Intel Arc B580 portable budget-gaming build questions: ( Looking for opinions on CPU/Motherboard pairing recommendations )

[Code_Man]

Hello HardForums,

I purchased the new Intel Arc B580 12GB GPU, and wanted to start researching on what budget CPU/Motherboard to pair with this. I am currently torn between:

1. Hybrid Build - AMD CPU - 7600X3D w/ Intel Arc B580 12GB GPU
2. Intel Build - Intel CPU - Core Ultra 5 245K w/ Intel Arc B580 12GB GPU

The main focus for this gaming budget build, is to be able to play games in 1080p / 1440p and be able to decently play Star Citizen. I want to be able to lug this unit around for gaming with friends.

I already have a main tower build w/ 3080 Ti FTW3, AMD 5950X, 64GB of RAM, 2TB FireCuda Storage.

My gut is telling me to try to shoot for an all Intel based build, but the 3D chips for gaming is hard to pass up!

Appreciate all the feedback and recommendations!!

Thanks,

 

[zandor]

This sounds more like a semi-budget build, meaning not going all out. You're still looking at $300 CPUs.

Are you near a Microcenter or not in the US? Just wondering since the 7600X3D is a Microcenter exclusive in the US. If you are I wouldn't consider the 245k. A Core Ultra 7 265k build is cheaper at Microcenter. They're selling the proc for $300 and have a $70 off any Z890 board with a 265k.

That said it's hard to recommend Core Ultra anything unless you really want Z890's I/O. I don't know if you've read the reviews but it has some performance issues in games and we're still waiting for Intel to hopefully sort them out. I built one for the I/O. Z890 has more PCI-e lanes than any other desktop chipset out there, and it's the first desktop chipset that can really replace my X299 build. Still faster than my X299 rig in games even with all the warts. Needing a pile of I/O doesn't make any sense in a luggable gaming rig though. I'm guessing you're planning board, proc, ram, one SSD, ARC B58, case and PSU and that's it. Plus a monitor, mouse and keyboard of course. Maybe a game controller.

Intel makes more sense on a bit cheaper gaming build these days. i5-14600k, i9-12900k, i7-12700k, i5-12600k, etc. They don't have anything that can beat a 7800X3D or 9800X3D in games. Against the rest of AMD's lineup it's a mixed bag. The X3D magic doesn't totally work for the 7600X3D since it only has 6 cores and more and more games are seeing benefits from 8. Sometimes it gets beat by Intel and non-X3D AMD chips with more cores.

 

[TheHig]

I have been daily driving this side build with my B580 for several days now and have been completely happy with it. Its a mix of new and used parts and all in I'm under a grand. 12th gen is kind of slept on for budget builds IMO. Since I have other stuff rolling the dice on an Intel GPU doesn't bother me and the all Intel build is pretty fun.

12600k| MSI Z790 itx| 32Gb GSkill 6000| Asrock Steel Legend B580| Lian Li A4 H2O
2Tb NVME for storage , Lian Li sfx 750w psu, Cooler Master 240mm aio.

I'm still trying games but so far all these run fine:
7 Days to Die
Fallout 4
Helldivers 2
No Man's Sky
Civ VI
Rocket League
more to come!

Anyway do you want an x3d cpu now or at some point with this build is the real decision. The B580 can easily be maxed out by a 7600x or i5 so..

 

[Code_Man]

I have been daily driving this side build with my B580 for several days now and have been completely happy with it. Its a mix of new and used parts and all in I'm under a grand. 12th gen is kind of slept on for budget builds IMO. Since I have other stuff rolling the dice on an Intel GPU doesn't bother me and the all Intel build is pretty fun.

12600k| MSI Z790 itx| 32Gb GSkill 6000| Asrock Steel Legend B580| Lian Li A4 H2O
2Tb NVME for storage , Lian Li sfx 750w psu, Cooler Master 240mm aio.

I'm still trying games but so far all these run fine:
7 Days to Die
Fallout 4
Helldivers 2
No Man's Sky
Civ VI
Rocket League
more to come!

Anyway do you want an x3d cpu now or at some point with this build is the real decision. The B580 can easily be maxed out by a 7600x or i5 so..

Thank for for your feedback. Much appreciated! I have a Microcenter 3hrs from me, that I could scoop the 7600X3D chip no problem. My main game I try to play if Star Citizen. I know its not close to optimization. But, the X3D chips and that cache is sweet. Though, what intrigues me with the Intel Core Ultra series is the NPU and the added AI features. Would this CPU pair well with the Intel Arc B580 with this new framework layout as well? Just things I keep contain plating about this portable gaming build.

Cheers!