I have an RTX 3060 12GB paired with a Ryzen 5 2400G, and I'm running into CPU bottlenecks in 1080p gaming at medium settings. I already have 16GB of RAM. I can get a Ryzen 5 3600 for $75, while a Ryzen 5 5600 would cost about $140. Would the 3600 be a worthwhile upgrade, or should I save up for the 5600?
3 Answers
The 3600 is still capable, but I’d look at the Ryzen 5 5600 first. It gives another noticeable performance increase over the 3600 and should pair very well with the RTX 3060. If the 5600 is nearly twice the price, though, buying the 3600 now is defensible for a tight budget.
At $75, the 3600 is a reasonable budget upgrade, but the 5600 would be the better long-term choice if you can afford it. Spending a little more now could help you avoid needing another CPU upgrade soon. It’s also worth checking prices for a Ryzen 5 5500 or a used 5600, since either could offer better value depending on local pricing.
The Ryzen 5 3600 would definitely be a noticeable upgrade. It has six cores and twelve threads compared with the 2400G’s four cores and eight threads, plus a newer architecture, higher performance, more cache, and better memory support. A 20–40% improvement overall is a reasonable expectation. The Ryzen 5 5600 is faster again, but the 3600 should be perfectly usable with an RTX 3060 at 1080p medium settings if the price difference matters.
I have 16GB of RAM, and the prices I’m seeing are $75 for the 3600 and $140 for the 5600.