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With the launch of Ryzen 5000 CPUs (5950X, 5900X, 5800X, and 5600X), AMD has surpassed even Intel’s most premium offerings.
AMD’s CPUs seem to flat out beat their direct competition in every task imaginable.
I felt it was prudent to look at both the products these companies offer today and assess which is the best choice for a PC build this year.
Let’s answer the hotly debated question – Intel or AMD Ryzen Processors in 2021?
Intel vs. Ryzen: Recommendations for 2021
Availability is terrible going into this new year, and prices are, well, not ideal. That said, I can’t still be recommending 3rd Generation Ryzen processors and 9th Generation Intel CPUs when cheaper, faster options are available in some regions.
For those who want a quick recommendation, I got you. Here you go:
| Category/Task | No-Compromise Performance | CG Director Best Value | Budget Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video Editing | Intel Core i9 9980XE | AMD Ryzen 9 3900X | AMD Ryzen 7 2700X |
| Encryption/Decryption | AMD Ryzen 9 3900X | AMD Ryzen 7 3700X | AMD Ryzen 7 2700X |
| Viewport Performance | Intel Core i9 9900K | AMD Ryzen 9 3900X | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 |
| (CPU) Rendering | AMD Threadripper 2990WX | AMD Ryzen 9 3900X | AMD Ryzen 5 3400G |
| General Productivity | AMD Ryzen 9 3900X | AMD Ryzen 7 3700X | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X |
Please avoid paying too much over the MSRP for these products. Do check out detailed reviews of Intel’s 10th Generation Core Processors, AMD’s Ryzen 5000 Series CPUs, AMD’s Threadripper 3000 parts, and Intel’s HEDT lineup.
Intel enjoyed a slight but noticeable lead in viewport performance compared to Ryzen 3000 processors until Ryzen 5000 launched. Now, that lead is lost. If you want the smoothest viewport experience, it’s no longer Intel – it’s AMD you should get (for the first time in over a decade).
A Quick History Recap: AMD vs. Intel
If you’re curious about how we came to these conclusions, read on!
AMD and Intel have been at loggerheads for nearly half a century now; the rivalry certainly isn’t new, and it isn’t going anywhere any time soon either.
While Intel maintained a tight grip on the CPU market for the past decade, AMD lagged behind it until the release of Ryzen in 2017.
The vast performance differential and better efficiency of Intel processors over their AMD counterparts made them an obvious choice for any use-case.
Whether you were building a gaming PC, workstation PC, or even an office PC, the best choice was undoubtedly Intel.
Intel IPC advantage and AMD Bulldozer
The performance differential stemmed from the radically different architecture approaches that these companies adopted in CPUs released around 2010-2011.
Intel opted to focus on IPC improvements; AMD focused on parallelism. One approach equipped processors with fewer but extremely powerful cores, and the other equipped CPUs with more, albeit far weaker, cores.
What is IPC?
IPC (Instructions Per Cycle/Clock) is the number of instructions that a processor executes in a single clock cycle. What does this mean?
Well, here’s an easy way to understand this.
We’ve had processors touching 3 GHz for over a decade now. However, if we directly compare the performance difference between a modern processor at the same clock as an older processor, we find that the modern processor is much faster.
How? IPC.
In a single clock cycle, the newer processors can execute more instructions than the instructions executed by an older processor in a single cycle.
Since it improves efficiency by a considerable margin, an IPC uplift is considered the best kind of improvement we can get when it comes to CPUs.
Bulldozer: Plagued by Low IPC
AMD’s Bulldozer CPU lineup (FX series) launched in 2011 and was a ground-up re-design. The problem? It was a fiasco.
The newly-launched products were, in some cases, even slower than the older counterparts that they were set to replace!
Source: AnandTech Vishera Review
Although Bulldozer (FX 4000 series) launched a few months later, it just couldn’t compete with Intel’s amazing Sandy Bridge processors.
Intel seized this opportunity and captured the market.
The next few years saw a similar story unfold, with both companies continuing to make incremental improvements to their processors.
Source: AnandTech
The result – Intel was crowned king of both single-threaded as well as multi-threaded workloads.
Source: AnandTech
Intel’s lead was bound to come to an end sooner or later. The engineering brilliance it showcased in 2011 helped Intel maintain a substantial lead over AMD for close to a decade.
