Choose the LGA1700/1851 CPU for your 12th-gen Intel processor.
Choose the LGA1700/1851 CPU for your 12th-gen Intel processor.
I know "Intel Bad AMD Good" is the obvious answer. but there's a little more to the story. A friend of mine wants to do an all white build. So obviously she is going to be paying the white tax pretty heavy. She showed me a spec she put together for ~$2000USD. But I feel like I could do better in a couple areas. Particularly her RAM choice. She's currently got DDR5, but we all know that's massively over priced on TOP of a white tax. So, partly for a challenge to myself but also to see if I can help her money carry her further, I'm exploring other options for her (I have a bit more knowledge, but obv I dont know everything). I went looking at AM4 and it has pretty much nothing for white mobos right now. Which shouldn't surprise me. So I'm now looking at Intel 12th gen through 14th and even into the new ultra line. Obviously they are newer CPU's that support both DDR4 and DDR5 (unlike AM5). So I am wondering what direction I should go. I can get a 12900k for $300, a 12700k for $250? a 14600k for $225? shes currently got a Ryzen 7 7700k 8 core processor for $250, but its AM5 so obviously needs DDR5. There are just more options for Intel mobos in white so I am just exploring that option. Like the 245k has 11 options all available right now whereas AM4 has 4 and 3 of them are MATX lol. I'll be tinkering with this for a while just for fun so if anyone has any pearls of wisdom, id love to hear them Its not an overly serious project. im kind of challenging myself and just want to help out a little.
Intel after the 12th generation was a mess... It's time to support AMD instead. I'm still using the 12700K, and I won't let Intel dictate what works. Let's keep pushing AMD forward to create something valuable.
The Core i5 13600k and Core i5 14600k offer good value for the cost. Ensure you have the latest BIOS update; if available, it's an excellent deal and excels in multi-core tasks. For the Core Ultra series, focus on the Core Ultra 7 since its pricing is very attractive compared to others (recently seen at around £250). The remaining Core Ultra models may not be as competitive right now, though prices could shift. Always research the chips and market trends, as desktop CPU pricing is quite competitive today.
Initially, verify if DDR4 offers a price that makes this option worthwhile compared to DDR5. Otherwise, the rest falls apart. Core Ultra doesn’t list DDR4 support. I recently purchased a 245KF, which performs competitively outside of gaming and is faster than my 7800X3D. I started with the 245KF because they were heavily discounted, and it still represented a significant upgrade to 265KF. Prices are always changing, so this might not hold true every time. If my understanding is correct, the current build includes AM5/DDR5 options.
She already has an AM5 configuration, so why reduce her to Intel? Maintain the AM5 until Intel resolves their issues.
LGA 1851 only supports DDR5, not DDR4. The 12700K or 14600K models from your list are solid choices. Make sure your BIOS is up to date. DDR4 may limit performance in games compared to DDR5, so it’s wise not to overspend on the CPU unless you have a powerful GPU. Right now, with current RAM costs and upcoming GPUs, we’re focusing on practical upgrades. Choose something compatible now; avoid extra spending if your CPU could become a bottleneck due to RAM limitations.