I'm considering upgrading my CPU from the i7-4770 (non-K) to the i7-4790K, but I'm not very knowledgeable about PC building or upgrades. My main focus is gaming, especially single-player RPGs and RTS games, with the occasional FPS like Apex and of course, Minecraft. Here are my current specs:
- GPU: Radeon RX 470
- CPU: i7-4770
- Motherboard: Intel B85
I want to know if this upgrade is a good idea. Also, if I go through with the switch to the 4790K, will I need to upgrade my BIOS? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
Overall, it's a pretty minor upgrade, and considering your system can't run Windows 11, you might want to look at investing in a new system entirely. If you must upgrade, stick with the 4770 for now and focus on other components like the GPU.
Yeah, the RX 580 would definitely improve your gaming performance, even with the 4770. Just don't expect a huge leap from the CPU itself.
Upgrading to the i7-4790K will give you a slight boost—around 10-15% in performance. But for gaming, you might only see a 5-10% increase in FPS in certain scenarios. If you're really gaming-focused, you’d be better off saving for a more modern setup like an AM5 platform instead. Also, it’s unlikely you’ll need to update your BIOS, but it’s a good practice to check if you can get the latest version just for peace of mind.

If I upgrade to an RX 580, would it still be okay to keep the 4770 for performance?