Hey folks! I'm considering building or buying a budget-friendly desktop for my dad. His gaming laptop overheats and only lasts for about 2 hours of play, which is pretty tough. I'm trying to figure out if there's a big difference between Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 for gaming since he mostly plays Diablo games. I want to make sure whatever we get can run the game smoothly without the overheating issues he's been facing. I used to build PCs but I'm a bit out of the loop now with all the options available. Any advice would be super helpful!
4 Answers
It really depends on which Ryzen you're looking at. If it's the AM4 platform with DDR4, a Ryzen 5 3600X or 5600/5600X would do just fine. Avoid the "G" models like the 5600G. Check out the used market to get the best deals on these older parts.
I’d recommend going for the Ryzen 5. An R5 3600 can handle modern games at around 60 FPS and you can find it used for about $50-$60. The stock cooler is okay, but if you want something quieter and cooler, a $20 air cooler would work well too!
For gaming, a Ryzen 5 is more than enough. The Ryzen 5 7600X3D is actually one of the fastest chips you can get. Just stay away from any "G" models, like the 5500 and 5700, as they're on the lower end of the performance spectrum.
Appreciate the insight! That's reassuring to know.
A Ryzen 5 is definitely sufficient for Diablo. You’d be paying more for cores your dad might not even need. A 5600X or 7600X would be a great choice. Use the extra cash to get a nice case with good airflow, which should help keep everything cool and let the laptop retire.
Thanks for confirming! I keep seeing recommendations for Ryzen 7, though. Do you think I'd benefit from a water cooling system since it gets pretty hot where I live?