Is Upgrading from a Ryzen 5 1600 to a Ryzen 9 3900T Worth It for Gaming?

When considering whether to upgrade from a Ryzen 5 1600 to a Ryzen 9 3900T for gaming, several factors need to be taken into account. In this article, we will explore the practical considerations and provide guidance based on current benchmarks and market trends.

General Considerations

The decision to upgrade can vary significantly based on what games you play and the quality of your existing graphics card. While in general, a Ryzen 5 3600 or a Ryzen 7 3700 might offer better performance at a more affordable price, your motherboard compatibility with AMD's 5000-series CPUs should be a primary concern.

Performance Differences

Many modern games can't fully utilize more than six CPU cores. Thus, the advantage of the 3900T over the 1600 might not be as pronounced in gaming performance. However, for upcoming next-gen games, the number of cores and threads will become increasingly important.

For instance, if you have a flagship graphics card such as an RTX 20 or 30 series, the benefits of upgrading to a more powerful CPU might be more significant. Benchmarks show that when paired with an RTX 2080 Ti, a Ryzen 9 3900T can potentially offer 20-25 fps more performance compared to a Ryzen 5 1600 as per recent tests.

Specific Recommendations

If you have a decent graphics card and a motherboard compatible with the 3000 series CPUs, you might notice a significant performance boost. However, if your current graphics card is not the latest flagship model, the gains might be more modest.

The R5 3600 or R7 3700 are excellent choices for an upgrade if you already have a robust graphics card. The difference between a Ryzen 3700 and a Ryzen 3900T in gaming is usually negligible, especially if your GPU is not at the absolute top tier.

Conclusion

While upgrading from a Ryzen 5 1600 to a Ryzen 9 3900T can potentially bring about an increase in framerates, especially with a high-end graphics card, the decision should be weighed against your current setup. If you have the budget and a strong desire for more performance, the 3900T is a viable option. However, if the boost you're looking for is minimal, other aspects of your gaming setup might deserve more of your attention first.