I'm working on upgrading my older setup, which runs a 9600K and 32GB of DDR4 RAM. Given the high prices of DDR5, sticking with my existing DDR4 seems like the best option. I'm considering either a 14600K or a 14700K, as they're the top performers for DDR4, aside from the more expensive 13/14900K. I'm looking at a B760 motherboard since Z790 boards are hard to find and pricey. I'm curious about how much performance loss to expect using a B760 with a 14700K compared to a Z790. Also, I mostly game at 1440p with a 1080Ti, so I wonder if I really need that much CPU power, especially since I plan to upgrade my GPU soon to something like a 9070XT or 5070. Any insights?
4 Answers
If you're not aiming to overclock, an i5 without the K option on a decent B760 is a smart choice. Getting a K chip without a Z board would be a waste!
Honestly, I recommend going for the 14600K instead. It uses less power, is more reliable, and works really well with budget boards.
Using a solid B760 motherboard with good VRMs should give you no performance loss compared to a Z790 board. Just make sure to pick one that handles power well!
At the chipset level, there’s barely any difference between B760 and Z790. Just keep an eye out for the quality of the VRMs on the B760 you choose. Bad VRMs can cause issues, though!
Absolutely! The 14600KF is a great deal right now, and cheaper than many non-K options. You're better off sticking with that unless you're going for older models.