the next technology to come around.

Intel haven't even got to PCIe 4 and I cant wait forever.

It will probably take some time for DDR5 and PCIe 5 to come through and it's not like I have just ordered something terrible now.

My new setup should last me for a good few years and I will think about DDR5 and PCIe 5 at a later date when it is mainstream.

Thanks

 

[midiman]

It's pretty funny how midiman has stated several times in this thread that he's already maxing out 32GB of RAM for his multi-VM and media processing use cases, and people still come back here telling him that 64GB is too much

Well spotted lol.

I was just thinking the same.

I think it might be a size thing.

I wish I could get away with a little one.

But my work is demanding and I need a big one.

 

[midiman]

The parts came today.

I'm going to put it all together at the weekend.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/o4z2vbxapkf4aho/pc_parts.jpg?dl=0

 

[midiman]

@midiman congrats but maybe 5800X are better than 3900X in overall benchmark.

Thanks.

I have just been looking and a lot of tests say that the 3900X is better.

https://versus.com/en/amd-ryzen-7-5800x-vs-amd-ryzen-9-3900x

I have not opened it yet and I can always exchange it.

But most say the 3900X is better.

The 3900X is much better at multitasking while the 5800X might pip it on single core tasks.

 

[midiman]

My PC build below but need GPU graphic card (I don't play gaming)

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x AMD Ryzen 7 5800X Eight Core 4.7GHz (Socket AM4) Processor - Retail= £419.99
• 1 x MSI MAG X570 Tomahawk WiFi (AMD AM4) DDR4 X570 ATX Motherboard= £209.99
• 1 x be quiet! Pure Power 11 600W 80 Plus Gold Modular Power Supply= £79.99
• 1 x be quiet! Dark Rock Slim CPU Cooler - 120mm= £53.99
• 1 x be quiet! Pure Base 500DX ARGB Midi Tower Case - Black Tempered Glass= £99.95
• 1 x Corsair Vengeance LPX Black 16GB (2x8GB) 3600 MHz AMD Ryzen Tuned DDR4 Memory Dual Kit= £89.99

Total: £953.90 (includes free shipping)
​

Nice.

I have two GPU cards that I can use and a spare Corsair 700W PSU.
I also have a the cooler that comes with the Ryzen CPU.

But it would be nice to get a modular quiet PSU.

I don't player games either and will see how I get on.

 

[midiman]

Yeah, good luck to you. Very annoyed as I can't seem to get any GPU graphic card (must work well with 4K @ 120fps) but I have no idea yet which GPU yet!

Mine current spec is intel i7 2700k (I sent back Ryzen 4750G) with Asus Tuf B550 Plus Gaming Plus bundles too many issues problem! (got money back for that)

Are 600W ok or need 700W?

Your spec sounds good and I would keep the 5800X CPU unless you want more cores.

I am running 3 x HD monitors and the don't support 4K. So I only need a set of basic HD cards which I have.
I also have a spare Corsair GS700 sitting around so I will use that instead of my 550W Corsair because I suspect that this rig might need a bit more power if I ever push it.

Not that I intend to, and I think I could probably get away with using my 550W PSU.

 

[midiman]

I'm not sure why some keep saying Alder Lake will release in 2021. 2022 Q2 availability is more likely. Consider that:

• Rocket Lake won't launch until 30th March 2021
• Intel still hasn't released Ice Lake server CPUs, the generation before the planned Sapphire Rapids 10nm SuperFin enhanced fab process (same fab. process as Alder Lake)
• Intel hasn't confirmed the release date of the 12th gen / Alder Lake CPUs. 1 year on from Rocket Lake launch would be a 'usual' cadence for a new generation. With every previous Core series release, there's been a 1-2 year gap in generations

I think they will announce the 12th gen details in 2021 Q4 however, but that's different to having availability.

One thing I've seen tech journalists do consistently for 10+ years, is intentionally whip up hype for new products many months before they are ready, jumping on every small announcement. Worse are YT channels who claim to have inside sources

I've been into Computers and Consoles since the BBC Micro and Wooden Atari days and I have witnessed most of the major events that have shaped where we are today.
And I can tell you that not much has changed in terms of delivering a new product to the scene.

People buy on hype and most of the time it works.

What I have also found is that you normally just end up being a product tester, and you could have saved your a nice bit of money, and possible endure less headache if you had waited for a while.

Technology moves fast and it is better to buy something that is relatively well known and has some kind of value. i.e. Something that you are not going to flush down the toilet in a couple of years.

I just bought the AMD 8900X when I could have purchased the 5900X for a couple of hundred more. But I can't find any stock, there is a lot of hype to it, and it doesn't appear to be overly that much better. Plus they are currently doing some good deals on the AMD8900X.

It's thinking like that helps to get you some of the best products at that current moment in time.

 

[midiman]

I had Chrome use 9gig multiple times. 32gig of RAM is where you want to be at if you're looking to be 3-5 years safe.

Exactly and that is why I build my PCs with the future in mind.

32GB will be the new 16GB in 5 years time and so on.

 

[midiman]

32GB Is more than ample for today.

Unless you have greater requirements like me.

I was going to go for 128GB but that would have been overkill.

Although I still have that option at a later date but I don't think I will need it because 64GB should do me for the next 5 years or more.