I'm looking to upgrade my CPU and motherboard since my current setup, which includes an i3-10100F, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and an RX 6600 XT, is starting to lag in games like BeamNG Drive. Plus, running virtual machines hasn't been great either. I'm not planning to get a DDR5 motherboard, and here are a few CPUs I've been considering: an i5-14400 for $180, an i5-14600K (although it's a bit more expensive at $230 and has a higher TDP), or an AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT for $170. Ideally, I'd like to keep the CPU cost below $200. Any suggestions for other CPUs or opinions on these options?
3 Answers
What about considering a 12600K or 12600KF? They should outperform the 14400 and might even be cheaper, plus they should go well with the 5600XT.
If you're mainly gaming, I'd recommend going with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT. Board prices for AMD tend to be cheaper compared to Intel's LGA 1700. However, if you plan on doing more productivity work or running software that needs more cores, then Intel's options like the i5-14400 or i5-14600K might be better. For gaming only, stick with the Ryzen 5 since it'll also save you some cash on the motherboard.
Have you thought about an i7 11700K? You could use the motherboard savings for a future GPU upgrade, which would make a big difference in performance.
I currently have an MSI H510M-A PRO, which is pretty basic. I'm not sure if it could support an i7.