Looking for an affordable option for an I7 9700?
Looking for an affordable option for an I7 9700?
I could purchase a used I7 9700 non K for $100, and I was curious about whether it’s a good upgrade versus my i7 4770 non K. I’ll need to get a new motherboard and discovered a used MSI Z370-A Pro for $140 locally. I already have some DDR4 RAM, so I won’t have to buy that right away. I’m aware I won’t be able to overclock it, and I think the RAM will be limited to around 2666MHz because of the non-K CPU, though I’m not sure. I’ve thought about switching to an AMD option with the R3 3100, but the total cost would likely match what I’d pay for the used CPU and board. I’ve looked into lower-end H-series boards, but I’m not sure they’ll offer much more value than the Z model I found. My usage is mainly gaming in AAA titles, not esports, and I prefer 1080p with high or ultra settings, aiming for around 120 fps. I usually play at 1080p and like higher settings. Currently, I don’t get those frame rates in most games. I expect to keep my current RX590 setup for another year before moving to something like an RTX 3050 or 3060 when they’re released (if they come). I’m also wondering if AMD will release a Ryzen 3 this time, and I suspect the CPU might sell quickly if I don’t buy it.
100 CAD for a 9700 (assuming it works) is a pretty good deal and is a nice upgrade over a 4770, though if possible, you could wait for zen 3 to launch and check what it has to offer. Nope, assuming you have a z series board, you can run higher frequency ram. anything over 2666 is just techincally not guaranteed as it's an overclock to the imc.
Thanks for sharing the details. The H and B motherboards do restrict RAM speeds, not the CPU. If you switch setups, you might be able to install 3200 RAM in the future. Regarding performance, the I7-8700 and R3-3100 differ mainly in their architecture and features, but the 3300X is quite costly compared to other options here.
The 8700 matches the 3600 in performance; if you locate one at a lower cost or similar specs to a 9700, it won't differ much. Alternatively, you might hold off until Zen 3 releases its features.