I currently have an i5-6500 paired with a GTX 1070. Even when the system was new, the CPU seemed to hold the graphics card back in some games. I was recently given a free i7-13700T, so I would need to spend about €130 on a compatible motherboard and CPU cooler. My power supply should be sufficient, and I currently have 32GB of DDR4 memory: two 8GB sticks running at 2133MHz and two running at 3200MHz. Is upgrading to the 13700T a good use of money, or would it make more sense to sell the processor and save for a different upgrade? I would prefer an affordable air cooler, although liquid cooling is also an option.
4 Answers
You can install the different DDR4 kits together, but all of the memory will generally run at the speed and timings of the slower kit. Mixing modules can also reduce stability, so test the system afterward. If possible, using one matched 2x8GB kit—or eventually replacing everything with a matched 2x16GB kit—would be cleaner.
The difference in core count and architecture is enormous: the 13700T has 16 cores and 24 threads with a much larger cache, compared with the i5-6500’s four cores and four threads. You should notice the upgrade in everyday use, browsing, Windows responsiveness, and especially newer games, even though the GTX 1070 will still be the limiting part in many GPU-heavy titles.
It’s absolutely worth using unless you urgently need the money. The 13700T is dramatically faster than the i5-6500, even though it’s the lower-power version of the 13700. A suitable LGA1700 motherboard and a decent cooler should turn this into a much more responsive system, with a major improvement in multitasking and CPU-heavy games.
Use a decent tower air cooler. A Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE or a similar dual-tower cooler should handle the 13700T without the cost or complexity of liquid cooling. Make sure the motherboard includes the required LGA1700 mounting hardware, or verify that the cooler supports the socket before ordering.
An air cooler would be my preference, so I’ll look for something in that class.
That sounds like the plan, then. I have 32GB of DDR4 already, so I’ll look for a DDR4 motherboard and an affordable cooler.