A remarkable feat.
1st Generation AMD Ryzen vs. 7th Generation Intel
When AMD first announced Ryzen, people were skeptical. Even I was, to be completely honest.
After all, we’d been promised the moon by AMD before and got, well, Bulldozer instead – an 8-core disaster that couldn’t go toe-to-toe with a 4-core CPU from Intel even in heavily multi-threaded workloads.
Throw in operating temperatures that spawned a whole generation of ‘heater’ memes, and well, you get the picture.
However, Ryzen’s release took even the most vocal AMD fans by surprise. It offered a whopping 52% improvement in IPC than the Bulldozer core – positioning it pretty dang close to the 7th Generation Intel processors.
Of course, this uplift was more a testament to how far behind Bulldozer was more than anything else.
But still, AMD finally caught up.
Here’s a benchmark for Premiere Pro’s Warp Stabilize – a popular effect used to reduce shake/jitter in video footage.
Source: PugetSystems
The Zen microarchitecture used core-complexes connected by the Infinity Fabric, making it easier and cheaper to offer more cores without increasing latency too much or giving up performance.
Hence, AMD’s 8-core, 16-thread offering was priced around the same as a 4-core, 8-thread part from Intel.
Unlike Bulldozer, Ryzen offered excellent clock speeds as well as stellar IPC. When this was combined with higher core counts, AMD Ryzen took the multi-threaded workload crown with ease.
AMD’s 8-core powerhouse was pitted against a 4-core offering from Intel because of AMD’s aggressive pricing. The results were hardly surprising at that point.
However, Intel had refined their architecture and clock speeds for years and still maintained a lead in both clock speed and IPC – ensuring that it remained the best choice for single-threaded workloads.
Moreover, being a market leader for close to a decade does come with certain advantages. Applications were optimized to run on Intel processors, and some benchmarks confirmed this disparity.
For Gaming and Viewport performance and even a few production workloads, Intel remained the better choice due to snappier single-core performance.
AMD Ryzen vs Intel in 2021
AMD’s effort to improve IPC finally allowed Ryzen processors to overtake Intel Core CPUs when it comes to snappiness within a viewport. In our review of Ryzen 5000 parts, we noticed a substantial improvement in fluidity.
Benchmarks: Intel vs AMD Ryzen
We build PCs for all sorts of purposes. So, I’ve compiled a range of benchmarks that should help most people make an informed choice.
I’ll cover video editing, encryption/decryption, rendering, and much more in the charts below – followed by CPU recommendations for those tasks.
AMD Ryzen vs. Intel Core CPUs: Viewport Performance
Well, it’s all red. A glance at the viewport benchmark numbers should be enough to tell you what the story is. If you want the absolute best, most fluid viewport experience – try snagging a Ryzen 5000 processor.
Please do keep in mind that this doesn’t suddenly make the 10th Generation Intel parts terrible. There’s no reason to rush out and grab an upgrade right now. It won’t be worth it.
You can find the full list of Viewport benchmarks here.
AMD Ryzen vs. Intel Core: Cinebench R23
When it comes to multi-threaded performance, the new Ryzen parts aren’t as exciting, while Intel’s 10th Generation lineup is abysmal. The new Ryzen 9 5950X comes dangerously close to AMD’s 2nd Generation HEDT top-tier offering – the Threadripper 2990WX. But the 5950X also obliterates the older part in single-threaded performance.
If you don’t need access to HEDT features like quad-channel memory, more PCI-E lanes, and so on, I recommend going after a Ryzen 9 5950X.
Even with an overclock, Intel is unable to keep up with AMD’s newest processors.
That said, we’re focused on stability over all else for professional workloads and don’t recommend overclocking in general.
Cinebench R23 Scores
You can find the full table here.
AMD Ryzen vs. Intel for Video Editing and Encoding
The Ryzen 3000 CPUs were already quite impressive when it came to video production and could hold their own against Intel’s offerings. With the launch of Ryzen 5000, AMD has firmly taken the top spot even on the mainstream AM4 platform.
The new AMD processors are clearly better than their Intel counterparts, with the 12-core Ryzen 9 5900X pretty much destroying Intel’s top-tier Intel Core i9 10900K with ease. In fact, even AMD’s 8-core Ryzen 7 5800X edges out Intel’s 10-core Core i9 10900K by a slim margin. “Oh, how the turntables.”
