Check your system details to confirm compatibility with Intel or AMD processors.
Check your system details to confirm compatibility with Intel or AMD processors.
Black Friday is approaching and I'm thinking about improving my i3 8350k. I'm unsure if an i5 9600kf or a 3600x would be more suitable since I mainly play games. I already have a Z370 motherboard and am open to selling it if you can explain why the 3600 is preferable. I also want to consider upgrading to AMD because they're gaining popularity, but I'm not sure if the 9600kf offers significant advantages over the 3600.
MSI Gaming M5 Z370 is a high-performance graphics card designed for gaming and content creation.
It's a decent board overall, but it doesn't offer much improvement over the Intel 8350K to 9600K jump. Spending more on higher-end GPUs like 8700K, 9700K or 9900K (KF) would feel like a better upgrade. Could you share your GPU specs, monitor resolution and refresh rate? Edited November 23, 2019 by 1van
It would be better to jump straight to the 9700k if you want the additional 2 cores or the extra 0.3GHz over the 9600k. Or even the 8700k, since it includes hypertreading on the 6-core 9600k and maintains .1GHz above it. What cooler are you using right now? And what GPU model is it?
AMD's main platform is now matching performance for single-threaded tasks in gaming scenarios. However, I shouldn't claim loyalty to either AMD or Intel. I prefer being part of both. It really depends on the games you enjoy—some might find one platform slightly better than the other.
You have options to sell parts for good prices. A 6/6 9400f can be sold for $144, an unlocked 9600k for $239, and an 8/8 9700k for $339...or list both CPU and Mobo on Craigslist for a higher payout. If you estimate around $200, your total could be around that amount. A Ryzen 5 3600 (6/12) with MSI B450 Tomahawk Max costs $115, and the Ryzen 7 3700x (8/16) with MSI B450 TOmahawk Max is $245. That leaves you with $115 or $245 out of pocket. Your choice depends on your budget—Intel systems seem more reliable, but AMD offers better value at the moment.
I own a Dell S2716DGR with an 1070 Ti processor, DDR4 3200 memory, PC4 25600 speed, and timing settings of 16-18-18-38 g for SKRAM.