Processors

Update 20th January 2020: I upgraded to a 3900x. I've been using it for a couple of weeks and l'm loving it. A few things to note for those of you Ryzen 3rd Gen. users and prospective buyers: 1. Voltage offset is your friend. In my case and with my specific MOBO (Asus C6H - x370) the different Ryzen CPUs I had (3600x, 3700x and now 3900x) behaved in the same way: - High voltage at idle up to 1.5V - (Thus) 'high' idle temps: around 37-45ºC - Around 1.2-1.3V at load, temps around 60ºC (ranging from 55 to 65ºC on a Corsair H150i Pro, quiet pump and all fans spinning around 800 RPMs). I don't care what "Robert" from AMD says and I surely don't trust him; I trust the numbers I get on my PC. So, if you want a quieter, more efficient, longer lasting (probably) Ryzen 3rd. Gen. CPU, I advise to go the 'voltage offset' route. Personally, I have my chip set to -1.0V so the 3900x never has more than 1.4V fed to it (I did the same on the 3700x; l actually had this CPU with a 1.250V undervolt and it did just as good as stock. I haven't tried to go so 'low' on voltage on the 3900x yet. I bet it'll work just fine, but until I try it I won't know for certain). I have run benchmarks (games, Cinebench) and I get slightly better results with the offset voltage. YMMV. 2. If you want a totally silent PC experience (and have the appropriate components you'll need for it), I suggest you set a fan curve where fans won't spin up until the CPU reaches 62-63ºC AND you set the fans to have around 3 to 5 seconds response delay (you can actually set normal fan curves as long as you have a 5 seconds response delay. Just observe the CPU behavior and you'll understand the *rational for this). *This is all about trying to get around the 'low usage' and 'high voltage' Ryzen 3rd. Gen. behavior. Open an app and it'll boost up to its max., having the voltage fed to it to its max., too. This causes the temps to go much higher than at idle but just for literally a couple/few seconds. I've noticed the CPU won't care whether my fans are spinning at 2000 or 700 RPMs: it will still reach such temps. and settle there. Thus, the way to go is what l mentioned above. That way, your fans won't bother what the CPU is doing and will only spin up when the CPU truly needs it (beyond 62-63ºC). Funny enough that will hardly ever happen (almost never in my system) as, unless you don't have the appropriate airflow, your 3rd Gen. Ryzen CPU will hardly go beyond the aforementioned temps. Sure enough, again, your temps will vary according to the airflow in your case and ambient temps. 3. I don't think l have noticed a significant improvement when going from the 3600x to the 3700x and then to the 3900x (as expected). All these CPUs are pretty snappy and a joy to use (once it's all properly configured). Unless you have a workload that requires more than 6 cores OR you are an enthusiast like me who gets thrilled just by thinking you have a 12 cores and 24 threads CPU, you're probably better off with the 3600 (even the non x). If you aren't planning to change the CPU until 3 years or beyond (and you like gaming) l'd probably buy the 3700x. Games like Battlefield V do use those 8 cores and even 12! I've seen "BV" using 54% of the 3900x (that's using those 12 cores fully and some of one thread) and I see up to 64% usage when 'loading' the game "COD MW 2019" or the next level. That is insane. If you aren't a gamer, an enthusiast and/or you won't utilize applications that take advantage of extra cores, then, really, go and get a 3400G. It's an excellent CPU (on daily, 'normal' usage you wouldn't notice a big difference between that one and the 3900x. Of course there is a difference, but not the one you may have in mind; not a 4 VS 12 cores difference. I got a 3400G for my wife and she can't be happier. Mind you, l would've gotten her the best available in the market had l thought a difference was to