Image-Source: Anandtech
Image-Source: Tom’s Hardware
Intel previously held the lead in several video encoding tasks. Now, except for QuickSync accelerated tasks, AMD Ryzen 5000 parts have a firm lead over Intel.
AMD Ryzen vs. Intel for Microsoft Office 2019 (Excel and Word)
After lagging behind Intel for so long, AMD’s offerings now finally sit at the top of all office and productivity charts. When it comes to Microsoft Office, most of the new Ryzen 5000 processors are quite a bit faster than even Intel’s top-tier Core i9 10900K. The Ryzen 5 5600X even goes toe-to-toe with the Core i9 10900K at a lower price.
Image-Source: TechPowerUp
Image-Source: TechPowerUp
Thanks to insane stock issues, AMD doesn’t have too many competing products at the $100 price range. The 4-core, 8-thread Intel Core i3 10100 is an excellent choice for a PC that needs to handle office tasks well. If you can stretch your budget, I would definitely recommend jumping up to an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 / Intel Core i5 10400F.
AMD Ryzen vs Intel for CPU & GPU Rendering
For CPU-focused renders using V-ray NEXT, AMD’s Threadripper 3000-series processors still reign supreme. However, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X on a mainstream platform does manage to beat Intel’s top-tier HEDT offering, the Core i9 10980XE!
Image-Source: PugetSystems
Although CPU-only rendering tests are meaningless for some render engines like Blender’s Cycles, which can render in GPU+CPU hybrid mode, you can still get a bit of an idea about what performance you can expect from your processor. That said, it’s still best to invest in at least a mid-range graphics card for the best experience.
Image-Source: Anandtech
Image-Source: Techgage
AMD offers the best when it comes to CPU rendering performance. I see absolutely no reason to go with any Intel offering for any kind of CPU render-focused workstation like a render node.
If you’re itching for a Threadripper build right now, you can choose to wait. The Threadripper 5000 parts are bound to be amazing. However, availability might still be an issue, so do keep that in mind.
Didn’t find a benchmark you need? Leave me a comment below, and I’ll see what I can do!
AMD Ryzen vs. Intel: Price and Platforms
When building a workstation, it’s essential to factor in price, platform support, and upgradability.
Upgradability of Ryzen vs. Intel: Is Ryzen More ‘Future Proof’?
2021 Update: The platform longevity factor no longer applies as AMD only promised AM4 support through 2020. They are now free to abandon the socket and go to a new platform for their next release.
Although Intel’s Z490 platform will support the incoming 11th Generation Intel processors, the product itself doesn’t seem to be exciting for professional use. All indications are, Intel is pushing for an IPC uplift to take back the gaming crown while sacrificing 2 cores at the top end of their product stack.
Pricing on both platforms is similar. If you’re going with an Intel processor, do grab a Z490 motherboard so you can overclock your DDR4 memory. For AMD Ryzen, a B550 or X570 motherboard will do the trick. Pick based on your preferences, features, and of course, looks.
What Should You Buy in 2021? Intel or AMD Ryzen
“Unless you’re working with Adobe Premiere Pro, Ryzen is the clear winner for a workstation PC in 2019.
Even with Adobe Premiere Pro, I expect Ryzen to close the gap with the Ryzen 9 3950X – due for release next month (September 2019). Of course, Intel might still be better for some niche use-cases.
Please do consult benchmark charts pertinent to your workloads before reaching a decision.
AMD is in the lead for most workstation tasks and has caught up in areas where it was lagging earlier.
What’s more, if you build a PC on the AM4 platform, you could upgrade to the 16-core Ryzen processor releasing soon and also, to the Zen 3 CPUs that’ll release sometime next year (2020), without changing your motherboard!”
– This is what I said around two years ago.
In 2021, there are no ‘buts.’ AMD’s Ryzen 5000 processors completely obliterate Intel offerings at almost every price point, making Intel very hard to recommend.
However, at the very lower end of the product stack, Intel remains competitive. The Intel Core i5 10400F and the Intel Core i3 10100 are amazing options for those on a tight budget. Although the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 remains a good choice, it’s now priced much higher than before- making the cheaper Core i5 10400F look like a way better deal.
