Need mini-ITX build CPU advice

[DrPop]

Is the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU @ 65W the best for a mini-ITX build? It's for a particular room in our office, that's why the size limitation. But I'd like to crunch on it when possible, so considering the 65W rated CPUs for adequate cooling. The Intel Core i9 10900 @65W looks pretty similar in performance, just higher cost.

This is the case I have: Raidmax Element ITX-101BPS (https://www.newegg.com/black-grey-raidmax-element-mini-itx/p/N82E16811156340) so I think there is enough airflow for crunching if I keep the CPU watts down. Any opinions on that?

Anything else I should consider for a build like this? Also, does anyone know if the new lineup of AMD CPUs coming out soon will have better performing 65W variants or all just high end stuff to start? Maybe I should wait a few weeks before pulling the trigger just in case.;)

[zombie67]

Either the Zen2 3700X like you suggest, or the Zen3 Ryzen 5 5600X. The 3700X is 8/16 while the 5600X is 6/12. But the Zen3 has better cache management, and is a bit faster per core. So it may be a wash for general crunching performance. I don't think there is a bad choice either way.

I think I would go with the Zen3 for the projects I like to run, which like a single shared cache available to all cores. Buuuuut, it looks like they aren't going to be available until November 5th.

[John P. Myers]

Zen3. The per core speeds are faster than any Intel CPU

[DrPop]

Thanks Z and JPM. Sounds like worth it to wait just a bit more for the 5600X then. I wish they had an 8/16 Zen 3 at 65W like the 3700X was for Zen 2, though.

[zombie67]

If hours (max threads) are your focus (wuprop, WCG), then go with Zen2 (max computing). Otherwise, Zen3.