PC of the month (August 2024)

Hot August turned out to be really hot in terms of new products in the desktop segment. AMD has finally launched the long-awaited Ryzen 9000 processors with Zen 5 architecture, the characteristics and preliminary release date of Intel’s new platform and Arrow Lake-S chips have also become known, and NVIDIA has changed the specifications of the popular GeForce RTX 4070. How these and other recent events will affect the recommended gaming configurations of thePC of the Month”?

Basic gaming PC of the month ($600-750)

Gaming monitor for the “Basic Gaming PC” from our partner MSI

 

Powered by a high-speed VA panel with a 1920×1080 resolution and a response time of just 1ms, the MSI G2422C delivers a superior gaming experience for entry-level systems. The 23.6-inch curved display (1500R) features 108% sRGB color gamut, 180Hz refresh rate, and thin bezels.

MSI G2422C gaming monitor

Processors and motherboards. Recent announcements have not really affected entry-level gaming systems. This category has its own specific “vibe” – peace, quiet, and maximum predictability. The Intel Core i5-12400F (6/2; 2.5/4.4 GHz) and AMD Ryzen 5 5600 (6/12; 3.5/4.4 GHz) processors offer such a price/performance ratio that it seems only some radically improved models will be able to push them out. So far, no such models are expected in this category. There is nothing better than $115-120 in the short term. However, both current models perform so well that you shouldn’t worry about the lack of updates. Rather, even the current ones will survive one upgrade with the replacement of the video card with a more productive one. In case of such a need, of course.

Motherboards for Intel’s basic configuration have recently risen slightly in price. It’s not a significant increase – it’s usually about $5-15. But here, we recommend Intel B760 and B660 boards, which are generally quite expensive for starter configurations. So an additional increase in their cost is especially painful. There is almost no choice of suitable models under $100 left. Of course, if you set out to find the most affordable board and don’t mind that it will be the basic versions from ASrock/Biostar/Maxsun, you can even manage to get by with $75-80, but this is really extreme. Adventurous desperadoes can even try Intel H610 boards for $65-70, but if you are not looking for adventure but need a stable, plug-and-play platform, it makes sense to minimize your budget.

As a reminder, we recommend Intel B760/B660 motherboards primarily because of the ability to use faster memory kits, not limited to the standard DDR-3200 chips. We are more interested in DDR4-3600+ modes, which will allow us to improve gaming performance at least minimally. The 12th/13th/14th generation Core chips support both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM, but for basic configurations we still focus on the option with the previous generation standard due to the lower price of the modules themselves. But the difference in the cost of inexpensive motherboards for DDR4 and DDR5 has recently decreased significantly. Basic models based on Intel B760 for DDR5 start at $90, and a certain choice already appears when the budget increases to ~$115. It’s hard to believe, but the least equipped Intel H610 models with DDR5 support can be purchased for $75-80, which means they are only $10 more expensive than DDR4 versions.

What about Intel‘s new LGA1851 platform? We should be patient for now. Obviously, over time, it will also become relevant for basic configurations, but this is a matter of the medium term. In the context of the upcoming Arrow Lake-S chips, models of the Core Ultra 3 line are rarely mentioned so far. However, certain sources assure that the future “threes” will receive an 8-core configuration for the first time. There are no details on this yet, but it is probably a “4P + 4E” configuration with four productive cores and the same number of energy-efficient computers. The existing Core i3 chips have a 4/8 functional formula with four cores and support for Hyper-Threading. Given that Intel is abandoning logical multi-threading technology in LGA1851 chips, it is likely that such losses will have to be compensated for to ensure the proper level of performance in the base Core processors.

Therefore, Core Ultra 3 can potentially get a significant acceleration compared to the chips of the previous line. We assume that the “8-core” configuration can return the processors of the launch series to basic gaming configurations. Although now there are no questions about CPU performance at all. Obviously, Core Ultra 3 will be a good upgrade for Core i3-14100, but how these processors will look against the Core i5-12400F, and whether they will be offered at the same attractive price. So there will be a lot of questions for discussion, experiments, and research.

