Hey everyone! I'm in a bit of a dilemma about upgrading my CPU. Currently, I have an Intel Core i5-9600K with an MSI H310M PRO-VDH PLUS motherboard, 16 GB of Corsair Vengeance LPX RAM, an RTX 3060 GPU, and a mix of a 1TB Seagate HDD and a Samsung 870 Evo SSD for storage. I primarily game, stream, and edit videos. I can find an i7-9700K for around €215, but the i9-9900K is priced at over €500. Given my tight budget and the fact that I'd rather not replace my motherboard at this moment, does it make sense to jump on the i7-9700K now for a decent boost, or should I hold out and save for the more powerful i9-9900K in the long run? Appreciate your insights!
4 Answers
Honestly, I wouldn't bother with either option right now. Upgrading to the i7-9700K will only give you about a 5% increase in performance for video editing compared to your current 9600K, and the i9-9900K isn't going to give you that much more either. You could overclock your 9600K and get similar performance without spending a dime. Plus, for that price range, consider saving for a newer platform like Ryzen or Intel's latest chips—it’d be a much better upgrade overall.
That makes a lot of sense! I think I might just stick with my current CPU and see if I can manage an overclock for now.
Upgrading to these older CPUs isn't worth it. Just save for a complete rebuild. For around €500, you could get a decent new CPU and motherboard that would significantly outperform the i9-9900K. Spend wisely, don't throw money at tech that's already outdated!
Exactly! It's better to invest in something that will maintain relevance for a while.
Couldn’t agree more! Modern hardware is just way better for gaming and productivity.
Both options seem overpriced and not really worth the investment. If you’re willing to spend that kind of cash, you should be looking at a complete new setup instead. For less than €500, you can get a new AMD system that would blow those old CPUs out of the water!
Yeah, definitely worth looking into! New parts are where it's at these days.
What’s a good budget setup you’d recommend?
Your motherboard could struggle to power the i7-9700K, and that would limit its performance. If it were me, I’d recommend saving up for a full upgrade to an AM5 platform or something newer. You’d end up with better performance overall and be ready for future gaming needs.
Good point about the motherboard! What would you suggest for a proper upgrade? Any specific parts in mind?
Yeah, going AM5 sounds like a solid plan! Definitely look into those new CPUs.
Yeah, the prices for old parts are just outrageous. Definitely lean towards saving for a full system upgrade!