So, what PC are you building? Leave a comment below if you need help with your build!
Hi Brother,
I don’t know whether this question is relevant or not, But when I studied your page I felt free to ask my little request to you!.
I am doing a fellowship in an Organisation. Here I have started exploring the field of video editing. In the beginning, we used digital cameras for recording. So, the laptops we were using helped us till now (i3 Processor, 64-BIT, 8 GB RAM)
But we have upgraded our video quality by some professional videographer friends. Thus video quality and resolution are promoted. But our laptop couldn’t help us with editing such high profile videos.
So my request is to suggest an assembled configuration for a minimum budget editing PC that can serve an efficient work in the editing department. (As this NGO helping me to explore my interest areas – I don’t want to squeeze them with a high budget proposal. At the same time, I don’t want to negotiate with the quality of my work). So please guide me for a cheap and best quotation, So that I can take it forward to my mentors.
Yours Faithfully
Akhilesh
Hey Akhilesh,
Thanks for asking!
First off, if I may ask, how much are you willing to spend for this build?
For you to get an idea, a budget of around $1,000 can get you a build with specs like the below:
Parts List:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6GHz 6-Core Processor ($174.99)
CPU Cooler: AMD Wraith Stealth Cooler (Included with CPU) (-)
Motherboard: ASUS Prime X570-P ATX AM4 ($144.99)
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1660 6GB – EVGA XC Gaming ($229.97)
Memory: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200 CL16 ($77.99)
Storage SSD: Crucial MX500 500GB 2.5″ Solid State Drive ($73.59)
Storage PCIe-SSD: WD Black 500GB M.2 Solid State Drive ($85.19)
Storage HDD: Seagate BarraCuda Compute 2TB, 3.5″ ($49.99)
Power Supply: Corsair CX Series CX550 550W ATX 2.4 Power Supply ($69.29)
Case: Corsair Carbide Series 275Q ATX Mid Tower Case ($78.42)
The total of the build comes up to around $984.42 but you get a Ryzen 5 3600 CPU and 16GB of RAM working together to ensure that your workflow when you’re doing your editing tasks is always fast and smooth. More importantly, this build comes with three storage options – two (2) 500GB SSDs and one (1) 2TB HDD. All in all, this build is capable enough to handle your video editing tasks.
Also, you might want to check out the site’s PC Builder Tool. You just need to specify your budget using the slider, choose the most appropriate use case scenario, and the tool will give the best recommendations based on your inputs. Check the tool here: https://www.cgdirector.com/pc-builder/
Cheers,
Alex
Hi Jerry,
Question re: Workstation computer build w/ possible upgrade to AMD 3950x.
Last year (Dec.) I built a mini-itx (aka portable) workstation in an NCase M1. Loaded w/ Asrock z390 Phantom Gaming-itx/ac, i9-9900k, Corsair Vengeance 3200mhz 32GB kit & RTX 2080 XC Ultra. While I primarily spend my “money making” workday in single-core workflow (CAD 2D drawings and including 3D modeling @ around 75-80% of the time) this rig has performed very well. However, I do render previz scenes of the 3D models (most often w/ basic ambient occlusion/clay models) for the creative team. I only really do the the full textured models for my personal work (not my professional work). It renders fine, and even better now that I am using a render engine that makes use of both my GFX card & CPU power. However…
To the point, that the 3950x & Asus Rog Crosshair VIII Impact are a very attractive pairing & I have the $ for the upgrade, I am asking if my current workstation should get this upgrade now (side note: Optimum Tech recently covered a new build in an Ncase M1 v6 w/ this pair, to great success) . My first thought is the sacrifice of the 5ghz single core capability for the boost in reduced render time leads me to ask, “How much will I notice the difference in my single-core workflow for the payoff of much faster render times during my paid workday?”
If it makes sense to proceed w/ this upgrade, I would first swap out the Mobo & processor (cooled by my current 240mm Kraken x52…w/o overclocking, this cooler looked to do ok). Then upgrade the Graphics card to the RTX Quadro 5000.
I find myself referring to this blog very often, and always enjoy the reading and specificity you all provide. My professional life has been greatly helped by the information provided here…many many thanks!
Hey Lisa,
I’m glad CGDirector’s been a help to you! That’s the idea behind the website, so, thank you for those kind words 🙂
Now on to your question – “How much will I notice the difference in my single-core workflow for the payoff of much faster render times during my paid workday?”
