$300-$350
AMD Ryzen 3700X
AMD’s launch of the Ryzen 3000 series has rendered Intel’s current offerings as completely unrecommendable (is that a word?). As my own reviews could attest to, the 3700X absolutely destroys the competing 9700K in multi-threaded workloads, while being mostly at parity in gaming. In an age where you will very likely be doing other things while you game (streaming, talking on Discord, listening to a Podcast, watching por a coreteks video) those extra threads will let your CPU breath without affecting your gaming experience.
Buy on Amazon$200-$250
AMD Ryzen 3600
What if you could buy an i7 8700K for just $200? That’s what this CPU is. It’s an absolutely bonkers deal for only $199, perhaps the best CPU in AMD’s new line-up as far as value is concerned. 6 Cores / 12 threads is still plenty for the vast majority of users, so this is a cheap CPU that will last you a long time and game alongside the best.
Buy on Amazon$100-$200
AMD Ryzen 3400G
4 cores and 8 threads at 4.2Ghz and with integrated Vega graphics that will play 1080p at low to medium settings, all for $180! This is the perfect option for both gamers on a budget who play mostly less graphically demanding free-to-play esports games (LoL, Fortnite, Hearthstone, Rocket League, etc), as well as those who are looking to build a console-like PC for the living room, for streaming movies, music, and light gaming.
Buy on Amazon$50-$120
AMD Ryzen 3200G
For $120 the 3200G lacks hyper-threading but otherwise offers decent specs for the money. A 4Ghz boost and Vega 8 graphics are enough for light gaming, and also make for a good emulation system.
Buy on Amazon