Evaluating an upgrade from a 4690K processor and a GTX 970 graphics card.
Evaluating an upgrade from a 4690K processor and a GTX 970 graphics card.
Expected Purchase Timeline: Within the next few weeks.
Price Range: I’m primarily focused on finding the best value among available upgrades, rather than a fixed budget.
System Usage Priorities: Gaming is my top priority – mainly indie titles alongside some newer and recently released AAA games. I also have significant emulation use (SNES, N64, Wii, 3DS, occasional GBA speedrunning with EmuHawk, and potentially Xbox 360 if I acquire a DirectX 12 compatible graphics card). My system occasionally experiences stutters during EmuHawk operation, which is frustrating but doesn’t impede gameplay.
Monitor Purchase: Currently satisfied with my 1080p display; however, a potential upgrade to 1440p is something I'm considering.
Components to Replace: I’m contemplating upgrading either my central processing unit, motherboard, and RAM or the graphics card. I intend to retain my existing storage device, case (Fractal Design R4), and Seasonic SSR-550FX 550W 80+ Gold power supply.
Operating System Requirement: If I upgrade my CPU, I will need to purchase Windows 10. This cost isn’t factored into the overall value assessment; I also require a new OS soon anyway. Some of my peripheral drivers function poorly with Windows 7.
Preferred Parts Retailers: No particular preference.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Component Preferences: I generally favor Intel and Nvidia products, but I’m open to recommendations if the value proposition is compelling.
Overclocking Activity: Possibly.
Multi-GPU Configuration: Not applicable.
Monitor Resolution: 1920x1080
Primary Upgrade Motivation:
GPU: I want to be able to run more modern games at higher graphics settings and achieve smoother, more consistent frame rates in titles like PUBG.
CPU: My 4690k struggles with EmuHawk’s performance, especially when recording gameplay with OBS (which is necessary for submitting speedruns). I occasionally stream primarily to share content with friends using Discord screen-sharing or OBS on Twitch – both of which heavily strain my CPU. I also play large Factorio factories and extensively modded Minecraft, which are demanding tasks for my current processor. My older Factorio setup barely manages 60 FPS, dropping below that level under heavy load.
Additional Notes: My current hardware configuration can be found here: https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/12993096. I plan to sell my existing components; a preliminary estimate suggests I could obtain approximately $200-$250 CAD for the CPU, motherboard, and RAM, and around $150 CAD for the graphics card.
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“The Intel 8700K processor, when used for overclocking, relies on solder between the heat spreader and die. This is similar to older Intel platforms but doesn't provide significant additional overclocking headroom beyond what an 8th-generation processor offers. While 9th generation processors have more cores overall, they’re also pricier. The 8700K still easily handles multitasking like recording, streaming, and gaming due to its strong single-core performance. Even i5 models with six cores – a step up from previous generations – are typically sufficient for these demanding tasks, and the 8700k has 12 threads available.”
The 4690k’s single-core performance lags behind newer processors, primarily due to a lack of simultaneous threads. A more effective upgrade would be a 4790k, providing four additional threads for improved multitasking capabilities at a lower cost. Alternatively, a complete platform upgrade could include the 4790k and potentially a GPU upgrade. However, upgrading Ryzen might result in lost single-core performance despite increased multithreaded capability. Your current Skylake i7-6700k handles streaming and recording with demanding games without issues. Investing in a new CPU/motherboard platform is an option, but considering the age of your existing system (five years), it’s likely you will eventually need to replace the motherboard as well. Upgrading the graphics card alone won’t solve the core issue of insufficient threads. A better solution would be to invest in a new platform now, focusing on simultaneous thread capability, rather than simply upgrading the GPU. Budget is always a factor, and it's essential to consider this when exploring upgrade options.
Yeah money is obviously a factor. But what I mean by not having a specific budget is that I have enough available to either upgrade to a new platform, or upgrade the GPU, but not both. The new platform is presumably more expensive, but if it's worth it then that's fine as it will have to happen eventually anyways. It's a 4 year old computer.
I was kind of eyeing the 1070ti if I did upgrade the GPU.