be found (for her PC usage). The 3400G will save you money (cheaper, no GPU needed, less powerful PSU required... even the electricity bill will be cheaper... ;-) Girls and boys, if you have questions, down in the comments. I hope this helps! Update 1st October 2019: I switched to a 3700x. The only difference l notice between the 3600x and the 3700x is when looking at MSI Afterburner OSD overlay while playing Battlefield V. Now, CPU usage is a lot less than before. If you're just a gamer you should be more than fine with the 3600x, l surely was. It just that seeing that high CPU usage while playing BV was bugging me (YMMV, as ever). The 3700x at stock (PBO off) is hitting advertised clocks in most cores. More importantly, idle voltage and temps are now settled after upgrading to BIOS 7501 (on an Asus C6H x370). I'm using Ryzen Balanced Windows Power Plan. So yeah, so far so good. Boy this's been a journey! I guess l'll now wait for an offer on the 3900x, not because l need it (not by any means!) but because l can and l am a PC enthusiast. Having 6 cores is good, 8 is great and 12 is awesome. 16 cores, l hear you say? Yeah, bring them on baby! Update 18th September 2019: - Upgraded to 5 STARS. At this price (I paid GBP 220, bought from Amazon), this CPU is amazing. - Added picture showing 2 cores reaching 4468MHz (HWinfo). - Waiting for BIOS update of 30th September. I continue being very happy with this CPU. It's snappy and fast. I have observed games like "Battlefield V" using it up to 90%. The game runs as smooth as you would want it (paired to a MSI RTX 2080 Gaming X Trio) and it's a joy to play. Now, my plan is to upgrade to a better Ryzen CPU next year and hopefully keep it for a few years (I'd buy an 8 cores minimum). If you buy a CPU having in mind to keep it for 3+ years, and you like playing games that utilize 8 or more cores if available (like "BV" does) then I would suggest you going for a 3700x instead. It'll be a better buy in that case scenario. Update (a week after purchase): I got into terms with this CPU and decided to keep it. After a week of daily usage l can tell this processor is faster and snappier than the one it’s replacing, a [email protected]. The only problem I found is the idle temperatures are ‘somehow’ hotter than the 1700x (even when OC). Basically, when idling, the 3600x temperature jumps from around 35°C all the way to 60-63°C. It is a strange, ‘restless’ behavior (see my system’s specs at the bottom). I have come into terms with this by readjusting the fans’ curve. In any case, the fans every now and then rev up to speeds they never reached before (past 2000Rpms in the case of the CPU fans when the latter occasionally reaches 73°C for a few seconds while loading a game). This happens rarely, but I’ve seeing it. In most cases, while gaming or stress testing, the CPU tends to sit at 60-63°C with an ambient temperature of around 20°C. For example, playing Battlefield V (3840x1200@120Hz), as you can see in the (lousy) uploaded pictures. I’d happily say this CPU is pretty cool under load. Another ‘weird’ thing I observed is the voltage. At idle, 1.4V; under load 1.3V. I think this is why the CPU is hot and jumpy when idling VS cooler and more stable under load. I researched online and found that the higher idle voltage is meant to ‘assist’ the 1-2 cores higher clock speed, whereas the lower voltage under load is because of the slower 6 clocks core speed. Speaking of clock speed, my processor has no problem reaching the advertised 4.4Ghz and even 4.450Ghz occasionally. While playing games it sits at 4.275-4.3Ghz, often speeding up to 4.375Ghz. I used “GPU Tweak II” to see the CPU’s behavior ‘while playing games’ and “HWmonitor” to monitor it in general. One thing to notice is the CPU cooler l’m using: an AIO 360mm Corsair H150i PRO with 3x Be Quiet Silent Wings 3 fans. Keep in mind your clock speed and you temps may