The single core score for a 3950X is actually just a smidge higher than a 9900K, so you should see an improvement with respect to viewport performance. Honestly, you won’t notice any difference at all in your regular workflow. Go ahead and upgrade, it’ll be worth it.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
Jerry
Thanks Jerry! I went for it.
Best wishes, happy new year & thanks again!
-LM
Hellow…I want to open an internet cafe and i want to build a gaming pc (950euros aproximately) i cant decide which way to go…amd…or intel….i am so confused
Hey ΣΠΥΡΟΣ,
Thanks for dropping a line!
950 Euros is approximately US$ 1,060 and for that amount of money, you can put together a gaming PC like the below:
Parts List:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6GHz 6-Core Processor ($189.99)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition AM4 ($36.99)
Motherboard: ASUS Prime X570-P ATX AM4 ($159.99)
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1660TI 6GB – Gigabyte Windforce ($279.99)
Memory: 16GB (2 x 8GB) Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200 CL16 ($79.99)
Storage PCIe-SSD: Samsung 970 EVO PLUS 500GB M.2 Solid State Drive ($99.99)
Power Supply: Corsair CX Series CX550 550W ATX 2.4 Power Supply ($64.99)
Case: Corsair Carbide Series 275Q ATX Mid Tower Case ($87.48)
The total comes up to around $999.41 which is around 897 Euros. With this build, you get a Ryzen5 3600 CPU and 16GB of RAM at the heart of your system. You also get a GTX 1660 Ti GPU. This CPU-RAM-GPU combination will surely perform nicely for an internet café gaming PC. And by the way, I don’t tend to recommend an Intel build for gaming as it sort of is a dead-end platform while an AMD Ryzen build will give you a lot more options in terms of upgrading the parts of your computer.
Cheers,
Alex
Hi, would you please help recommend a budget laptop for light video editing mostly 1080p youtube vidoes. Most of the time webinar/interviews for podcast so they last up to an hour.
I am looking at gaming laptops for budget reasons however I am not really a hardcore gamer and I’m not going to even play with the laptop. Mostly virtual assistant task and one of those is video editing (adding intro/outro, transitions, etc)
Budget is around $800 (40k PH peso) or can possibly stretch it to under $1000.
Some of the laptops that I already am considering (though I don’t have much tech knowledge, just youtube reviews)
1. Lenovo L340 – i7 9750h, 8 gb ram, 1650 4gb gpu, 1 TB hdd + 128 ssd – (60K PH peso)
2. Acer Nitro 5 – i7 9300h, 4 gb ram, 1650 4gb gpu, 1 TB hdd + 128 ssd – (61k PH peso)
3. Acer Nitro 5 – i5 9300h, 4 gb ram, 1650 4gb gpu, 1 TB hdd + 128 ssd – (50k PH peso)
4. Acer Nitro 5 – Ryzen 5 3550h, 4 gb ram, Radeon Tx 560x 4 gb gpu, 1 TB hdd + 256 ssd – (50k PH peso)
5. ASUS VivoBook F510QA – not sure yet about the local specs
Hoping for your kind assistance.
Hey Christian,
I seem to have missed your comment somehow, my bad!
If you’re doing light video editing, you should be okay with the Acer Nitro 5 (i5 9300H and 1650). You will get a better performance uplift with a better GPU, if you can find something in the 1660-1660 Ti range.
Cheers!
Jerry
I went with Lenovo Legion Y540 the other day 🙂
Hello, I am looking to build a gaming pc but I am undecided on which cpu to get. I been looking at several reviews and I came across your article. I am torn between the i9 or the ryzen 3700x. Most of the reviews including yours show a small difference between them, including the frame rate in games. The i9 shows as the one on top but by 10-15 frames in some cases but most of the time lower than that. The 3700x seems to offer a more balanced approach in all areas, plus good temperature and power consumption. Which one do you recommend?
Hey Jake,
What GPU are you planning to use and what resolution would you be playing at?
Generally, the Ryzen 5 3600 offers incredible value for money (assuming you’re only gaming and don’t want to use your PC for any other workloads).
If you can jump down to it and use the saved money towards a better GPU, it’ll deliver a far superiot gaming experience.
