Gaming/HTPC: Intel vs. Ryzen?

[pencechp]

It's been forever since I built a system (about a decade), but I'm looking at putting together a new combo gaming/HTPC rig for living-room use. I've been reading my way around the forums, and seeing the (what now seems pretty standard) 1080Ti + Core i5 build that's being recommended pretty broadly (e.g., in this thread, or this one). Looks like a very solid system, similar to the kinds of things I've built before and have already worked with, and I may well just go there.

But I've been out of the loop long enough that I'm completely ignorant of what AMD has done with the new Ryzen architecture. I'm not seeing them recommended very often on the forums; can anybody give me a quick rundown of the silence/performance characteristics/tradeoffs from an Intel+NVidia system to a Ryzen box? I'd really appreciate it.

[Abula]

Intel will net you better framerate for gaming over AMD Ryzen, that said AMD does offer very good value, its up to you. I have done Ryzen 7 2700x for friends and they been happy.

[Olle P]

If anything I'd now recommend not a Core i5. Reason being that over the past year more games are optimized for eight threads and don't run very well with less.
The options then stand between any Core i7 vs Ryzen 5/7. (Forget about the Core i9, it's too power hungry!)

If you primarily want a high performance gaming rig I'd suggest a Core i7-8700K.
If you don't need maximum performance and rather save some money a Ryzen 5 2600X will do almost as well at >$150 less. The "Performance Boost 2" will make it run great at stock settings, and the power consumption is low enough to allow for quiet cooling.
Ryzen 7 is overkill unless you really make use of the extra cores.

[pencechp]

If you don't need maximum performance and rather save some money a Ryzen 5 2600X will do almost as well at >$150 less. The "Performance Boost 2" will make it run great at stock settings, and the power consumption is low enough to allow for quiet cooling.
Ryzen 7 is overkill unless you really make use of the extra cores.

Certainly attractive to get the CPU and GPU in one shot, obviously, especially since it seems that cooling would be way more efficient if you go that way. What are the best motherboards and coolers for AM4 these days? I'd been thinking a Define R6 case (seems to be getting fantastic reviews here and elsewhere), so full ATX is fine (ASUS ROG X470 is well liked?)?

Thanks a bunch for your help!

[Abula]

What are the best motherboards and coolers for AM4 these days? I'd been thinking a Define R6 case (seems to be getting fantastic reviews here and elsewhere), so full ATX is fine (ASUS ROG X470 is well liked?)?

GamersNexus Best Motherboards for AMD Ryzen 2018 - AM4 X470 & B450.