Hey everyone! I'm planning to upgrade my GPU and CPU for gaming, specifically looking at the Gigabyte RTX 3060 Ti and the i9-9900K. The GPU is on sale for $329 refurbished, but I've noticed the i9-9900K is priced ridiculously high for an older model. Plus, I've seen some negative reviews about it. I'm also considering the Ryzen 7 5800X3D as an alternative.
Are these solid upgrades for my gaming setup? I primarily want to play games like Broken Arrow and Arma on high settings. If these aren't great choices, what would you suggest instead? Just for context, my current build includes:
- CPU: i7-8700K
- Cooler: NZXT Kraken X62
- Motherboard: Z370-E
- GPU: GTX 1070
- PSU: RM750x
I built this rig about 7 or 8 years ago, and I know I should probably avoid a super expensive build right now since my wife would definitely not approve!
2 Answers
I wouldn’t recommend investing in the LGA1151 platform anymore. Even the 9900K is lagging behind current CPUs. You could get an i5-12600KF for about $130 or a Ryzen 7 5800X3D if you're set on AMD, but just weigh in the cost of an AM4 board if you don’t already have one. As for the 3060 Ti, $330 feels a bit steep. You can get a 9060XT 16GB for around $360-400 which would definitely give you better performance for high settings in newer games.
Honestly, you might be okay just swapping in the 3060 Ti with your current CPU. There’s not a lot of value in upgrading to the i9-9900K. If you're willing to change CPUs, an i5-12600KF is a fantastic deal for around $250 with a new motherboard. It would outperform the 9900K easily. But be careful with the 5800X3D; it was discontinued and might be hard to find for a good price.
Yeah, I found one on Amazon new for $288, which is decent but still pricey compared to the i5 options!
I haven't looked much into AMD either! I thought I had to replace a bunch of parts for AMD upgrades, but is that really just the CPU I'm affecting?