Hey everyone! My old PC's motherboard just failed, so I'm in the process of building a new one. Here's my current setup:
* CPU: i5-14600kf
* CPU cooler: Thermalright PEERLESS-ASSASSIN-120-SE-BLACK
* Motherboard: ASRock Z790 PG LIGHTNING
* GPU: ASUS GeForce RTX 5070 PRIME OC 12GB
* RAM: GoodRam 32gb (2*16) 6000Mhz cl30
* Storage: Kingston NV2 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD + 2TB HDD
* PSU: ASUS TUF Gaming 850W 80 PLUS Gold
I mostly play competitive games like League of Legends, CS2, and Valorant, and I also do some programming and game development with Blender and Unity (I might venture into Unreal Engine too). Should I change or upgrade anything in my build?
5 Answers
The i5-14600kf is a solid choice, so if you're just replacing the motherboard, you should be good. I wouldn’t change much unless you're thinking about selling off the CPU to switch to AM5—though, for most people, that’s probably not worth it right now.
The CPU itself is great, just a heads up—I found that using an AIO cooler with 360mm is better, as the Peerless wasn't cutting it for me temperature-wise at high loads.
The AM5 route could be more cost-effective in the long run, considering memory prices and upgradeability. Look into the 7600X or 9600X, as they offer great value and cheaper motherboards.
You've got a couple of options here:
1. Stick with a budget-friendly LGA 1700 board and save some cash.
2. Sell the 14600kf and upgrade to an AM5 motherboard with an X3D CPU. It's pricier, but it'll be beneficial for your CPU-intensive games. It's your choice!
If you're considering DDR5, I’d lean towards AM5 for better longevity. If you’re sticking with DDR4, a B760 DDR4 motherboard might be the way to go. For a brand new build, it’s a little odd going with the 14600K alongside DDR5.
What do you think about AM5 performance? Is there a specific CPU you'd recommend for gaming?