Opinions on 3rd and 4th gen Intel
Opinions on 3rd and 4th gen Intel
I’m planning to get my old system back online as a gaming rig for my younger sister. Right now she mainly plays Minecraft and Untitled Goose Game on PC, and she also enjoys Sims with her mom. While she’s not quite at her peak solo performance, I’m sure she’ll discover more titles over time. I haven’t spent much effort finding suitable games for her on PC since she spends most of her time on the Switch.
I have two motherboards and CPUs available, but I think switching one of them will be better. The first is an MSI Z77A-G43 with an i5 3570 (non-K). The second is a MSI B85-G41 featuring an i5 4460 (non-K). Both have plenty of 1600 DDR3 slots, a decent power supply, and a 660TI. Neither model is exceptional, and the Z77A isn’t known for heavy overclocking. The 3770K and 4790K are around $100–120 each and could offer a solid upgrade compared to what I currently have. Their higher core speeds and hyperthreading might help if I manage to get them clocked up.
I recall experiencing CPU bottlenecks when using these chips regularly. The 4790K seems to be about 5–10% faster, though it’s possible I could overclock it to match the 3770K for a bit more performance without spending much extra. If that doesn’t work, I might save the money and focus on upgrading my case, speakers, mouse, and keyboard instead of buying a new GPU or CPU.
Intel's fourth generation offers significant improvements compared to the third, especially if pricing stays consistent. It features a more recent architecture and advanced instruction sets. Gamers Nexus notes its strong overclocking potential and positions it as one of the most modern options available.
also consider that the motherboards should be more recent, featuring improved capacitors and a better chipset
Start with the CPUs you currently own. These models aren’t overly taxing unless Minecraft has many mods, and I’m not sure Haswell chips are at the end of their price drop phase—upgrading soon should be more affordable.
I own a 3570K in a spare setup, boosted to 4.5Ghz, and it performs much better than anticipated. I haven’t played any of the titles you referenced, but there’s no reason to doubt these combinations would work. You might also consider a non-K model if you decide to upgrade—it would save a few dollars while still delivering solid performance, matching the unlocked versions.
Consider Z77 compatibility with 4th Gen; only 2nd and 3rd Gen Intel support. A 3rd or 4th Gen i7 would be optimal. K or non-K models are acceptable. The additional threads in the i7 can be beneficial. Based on past experience, 4th Gen processors generally overclock effectively. The i5-4690K faced issues at 4.8 GHz, but it worked well with an ASUS Z97 Maximus VII Hero board and a 280mm AIO.
I used to play on an i7 3770k until the middle of last year. As someone who built my PC for years and stayed updated on the market, I never thought about upgrading. I followed every new processor release over the past eight years, yet I still didn’t notice a big boost in performance. If you're planning to spend money on upgrades, the top advice is clear: put the most funds into your graphics card. That’s especially true for you, given my experience with the i7 3770k from 2013 to 2021. During that time, paired with a GTX680, it handled Minecraft well. When I switched to an 11th-gen i5, I didn’t see much improvement—maybe a slight gain, but not enough to change my mind. The GTX680 was the real bottleneck in newer titles; once I moved to a GTX1080, my old CPU still worked just fine. Even now, years later, it feels reliable. Hyperthreading helps, but it usually adds only a small boost, especially in games like Minecraft. It’s not a game-changer unless you’re aiming for competitive FPS or high input lag isn’t an issue. I’d say your main focus should be on the GPU, not the CPU. RAM and motherboard have little impact on FPS, except when pushing performance limits. Unless you plan to compete in fast-paced games, sticking with the current setup is safe. The 660ti is the only piece worth replacing unless you’re expecting top-tier graphics. Until then, stick with what you have and let your daughter explore more demanding titles as she grows.
I have two daughters each running 4th generation Intel i5 processors. One uses a 4690K and the other a 4460, both built on basic H81 boards I found after previous upgrades. Each system has 16GB of RAM, a SATA SSD, and one has a GTX 970 while the other runs a GTX 670. They all play Minecraft, Warframe, Yooka-Laylee, Spyro and similar games smoothly at 1080p without any problems. Their performance is more than sufficient for their current needs. If I acquire additional components in the future, I’ll always be ready to upgrade them quickly. Right now they’re fine with just a solid quad-core i5—there’s still plenty of life left in that architecture.
I was concerned about the upgrade decision. With today’s GPU costs it feels tough to justify the expense. I think a good case plus accessories would work best. She’d probably enjoy the RGB lighting from her mom. Thanks everyone!