I'm facing a dilemma with my PC upgrade plans, as I'm on a tight budget under $500. My goal is to build a system capable of running iRacing, ideally on triple 27" 2k monitors, but I'm considering switching to three 24" 1080p monitors if needed. Here's my current setup: a Gigabyte X570 Gaming X motherboard, Ryzen 5 3600X CPU, a Gigabyte RTX 3080, and 32GB of 3200 CL16 RAM.
I have an ASRock B850M Pro-A WiFi board and initially planned to buy either a 7800X3D or a 9700X, along with suitable RAM for an AM5 upgrade, while keeping my RTX 3080. However, DDR5 RAM that is optimal for Ryzen 7000 series (6000 CL30) is currently too expensive. I've found some CL36 DDR5 kits around $100-$150, which makes it feasible for me to upgrade to a 9700X with that memory rather than pay a high price for a 5700X3D.
So, what's the performance difference between sticking with my current setup and upgrading to a 5700X3D versus moving to a 9700X with DDR5 CL36? Is running with less-than-ideal memory a big deal? I'm particularly focused on performance for iRacing, where I know my CPU is the bottleneck. Thanks!
3 Answers
CL36 is perfectly acceptable for your needs! The performance difference compared to CL30 is minimal, especially in gaming. Most users won't even notice it unless they're doing serious benchmarks or testing. Given your focus on iRacing, you'll likely be more bottlenecked by CPU performance than RAM timings. Upgrade without worrying too much about the RAM speeds; it’s not a big deal.
Honestly, go with the AM5 upgrade if you can swing it. Paying around $400 for a 5700X3D isn't worth it when you could get a solid 9700X with a decent RAM kit. RAM speeds and timings are not as critical in your situation, especially if you snag some CL36; it's definitely workable for gaming. Just don't think you'll see any major performance hits when using CL36 over CL30.
If you’re near a Microcenter, consider stretching your budget to about $600. You could grab a 7800X3D, 32GB of CL36 RAM, and a B650 board. Alternatively, you could look at the 7600X3D, which is just slightly less powerful but also cheaper and helps you stay under the $400 mark for CPU. Prices for RAM are climbing, so it's tough to keep everything under $500 right now.
I’m looking into those Microcenter bundles; that could be a great deal! I'm hoping my ASRock board sells soon so I can better my budget.