Evaluate the cost versus benefit to see if the investment makes sense.
Evaluate the cost versus benefit to see if the investment makes sense.
Focus on single-core performance rather than cores. Gaming at 1070i with 1440p: targeting consistent 60 fps stability across all ultra settings. Monitor might hit 75fps too. I could push the 9600kHz clock, but a TC14PE with P14 fans already offers solid results—similar to a D15 upgrade. Going for an AIO wouldn't make sense given the limited benefit.
I was thinking about AMD, but at these prices Intel seems more practical. With Intel, the jump from 9600K to 11700K doesn’t really add much value, and I think the cost is too high for Z590 motherboards. The main benefit here is that CPUs and boards are being overpriced due to shortages and crypto trends, so I could boost my FPS without paying double the price. Plus, I can upgrade the GPU later when prices drop. Would it make more sense to focus on the GPU instead of sticking with the CPU? Swapping the 9600K for a 9900K is always an option, but I’m not sure it’s worth it except for games that need a lot of CPU power.