I'm upgrading an old Core i5-7600K system that's approaching ten years old. I want an AM4 setup as a stopgap until I can afford an AM5 build and new memory. I'm comparing a Ryzen 7 5700X with a B550 motherboard against a listing that appears to be described as a 5800X but may actually show a 5800X3D. The X3D option costs roughly £200 more. Is that extra cost worthwhile for gaming, especially if I plan to use a high-end graphics card later? I currently have 16GB of DDR4 running at 2133 MT/s—will that be fast enough, or should I replace it with a faster kit?
3 Answers
The 16GB memory may not actually be limited to 2133. Many DDR4 kits boot at the slower JEDEC speed until XMP or DOCP is enabled in the BIOS. Check the label or memory profile first. If it really is only 2133, moving to 3200 MT/s would be a worthwhile improvement and probably a better use of the budget than stepping from a 5700X to a regular 5800X.
Check the listing carefully before buying. The two systems you described sound like a 5700X/B550 bundle and a regular 5800X/X570 bundle—not necessarily an X3D model. If the page says 5800X3D in one place but 5800X elsewhere, treat that as an error and verify the exact CPU model. The parts may also cost less when purchased separately, especially with a cheaper B550 board.
For a temporary AM4 system, I wouldn’t spend an extra £200 on an X3D chip unless you’re specifically targeting very high frame rates at 1080p with a fast monitor, particularly in CPU-heavy games such as shooters or MMOs. A Ryzen 5 5600 or Ryzen 7 5700X paired with DDR4-3200 would usually be the better value, and the savings could go toward the graphics card.
I’m coming from an i5-7600K system, and I’m planning to use a newer high-end graphics card in the next build, so I’m trying to avoid spending twice on parts that won’t help much in the short term.