Compatibility confirmed for Intel i9 9900K with 32GB RAM.
Compatibility confirmed for Intel i9 9900K with 32GB RAM.
Hello! I recently upgraded from an 8700k with 16GB at 2666MHz to an i9 9900k with 32GB at 3200MHz. I didn’t replace the Z370 motherboard because it supports the new processor. It looks like leaving the power limits on the motherboard prevents the 9900k from reaching its full turbo speed (it stays around 4.5-4.6 GHz, which is still better than 4.3 on my old rig). Once I turned off those power caps, the 9900k maintained its turbo unless it overheated. On Cinebench, it handled high loads up to 90°C and around 70-80°C during intense online or multiplayer sessions. I’m still using my H150i PRO for cooling. Just curious—can I still play games at these temperatures without any overclocking? Thanks!
I’d check the VRM temperatures on motherboards because some Z370 models lack a VRM built for an 8-core processor.
You also reviewed this content, which means I have monitoring set up for the VRMs with AIDA 64. Software monitoring is the best option I have, lol.
The H150i Pro appears to be a 360mm AIO fan setup. Top 120mm options include the Noctua NF-A12x25, though they cost around $30 each. For a more expensive upgrade, you could purchase multiple Noctua models for a push-pull configuration on an AIO radiator. Noctua also offers high-performance industrial fans in higher RPMs, such as 2000rpm or 3000rpm NF-F12 iPPC models, which are available in sleek black finishes instead of the usual Noctua colors. Based on my experience, these high-speed fans can be quite loud at full power—my setup used 8 of these with 3k RPM units, and they sounded like jet engines until the PWM reduced the noise. For your AIO, I’d suggest sticking to 2000rpm models unless you have space for larger radiators.
for a budget-friendly high-performance fan without sound concerns, consider the Delta brand. They offer units with speeds reaching 11,000 rpm and airflow of 250cfm, though they can reach up to 70 decibels.
Absolutely, you're correct. It's all about what matters most. The 9900k is essentially an upgraded version of the 8700k with a couple extra cores. For my current workloads, I'm pushing the 8700k to its limits using the 16GB RAM. The 9900k was the more affordable choice for handling multiple threads. And I haven't overclocked it—though I did experiment with it on the 8700k just for fun.