vary when pairing the 3600x with a different, less efficient cooler. I’ll try to take and add new, more informative pictures when l have the time. All in all, if you’re coming from a 1700x/2700x or slower, I’d recommend the upgrade if you’re looking for a faster ‘Single Core (SC)’ speed and a snappier feeling when using the PC (e.g. opening programs, loading websites, etc.). (Bear in mind, around half a year ago I tried the 2700x on my rig but l sent it back due to not noticing any improvement compared to my 1700x.) I keep the 4 stars rating due to the 'weird idle behavior'. Otherwise this CPU would completely deserve 5 stars. Price to performance it is a 5 stars CPU. My rig: - 3600x - C6H (x370) - RTX 2080 Strix - Corsair H150i PRO (with 3x Be Quiet Silent Wings 3) - NVME Samsung 960 PRO - 3200Mhz – 16GB RAM – Corsair Dominator Platinum - EVGA T2 - 850w - Be Quiet Dark Base 900 Pro ………………………………. (*As a side note and in order to help prospective buyers decide between this CPU and the 3700x.) If your usage is like mine (Word, 20+ tabs/two windows internet browsing, gaming AAA games, listening to music and watching movies) then this CPU will surely serve you very well. I would certainly also explore Intel options (specifically the 9700K if on offer). I’ve had an 8 cores CPU (the aforementioned 1700x) and trust me, if you want a fast, snappy feeling on your PC, you want high SC performance. Leave all those 8 cores for ‘video editors’ and other users of applications that utilize a high core/thread count. ‘Future proofing,’ I hear you say? I laugh at that concept. My beloved 1700x bought in the best region of the world (Cambridge, Massachusetts) in May 2017 (yeah, I was a Zen early adopter) is already outdated by a 6 cores CPU, 2 years later. There is no ‘future proofing’ in technology. Now, if you can’t afford an upgrade every 2 years or you just don’t bother, then surely, aim at the best you can buy today. I would then pay the extra 80 GBP and get the 3700x because those extra 2 cores may come handy in the coming 4-5 years. If your PC usage is like mine and you’re like me in that you’re already thinking of the new Ryzen CPU (Zen 5?) then get this one and save those 80 GBP for the next Ryzen generation. ‘Some games use 8 cores,’ you say. Well, check games benchmarks and tell me what the difference is: 5fps? 8fps in the best case scenario? Will you notice that? I surely won’t. ………………………………. (Initial review.) I have mixed feelings about the 3600x. On one hand it 'feels' snappier and faster than my old and trusty 1700x (even when OC to 3.9Ghz), on the other hand the 3600x runs hotter when idling. My PC was silent until upgrading to the 3600x. I can now hear the 3x Be Quiet Silent Wings 3 fans revving up (installed on a 360mm AIO Corsair 150i PRO) at idle. Ambient temperature: 19°C. The CPU reaches the advertised speed and l have seen it surpassing it, too (see pictures attached). When all cores are in use it seats at 4.09 while aleatory changing the speed of 1 core to 4.124Mhz (when benchmarking Cinebench r15 MC). So far it gets 4 stars because it runs significantly hotter than the 1700x (3.9Ghz OC) at idle. When gaming (BV) it sits at around 63-65°C (see attached pictures) (Front door of my case opened, 3x 140mm Be Quiet Silent Wings 3 located at the case front running at full speed). Conclusion, after a few hours of testing (To be updated): - It feels snappier/faster than a 1700x (OC to 3.9Ghz) when opening programs and ‘normal usage’. This time it’s not only about ‘numbers’ (benchmarks) but you can ‘feel’ the difference. - It runs hotter than a 1700x (even when OC to 3.9Ghz). - Metro Exodus Benchmark: l get the very same results with the 3600x and the 1700x on this benchmark. I guess l’m GPU limited/bottlenecked (but just to say). One star off because of the temps at idle. l'll conduct further testing and come back to update this review in a week.

