Improve routes starting at 8600k
Improve routes starting at 8600k
Currently priced at 8600k + 3060, running at 3440x1440 and 144hz. Seeking a 3080; 8600k covers 3060 while keeping 144hz. Prefer 13600k or 13700k, but prices have stayed this way for months—no point now. Used options are scarce. Avoiding E-cores is a priority, and skipping AVX512 despite not using it. Considering a cheaper 8700k for $100 might work, possibly with HT support. Risky move—buy cheap twice? Rumor says the 14th gen delay means less IPC gain than expected. Or wait for the 3080 first to test the 8600k setup.
The concept is being discarded entirely because it doesn't align with current goals or expectations.
There are certain cores that many people struggle to grasp, and some programs still misapply them even today. Buying a 13th generation chip isn’t really justified because AVX 512 doesn’t add much value. Outside of a handful of specialized workstation jobs or benchmarks, it offers little benefit. Even then, it was only supported on the 11th generation Intel and HEDT models. It’s not about removing a feature—it’s just that you’re missing out on newer options. Raptor Lake Refresh is expected to launch sometime this fall; reports suggest it will drop on September 19th with improved speeds and a better memory controller. If you can wait, it might be worth considering. Otherwise, AMD might be a better choice. For gaming enthusiasts, the 7800X3D remains the top option, while the 7600 is still a solid competitor. Regarding the 8700K, I wouldn’t pursue it. It’s easily surpassed by the i3 12100F for around $100 less. You could likely sell your current setup for $150–$200, and purchase a motherboard that supports 12100F overclocking for $120 plus a 32GB DDR5 kit for $70. That would add roughly $40 more, giving you about 25% more performance compared to the 8700K.
What's going on? It seems you've been ignoring AM5 and AMD lately. Here are two 10 game average scores in 1080p and 1440p using an RTX 4090. This comes from Hardware Unboxed, a trustworthy source. You'll notice the 6 core 7600x and 8 core 7700x match Intel's 13900k at more than double the cost. If you prefer Intel, go for it—just avoid AMD/AM5 altogether.
You can locate those prices by checking online marketplaces and forums. The thread you mentioned is likely helpful—good luck with your search!
For a budget overclocking project, this setup offers solid performance. The DDR5 chip is confirmed as Hynix, allowing speeds of either 6400 or 6800MT/s based on the memory type (likely A die). This board stands out for supporting BCLK overclocking and is among the more affordable options available recently in the US market. It should work well with a 12100F or 12400F chip, though prices have risen slightly since my last check—currently around $135, dropping to about $120 occasionally.
Looking for alternative memory options in Canada or other regions. The linked product has shipping costs and appears to be available only through certain sites. Checking if the model matches your needs and whether it's a marketing tactic is important. For DDR5 components, especially from Hynix or similar suppliers, comparing prices across platforms like Newegg.ca can help. Overclocking the bclk may have trade-offs depending on the variant you choose. The 12400 offers better value compared to the 12100, making it a potentially smarter pick.
Yeah, that's the correct board. This would probably work: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0B3GMF2RR?tag=...th=1&psc=1 That should hopefully be Hynix based and overclock pretty well, and if not it's from Amazon so super easy returns. As for how to find Hynix based memory, there are three ways: Buy memory from Klevv or Kingston. Klevv is a subsidiary of Hynix, similar to Crucial and Micron, so all their memory is Hynix based. Kingston just for some reason really likes SK Hynix, so on most DIMMs clocked at 5600+ will be Hynix based. Buy used RAM/buy in person from Corsair, G.Skill, or bare PCBs. Corsair and G.Skill have the ICs printed on them, so you should be able to figure out if it's Hynix by decoding it. Corsair has the version number, where "ver. 5.43.13" would be M die and "ver. 5.43.01" would be A die. G.Skill has a number on it that will end in either "820A" or "821A" if it's A die (the 3rd number doesn't matter, it could be 9 and still be A die) and either "820M" or "821M" if it's M die (see photo for an example of that number). For bare PCBs, you can usually just look for a SK Hynix logo, and you can look at the model number on the IC to figure out if it's M die or A die (again, see spoiler). Spoiler This is A die from G.Skill (specifically my kit of A die) This is A die, you can tell by the 4th to last character in that long string. If that's an M, it's M die. Buy one of the Hynix bins. The general way to tell if it's Hynix based is if it has a relatively low CAS latency and/or relatively high clock speed. AFAIK, anything CL32 or below will be guaranteed Hynix, and anything 6200MT/s+ will be Hynix. Anything 6800 and above will be guaranteed A die, anything 6400+ will probably be A die, and everything else is 50/50 whether it's M die or A die. As for whether you want M die or A die, both perform really well and have their pros and cons. M die does slightly tighter timings (usually tighter tRCD though not always, definitely tighter tRFC, and a couple other subtimings). A die consistently clocks higher though and is easier on the motherboard (meaning that while both kits may be able to do DDR5 7000, on a lower end board the M die might be stuck at 6400 while the A die is at 6800+), and because it can usually outclock its timing disadvantage is generally considered better on LGA 1700. Both are good though, so it doesn't really matter either way. Even Samsung DDR5 isn't that bad, so if you can save money and go Samsung that's not necessarily a bad idea, though they're usually the same price if you know how to shop so you might as well just get Hynix. The only disadvantage of the non-F chips is usually the price. You might have to disable the iGPU or make sure it doesn't end up clocked too high when doing BCLK OC (not sure if BCLK changes the iGPU clock, I've never done any BCLK on an Intel chip where the iGPU is enabled) 12400. That B760M board should still be able to handle a 13700K if you have a fan nearby the VRM, plus IIRC there's a BIOS for it that allows for 13th gen -K overclocking as well, not just 12th gen non-K OC.
Thank you for your kind words, I'm glad you found the answer helpful.