I've recently upgraded to a 4070 GPU and paired it with my i7 9700k in a large NZXT Phantom case. While I love the performance, my living space is small, and I want to switch to a MicroATX case. However, doing so means I would need to change my motherboard. I could look for a used MicroATX Z390 board to keep my i7 9700k, but I've heard there isn't much difference in performance between that and a newer 12600k CPU. A used 12600k is around £130 and I'm eyeing the Gigabyte B760M, which supports DDR4 and has WiFi for about £100. I'm also considering AMD Ryzen 7000 series, but I'd have to upgrade to DDR5 which is not feasible for me right now. Should I sell my current i7 setup to fund the new MicroATX build, or just stick with what I have and buy a used Z390?
2 Answers
Definitely consider AMD! You could build an AM4 setup with a Ryzen 5700x or 5800x along with a B550 board, and it would outperform the i7 9700k while better utilizing the 4070. It’s a solid upgrade path if you decide to go that route.
I was in the same boat a week ago when I upgraded to a 14600kf. My old i7 9700k was definitely bottlenecking my performance. If you're going for a MicroATX, check eBay for a second-hand i7 12700k—they usually sell for around £120-160. The MSI Pro B760M is a great option too; it's DDR4 and costs about £80, but just keep in mind it lacks ARGB headers if you care about that. It's a solid choice if you're sticking with Intel!
I’m not big on RGB, so that sounds great! Thanks for the tip!
Yeah, I've been hearing good things about the X3D chips. Do they really outperform Intel in gaming scenarios?