For starters it is really easy to install it if you place it properly on the slot it just slides in, if not it doesn't, so you don't have to fiddle around with finding that really little triangle to find how to orient it. This was an upgrade from a i5-3750k so a very big one. I'm using it with a Noctua NH-D9L with two fans so I get awesome cooling. It reaches 4.2-4.3 Ghz easily. I'm getting really good results in cinebench, the only one that beats my score, within the same price range/generation, is another 3600x that looks like it has better cooling. The advantage of this CPU is that the more cooling you give it the better it works so your millage is very dependent on the cooling you can provide. I've even tried to stream with it to test see how it goes. Playing BF2 which is a pretty intensive game. It can handle streaming without a problem, doesn't drop a single frame and stays at around 70ish degrees, considering the max temp is 95 there is still allot of room for usage, even though it reaches 4.3 Ghz which seems to be the max frequency I can squeeze out of it. They say it can reach 4.4 but I didn't see it, so maybe I'm not pushing it hard enough. Ryzen Master, a must have software, has the ability to tweak it without going into bios, for some simple overclocking. If you want to play it safe you can just run it in one of two modes. Gaming - This reduces the amount of cores while pushing higher frequencies. Creator - This pushes more cores while running at a lower frequency.

Really nothing to complain about, it does what I expected from it. Had some fears regarding gaming performance, but after running my own Witcher 3 benchmark, I was amazed to get 11 frames extra average, and 13 frames better lows, compared to my to the limit 4.7 ghz overclocked old 4790K. Did not expect that, so very happy (with Vega 64 as GPU). General Windows experience is butter smooth now, not that it was slow on the 4790K, but its feels much snappier. Gobbled up my 3333 mhz memory kit, runs like a champ with the same kit at 3600 with tweaked timings. One thing that I initially did not enjoy was the fact that you cant really overclock it, it runs almost close to max in stock settings, but that's an ex Intel user fake issue, no more delidding needed, no more days of OC testing, is clearly better at stock without any fuss. Only thing I settled on is a -50mv on the core, did not like the 1.47v it was pushing by default, so now its max 1.4 and boosting to 4375mhz, it did 4.4 ghz easy with stock voltage, even 4.425 ghz on some cores with PBO, but don't thinks its of any use. Wanted to go back to an AMD cpu, very very happy with my 3600X. Love it!

This CPU is amazing value, and more than able to handle any modern game without being anywhere near approaching a CPU bottleneck. I opted for the X variant simply due to the higher clock speed, and the unwillingness to overclock the 3600 to the same values. Call it the want for simplicity, along with a nice discount at the time of purchase. The Ryzen 3600X is extremely capable, and assuming the socket remains the same as it has for three generations, the upgrade path is clear, which puts it at a clear advantage over the Intel i5 competitor for this performance level. Even if this upgrade path is halted by a change in socket, the price was lower than an approximately equivalent Intel CPU at the time of purchase in February 2020. Albeit replaced soon after purchase, the included CPU cooler was actually quite impressive for a stock cooler, and if overclocking isn't on the cards at all, it is more than adequate assuming a decent case air flow. I would not hesitate to recommend this CPU for hefty desktop work, and of course nearly all gaming setups in the mid-range category.

I purchased the 3600X as a temp CPU for my new build, What amazed me is I went from an i7 3770k that I overclocked to 4.7ghz and out of the box the 3600X out performed it in every way! I know my previous processor was pretty much 8 years old at this point but what I like about this is it's a pretty low end CPU and it's almost double the speed of the i7! For me I do a lot of rendering and game design and this is already better out the box at that! When the CPU I want (Ryzen 9 3950X) is available at a better price I will use this CPU for a PC for my sister and her kids and it will be absolutely perfect for them for a good few years! If you're looking for a great performing CPU at a low price point then this is the one for you!.. also comes with its own cooler, if you don't overclock this then it'll be perfectly fine for you're build! Couldn't recommend the 3600X any more!

Hats off to clock speed and 6 cores. You can't find any processor performing such as this at this price range. However, this processor runs really hot. It is literally frying , i am getting 45-55 oC at idle stage whereas under-load as predicted temperature goes up like 70-80 C, I don't like the stock cooler as it runs too loud for me. I managed to reduce the degrees about 3-5 C by changing cooler and applying a new thermal paste (arctic). Please be aware i only recommend this processor if you have a fancy cooler and a nice airflow inside the case. Otherwise stick with regular Ryzen 5 3600 in order to prevent heating problem. All that said, performancewise this processor is really fast, can handle many tasks at the same time.

Epic performance. Moved from an Intel Skylake quad core to this six core, twelve thread monster. Get a consistent 4.4GHZ clock speed which is incredible. Needless to say it handles anything with ease, the old cpu was a bottleneck for the modern games I played and this is no longer the case. I paired this with Corsair Vengeance RGB RAM and it works really nicely. The only slight issue is the stock cooler is a bit tetchy, it ramps the fan speed up instantly and can be a little loud, will probably change this cooler for something better down the line. If you’re having doubts about moving to Ryzen from Intel have no fear, the process was seamless and I’m glad I made the move. The value proposition on this is also really strong.

This chip is a thing of beauty, and it is extremely easy to fit. I was adding it to the Asus Tuff Gaming X570 mobo. The supplied cooler is easy to attach, and it comes with its own layer of thermal compound already installed. So, remember that and DON'T TOUCH IT! Not saying I did. But I might have... The fan is pretty quiet. I think you'd have to spend quite a lot for anything substantially better, or you'd need to source a fanless, passive cooler. Downloaded the latest AMD chipset drivers from the web site and everything worked smoothly. Benchmarking at 1080p in Gears Tactics on medium settings showed ridiculous framerates for the CPU (I mean in the hundreds). The bad news is my graphics card (GTX1060 3GB) is now showing up as a bottleneck (in the fifties). You could probably build a first class gaming rig with this CPU, but you will need a beefy, beefy GPU to go with it.