Is the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 worth buying? – Ultimate Gamer Guide

AMD’s Ryzen 5 3600 undoubtedly makes it to the list of some of the best processors that the computing and tech fraternity have witnessed. Numbers-wise, the Ryzen 5 3600 has shaken many enthusiasts; with a max clock speed of 4.2GHz, it is considered to be one of the most powerful processors in the market out there.

However, is the Ryzen 5 3600 the right processor for you? Is it worth investing in? These are a couple of questions that require in-depth scrutiny of the processor, which you should leave on us!

Supportive Motherboards

Well, before you go ahead and hit the purchase button and get AMD’s beast delivered to your doorstep, you would want to have a look at the motherboards it supports. The Ryzen 5 3600 works with the AM4 Socket Type motherboards only. Motherboards of this type include ASUS Prime B450M-A/CSM, Gigabyte’s AORUS X570, and the ASRock B450M Steel Legend. Take a look at the best motherboards that complement 3600’s performance.

So, before you could move any further in making your decision, do have a little look at your motherboard. In case you don’t have the AM4 socket type, you may want to look at a different processor.

Also read: Top 10 Best Motherboard for Ryzen 7 3700x

Gaming Guru?

A 4.2GHz clock speed should be an enticing figure for the gamers out there. This processor can handle all sorts of games without any sort of compromise on performance. This is pretty commendable given the fact that Ryzen 5 3600 is now a year-old processor.

AMD GameCache, another great feature that comes with this processor makes it a top-favorite of many gamers. GameCache is designed to ensure avoidance of frame rate drops while playing high-end titles – smooth, pleasurable, and lag-free performance guaranteed.

The aesthetics of the game are further enhanced if you use the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 because of the 1080p ultra gaming resolution support that the processor has to offer.

Gamers may have to suffer a little shock when they know that the Ryzen 5 3600 does not come loaded with a graphics card, so you may have to spend an extra few bucks on purchasing a suitable graphics card.

Other Features

The Ryzen 5 3600 comes loaded with AMD’s hot-selling features, such as the SenseMI and StoreMI technology. The former is designed to intelligently adapt to the user’s demands; machine intelligence understands and stores the usage patterns and helps optimize performance by molding the processor to best suit the user.

StoreMI technology plays a very helpful role by combining the SSD and HDD drives into one hybrid drive which can keep the most used files on the SSD and the lesser required ones on the HDD. This will help use the limited space in the most optimum manner.

The processor also has a shockingly low TDP of merely 65 watts, which could be a major plus for budget-conscious customers.

The Down Sides

Even though this processor has a lot to offer in terms of its performance, it is quite a letdown when it comes to temperature cooling. While it is quite commendable that the processor does come with a cooler straight out of the box, its performance is quite unsatisfactory.

This beast of a processor requires a much heavier cooling system that prevents the system from heating up and hindering performance. It is recommended you get a nice cooler such as the Antec A400 or the Hyper 212x to reach higher levels of performance.

Also read: Top 10 Best B450 Motherboard for AMD Ryzen

The Price Factor

Even though the specs of the processor are more towards the higher end, flagship models, the price that you may get the processor for is amazingly low! You could find the Ryzen 5 3600 for as low as $160, which makes it great value for money. If for instance, you compare this processor to its’ superior mode; the 3600X, you’ll realize that the 3600 costs a whopping $50 less than its higher-end counterpart. However, performance-wise, the difference is quite minimal. In fact, the boost and base clocks on the 3600 are just 200MHz slower.

At this price range, it is a great buy for gamers who do not wish to spend hefty amounts on their systems right now. Apart from that, non-gamers seem to be quite impressed by the price tag as they are getting almost flagship-level features for ‘peanuts’.

Ryzen 5 3600 vs Competitors

A look at alternative processors in the same category might help you in making the right choice. The Intel Core i5 10400 is one of 3600’s competitors. As far as the base clock speed of the processors is concerned, AMD simply outweighs the Intel (2.9GHz vs 3.6 GHz), however at max speeds, Intel is slightly ahead as compared to AMD’s 3600. Price-wise, it is likely that you could find both the processors at nearly same the price, however, it is likely that you’ll find Intel at a slightly lesser price.

With regards to hardware, AMD’s processor is quite ahead of its competitor, since AMD offers 7nm lithography as compared to the old school 14nm in the Intel. As a whole, 3600 is quite ahead in the performance sector as it has the capability to play games and perform some of the most complex functions very smoothly.

The Final Verdict

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is one of the best processors, without a doubt. However, when drawn against its competitors, the slightly higher price at which the 3600 retails, raises a question in the minds of the potential customers.

If you are a hard-core user, who likes to do heavy gaming, the Ryzen 5 3600 is one of the best choices for you. Even if you are not a gamer but a busy person who has to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, you will be better off with this processor.

However, normal users who casually use their systems to perform tasks that do not require such heavy specifications can purchase other slightly cheaper processors available in the market.