CPU Buying Guide: June 2020

Kevin Hofer

5.6.2020

Translation: machine translated

Would you like to buy a new PC, but don't really know which CPU to choose? Then you've come to the right place. Gaming, video production or desktop PC, you'll find the CPU you need here.

The CPU world is split, with some swearing by Intel, while others don't want to hear about any manufacturer other than AMD. So I'll give you at least one CPU from each manufacturer in each category. You won't find any performance test results or other figures in this guide. The aim is to provide you with a concise guide to which CPUs are currently best suited for different uses.

This guide is divided into five parts each listing the best CPUs for gaming, home video photo processing, professional video photo processing, high-end and mid-range desktop PC and the best all-round CPUs. Having not personally tested all the CPUs, I decided to rely on the results of various specialist publications such as AnandTech, TomsHardware, GamersNexus, ComputerBase and TechSpot.

Gaming

AMD has caught up: even Red Team's processors allow for trouble-free gaming. When it comes to FPS, however, Intel still has a head start. If you want the crème de la crème of CPUs and aren't prepared to compromise, then there's only one solution.

If you don't use your PC exclusively for gaming, but also need it to run video editing software, AMD offers the best package. Regardless of gaming performance, the Ryzen 3900X is just 4.5% slower at 2160p than the i9-10900K. It also has two more cores than Intel's rival CPU and therefore performs better, particularly when it comes to video processing.

If you want to put together a gaming PC on a tight budget, then the AMD Ryzen 3300X is the best choice. For around 130 francs (as at 4 June 2020), you can afford a processor that admittedly offers a lower refresh rate, but is much cheaper. By way of comparison, the i9-10900K costs four times as much, but delivers a refresh rate only 15-20% higher. To prevent the CPU from limiting your system, however, you'll need to add as many Super 2080 graphics cards as possible.

If you prefer to bank on a better refresh rate and have an extra budget of around 70 francs for the processor, Intel's i5-10400 is a good solution.

Hobbyist desktop PC

If just under 800 francs (as at 4.6.2020) is too much money for you, the 3900X, which costs around 470 francs, is an excellent solution. The 3900X is currently the small miracle on the market, because it also lets you play superb games. In Photoshop, it's also superior to the 3950X because of its higher clock rate.

Professional desktop PC

AMD is also at the forefront of high-end PC processors. If you only want the cream of the crop when it comes to CAD, video editing and image processing, you won't escape the incredible performance of the Threadripper 3990X. The 64 cores give it an unbeatable performance in most office applications. The model costs in the region of 4,000 francs, which is enough to make any wallet pale.

For a slightly tighter budget, the Threadripper 3970X is the right choice. At around half the price of the 3990X, it also has half as many cores. The 3970X nevertheless comes second in terms of performance in office automation and video processing. The Threadripper 3960X and its 24 cores are available for another 500 francs less.

What about Intel? The manufacturer does not offer a comparable product. Its 10980XE doesn't perform as well as the Threadrippers in office and video processing. and that's because it has "only" 18 cores. On the plus side, it costs around 400 francs less than the 3960X. But that's not a real option, as it offers the same performance as the much cheaper 3950X.

For the office

If you're aiming your new PC purely at office tasks, i.e. office automation, simple image processing and the internet, AMD again offers the best value for money. All the CPUs mentioned below have integrated graphics units, so you don't need to buy a graphics card on top.

The Ryzen 3 3200G is perfectly suited to desktops and, at around CHF 100 (at 4.6.20), is one of the cheap CPUs. With an integrated Radeon RX Vega 8, this processor is perfectly suited to simple use of Photoshop or even basic video editing.

For around 55 francs, the Athlon 3000G is the cheapest model. But at that price, the Vega 3 graphics unit is very limited.

Intel doesn't fare as well as AMD on the budget side. The Intel Core i3-10100 costs close to 150 francs, but performs better than the 3200G in almost every category. Intel's cheapest model is the Celeron G5900T.

The best general-purpose CPUs

The best general-purpose CPUs are selected for their excellent value for money and good performance in gaming and other applications. Here I recommend the Ryzen 5 3600X or 3600, as they offer good refresh rates and also perform well in other applications thanks to their six cores and 12 threads.

Kevin Hofer

Senior Editor

kevin.hofer@digitecgalaxus.ch

From big data to big brother, Cyborgs to Sci-Fi. All aspects of technology and society fascinate me.

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