I’d only recommend the Core i9 9900K to those who’ve already bought as much GPU as they can and are playing using either 1440p/1080p high refresh rate monitors.
The AM4 platform offers a superior upgrade path that Intel just can’t match.
Cheers!
Jerry
Ty for the quick reply. I currently have a ASUS GeForce GTX 1070 8GB ROG Strix OC edition and I play just at 1080p. My monitors are just led /lcd 1080. I am not planning on upgrading those monitors soon so I decided not to upgrade the video card yet. I gathered from your last reply, that I should considered the AM4 platform. With the info in this reply, do you still think I should go ryzen, or should I go intel i9? Thanks again and have a good day, Jake
Hey Jake,
For something like a 1070, I’d recommend the Ryzen 5 3600 if you’re just gaming on your PC. If you’re doing other heavier stuff, the 3700X is a better option.
Cheers!
Jerry
This is what i needed, Thanks a lot Jerry, most of my friend still believe that Intel is King. Anyway what do you think about the mobile cpu Ryzen and Intel version for notebook ? I am confused between Ryzen 5 3550h or i5 9300h.
Mostly i’ll use it for adobe software, like painting, animate etc. The Ryzen 5 3550h came with Rx560x and 512nvme. Meanwhile i5 9300h came with 1050ti Max-q and 256nvme.
In my experience with ryzen (Ryzen 5 2500u), im having lag issues in photoshop whenever im using dedicate gpu which is Nvidia 1050. So i use integrated (Radeon Vega 8) instead, and the lag disappear. Temperature is safe tho, never reached 90 celcius on overloaded
Do you think it’s because the cpu not optimized enough for Nvidia 1050 ? I am afraid if go with i5 9300h which is warmer than ryzen, it’ll throttle. As reviewed in here, https://www.notebookcheck.net/MSI-GF63-8RC-i5-8300H-GTX-1050-Laptop-Review.340606.0.html
the stress test caused i5 8300h dropped from 3,6 to 2,1 ghz. Tl-DR should i go with ryzen 5 3550h or i5 9300h ?
Hey Alan,
Can’t blame people for thinking that way really 🙂 Many people came into the PC market when Intel was at its best and AMD couldn’t touch that level of performance. It’ll take time for the stigma of ‘inferior’ to wash away.
As for the laptop, I’d suggest waiting for a bit, if at all possible. Intel’s 10th Generation Mobile offerings look pretty neat from a graphics POV and also consume less power. Plus, AMD’s also going to launch the next-gen, Zen 2-based mobile CPUs soon.
I’ve never encountered lag on my laptop discrete GPU, so not too sure what’s happening there. Could be a driver issue. You could try going into the Nvidia control panel and manually setting ‘Photoshop’ and other Adobe apps to Max Performance.
If I did have to pick between those two for those tasks, I’d go with the R5 + 560X + 512. Also, I think you’re talking about the Acer Nitro (looks like it from the specs you mentioned) and it’s a great laptop for sure,
Cheers!
Jerry
hi looking to build a gaming rig…mainly play bf5 and cod mw …so thinking of going the ryzen 7 3700x route…worth it?
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/user/minkimoo/saved/#view=shTcqs
That seems to be a private build link 🙂 Can’t access it mate. Could you list the parts out as text?
Cheers!
Jerry
Looking to build a Adobe, C4D+ Octane PC in this month (Sept- Oct). My idea was 9900K, RTX 2080 super (since most places sont offer regular 2080 anymore in UK), 32 GB 3000mhz RAM, 850 w supply to ads another GPU in future. Any thoughts?
Hey Rasmus,
I’d definitely opt for the Ryzen 3900X instead of the 9900K for those workloads. Same price, far better performance.
Cheers!
Jerry
Hi Jerry,
I am building a computer for the first time ever, did my best to research every single part, but still some things aren’t clear to me.
So the main focus of this build is going to be 3d modelling/rendering, having a fast viewport etc. Will be using software like substance painter/designer, blender, zbrush. Aiming to do most of my rendering on the gpu. Would be nice to be able to play a game sometimes as well. My budget is around 6k euros, and I think I am pretty happy with the build.
But I have no idea if all of the parts are compatible with each other.
https://pcpartpicker.com/user/falconreach/saved/#view=yMc7TW
If you could check the build out, maybe offer some suggestions, I would be grateful.