Intel H810 boards are on the list of potential products, so the platform will probably be relevant for low-cost solutions, but we’ll have to wait for that. At least until 2025, we won’t see any basic LGA1851 systems, so if you need a PC “for now,” there’s no reason to delay – no revolutionary changes are expected in this class. Even potentially, Core Ultra 3 with a 4P+4E configuration is unlikely to outperform Core i5-12400 with a 6/12 functional formula with six productive cores and HT support. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and leave room for intrigue. Maybe the basic Arrow Lake-S will surprise us. But in any case, we’ll have to wait at least another six months for surprises.

There are also no affordable chips in the Ryzen 9000 launch lineup. Rumors about the possible appearance of Ryzen 3 7xxx and even Athlon for Socket AM5 have not yet been confirmed. However, to be honest, we don’t expect 4-core chips in basic gaming configurations anymore. Don’t even suggest it.

Along with the Ryzen 9000 series processors, AMD has also announced an update to its chipset lineup. The top-of-the-line AMD X870/X870E boards will definitely offer USB 4 ports with up to 40 GB/s and PCI-E 5.0 support for graphics cards and M.2 drives. But as for the junior AMD B840, only PCI-E 3.0 support is listed. We hope that this still applies to free internal links, and at least for the PCI-E x16 slot it will be possible to use PCI-E 5.0/4.0 processor lines. Otherwise, the equipment will be even worse than the current AMD A620 boards. We are waiting for more details.

Video cards. But what you shouldn’t delay while waiting for better options is choosing a video card. In addition, in some cases, it may even be worth speeding up your decision. We are talking about GeForce RTX 3060. According to previous leaks, graphics adapter manufacturers have received a message from NVIDIA with a proposal to place the last order for GPUs for the production of 12 GB GeForce RTX 3060 models.

Coincidentally, the model received an increased memory capacity at the time, which was an unexpected step from NVIDIA. Especially after the price reduction, interest in the GeForce RTX 3060 grew rapidly. This model is still the most popular among users of the Steam gaming service. However, the model is already 3.5 years old (announced in January 2021), so despite its absolute relevance, GeForce RTX 3060 will be discontinued. As has already happened with the older GeForce RTX 3×00 line of graphics cards.

There are still plenty of GeForce RTX 3060s on sale, and for sure, the adapters of the series will be available for purchase for some time. But if you’ve been focusing on models in this line, it’s time to make up your mind.

The successor, the GeForce RTX 4060, has also been on sale for a long time and is gaining momentum. It’s more productive (+10-15%), more economical (-50 watts), and supports DLSS 3, but it has “only” 8 GB of memory. It seems to be enough for Full HD mode, but when you remember that the predecessor has 12 GB, the magic of big numbers works and prevents you from making a final choice. Whatever it is, it will be a good one. These are great models for basic gaming configurations. They can be complemented by the Radeon RX 7600 8 GB. The range of available models is very modest, but if you want to use an alternative to NVIDIA adapters, you can.

The best gaming PC of the month ($1200-1400)

 

Gaming monitor for the “Optimal Gaming PC” from our partner MSI

27-inch MSI MAG 274QRF-QD E2 gaming monitor with a fast 2560×1440 IPS matrix with quantum dot technology. The 180 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response time provide an optimal gaming experience, while the extended color gamut (150% sRGB) provides a bright, vivid picture.

