I'm curious if the R9 3900X is still a relevant choice for a CPU these days. I'm currently using an R5 5500, but I'm looking to upgrade to something with 8 or more cores. Any thoughts on its current value and performance?
5 Answers
If you're in the market for an 8-core CPU that's reasonably priced, I'd recommend checking out the 5800X. You can find it around $180 to $200, and it offers great performance for that price. Given that the AM4 platform has been around for a while, going for the latest generation might be a smarter move.
I wouldn't recommend the 3900X for gaming. It's just not worth it. Going for something like the 5700X, 5800X, 5900X, or even the 5950X would be a better investment if you're looking for a performance boost.
Honestly, it really depends on your use case. If you're mostly gaming, the 3900X might not be the best fit—it could even be more of a side-grade than an upgrade. If you want optimal gaming performance, you might be better off with something like a 5700X or higher.
It really wouldn't be much of an upgrade in terms of gaming performance. The 3900X has a 6+6 configuration, so essentially, it's just a 6-core CPU when it comes to gaming. I'd look at alternatives if gaming is your main goal.
It all boils down to what you're aiming to do. If gaming is your priority, I'd say the 3900X may not be the right choice. I ended up upgrading from it because in CPU-heavy games, I experienced quite a bit of micro-stuttering. Just something to keep in mind.

Thanks for the heads up! I do focus on gaming, so I’ll consider those alternatives!