If you only looked at dollars, cents, and cores, you might think that the new 12-core AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, which won Editors’ Choice, is the best desktop CPU to compete with the Core i9-10900K, which has 10 cores. But in our tests, the eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, the next processor down in AMD’s new “Zen 3” Ryzen 5000 stack, beats the Core i9-10900K in both gaming and productivity tasks.
Even though the Ryzen 7 5800X has two fewer cores than the Core i9, its Zen 3 architecture gives it enough of a boost to make it a serious value pick among this year’s high-end CPUs. Like the Ryzen 9 5900X, it’s too powerful for most people to only use for 1080p or 1440p gaming (especially considering the still-stellar Ryzen 3 3300X exists). But if you want a well-designed, all-around high-end processor that won’t break the bank, the Ryzen 7 3800X should be at the top of your list.
Specifications
- CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Masterliquid 360P Silver Edition
- Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
- RAM: 32GB HyperX Predator RGB @ 3,000MHz
- Motherboard: MSI MEG Z390 ACE
- SSD: ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro @ 1TB
- Power Supply: Phanteks RevoltX 1200
- Case: Praxis Wetbench
Where to get AMD Ryzen 7 5800X?
Start by reading our full review of the Ryzen 9 5900X if you want to learn more about all the improvements that AMD has made to its new line of desktop CPUs with the Zen 3 launch. But to give you a quick overview of the situation, here are the specs for the first four chips in the first wave of the new Zen 3 desktop stack of Ryzen 5000-series CPUs.
When you compare the Ryzen 7 5800X and the Intel Core i7-10700K, you can see that the Intel Core i7-10700K is behind in things like power use and compatibility with older motherboards. But they both have eight cores and 16 threads. With Intel’s 10th Generation Core CPUs, there is a new LGA 1200 socket, which means you need a new motherboard. Since the AM4 socket is supported by the Ryzen 7 3800X, you might be able to use it on a newer AMD board.
We test CPUs with real-world apps like 7-Zip and 3D games like Far Cry 5, as well as with a number of synthetic benchmarks that give their own scores. In the charts below, you’ll find a range of AMD and Intel CPUs with similar specs and prices.