I've been delaying a move to AM5 because DDR5 memory has become so expensive. A complete upgrade to a Ryzen 7 9700X or 9800X3D platform would cost around £1,000, while I can buy a Core i5-14600K and a DDR4 motherboard for roughly £330 and reuse my existing memory.
My current system has an i7-8700K cooled by a Noctua NH-D15. I mainly play competitive shooters at 1080p with low settings, aiming for high and stable frame rates. The 8700K has started to disappoint me, while my RTX 3070 still seems perfectly adequate.
My current RAM is 16GB of DDR4-3000, although I also have 32GB of DDR4-3200 CL16 in another system that I could use instead. I understand that LGA1700 does not offer much of an upgrade path, but I would be happy to get several years out of the system.
Is the 14600K a sensible value upgrade in this situation, or would it be better to wait and save for AM5?
5 Answers
Your memory should be fine, but the 32GB of DDR4-3200 CL16 would be the better choice if it is compatible. DDR4-3000 will not cripple the 14600K, though it may cost a small amount of performance compared with 3200 or 3600 memory. Make sure it is running in dual channel and enable the appropriate memory profile in the BIOS.
For competitive 1080p gaming, this is a meaningful upgrade from the 8700K and should pair well with an RTX 3070. The platform has no attractive future CPU path, but that matters less if you are buying it as a reasonably priced system for the next few years rather than planning several upgrades. At only about £330, it makes much more sense than paying for AM5 memory and a new platform right now.
For the prices you listed, the 14600K with DDR4 is a perfectly reasonable upgrade. It should provide a substantial jump over the 8700K, especially in competitive games where you are targeting high frame rates. AM5 is the better long-term platform, but it does not seem to offer £700 more performance for your current use case. You could put the savings toward a future GPU upgrade instead.
The main thing to investigate is the motherboard rather than the CPU. Good DDR4 LGA1700 boards are becoming harder to find, and some inexpensive B760 models have weak power delivery. A decent B760 board should handle a stock 14600K, but check its VRM reviews, BIOS support, cooling, and whether it has the features you need. You do not need a Z-series board unless you specifically want CPU overclocking.
Also update the motherboard BIOS if necessary before expecting full 14th-generation support. The 14600K can draw substantial power under heavy workloads, so use sensible power limits and make sure the case airflow is good.
It is worth comparing the local price of an AM4 Ryzen 7 5700X3D or 5800X3D system as well, since those chips can be excellent for gaming. However, if the 5800X3D costs around £309 by itself and the 14600K platform is cheaper, the Intel option is likely the better value for your particular budget.
The 200 MT/s difference is not a major concern by itself. Capacity and dual-channel operation matter more, so I would favor the 32GB kit if you regularly multitask or play newer games.