Ігровий монітор MSI MAG 274QRF-QD E2

Processors. In the segment of optimal configurations, there are no radical processor changes yet. Last time, for PCs in this category based on the Intel platform, we recommended considering the Core i5-13400F (6/12+4; 2.5/4.6 GHz + 1.8/3.3 GHz) for reasons of better energy efficiency. Unfortunately, the issue of energy saving remains important and will not lose its relevance in the future. So we’re going to keep this 10-core model in our base at the current price of ~$190. For the nominal affiliation to the 14th generation Core, you will have to pay a little extra. The very similar Core i5-14400F chip (6/12+4; 2.5/4.7 GHz + 1.8/3.5 GHz) costs $220-230, but it is also a perfectly acceptable option for optimal configurations. There are no problems with the stability of the 13th/14th generation Core chips, the aforementioned CPUs are not even on the list of models where such cases can be detected.

If you have basic BIOS debugging skills and, after further studying the topic of underclocking, can safely adjust several parameters to reduce consumption, the most interesting offer here is the “promotional” Core i5-12600KF (6/12+4; 3.7/4.9 GHz + 2.8/3.6 GHz). It seems that Intel is using this model as a temporary “price battering ram” so that AMD does not feel like the owner of the $150-200 processor niche.

In the spring of this year, the price of the Core i5-12600KF dropped quite rapidly from $250 to about $190, and now it is generally offered for the equivalent of $180. An excellent option for the money, which is at least as good as its AMD counterpart in the category. As for power consumption, due to the increased operating frequencies of the Core i5-12600KF, it is indeed 40-50 watts more than the Core i5-13400/14400 in multi-threaded conditions, but in games the difference is only 10-15 watts. So if your PC activities are mostly entertaining, then the Core i5-12600KF can be purchased without even diving into the topic of overclocking.

How will the announcement of the LGA1851 platform affect optimal configurations? Since Intel will initially offer only solutions for enthusiasts – K-series processors and top-end boards based on Intel Z890 – we will have to wait for Arrow Lake-S to appear in mid-range gaming systems. Nevertheless, the contours of the future line are already being outlined, so we can imagine transformations early next year. Obviously, the most interesting for this class of PCs will be the basic Core Ultra 5. Namely, we are talking about the Core Ultra 5 225 model, which has a 10-core 6P+4E configuration with six productive cores operating at 3.3/4.9 GHz and four energy-efficient cores with a frequency formula of 2.7/4.4 GHz.

But this is just an assumption for now. Given the lack of Hyper-Threading support, detailed practical experiments are needed. Will 10 cores and 10 threads be enough for all “heavy” games? Perhaps in such conditions, the next model in the lineup, Core Ultra 5 235 (6P + 8E) with a doubled number of E-Cores, will perform much better. And this CPU will be the best for optimal configurations. There are still more questions than answers, so we hope to get more information as the announcement gets closer.

As for the timing of the Arrow Lake-S presentation, the announcement is expected on October 10, and the new platform should go on sale a week later on October 17. Although these dates have not yet been officially confirmed by Intel. One way or another, we will see mass-produced Core Ultra 5 processors and Intel B860 motherboards at best only at the beginning of next year. Roughly after CES 2025 in January, where an expanded line of processors and motherboards based on more affordable chipsets should be presented.

While Intel is still planning the announcement of a new desktop platform, AMD has already unveiled its new Ryzen 9000 chips based on Zen 5 architecture. The processors are already on sale, so numerous reviews and performance evaluations of the new models are available. According to the first impressions, the results are frankly more modest than what could be expected from next-generation processors with a new architecture.

Previously, AMD claimed an average increase in performance per clock cycle (IPC) of 16%, so this automatically set a certain expectation. However, independent benchmarks show a more modest increase in performance. If we consider the performance of the potentially interesting 6-core Ryzen 5 9600X (6/12; 3.9/5.4 GHz) model for optimal configurations, the average improvement in performance compared to that of the Ryzen 5 7600X (6/12; 4.7/5.3 GHz) is fixed at 7-8%. In certain tasks, the advantage is indeed up to 15-20%, but in many cases it is less than 5%, so we have the corresponding generalized indicators.

