While 3rd gen Ryzen CPUs may be the hot new thing right now, their predecessors still pack plenty of power. Right now you can grab a Ryzen 7 2700X for $194.99 ($150 off). The 2700X is a 2nd generation Ryzen CPU that we called "better than its predecessors in every way." This 8-core, 16-thread unlocked processor can provide you with boost speeds up to 4.3GHz and comes packaged with a rather slick Wraith Prism color LED cooler to keep things cool even when under load. When it comes down to the question of dollars versus performance, the 2700X is an excellent value at this price.
The kind of speeds you can expect out of this processor makes it perfect for gaming PC builds, and provided you've invested in the best graphics card for gaming, will easily provide you with steady frames at 1440p resolutions. If you're not quite convinced to join team red yet, the closest counterpart from Intel in terms of performance would be the Core i7-7700K which offers a higher base speed and unlocked performance, but fewer cores and threads than the 2700X. Not to mention that it's currently about $100 more expensive.
Besides your GPU, the processor is likely to be the most expensive part of your build, and investing in an unlocked processor can extend the viability of your build considerably. With the release of this latest generation of Ryzen CPUs, their older siblings are seeing a considerable price drop.
