I'm in the process of building my first PC and need some advice on choosing a processor. As a designer, I'll be working primarily with Photoshop and Figma, and I play League of Legends occasionally. Unfortunately, I'm on a tight budget right now and can't afford a graphics card for another 10 months. I'm planning to get 32 GB of DDR5 RAM along with a compatible motherboard and power supply. Should I invest in the Ryzen 7 7700 now and wait for a GPU, or is the Ryzen 7 8700G a better fit for my situation, considering my current and future needs (like 3D work and video editing)? I'm not too worried about ultra graphics settings; my main concern is whether the 7700 will bottleneck without a GPU for the next few months.
3 Answers
Remember, the 7700 has 24 PCIe 5.0 lanes, while the 8700G only has 16 PCIe 4.0 lanes. This could impact your system's setup later, especially if you want to run multiple devices. Just something to keep in mind.
If you don't have any older GPUs lying around, the 8700G isn't a bad starting point; it's definitely functional for now. Just remember that you might end up upgrading to a better CPU later. Long-term, though, the 7700 has more PCIe lanes and future-proofing capabilities if you're considering heavier workloads down the road.
The Ryzen 7 8700G might seem like a better choice for now since it has integrated graphics, which can handle basic tasks and even some lighter gaming. However, it's not as capable when it comes to more demanding applications because it has less cache and fewer PCIe lanes, which might limit your options for future upgrades. Essentially, if you're focusing on productivity tools like Photoshop, the Ryzen 7 7700 is a beast, and you could probably manage until you get a GPU. Just keep in mind that the integrated GPU on the 7700 isn't meant for serious gaming.
That makes sense! I need to consider what I'll be using it for in the next 10 months, but if I eventually get a GPU, I'll likely switch to the 7700. I'm not too worried about high FPS gaming; my focus is definitely on programs like Photoshop and After Effects for now.
Thanks! I think I'll go with the 8700G initially and rethink my upgrade options once I can get a GPU. It seems like a good balance for now.