Hey folks! I'm currently using an Intel i7-8700K and I'm thinking about upgrading my setup. Here's what I'm working with right now:
- i7-8700K
- 32GB DDR4 RAM
- RTX 3060 12GB
- 360mm AIO cooler
I have a budget of around $600 USD for a CPU, motherboard, and RAM. I'm considering the Intel i7-14700F since I could still use my existing DDR4 RAM and avoid the high costs of DDR5. However, I'm open to other options!
**My main questions are:**
- Is the i7-14700F with a DDR4 board my best bet for this budget?
- Would it be worth it to go for an AM5 setup with DDR5 and a cheaper CPU to save some cash for RAM?
- Any other CPU/motherboard/RAM combos I should consider around the $600 mark?
I mainly play CPU-bound games at 1080p and aim for high FPS. Any insights would really help me out!
3 Answers
I’m eyeing the 12700K(F) for my next upgrade from a 10600KF. But honestly, if you look around, you could fit a 7500F, an MSI Gaming Plus motherboard, and 32GB of RAM into your $600 budget depending on where you’re shopping. Just keep that in mind!
What speed is your DDR4? If it’s older stuff like 2666, you might be missing out on some performance since anything 3200MHz and above is pretty solid. The 13th/14th gen Intel chips are definitely worth considering right now, especially if you want a reasonably priced CPU and motherboard.
I've got the same setup you're running, and I'm also planning to go for the 14700F with DDR4. Benchmarks show that it may lag a bit behind the AMD 9800 in gaming, but it shines when multitasking. I’d rather have 60-120 FPS than shoot for an unrealistic 700 FPS!
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