I'm currently using an i5 8600k on an Asus Strix b360f motherboard, which is about as high-end as it gets for a b360 board. Unfortunately, I can't overclock with it. I'm mainly focused on single-thread performance and I'm wondering if upgrading to an i7 9700, i7 8700, or even an i9 9900 would be worthwhile, or if the performance gains would be minimal. I assume these CPUs would reach their max clock speeds since my motherboard is pretty top-notch. Also, I'll be looking to buy a used CPU. Any insight would be really appreciated!
2 Answers
Honestly, I wouldn't recommend it. The used market for those CPUs can be a bit overpriced, and you might not get enough performance bump for the cost. Instead, consider keeping your DDR4 RAM and upgrading to an AM4 motherboard along with a 5000 series CPU or going for a 12th or 14th-gen Intel CPU with an LGA 1700 board. That would give you much better performance for the investment.
If you're set on upgrading, I'd suggest going for a new DDR4 motherboard and CPU. Look into the LGA 700 boards; you could even go for the 14900k using DDR4 if you want! Starting with a 13th or 14th-gen like the 13600k could be a solid move too.
Totally agree! If you're sticking with Intel, going for a 250K plus would be ideal as long as you can find it. It might be a bit tricky depending on your location, but it’s definitely worth checking out.