I'm looking to upgrade from my trusty i6700k with 32GB of RAM that I built with my daughter a few years back. My primary tasks are working with large spreadsheets and editing in Photoshop and Lightroom about 90% of the time. I've been eyeing the AMD 9950X and the Intel Ultra9 285K. However, I'm unsure of the best CPU and motherboard combos that fit around my budget of $500-$600. I'm also not quite sure what to avoid when comparing AMD and Intel CPUs, as it's been a while since I last delved into this. Any recommendations or experiences would be super helpful! Thanks!
3 Answers
For your needs, I'd lean towards the Intel Ultra9 285K. It tends to perform better in Photoshop and Lightroom due to high single-threaded performance. You could get away with the 265K too if you're looking to save a bit. AMD’s upgradeability is nice, but if you've stuck with a setup for as long as you did, upgrading might not be a priority for you.
If you have a Microcenter nearby, check them out. They often have solid bundles, especially for RAM. Keep in mind that RAM prices have surged due to supply issues. While Intel is generally recognized as stronger for productivity tasks, if you often use multi-threaded applications, the AMD 9950X still shines. Either way, you’ll be good with either option.
Sounds great! I might look into that trip to Microcenter, even if it's a bit of a drive. Also, wow, RAM prices have really shot up; that’s crazy!
Honestly, for what you're doing, you might not need all those cores from the 9950X or the 285K. Spreadsheets are pretty light, and performance often doesn't drastically change for those tasks with CPUs that have fewer cores. Be sure to check out Puget Systems' benchmarks—they have some great insights on the best CPUs for creative work. Remember, a solid chunk of RAM is key; aim for around 64GB if you can swing it, since prices are on the higher side right now.
Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely check out those benchmarks. And yes, I noticed the RAM prices are nuts right now—guess I need to factor that into my budget!
Got it! What makes the AMD upgradeable compared to Intel? Aren't processors on both platforms easily interchangeable as long as they fit the socket?