As for the 4790k option, I hadn't considered that. I don't think I'll do that though, as I'm not keen on dumping money into a dated platform. The main issues I have with my CPU are performance in Factorio, heavily modded games, and emulators. Factorio is almost entirely single thread bottlenecked (there is limited multithreading but the vast majority of the work is in a single thread), and I believe the others only use 1 or 2 cores for the most part. It would be nice for the recording for sure though... It could be a decent option if I can find a cheap 4790 around here, but then it raises the issue of it being more difficult to sell my 4690k by itself than with the whole platform.
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Here’s a rewritten version of the text, aiming for clarity and avoiding repetition:
Upgrading your computer can involve significant costs depending on your goals. If you want to maximize performance, particularly for tasks that rely heavily on single-core processing speeds, upgrading your CPU – specifically a 4790K – is a good investment. However, be prepared for potential expenses including the CPU itself (around $250), RAM ($130), and a compatible motherboard ($150). Adding threads to your processor will significantly increase performance. Alternatively, you could consider upgrading from an off-lease system with a 4790K, swapping CPUs and then selling it for around $100 – or utilizing it as a media center connected to a TV, or even streaming games via Steam.
For graphics, while overkill for 1080p resolution, investing in a powerful GPU like a 1070 or 1070 Ti would offer a significant upgrade. It's wise to shop around and find a good deal on a GPU.
Ultimately, careful planning and research will help you get the best value for your investment.
Being in Canada certainly doesn't help. It's ALMOST as bad as Australia when it comes to the cost of computer hardware.
In light of your reply I'll say this. If you are single core limited in one or more of your applications, that's a quandry, because the single core performance on Intel CPUs hasn't changed much over the last six years. Some, but not significantly. Maybe enough to help though, but then again, maybe not. The single core performance between the 4790k and the 8700k is about the same as the single core performance between the Ryzen 7 2700x and the 4790k, at stock clocks.
I think if you really do need the single core performance more than the threaded performance, your best option is going to be a new platform AND an overclock to a full time all core speed of about 4.6Ghz. You can of course just try the platform upgrade alone, first, but I think you might find that you still need a little more. I also believe that a [email protected] would resolve some of your problems as well but I fully understand not wanting to dump additional money into an already four year old platform unless it was financially the only option. It could be a good option, but is clearly not the BEST option.
Unfortunately a platform upgrade for you to anything that isn't a waste of money is going to be expensive.
What is the model of your current CPU cooler AND are you willing to drop a moderate overclock on there or is overclocking not something you are willing to do?
I have a Hyper 212 Evo. I am willing to overclock, I just haven't done it before so I've been reluctant to actually get around to learning. Maybe I should try overclocking the 4690k and see how much more life I can get out of it. That would help with the single thread performance. Do you think it would make a noticeable difference to the EmuHawk/OBS recording use case?
The CRYORIG H5 Ultimate 76 CFM CPU Cooler is a good replacement for the stock cooler at $59.99. It’s suitable for general use, but not ideal for heavy overclocking or newer high-end processors like an i5 or i7. While more cores and threads are helpful for multitasking, increasing core performance primarily benefits simultaneous tasks and Windows processes. Adding threads assists in eliminating CPU core contention when running multiple applications alongside a game.
Ok. Thanks for all of your help. Is there any really significant difference between 8th gen and 9th gen Intel CPUs?
No, not really. They were supposed to be better for overclocking due to the replacement of solder between the heat spreader and die, much like older Intel platforms had, but it didn't turn out the way they intended and there is really no additional overclocking headroom to speak of beyond what 8th gen offers. 9th gen DO have more cores overall, depending on model, but they are also more expensive.
I don't know of anything that can use more than the 12 threads currently available on a 8700k anyhow honestly. Even if you're simultaneously recording, streaming, gaming, etc., that's enough for all of that easily, especially with the single core performance that it has.
Even for the i5 models, with six cores rather than four like previous generations, that's an extra two cores AND at least SOME minimal increase in IPC to improve the single core performance over Kaby and earlier generations. If you do pretty well now, but could do a little better, with your 4 core 4690k, I suspect you'd be happy with an 8600k but you might at least consider the benefit of the additional six threads on the i7. It would certainly be beneficial in not needing to upgrade again as soon down the road, much as if you had a 4790k now you might not have AS MUCH need to do so currently.