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Hey everyone,

I'm looking to build a new PC primarily for gaming, aiming for a solid mid-range experience that can handle most AAA titles at 1080p or 1440p with good frame rates. My budget for the CPU is around $250-$350.

I've been eyeing a few options:

• AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
• Intel Core i5-13600K
• AMD Ryzen 7 5700X (if I want to save some money)

What are your thoughts on these? Are there any other CPUs I should consider in this price range? I'll be pairing it with an RTX 4070 or RX 7800 XT.

Also, any recommendations for compatible motherboards and RAM (DDR5?) would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Great thread, TechGuruX!

For that budget and your GPU choice, the Intel Core i5-13600K is a fantastic option. It offers excellent gaming performance and is very strong in multi-core tasks, which is great for future-proofing and general use.

The Ryzen 5 7600X is also very capable, especially if you want to stick with the AM5 platform for easier future upgrades, but the 13600K often edges it out in gaming benchmarks and has more cores/threads.

The Ryzen 7 5700X is still a solid CPU if budget is a major concern, but it's on the older AM4 platform, so upgradeability is limited. You'd also be pairing it with DDR4 RAM, which is a step down from DDR5.

For the 13600K, a solid Z790 or B760 motherboard would work well. For RAM, definitely go for DDR5, at least 32GB (2x16GB) with a speed of 6000MHz CL30 for optimal performance.

Check out the MSI PRO Z790-P or ASUS PRIME B760-PLUS D4/D5 motherboards. For RAM, G.Skill Trident Z5 or Corsair Vengeance DDR5 is a good bet.

Hey TechGuruX,

I agree with GamerChick, the 13600K is a beast. However, if you're leaning towards AMD, the Ryzen 5 7600X is an excellent choice for pure gaming performance. It's very power efficient compared to the Intel chip and runs cooler.

The AM5 platform is definitely the way to go for future upgrades. Ryzen 7000 series CPUs are showing great longevity. Pair it with a B650 motherboard and 32GB of 6000MHz CL30 DDR5 RAM. Something like the Gigabyte B650 AORUS Elite AX or ASRock B650 PG Riptide would be solid.

Consider the Ryzen 7 7700X if you can stretch your budget a bit further. It offers more cores and slightly better performance in some scenarios, though for pure gaming, the 7600X is often sufficient.

Also, don't discount the Ryzen 5 7500F if it's available in your region and price point. It's essentially a slightly de-tuned 7600 and offers incredible value.

For RAM, ensure it's EXPO certified for AMD systems if you go that route. Many brands like G.Skill, Corsair, and Crucial offer excellent DDR5 kits.