Consider whether the additional cost is justified by your needs and the performance gains you expect.
Consider whether the additional cost is justified by your needs and the performance gains you expect.
I purchased a 4690k on a non-overclockable motherboard since it was more affordable at the time due to a sale. My setup began as a budget build, which is why the motherboard feels somewhat basic. The system specifications include an i5 4690k with stock speeds, a Hyper 212 Evo cooler, ASRock H97M Anniversary, 8GB RAM, and a R9 380 4GB. I’m using a 650W PSU, so power usage shouldn’t be a concern. Upgrading the motherboard would likely cost around $100 or more, along with a quality cooler to help overclock. While I can overclock the Hyper 212, I’m not sure it will provide massive gains. I currently play at 1080p and haven’t noticed a significant performance jump. My main motivation for upgrading is space—PCI slots are cramped, and my sound card is only about 2cm from the GPU fans. Switching to an Z790 chipset might allow a M.2 SSD and more PCI slots. I’m also considering adding a solid-state Wi-Fi card if Ethernet becomes unreliable.
Is the extra cost for a better motherboard and cooler justified? Would the performance improvements be noticeable, or would it only add 4-6 frames per second? I’m generally satisfied with my gaming performance but want my system to remain reliable for years, with occasional GPU upgrades.
If it were only about the FPS improvement, I’d suggest leaving it alone, though there are other solid arguments as well. It seems like a difficult decision for me.