I'm considering upgrading my CPU and I'm looking at the i7-14700k priced at around $340. Currently, I have a B660i Colorful CVN Gaming Frozen motherboard paired with an i5 12400 CPU, a 5070 Ti GPU, and 32 GB of DDR4 RAM at 3200 MHz. My GPU and CPU temperatures are averaging about 65°C in a Fractal Terra case, utilizing air cooling with just the fans from the CPU, GPU, and PSU. I'm wondering if this price for the 14700k is reasonable, or would it be unwise to cool it with a low-profile cooler? Should I consider a cheaper CPU like the 13600KF at $305 or the 13500 at $295 instead? Any insights would be appreciated!
2 Answers
Have you checked if the 14600k is available? I recently got mine for €240 and found it to be a better value than the i7 for my gaming needs. There might not be a huge difference in performance for 4K gaming between the i5 and i7. You could also consider the 13600k since it gives a similar experience to the 14700k for a lower price, and they’re flooding the used market for under $200 around here. Just a thought!
I really wouldn't recommend going for a low-profile cooler with the 14700k. It might struggle to keep up with cooling. If you're using your board which only has a single 8-pin connector, that’s not a great sign either. You’d want a more robust cooling system like a 360mm AIO for it, especially with that kind of power draw. If you decide to go for the 13600k or 14600k, a 240mm AIO would probably be your best bet given your case size. Just my two cents!
Is there a big advantage in going for the 14700k if it's priced the same as the 13600k though?