F5F Stay Refreshed Software PC Gaming Need a better CPU just to play games smoother?

Need a better CPU just to play games smoother?

Need a better CPU just to play games smoother?

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MerelNagelhout
Junior Member
11
10-08-2026, 01:40 AM
#1
Hi, I'm trying to play new games like Hogwarts Legacy. Can I upgrade my CPU? Will I need more than that to handle it? Sorry, I don't know much about PCs so please help me out here. My specs are: CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K Motherboard: MSI MPG z390 Gaming Plus RAM: 16GB GPU NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Case: EG Diamond Power Supply: CV650 (I'm not sure) and fans are cooler master hyper 212 rgb.
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MerelNagelhout
10-08-2026, 01:40 AM #1

Hi, I'm trying to play new games like Hogwarts Legacy. Can I upgrade my CPU? Will I need more than that to handle it? Sorry, I don't know much about PCs so please help me out here. My specs are: CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K Motherboard: MSI MPG z390 Gaming Plus RAM: 16GB GPU NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Case: EG Diamond Power Supply: CV650 (I'm not sure) and fans are cooler master hyper 212 rgb.

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Folsam
Junior Member
11
10-08-2026, 09:38 AM
#2
What settings do you usually play in? Where are you located? How much money can you afford to spend on upgrades? That power supply is really bad, probably causing your PC to underperform, but it definitely needs replacing with something better right now. It's just too low quality and acts up for a Corsair product.
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Folsam
10-08-2026, 09:38 AM #2

What settings do you usually play in? Where are you located? How much money can you afford to spend on upgrades? That power supply is really bad, probably causing your PC to underperform, but it definitely needs replacing with something better right now. It's just too low quality and acts up for a Corsair product.

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Dreemurrz
Member
220
10-08-2026, 10:05 AM
#3
There really isn't much reason to upgrade to a better CPU now. When gaming, the 9600k (which has 6 cores and 6 threads) was usually faster than the 8700k (also 6 cores but with 12 threads) when they were first released. That said, if you really want to switch CPUs, your only choices would be an i7 or i9 from Intel's 9th generation. Both of those will need a much better cooling solution, something like the Noctua fan kit or that big AIO cooler (if your case fits it). I agree with darkbreeze here too: you really should get a new power supply unit. The CV650 is the best one in this line, but even then, it's still not high-quality.
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Dreemurrz
10-08-2026, 10:05 AM #3

There really isn't much reason to upgrade to a better CPU now. When gaming, the 9600k (which has 6 cores and 6 threads) was usually faster than the 8700k (also 6 cores but with 12 threads) when they were first released. That said, if you really want to switch CPUs, your only choices would be an i7 or i9 from Intel's 9th generation. Both of those will need a much better cooling solution, something like the Noctua fan kit or that big AIO cooler (if your case fits it). I agree with darkbreeze here too: you really should get a new power supply unit. The CV650 is the best one in this line, but even then, it's still not high-quality.