I'm planning to build a gaming PC next month and will be purchasing all new parts since the second-hand market here is pretty sparse. I'm considering the RTX 5060 as it's one of the best-priced cards available (the 16GB versions are priced way higher). I mainly play competitive games on low settings, and I don't mind running newer games on low or medium graphics. I recently watched a short video from MetaPC recommending the Ryzen 5600 for this GPU pairing. The prices of the Intel i5 12400F (around $130) and Ryzen 5600X (around $150) are similar, but I'm unsure which one offers better value. The Intel supports DDR5, making RAM more expensive, while I'm curious if DDR4 will still be adequate for gaming today. So, which CPU would be better for gaming in my situation?
5 Answers
The Intel i5 12400F with DDR5 is generally faster than the 5600X. If you go with DDR5, it might be worth considering the AM5 platform for better upgrade options in the future.
In an ideal world, neither option feels cutting-edge since both platforms have limited upgrade paths, but they perform well for now.
I get that both will be fine for now. The reason I'm asking is that I'm not sure how much the market evolves, so I'm trying to figure out if investing in these parts is wise for the future. Really appreciate all the advice!
I wouldn't recommend buying AM4 new. If there’s no second-hand market in your area, going with AM5 is the smartest move for longevity.
I can get an AM5 for $160—the Ryzen 5 8500G. If I'm thinking about upgrading in 3 or 4 years, do you think AM5 will still hold up?
As long as you pair DDR4 with 32GB, it should be fine. The i5 12400F works with many DDR4 motherboards. If you get the Intel CPU now, you could upgrade to the 14600K later. The Ryzen 5600X's reasonable upgrades are pretty limited since the 5700X3D and 5800X3D are at the end of their life. By the way, have you checked out the 9060XT 8GB? If the 16GB cards are too pricey, the 8GB might be a good option—it’s significantly faster than the 5060.
The only ones I can find are the 16GB, which costs about $200 more than the 5060. PC parts are really pricey over here in South America.
Both CPUs offer similar performance, but I'd lean towards the Ryzen since it has upgrade options like the X3D chips and works with fewer watts, making cooling easier.
I've seen a lot of benchmarks too, and yeah, they perform similarly. I just worry that DDR4 might become outdated by the time I'm ready to upgrade.
Do you think going for AM5 would be a solid choice if I'm planning to upgrade in a few years? I have mostly been a console gamer, but if AM5 is future-proof, I might invest a bit more.