It becomes outdated after approximately 2 years of regular use.
It becomes outdated after approximately 2 years of regular use.
I have a few concerns about the 8700k. First, it doesn't seem like a good investment if I stick with the same core count. Upgrading would likely cost around 1000 EUR, which is hard to justify. I expected more cores—probably 8 or more—but decided to disable simulated threads (HT/SMP) because my tests showed smoother and faster performance when a game uses fewer threads. For instance, with GTA 5 and Civ IV, FPS improved and round times dropped in Civ 6. Second, the PCIe lane count is quite limited. With two GPUs now, it's still possible to upgrade, though it might be challenging. I have 2x 480 or 120.4 80mm radiators and performed well with the R9 290Xs, so cooling for high-end cards isn't a major issue. Still, the memory controller feels outdated, and I struggled with stability when trying to fit 8 RAM modules. It's old technology overall. Plus, RAM prices are now extremely high, making this upgrade seem even less appealing.
Hey there, another Ivy-E fan! Your CPU runs at 4.5GHz with a voltage of 1.39V, which suggests your chip isn't the top choice for overclocking. What board are you using? I was thinking about asking a similar question or thread if I wanted to, but honestly, I’m mostly playing at 1080P with 144Hz and getting solid frame rates. If I upgraded from the X79 chipset, it wouldn’t happen until late 2018 or early 2019. I’m looking forward to the Zen 2 (7nm) and Ice Lake releases!
I plan to keep monitoring future processor models before making any changes. A concern for me is the cost of memory and GPUs right now. I purchased 32 GB of DDR3 a while back at a reasonable price, but I’m not interested in comparing today’s DDR4 rates. DDR5 is on the horizon, though not soon. Also, current GPU prices are a factor. Upgrading means swapping out the CPU, motherboard, RAM, GPU, likely SSD, and replacing an old 5+ year HDD array—most components except the HDD will be costly. Honestly, I’m not too worried about my setup failing, even though I’ve run some aggressive overclock tests (5.2 GHz @ 1.55 V CPU and 1400 MHz @ 1.55 V GPU). I still have a spare 3820 CPU, R9 290 graphics, and a HD 7850 or a new one to keep progressing until I reach the next stage. The only real risk is the P9X79 motherboard failing, but it’s performed well so far.
Instead of a simple list, I used CPUz for reference. I was quite disappointed. Reaching 4 GHz with default power settings isn't possible; the boost only hits around 3.9 GHz. At 1080p resolution, higher CPU speeds seem even more advantageous than at 4K. I observed that pairing a 3-way SLI or CrossfireX requires a minimum of a 6-core processor clocking at least 4.2 GHz. Back then, that was the norm. I’m unsure if things have changed much. Using multiple GPUs made me realize I need more than four cores. Yet, I think with 8-10 cores you could run games like No Man's Sky without sacrificing performance. I’m not concerned about system failure, but it’s approaching the end of its warranty. The main issue is that everything is water-cooled, which complicates troubleshooting. Rebuilding it would require a week or more without using the machine. If it fails, it would be a major setback, whereas I can schedule replacements during my free time.
Water cooling is really appealing and I’m sticking with it. It’s performing well without much upkeep or water changes. However, replacing parts can be quite challenging. I prefer using soft tubing and can put it together relatively fast if I’m familiar with the setup. The most bothersome part is draining the system, especially since every component holds water and my loop moves up and down a lot. I also have a 480 watt fan and a 120 fan bolted to the back panel of my case. I only open it when necessary, usually for maintenance.