In games, the situation is even less optimistic for the new CPUs. A system with Ryzen 5 9600X on average provided only 3-4% more fps than an identical platform with Ryzen 5 7600X. And this is in Full HD mode and using a GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card. You need to discount the starter BIOS versions and, possibly, some initial nuances of working with Win 11. But we probably shouldn’t expect any radical changes here.

Ryzen 5 9600X is already available for sale in Ukraine. The starting price tags are also not encouraging. The chips are offered for the equivalent of $350 with $279 recommended for the US market. Considering that the Ryzen 5 7600X can be purchased for $210-220, and the only slightly slower Ryzen 5 7500F costs from $175, the brand new Ryzen 5 9600X for $350 looks like an offer that is… easy to refuse. Although AMD has reduced the recommended prices for the Ryzen 9000 chips compared to the Ryzen 7000 at the time of their announcement, this is obviously not enough. Especially against the background of the current cost of the previous generation models and the frankly modest improvement for Ryzen 9000.

So, owners of Raphael chips can exhale. This is especially true for those who have just recently purchased a Ryzen 7000 processor without waiting for the Ryzen 9000 to appear. You probably haven’t lost anything, especially in terms of CPU gaming capabilities. You just saved a lot of money and got a good solution for your tasks. We suggest doing the same for those who are just thinking about building a vigorous midrange gaming system. Here, the Ryzen 5 7500F is the priority, or the Ryzen 5 7600 (~$195) if you need integrated graphics and +100 MHz to the CPU’s operating frequency in normal mode.

According to certain leaks, AMD is currently preparing to release the Ryzen 5 7600X3D model, a 6-core processor with an additional 64 MB 3D V-Cache buffer. If the appearance of this chip is confirmed, it will become an ultimatum solution for optimal gaming configurations. For sure, developers will significantly lower the operating frequencies to compete less with models without an increased L3, but it is in games that the additional cache will work wonders. This would be a very interesting offer, although in such a saturated segment, the price will remain the decisive factor.

AMD once again proves that it continues to rely on the Socket AM4 platform. Developers continue to expand the range of chips for this socket. Most of them are some intermediate chips that nominally fill in the gaps in the lineup, but Ryzen 5 5500X3D (6/12; 3.0/4.0 GHz; 96 MB L3), which has already left its mark on the network, is a special case. It is also potentially a very interesting CPU that will allow you to significantly improve the gaming capabilities of a PC assembled several years ago without a costly upgrade. Back in 2023, AMD released Ryzen 5 5600X3D, a six-core 3D V-Cache for AM4, but this model was exclusive to the large American online platform MicroCenter. In the case of Ryzen 5 5500X3D, the geography of availability should be much wider.

Video cards. NVIDIA continues to streamline its GeForce RTX 40 line of graphics cards. Referring to the shortage of GDDR6X memory chips and trying to improve the situation with the availability of graphics adapters, the developer announced GeForce RTX 4070 8 GB, which instead of GDDR6X are equipped with GDDR6 chips. The corresponding changes have been made to the specifications of RTX 4070 graphics cards on the NVIDIA website, and some manufacturers have even announced “updated versions”. In the classic version of the adapters, the chips operate at an effective 21,000 MHz, which, with a 192-bit bus, allows for a bandwidth of 504 GB/s. GDDR6 versions are equipped with chips with an effective 20,000 MHz. The bus bit rate is preserved, so these versions will have a memory bandwidth of 480 GB/s. Accordingly, the ROM has decreased by ~5%.

Other features of the GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 remain unchanged. NVIDIA claims that the GDDR6 versions offer similar performance in games and applications. However, in fact, there will still be a difference of a few percent. The losses are small, but with the simplification of the characteristics, I would like to see appropriate compensation. For example, in the form of at least a nominally reduced cost. But there are no official changes. The only clarification is that GDDR6 models will be available in September.

