I'm planning to build my first PC and I'm aiming for something that can handle light gaming at medium settings, but primarily I want to use it for programming and tinkering. I also need to factor in peripherals for my budget since I don't have any yet. I've seen mixed reviews about the R5 8600G—most agree it's a solid APU, but some say it doesn't perform well with a dedicated GPU while others think it's fine. Given that I'm not looking to game heavily right now and am more interested in the AM5 platform, should I go ahead and choose the 8600G?
5 Answers
From my experience with the 8600G, it's been fine for what I need. Switching from a 7600 to the 8600G showed little difference in performance, plus it runs cooler and uses less power. Just be aware of the limited PCIe lanes for when you're ready to upgrade.
The 8000 series isn't really great since it can only utilize PCIe 4.0 and has lower L3 cache compared to the 7000 series. The 7500F gives similar performance to the 8600G but without integrated graphics, and it's cheaper.
You might want to consider getting a Ryzen 5 9600X instead if you can find it at around $150. It's generally a better choice for gaming.
That's interesting, but in my region, the 9600X costs more like $30-$50 when I can find it, which breaks my budget.
If you're on a tight budget and don't have money for a discrete GPU, the 8600G is a decent pick. However, if you're looking to build a serious gaming rig, you might want to consider other options. It all depends on your priorities!
I get that! There are definitely better options out there for performance, but if you're okay for now, the 8600G can work for basic tasks.
The 8600G does okay for games like CS:GO at 1080p on low to medium settings, hitting around 60+ FPS. But don’t expect it to run heavier titles like Elden Ring or Witcher 3 smoothly.
Exactly! I'm hoping to pair it with a dedicated GPU later on, so it works out for me.
That might be true, but my budget wouldn’t stretch for a 7600X or 7500F with a GPU. Going for an AM4 chip seems necessary since GPU prices are so high right now!