I'm planning to replace my i5-9600K, even though it isn't currently causing noticeable gaming lag. My system has an RTX 3070 Ti, 32GB of mixed DDR4, an ASUS Prime Z390-P motherboard, and an 850W Gold-rated power supply. I can buy a new i7-14700K for £275 and would like to keep using DDR4, so I'm considering the MSI B760 Gaming Plus WiFi DDR4 motherboard. For cooling, I'm looking at the Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE rather than an AIO liquid cooler. I may also move everything into a Fractal case soon. Does this combination make sense, or should I choose different parts?
2 Answers
For a gaming-focused build, the i5-14600K may be the better value option. The i7-14700K is faster, especially in heavily threaded workloads, but the extra cores may not make much difference in games. If the 14700K is only £275 and the 14600K is difficult to find, the i7 is still a reasonable choice.
That motherboard and Phantom Spirit cooler are a sensible pairing, and the 850W power supply should be sufficient. Update the motherboard BIOS before doing serious use, since current BIOS versions include important stability and voltage-related fixes for 13th- and 14th-generation processors. The Phantom Spirit is capable, but it’s still worth using sensible power limits because the 14700K can run hot under sustained workloads.
Would buying the processor second-hand from a retailer that provides its own warranty still be risky, or is the main concern buying one with no meaningful return coverage?
Is there a particular reason to favor the i5? The i7 seems to offer slightly better performance, and I’m having trouble finding the i5 in stock.