Should we be wary of such versions? Given that the difference in performance between the modifications is really not that significant, you should probably not ignore GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 at all, especially if they are suddenly at least a little more affordable. But it is advisable to clarify which version you will get before buying. Judging by the packaging designs of the updated graphics cards, manufacturers will not focus on this, so starting in September, we are increasing our vigilance for the new GeForce RTX 4070 12GB. In general, these graphics cards are good, so we recommend models of this series for optimal configurations. A worthy opponent is the Radeon RX 7800 XT 16 GB. In both cases, you will have to spend $600-650 to buy graphics adapters. In gaming platforms, video cards are invariably the most expensive components.

Progressive Gaming PC of the Month ($2000+)

 

Gaming monitor for the “Progressive Gaming PC” from our partner MSI

MSI MAG 321UPX QD-OLED is a 32-inch gaming monitor with a next-generation QD-OLED panel with a resolution of 3840×2160, a refresh rate of 240 Hz and a response time of only 0.03 ms (GtG). The ultimate screen with enhanced color gamut (DCI-P3 99%) and Delta E ≤2 color accuracy, Clear MR13000 and DisplayHDR True Black 400 certifications, and HDMI 2.1 port with VRR and ALLM.    

MSI MAG 321UPX QD-OLED gaming monitor

Processors. The 14-core Core i5-14600KF (6/12 + 8; 3.5/5.3 GHz + 2.6/4.0 GHz) fully meets the requirements of advanced gaming configurations on the Intel platform. Unlike the top-end 13th/14th generation Core chips from the Core i7/i9 lines, the enthusiast model of the Core i5 series has significantly lower operating frequencies and is generally much more economical. Therefore, the situations of possible instability that owners of older CPUs may have encountered are isolated cases. In addition, motherboard manufacturers have already updated the firmware with corrections to the power subsystem settings. In addition, all owners of certain 13th/14th generation Core models have received an additional two-year warranty extension. Core i5-14600KF is also on this list. According to the terms, the extension will apply to both previously purchased CPUs and new chips of these models.

In any case, we are already waiting for Intel’s desktop platform to be updated. This year, LGA1851 with Arrow Lake-S processors will be relevant for advanced configurations. According to preliminary leaks, a list of upcoming models with basic information on technical specifications is already available. For advanced platforms, Core Ultra 5 245K/KF (6P+8E; 4.2/5.0 GHz + 3.6/4.6 GHz) and Core Ultra 7 265K/KF (8+12; 3.3/5.2 GHz + 3.3/5.6 GHz) will be potentially interesting. Given the significant architectural changes, thorough testing is required to determine the capabilities of the new CPUs.

The first information about Arrow Lake’s performance is already leaking online. For example, the top-of-the-line Core Ultra 9 285K (8P + 16E), which accelerates to 5.7 GHz (TVB) at its peak, manages to score 3450/23,000 points in the Geekbench 6 test. This is 3-5% more than AMD’s new flagship Ryzen 9 9950X. This applies to both single-threaded and multi-threaded modes. Of course, the results of only one synthetic stage are not enough for an overall assessment of CPU performance. Nevertheless, the first indicators provide certain benchmarks and an understanding that we should not expect a revolutionary acceleration here either. Although the ability to compensate for the rejection of Hyper-Threading (HT) technology, which in multi-threaded modes brought up to 15-20% of performance, through architectural improvements, is already a significant achievement in itself.

In the context of advanced systems, we are more interested in the gaming capabilities of Arrow Lake. Here, for multi-core chips, Hyper-Threading was more of a hindrance than a help, so the abandonment of HT will probably not be a big loss. But the increased single-threaded performance of each individual core will be very useful.

As a reminder, Arrow Lake processors will be the first mass-produced products to use silicon crystals manufactured using Intel’s 20A process (class 2 nm). Intel is currently carrying out a large-scale modernization of its production facilities, trying not only to catch up with TSMC but also to regain its leadership position in the segment of manufacturing process semiconductors.

