Hey everyone,
I'm looking to upgrade my CPU but would love some advice on what's worth buying right now. My current setup includes an Intel Core i5-12400F, an RX 6700 XT GPU, 64GB of DDR4 RAM, a B660M DS3H AX DDR4 motherboard, and a robust cooling solution. I typically game at 1440p and have noticed my CPU frequently hitting 100% usage, which has me thinking about how to improve performance without spending a ton of cash.
I'm considering three options:
1. Intel i7-12700F for around £200 - seems like a solid upgrade but I'm worried about how 'future-proof' it will be.
2. Intel i7-13700 for about £300 - it's pricier, but looks good for multitasking. I'm just unsure if that jump in price is justified.
3. Intel i7-14700F for around £290 - offers great performance but I'm concerned about potential stability issues with the 14th Gen.
I'd prefer not to overclock, so K models are out. I'm really after a balance of performance and reliability, especially since I plan to upgrade my whole system in a few years. What do you all think? Should I be cautious about 13th or 14th Gen chips, or is it more cost-effective to stick with the 12th Gen?
2 Answers
If you're running at 1440p, the i5-12400F should be just fine for most games. Your GPU might actually be the limiting factor rather than the CPU in many cases. I'd recommend the i7-12700F as a good balance without going overboard. In the long run, consider switching to AMD when you do a full system overhaul, which might be a better path for you.
I'd go with the Core i5-14600K if it's about £200 - it's actually faster than the i7-12700F in gaming situations. And I wouldn't worry too much about stability; just make sure your BIOS is up to date to handle any potential issues with the 13th and 14th Gen CPUs. One tip is to add a fan over your motherboard's VRM, as they can overheat with higher power CPUs, which can impact performance.
Wait, how do I set up a fan for the VRM? Is that necessary for non-K chips too?
Yeah, that's true! But I find it strange that some games push my CPU to max usage. Am I just overthinking it?