Do you really need a powerful processor to play? A recurring question that often arises when looking for components for a new PC. The answer is not always so obvious, there are titles that exploit the CPU more than others, also a computer is a multi-use machine and often gaming is only a part of its operating field.
In our opinion, the correct approach is that of the balance between the components, better not to combine an underpowered processor with a high-end GPU, but for a medium-level configuration the sacrifices to be made, with entry level CPUs such as the new Ryzen 3 3100X and 3300X, are really minimal in the playful field. That's why, in this review, we also tested the ruddy Ryzen 5 3600X together with the new arrivals, one of the processors most appreciated by gamers for its value for money.
Technical specifications and prices
The new Ryzen 3 3100X and 3300X seem designed specifically for gaming. AMD has given up on one of its workhorses in recent years, namely the high number of cores, preferring higher operating frequencies. This consideration applies to the AMD lineup, because if we move to the Intel counterpart we find, as direct competitors, the i3-9100 and i5-9400, the first with 4 Core and the second with 6 Core, but both without Hyper-Threading, technology that allows you to double the available logical cores. AMD instead offers Simultaneous Multithreading already in this market segment. These new processors are also a response to Intel's tenth-generation Comet Lake CPUs, coming soon to the market, which among the main innovations include Hyper-Threading also in the entry level models.
At the base of the new AMD offer we find the Ryzen 3 3100X, made at 7 nm, with 4 cores and 8 threads and an operating frequency that starts from 3.6 up to 3.9 GHz. This processor has a TDP of 65 W, 2 + 16 MB of L2 + L3 cache and supports 24 PCIe 4.0 lines . The bundle also includes an AMD Wraith Stealth heatsink, for a final price of € 91 excluding tax.
The Ryzen 3 3300X offers the same specifications, the only difference is in the operating frequencies, which start from 3.8 and arrive at 4.3 GHz, with a price of 110 € excluding taxes.
To understand how much the processor affects performance during the game, we added a Ryzen 5 3600X, with 6 cores and 12 threads, to the comparison. In this case the TDP is 95W but the frequencies are higher, starting from 3.8 GHz and then reaching 4.4 GHz. The cache also increases, with 3 + 32 MB L2 + L3, for a final price of 239 on Amazon Italy.
Test configuration and benchmarks
For testing the new AMD processors we used one ROG Crosshair VIII Impact motherboard with X570 chipset, but remember that compatibility is also guaranteed with lower-end chipsets, such as the B450, more suitable for entry level processors like these. The configuration consists of an AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT GPU with 8 GB of GDDR6 RAM, 16 GB of 3400 MHz RAM and a ROG PG27UQ monitor.
The tests are divided into two categories, with synthetic and game benchmarks, the latter carried out with DirectX 12 and settings at the maximum available.
Let's start from the synthetic benchmarks, which more closely reflect the differences in performance between these processors. By simulating different contexts of use, these tests see the Ryzen 5 3600X in clear advantage, which with higher clock frequencies and a higher number of Core easily detaches the Ryzen 3.
Especially in tests that simulate the intensive use of multiple cores simultaneously, such as Cinebench R20 and CPUz, the Ryzen 5 wins by detachment, while the differences between the 3100X and the 3300X are rather narrow and caused by the higher clock of the 3300X. The 3D Mark Time Spy benchmark also shows quite significant differences, despite being a test designed for gaming.
From these data it could be concluded that the performance during the game is very different and favors the 3600X, but the reality is different. As can be seen from the graphs only in 1080p the 3600X manages to pull out a few more frames compared to rivals, who manage the RX 5700 XT well despite significantly lower specifications.
As we have found several times over the past few years, GPUs are now setting the law in the gaming world. A high-end CPU with many advantages but few of these can be found during the game. However, we must specify that the difference in performance can grow by game, so increasing the test sample we would certainly have found other titles such as Shadow of the Tomb Raider, where the 12 frames more than the 3600X compared to the 3100X make the difference.
The question at this point is: is the increase in the frame rate, not always present and spent marginally, worth the price of a more powerful processor? Much depends on the use that is made of the computer, if you use it only for gaming then the advantages are limited, but the PCs are also used for other things and in these cases a higher class processor really makes the difference.
