To put things brisk and brief, should I wait for AMD's Zen line of processors before making a choice on which CPU to buy for my next PC build? I am patient and don't mind waiting until December 2017, but obviously sooner is ideal. I hear different things, some people claim they'll be great for gaming and others say they're just competing with Intel's server-tier chips. My main use will be streaming games, which puts a lot of strain on the CPU if I choose lower compression rates which are ideal. These lower rates drag a little on my current Intel i7-4770K, so obviously I'd like something that won't hurt it so much - if it hurts the chip, it hurts me. I know 'more instructions' doesn't always mean more performance for gaming, but when going a mile further and streaming, is it a good choice? I know that back in 2012 many people recommended AMD's Bulldozer series over Intel's Haswell for streaming, but for someone who isn't worried about money or budgets, will Zen be a good choice? This thread isn't so much about crystal balls or predictions, or even to start an Intel vs AMD debate; I, and likely many others, would love some advice from more experienced members. #cpuisbae

cpu advice AMD ZEN - Should I wait?

By Captive
May 8, 2016 in CPUs, Motherboards, and Memory

Go to solution Solved by aisle9, May 8, 2016

It's not going to lead to an eight-core CPU with Haswell-level IPC that wipes the floor with a 6700K and costs $250, or anything miraculous/snake oily you've surely read. Whether or not you wait for it is entirely up to you. I'd personally just buy Skylake and not look back if I were thinking about upgrading, but if you're not in any rush, no harm in waiting for Zen benchmarks to show up.