Ryzen 5 3600 vs. Intel Core i5-10400 for Gaming?

I'm in the process of building a new PC and can't decide between an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or an Intel Core i5-10400 for gaming purposes. Has anyone here used either of these CPUs and could give me some advice?

Both are good choices! I personally use the Ryzen 5 3600, and it has served me well in gaming. The higher single-core max boost frequency is really noticeable when playing fast-paced games like CS:GO.

Yeah, I've used both, and to be honest, I think the Ryzen 5 3600 outperforms the Intel Core i5-10400 for gaming due to its features. Just check out this TechReviewer article AMD Ryzen 5 3600 vs. Intel Core i5-10400 which discusses their performance in detail.

That's true! The additional L3 cache on the Ryzen 5 3600 and support for PCIe 4.0 are big pluses when it comes to gaming, as they allow you to run faster SSDs and GPUs.

@psychedelicphil Thanks for sharing that link! I'm now leaning more towards getting the Ryzen 5 3600. However, I've heard that the Intel Core i5-10400 has better power efficiency. Is this something I should be concerned about?

Power efficiency is a factor for some users, but for most gamers, it's not a deal-breaker. The extra performance from the Ryzen 5 3600 usually outweighs any slight increase in power consumption.

@dhiral18 I agree with @HyperionGM. If you're looking to game at high settings and achieve higher frame rates, the additional features of the Ryzen 5 3600 will be more beneficial. Plus, as @herrokatie mentioned, PCIe 4.0 support can make a significant difference when using fast SSDs.

@psychedelicphil Alright, I think I'm sold on the Ryzen 5 3600 now. Thanks for the advice! Just one last question: how well does it handle multitasking? I sometimes have multiple applications open while gaming.

The Ryzen 5 3600 handles multitasking quite well. Its six cores and high single-core boost frequency ensure that you can run multiple apps without experiencing significant performance issues. You won't have any problems with streaming or using office apps while gaming.

That's correct, @HyperionGM. The Intel Core i5-10400 is also capable of multitasking, but the Ryzen 5 3600 offers better overall performance for gaming due to its additional features and higher single-core max boost frequency. You won't be disappointed with the Ryzen 5 3600 if you need to multitask while playing games.

@psychedelicphil Great! Thanks again for all your input. I think I'll go with the Ryzen 5 3600 for my build. Now it's time to start shopping for a compatible GPU!