Choose the i7-4790 instead of Xeon or stick with it.
Choose the i7-4790 instead of Xeon or stick with it.
I’ve been diving into the tech scene over the past month, and it’s really captured my interest. My setup is an i7-4790, and I enjoy playing MapleStory. Sometimes I get a bit laggy during intense spawns, but I’m hoping a bit more power will help. I think upgrading to an i7-4790K would instantly fix the issues, especially if I just tweak it a little. If not, a small overclock might do the trick.
I’ve never done overclocking or built a PC before, but I did swap my SSD for an SSD, moved the CPU from i3 to i7-4790, and increased RAM from 6GB to 16GB. The SSD really improved boot times, program launches, and game loading. The CPU helped too—especially with maps and changing settings. RAM made a noticeable difference, though stuttering still happened. I didn’t change the GPU; the game is mostly 2D, so it doesn’t rely heavily on graphics.
I tested power usage and felt confident after making these changes. I’m not sure if buying a new PC is necessary, but I found it fun and rewarding. If you’re still having issues, maybe try upgrading the motherboard for overclocking or consider a GPU later. It’s okay to experiment—learning what works best is part of the process.
Before I jump in, here’s my take: I’m open to spending on the best parts if it helps, but exploring small changes is what excites me most. I’d like to learn more about benchmarks, temperatures, and power needs.
A quick note: I don’t mind spending money upfront for top components, but I prefer learning first. If you have tips or resources, I’d appreciate them.
Also, if you’re considering keeping two PCs—one for now and one as a server later—keeping one might be practical. Or maybe donate one to someone in need, like a student or local school. Either way, I’m happy to help share what I learn.
That’s a different port, so you’ll have to swap the board and RAM to make this change. The 4790 is already performing at its maximum speed for that board, while the 4790k offers only slight improvement and isn’t worth the extra cost. Can your board handle CPU overclocking? I’d likely save up for a better platform instead.
Sure, I understand the situation. The 4790K has a different socket, and the board won't be overclocked. I'm not really focused on upgrading the platform, but rather figuring out what's needed to avoid stuttering. I'll start testing newer CPUs, likely Gen 5 or 6, probably going for 6 since 5 feels too basic.
P.S., I play a specific class on MapleStory. Even if stutters stop it, other classes might still cause issues. I'd prefer building a new PC just for that game so I can experiment with different setups without spending too much.
I understand. This platform isn’t worth upgrading. Nothing you can do to an Intel 4000 series system will provide real improvement. A 4790 chip is essentially reaching its maximum speed possible. Spending more money won’t make a meaningful difference. I’d switch to a newer model; a 4790k offers only minor gains, which won’t be noticeable. Moving from stuttering to smooth performance requires a substantial upgrade. Still, I’m puzzled why MapleStory isn’t running well on that machine. Have you had a recent reformat? If the game is essentially the same as back in 2008... it’s unlikely the CPU and iGPU can handle it smoothly even at low settings.
The overall system specifications are unclear. It seems like you're considering whether the 4790K offers much improvement over what you already have, and you're thinking about investing in a complete platform upgrade instead.
the stutters aren't too bothersome, it's fully playable. i'm just curious if that small 10% gap can completely fix it. right now i'm exploring, so i'm not planning to switch platforms just yet. money isn't the problem; i think i want to learn by doing and try out other options. i could just get an amd x3d with a good graphics card and handle everything myself. honestly, it's not what excites me at the moment. the stutters are minimal—about one second every minute. plus, maplestory runs on a single core and is poorly optimized. when you lower the settings, the game actually loads higher resolution images first, then tries to render them at lower quality. so with lower settings it ends up lagging more because the CPU has to process the high-res image while trying to keep frame rates stable. it's kind of funny though—haha. i have 16gb ram, 1600 mhz, solid state drive, i7-4790, dell board (can't overclock, no k-cpu), and windows 10. i don’t want to drop my 3d performance below 30 fps yet, lol.
Integrated smoothly now. Hope I can identify the main issues. Could be the game itself—20 years old.
It's possible you might require a GPU, though I'm unsure if that's the main issue. Others mentioned it needs more than just a CPU upgrade.