I'm looking to upgrade my 5-year-old PC setup. I currently have an i9-9900k CPU, 16GB of Ripjaws 3200 RAM, an EVGA 3060 Ti GPU, and an Aorus Z390 motherboard. I've just ordered 32GB of Ripjaws 3600 RAM and I'm curious about good options for both a CPU and a motherboard since I haven't kept up with the latest news in a few years. I'm also considering getting an RTX 5070 Ti for the GPU.
4 Answers
I find it a bit odd to order new DDR4 RAM before setting up a new high-end build. You might want to investigate before committing to a platform. Just a thought!
You should seriously consider the Ryzen 5700X along with a B550 motherboard. You can find the CPU for around $145 on eBay or through hardware swaps, and many new B550 motherboards are priced under $100. Definitely a solid upgrade path!
If you're upgrading while sticking with your recently ordered DDR4 RAM, a great choice would be the i5-14600KF paired with a B760 DDR4 motherboard. This combo should deliver solid performance without breaking the bank!
Since you're committed to DDR4, consider either a powerful AM4 CPU like the Ryzen 5800X or a decent LGA1700 CPU like the i5-13600K or 14600K. Just a heads up, while the performance with LGA1700 on DDR4 isn't as strong as AM4, it's generally a solid choice. You might end up spending a bit more overall, but you should achieve similar performance to the higher-tier options.
You might be thinking of the i5-14400F, which is harder to find under $200. The 14600K is actually a good deal at $164 from Walmart, so it’s worth checking out.