By investing huge amounts of money in re-equipping its production sites, the company already has ambitious plans to manufacture chips using 1.8 nm, 1.4 nm, and even 1 nm technologies. They are not far-reaching, but rather specific. Intel’s 18A process (1.8 nm) will already be used for Panther Lake mobile chips that will appear in 2025. However, this family will not be used for desktops. The successors of Arrow Lake will be Nova Lake chips in 2026, and in the next desktop, we can only count on the conventional Arrow Lake Refresh.

In addition to manufacturing chips for its own needs, Intel expects to attract the most demanding customers who need the best crystals for their products. Therefore, we do not exclude that over time, Intel’s fabs may produce chips for Apple, AMD, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm, for example. It’s just not going to happen, but the road will be traveled by the one who walks.

After an unexpected delay in the launch of Ryzen 9000 chips, AMD split the launch into two stages. On August 8, the Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X chips went on sale, and on August 15, the older models, the Ryzen 9 9900X and Ryzen 9 9950X, became available. So the first four Zen 5 processors are already on sale. It is worth noting that the flagship of the line, the 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X, despite the recommended (for the US) $649, is offered in Ukraine for the equivalent of $900. This is considering that Ryzen 9 7950X or even Ryzen 9 7950X3D can be purchased for $530-550. Nice try, but no. We assume that after a short time, in the absence of rush demand and long queues for new products, the price of Ryzen 9000 will begin to decline rapidly.

In general, the results of the older Ryzen 9000 models were not a revelation either. An average 3-5% advantage over the corresponding Ryzen 7000 models, with significantly better (+15-20%) performance when using AVX-512 instructions and a very modest increase in fps in games (+2%). AMD claims that the reviewers tested the games “somehow differently”, probably not using the administrator profile, which could affect the final game performance. The developers suggest using a patch for Win 11, which will be included in the 24H2 build and should improve the performance of not only Zen 5 chips but also Zen 3/4 models.

The transition to TSMC’s new N4 process for manufacturing CCDs also did not significantly affect the frequency potential of the Ryzen 9000, which can be achieved under typical conditions. But it is worth noting a certain decrease in power consumption.

As a result, we continue to use the previous generation models until the retail price of Ryzen 9000 for powerful gaming systems drops significantly. Here, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (8/16; 4.2/5.0 GHz; 96 MB L3), which is currently offered for ~$400, has a strong position. The new Ryzen 9000 in games did not even come close to the 8-core enhanced with 3D V-Cache. Future modifications of the Ryzen 9000X3D will probably be able to do this, but if the difference is also within 5%, and the cost of the new products at the start will definitely be higher, then there is little point in delaying the build, waiting for similar versions of the CPU to appear.

In general, in the case of Zen 5, there is a feeling that the architectural improvements are primarily aimed at improving chips for server systems, a very important segment for AMD, in which the company is purposefully trying to increase its share.

The AI computing niche is developing very rapidly, and even a small delay can end up costing a company a lot. It is important to offer not only the “bricks” for building a platform but also to have solutions ready to be used for specific tasks. Obviously, it is for this purpose that AMD decided to acquire ZT Systems, a major provider of AI systems and computing infrastructure, for a tidy sum of $4.9 billion. Additional synergies should improve AMD’s position as a provider of solutions for accelerating AI computing.

Video cards. Returning to powerful gaming systems, we note that there are no changes in the segment of graphics cards for PCs of this class. GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16 GB and Radeon RX 7900 XT 20 GB remain the starting options for advanced platforms. The cost of these models is mostly in the range of $900-950, and the top tuned versions can exceed a symbolic $1000. If you want to get an additional +15% to the number of fps, you will have to raise the budget for a video card to $1150-1200. This amount is already enough for the basic GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB and Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24 GB. A separate category is the GeForce RTX 4090 24 GB for the equivalent of $2000. This is more of a graphics adapter for uncompromising 4K fans, or for “games” with AI models that justify the purchase of such a video card.