I'm running a Ryzen 5 3600 with a Radeon RX 6700 XT and 32GB of 3200MHz memory. After moving to a 1440p monitor, my frame rates dropped as expected. The most demanding games I play are Rust, Palworld, Valheim, and Subnautica 1 and 2. I occasionally notice stutters, although they could be caused by the game server. My GPU usage is usually above 95% while gaming. Would upgrading to a Ryzen 7 5800X provide a meaningful improvement, or would I need an X3D chip to see much difference? I know the 5800X3D would be the ideal AM4 upgrade, but spending around $350 on one is difficult to justify.
3 Answers
With the GPU sitting above 95% usage, you’re probably GPU-limited in most of these situations. A 5800X is definitely faster than the 3600, but it may not noticeably raise your average FPS at 1440p. I’d check individual-game CPU and GPU usage, frame-time graphs, and temperatures before buying anything.
If you upgrade the graphics card first, the Ryzen 5 3600 could become the limiting part, so the best path depends on your budget. For your current 6700 XT, though, a regular 5800X probably isn’t the most cost-effective FPS upgrade. Save for a good-value X3D chip or upgrade the platform later instead of spending heavily for a small gain.
Some of those games, especially Rust and simulation-heavy titles, can benefit from a faster CPU and larger cache. An X3D processor would generally be the best upgrade for staying on AM4, but a reasonably priced used chip may make more sense than paying a premium for a new 5800X3D. Don’t expect every game to improve equally.

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