My current build has an RX 6600, a Ryzen 5 5600G that appears to be failing, 32GB of DDR4 memory, two 1TB Samsung NVMe SSDs, an MSI B550M Pro-VDH WiFi motherboard, and a 550W power supply. The system will not boot past the BIOS logo, and I've tested the other components and narrowed the problem down to the CPU. I'm planning to stay on AM4 because I can't afford a new AM5 platform, and I don't need integrated graphics anymore. What CPU would be a worthwhile upgrade that should last for a while and pair well with a future RX 9070?
3 Answers
Before buying another CPU, make sure the diagnosis is solid and check whether the processor is still under warranty. Since yours is around five years old, warranty coverage may have expired, but it’s still worth confirming before spending money.
The Ryzen 7 5700X3D is probably the best end-of-the-line AM4 upgrade for this build. Its extra cache makes it especially good for gaming, and it should pair well with a future RX 9070. A Ryzen 5 5600X3D or 5500X3D could also work if you find one at a significantly lower price, but the 5700X3D is the more worthwhile long-term choice.
The 5700X3D is a sensible choice, especially if you can find a used one from a seller with returns. Also verify your motherboard BIOS supports X3D processors before swapping it in. If you already updated the BIOS while troubleshooting, then you should be ready on that front.
I updated the BIOS during troubleshooting, so it’s fully up to date now.
It’s about five years old, so unfortunately it’s no longer covered by warranty.