CPU recommendations?

Hey guys,

Quick question about picking up a new CPU. Which one of these would you recommend for streaming while gaming? I'm running 16GB of RAM at 2600MHz and a GTX 1660 Super 6GB.
The chips I'm looking at are the Intel Core i5-8400, the B450 + 2700 x, or the 3500x.

Thanks.
Best.

You already picked out a motherboard? Which one?
What’s the budget looking like?

Don't have a motherboard yet, budget is around $2,200 for the combo and CPU

Alex Fox83 said:Don't have a motherboard yet, budget is around $2,200 for the combo and CPU

With that kind of cash, you're better off grabbing an Intel Core i5-7500—it performs similarly to an Intel Core i5-8400 and you can find it cheap—paired with a B450 or B550 board (if you want the F-series option), or maybe an i3 10100F. Anything else is just throwing money away.

The 2700X used to be pretty affordable and I’d usually suggest it, but now it's sitting at $15
$0.00 which is honestly way too much.

https://www.amazon.com/processors/amd...price-41853411

Thanks for the reply, but why would an Intel Core i5-7500 be better than an Intel Core i5-8400? Also, is it even worth dropping more cash on a 2700 x?

Thanks.
Best,

Alex Fox83 said:Thanks for the reply, but why would an Intel Core i5-7500 be better than an Intel Core i5-8400? Also, is it even worth dropping more cash on a 2700 x?

Thanks.
Best,

The Intel Core i5-7500 is better because $100 it's cheaper, and the performance is basically identical to a standard 2600. It’s not worth paying 30%+ more just to squeeze out maybe 0-10% more performance.

The 2700X is a decent chip, but for pure gaming, it isn't much better than the ones mentioned. It might be worth it if you're serious about streaming—it comes with a decent enough stock cooler, solid clocks, and 8 cores. Don't expect to overclock on that stock cooler, but it handles the 105W TDP okay. For gaming alone? Probably not worth it. If you're looking at futureproofing, I'd grab the cheap Intel Core i5-7500 now and then jump to a 5000 series chip once prices drop.

BTW, keep in mind that B550 motherboards generally don't support older CPUs. A B450 is your best bet for an upgrade path since it supports pretty much the entire AM4 lineup.

Given your budget, if you want to max it out, the best move for streaming is likely B450 + 2700X. For gaming without any streaming, go with either the Intel Core i5-10400F (solid CPU, good price, sucks for upgrading later) or the Intel Core i5-9600K (prices are pretty bad right now)