Some of the questions I have currently:
1. This pc case has 2 usb ports in the front if I’m correct, how do they connect to the motherboard?
2. The GPU card is 304.7 mm lenght. The case specifications say:
Maximum Video Card Length
287 mm / 11.299″ With Drive Cages
449 mm / 17.677″ Without Drive Cages
What eaxctly is a drive cage? Is it a hard drive cage? If so, will I have a spot to install my 3.5 inch HDD somewhere at all if I remove the ones that interfere with the GPU space?
3. “SLI” – how does it work. I think there’s supposed to be a SLI cable that connects the GPUs? If so, will i need to buy the “SLI” connector cable separately or will it be included with the GPU? Also, would I be able to add two more of the same GPU’s in the future as an upgrade if I wanted to?
4. RAM. Really dumb question, but will I really fit my 8 ram slots into this motherboard, because visually it doesn’t look like there are 8 dimm slots. but the specs say there are so, probably not an issue, but what about the common “cooler blocking the ram slots” issue, will this not be a problem with this build?
5. Also, I read somewhere that I will need to somehow overclock my ram..? It says the motherboard supports “3200 OC”. the ram sticks are 3200 ddr4. how does this ram overclocking procedure look like and what does it do exactly, and why is it needed?
6. Will i need to buy the SATA cable to connect the HDD or will it be included with the motherboard?
7. I plan on overclocking the CPU, is this cooler good enough for that?
Hey Peter, sure thing!
The build looks good from a rendering standpoint. But just a note – the processor isn’t the best when it comes to snappy viewport performance. I’m not sure how sensitive to a snappy viewport you are/are used to.
Most professionals get around this problem by building a separate render node that looks something like your build and a separate workstation that focuses on viewport performance.
Here’s some data that’ll show you what to expect with regards to viewport performance:
https://www.cgdirector.com/cinema-4d-viewport-performance-benchmark-scores/
Now, to your questions:
1. The case will come with a front USB connector that plugs into the front-panel USB pins of your motherboard.
2. Yep, that’s a HDD cage. You’ll still have 2-3 slots next to the PSU for an HDD. That’s what it looks like from the pictures at least –
3. An SLI bridge is only needed when GPUs are sharing data and need to do so, in a split second. Usually comes into play when gaming on multi-GPU setup. However, the motherboard you chose does come with an SLI bridge any way 🙂
https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/socketTR4/PRIME_X399-A/E13889_PRIME_X399-A_UM_V3_WEB.pdf (package contents page)
Yes you can upgrade to a quad-GPU setup easily! No issues at all.
4. It might be. Fortunately, the cooler you chose comes with adjustable fan brackets. Clearance shouldn’t be an issue.
5. Just jump into your BIOS and select the XMP profile that shows up when you go to tweak memory clocks.
6. The motherboard comes with 4 SATA cables. So, no sweat!
7. Yep, you should be able to get a reasonably high and stable overclock without too much of an issue. Of course, a lot of it depends on your specific chip and luck.
Let me know if I left out anything 🙂
Cheers!
Jerry
Thank you so much for your advice. This has been an eye-opener for me.
I made some tinkering to the build. Removed some ram (64 now), because the motherboard I chose doesn’t support more and it’s probably a waste of money anyway, and changed the CPU to one that has a high clock speed and matched the cooler for it (dark pro 4)
I am in a bit of a debate whether to go for the Ryzen 9 or 9900k.
intel build
https://pcpartpicker.com/user/falconreach/saved/#view=r8QYHx
ryzen build
https://pcpartpicker.com/user/falconreach/saved/#view=dMCk6h
I think everything is compatible, and am about to order the parts for the intel build (actively working is more important than rendering for me, and this might be a little better)
The power supply however could be a little overkill? (it’s 1200w, my estimated usage is under 800w)
Should I change it? If so, What to get instead?
Hey Peter,
I’d recommend the Ryzen 9 3900X over the 9900k. Just gives you more threads, a better platform, and very similar single-thread performance for a snappy viewport.
As for the PSU, it depends if you’d like the extra headroom. For most people with a similar build, I’d just recommend an 80+ Gold/Platinum 1000W power supply.
The build looks pretty solid though!
Cheers!
Jerry