Evaluate the value of upgrading to either the 12900K or the 12700K now.
Evaluate the value of upgrading to either the 12900K or the 12700K now.
Hey everyone, I've been planning to upgrade my PC every 3-4 years, usually picking top-tier parts. Right now, it looks like the 12900 and 12700 chips are likely the best options available. Based on what I’ve found, there might be a shortage of some components in Lebanon, so I’ll have to make some compromises. Most of what I need uses an LGA1700 socket, and if I’m not wrong, most RAM sticks are DDR5-only. I can’t locate a DDR5 RAM for long, so I’m sticking with the MSI Pro board which supports DDR4. For the cooler, I need an LGA1700 mounting bracket, but after checking, there aren’t many good 360mm AIO options locally. I might have to order one from Amazon, though—I’m not sure they’ll include the bracket with it. That’s a bit risky since I can’t guarantee it will arrive in the right package.
My question is: should I wait on this, or am I missing something? Are there alternatives I haven’t considered? Thanks in advance!
P.S.: Since my work involves gaming and web development, I’m aiming for something solid but not overly heavy—something that handles both tasks smoothly.
I wouldn't go for Intel unless you're not happy with AMD setups. Best to pick up a discounted 5900x and install it (though it might not be strictly required, but it's still a good idea). It costs $480 on Amazon. Alternatively, the 5950x is available for $700, but verify your motherboard's compatibility with that tier.
It varies based on your needs. For complex multithreaded tasks, the 5900X and 5950X still perform well in most scenarios. The 12700/12900 chips excel in gaming, though the difference isn't always significant. I believe Intel overlooked the 12th generation at that time—it was a timely decision. DDR5 availability remains limited and is worsening, and switching from DDR4 to DDR5 isn't offering much advantage right now. Pairing older tech with newer processors can be problematic, especially when you shouldn't have to. Also, there are few choices for LGA1700 boards using DDR4 right now. Given the effort to source chips, boards, and RAM without major trade-offs, patience might be wise. Still, if the situation improves, Zen3D or Zen 4 could catch up, making the 12th generation less dominant. AMD suggests that adding 3D-V cache to Zen 3 should offset the 12th gen advantage without needing a full generational upgrade. In summary, the 12th gen is only justified for those seeking cutting-edge performance and willing to pay a premium. For long-term reliability, 11th gen Intel or Zen 3 are far more practical choices. Neither is a bad option, but context matters.
For code compile, the 3900X is still one of the best CPUs on the market. For gaming, your 1080 Ti is probably the bottleneck more often than not. I wouldn't bother with an upgrade right now. You're looking at spending $1500+ to get a marginal improvement in most cases. If time is money for you, then you may want to consider waiting for Threadripper 5000 series. While 12th gen is certainly impressive for coding, especially with DDR5, a 5970X 32 core Zen 3 CPU (possibly with V-Cache) and quad channel memory should blow the 12900K out of the water in terms of compile times. DDR4 isn't so much slower that two extra channels won't cover the difference.
Tier D shows a current draw of 100A with minimal airflow. It reaches peak performance at 1700, 3700X and 5800X. Slightly higher than the maxed 2600/1600AF, 105W TDP CPUs at stock with a downdraft cooler. Options include Asus X470 Prime Pro, X470-I, B450 TUF Pro across various form factors.
For cooling, consider Asrock B550 B550M-ITX/ac, X470 Master SLI, K4, ITX, B450 Pro4 (mATX/ATX), Pro4-F, K4, M/AC. Steel Legend, ITX, B350 Pro4, K4 Biostar are also available.
Gaming options include X570, X570-A Pro, Gaming Plus, Edge, X470 Gaming Pro, B450 Pro-VDH (& Max & V2), Bazooka (& Max Wifi & V2), X370 Gaming Pro Carbon, Krait Gaming.
If the board struggles with a 3900X, upgrading to a 5900X would likely be effective and cost-efficient. You could even upgrade the old 3900X to recoup its investment.