Is Upgrading from i5 12400F to i5 14600KF Worth It with DDR4 RAM?
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TechSavvyGamer93
I'm currently using an RTX 5070 and an i5 12400F, and I'm experiencing significant frame drops when entering new areas in games like The Last of Us Part 1. Someone suggested I upgrade to a more powerful CPU, specifically the i5 14600KF. I'd like to know if this CPU will work well with my current 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM or if I will still run into issues. I can't switch to Ryzen since my motherboard doesn't support it. Also, I'm curious if using DDR4 RAM with this CPU will impact performance in real-world scenarios. It seems like the i5 12400F should handle TLOU 1 fine based on the specs, but I'm also planning to play Cyberpunk 2077 and TLOU 2.
Answers
Heavy frame drops when loading new areas might actually point to a storage issue. What kind of storage do you use for your games? Is it on an SSD or HDD?
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Upgrading RAM isn't likely to be the problem. You could even pair an i9 14900K with your setup and still be fine. However, if you have a low-quality motherboard, like a H610, it might create stability problems with a high-end CPU. Consider upgrading to 32GB of RAM if your budget allows it!
RAMCEO21: I want to upgrade to 32GB but RAM prices are outrageous right now, even for DDR4. My motherboard is a B760M-P; will it support that?
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Have you noticed if adjusting graphics settings has any impact on the frame drops? Do they only happen when entering new areas and quickly resolve after? I'm curious if this might just be a quirk with TLOU. Also, is this the only game with these issues?
TechyGamer07: I haven't tried other CPU-intensive games yet, but after the frame drop when entering a new area, the frames go back to normal after a few seconds. So, yes, it only happens in new areas, and people say Cyberpunk is also CPU-heavy, but I haven't tested it yet!
SettingSleuth10: Changing graphics settings didn't help at all; I even tried ultra-low settings and DLSS on performance.
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The 14600KF should be just fine. Just make sure to update your motherboard's BIOS before upgrading. If it weren't for high RAM prices, I'd suggest switching to AM5. Just be cautious that your B760M-P might not provide reliable power delivery to a high-wattage CPU.
SkepticalUser55: What does that mean exactly? Is something going to fry, or am I just compromising performance?
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DataDrivenDude42: I have it on an NVME SSD.