Ryzen 7 3700X vs Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 7 3700X is about 5% faster at 1440p. Whether that is worth it depends on the rest of your build.

The gap changes with resolution.

CPU differences shrink as resolution rises — at 4K the graphics card does most of the work.

In a real build with a RTX 3080.

Specs alone don’t tell you which to buy. Here is what each one does when it’s actually paired up, at 1440p.

So which should you buy?

The Ryzen 7 3700X is faster, but the Ryzen 5 3600 is the better buy per dollar. Take the Ryzen 7 3700X only if you want the extra headroom and the price gap doesn't bother you.

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Common questions.

Straight answers on the Ryzen 7 3700X versus the Ryzen 5 3600.

• Is the Ryzen 7 3700X better than the Ryzen 5 3600?

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  Yes, but by less than the spec sheet suggests. At 1440p the Ryzen 7 3700X scores 60 against 57 for the Ryzen 5 3600 — roughly 5% faster. It also costs about $130 more at MSRP, so the question is whether that gap is worth the money for your build.

• Does the Ryzen 7 3700X or Ryzen 5 3600 bottleneck a RTX 3080?

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  Paired with a RTX 3080 at 1440p, the Ryzen 7 3700X build comes out 3% CPU-bound, and the Ryzen 5 3600 build comes out 5% CPU-bound. Being GPU-bound is the healthy outcome — it means the graphics card is the part working hardest.

• Is it worth upgrading from the Ryzen 5 3600 to the Ryzen 7 3700X?

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  Only if you are also lifting the rest of the build. The Ryzen 7 3700X is about 5% ahead at 1440p, and gaps like that shrink further at 4K where the GPU does more of the work. If you are upgrading from the Ryzen 5 3600 purely for frames, check the pairing first.

• Which is better value, the Ryzen 7 3700X or the Ryzen 5 3600?

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  On performance per dollar at MSRP, the Ryzen 5 3600 wins. The Ryzen 7 3700X lists at $329 for an index of 60, and the Ryzen 5 3600 at $199 for 57.