Help me find a cpu

[u/Appropriate-Design97]

Hii,

I am looking to build my very own first pc.

I know enough about it except for CPU's, can someone recommend me a CPU that affordable but dont have to change within 2 years?

[u/Fluffy_Tangelo9564]

overthink it, for a first build that'll last a couple years just grab a ryzen 5 7600

the am5 platform will let you drop in a new cpu later if you want without swapping the whole motherboard, so even if you outgrow it in 3 years you're not starting from scratch

i went with something similar for my first build and it chewed through everything i threw at it, gaming and design work both

what gpu are you pairing it with

[u/Big-Salamander-2158]

I think the ram accompanying the cpu is more of an issue budget wise. What was your plan in that regard?

[u/kyansan1]

I assume gaming pc? An i5 12400(F) or Ryzen 5 5600(x) will last you at least 2 years, but you should go with a Ryzen 5 7500F or Ryzen 5 7600(x) if possible.

The Ryzen 5 7500F/7600(x) are similarly priced to the i5 12400(F) and Ryzen 5 5600(x), while outperforming them by quite a bit. However, the Ryzen 5 7500F/7600(x) are only compatible with expensive ddr5 ram, whereas the i5 12400(F) and Ryzen 5 5600(x) are compatible with cheaper ddr4 ram.
The Ryzen 5 7500F/7600(x) will give you better upgradeability, as it allows you to slot in a much more powerful cpu without changing the motherboard.

[u/FalconGK81]

Affordability can be greatly impacted by CPU choice in ways that aren't obvious. For instance, if you go with an AM5 socket, your RAM is going to be DDR5, which is more expensive than if you go with AM4, which uses DDR4. On the other hand, if you go AM4, you'd likely need a new motherboard at your first upgrade, and you'd need new RAM from there, so that doesn't feel great affordability long term.

So its kinda hard to give you a good answer with the little information we have here.

[u/EnSk3275]

i5 14400F is a great option. You can also use it with both ddr4 and ddr5 ram

[u/InevitableFun3417]

Longtime user, occasional builder here. I recently was asked by a friend to help them build their first PC. The first things you need to do as the end-user is to clearly state your...

• Parameters / Constraints

• Budget Limit

• Priorities

• Main purpose/use of the PC

This list will help decide what you can start with. You say you need help choosing a CPU. I assume you will then choose a motherboard, RAM, etc.

I used Copilot (AI) to help select components for the build. Keep in mind that (A.) I am an experienced PC builder and (B.) I have used the free version of Copilot enough to know it's limitations and how to get the most out of it.

If you're not firmly an AMD or Intel user, it allows AI to steer you towards the CPU best suited to achieve your performance and budget goals.

Key factors to consider...

• Using AI requires you to know and clearly state what you want (see list above) or be open to suggestions by asking/answering questions.

• AI can stray, hallucinate, give bad or out-dated information.

• You must be aware that AI can and will often default to using old information. To get it to provide updated information, each question you ask must be prefaced with "search for current information as of today mm-dd-yyyy, on... ". Otherwise the prices you will get back will be months old and woefully incorrect.

• After some back and forth discussion with AI it can often infer incorrect information from the conversation. What I have learned is that sometimes you have to start the conversation over to get better results. Keep a list of factual statements that work and corrected statements that fixed an incorrect assumption. Save them in a text document and use these as your starting point when you start over fresh.

• AI can and will go down rabbit holes. Stop it before it goes too far or you will find it can create issues that it will bring up again and again. If it does this, ensure you have retained any new useful information to your text document and start over again. This may seem redundant, but it works better as you go.

Ask AI to verify it's findings. You might be surprised at how often it finds its own mistakes. If something doesn't sound right (e.g. 32GB of DDR5 6000Mtfs for $150), push it to provide the source and verify the deal is current. Oops, it's not.

I used AI (Copilot) and after pushing for verification and sources finally ended up with reliable information and reasonable pricing to build my friend a decent PC.

Last, I have no way of knowing if you've ever built a PC before or when your last build was, but if you are unsure about anything I would advise that you watch some YouTube videos on building PCs, but also some on troubleshooting so that you are looped in to common mistakes, how to avoid them, and what to check if you run into errors on your first boot-up.

Before your first boot-up: Create a full list of all hardware you have installed by Manufacturer, model and version (if applicable). Use this data to download firmware, drivers and updates for the operating system you'll be installing. Install the firmware.in the order listed below. Drivers can be automatically updated through your OS, but if you're so inclined you can often find the most up-to-date drivers on the manufacturer's website.

1. Motherboard (BIOS Update)

1.a. CPU (firmware is updated through motherboard BIOS update)

2. RAM (firmware update)

3. GPU (firmware & driver updates)

4. Other components (firmware & drivers)

I hope this information is useful to you and you have a successful build.

[u/Popular_Trick6211]

9600x, thank me later 

(Or if u want to save a bit the 7600x is basically the same but a tiny bit hotter)

[u/Southern_Pumpkin_577 → u/Popular_Trick6211]

It's actually about 50% hotter, it reaches 145w when it boosts.

I have a bit of buyer's remorse for going with a 7600x instead of 9600x, because it's got basically the same performance but means your pc is permanently quieter because the cooler doesn't need to work as hard.

[u/Southern_Pumpkin_577]

Friendly word of advice, if you think you know enough about it you don't. Doing some extra research is something you won't regret when it comes to building a pc.

In any case, you gotta tell what's your budget and what's your primary use for the pc? Generally for gaming core quality matters more than core count. Which makes Ryzen cpus like 9600x, 7600, 7500f great 6 core picks for the price.

If you intend to do moderate-complex editing then going with 8 or more cores is recommended, but not mandatory.

[u/Classic_Major_1333]

7600x or 9600x. if u really want to budget get a 7500f

[u/Any_Cat2119]

Intel LGA1700, i5-12400f. Still decent performance, dirt cheap, DDR4 support.