Price for the Microcenter model drops on the i7-9700k. Worth it?
Price for the Microcenter model drops on the i7-9700k. Worth it?
Looking at the options, the 9700K offers solid performance for gaming at a lower price point compared to the 10600K, which is closer to single-core speed but costs more. The 5600X is expected to be faster and cheaper soon, though it may require a different motherboard. Choosing between these depends on your budget and priorities—balance cost with performance needs. TLDR: 9700K is the most balanced choice right now.
It's not a huge amount. 220$ seems reasonable for 9700k, but you might want to wait a few days for the Ryzen 5000 release. Likely it'll drop in about four days when the news comes out. The 5600x is around 300$, the other model probably 250-280$, and a decent RAM stick would be 70-90€, bringing the total to roughly 350€. With the 5600x it could be under 400$.
The 5600X is still in development, so we can't assess its performance fully. Between the 9700K and 10600K options, I’d choose the 10600K mainly for the newer Z490 model versus Z390, but a 9700K priced at $220 is certainly a solid choice. Remember, support for Zen 3 on B450 boards won’t be available until January.
Yes, the 5600 non x is a better choice than the 9700k, even at $220. If AMD's performance data holds true, the 5600 would outperform the 9700k. If those numbers aren't accurate, the 9700k at $220 was still reasonable. I didn’t realize that. You must know more.
I feel like ryzen's boost in gaming performance is going to be more reliant on that special compatability between the 5000 series and Big Navi. But again we won't know until release. Side note I currently have a 3600 and broken asus tuf x570. I had a lot of issues with ram compatibility with my board, m.2 storage devices not working properly, and now it's just shit the bed. Im going to get it RMA'd and sell it. I've owned several builds and there's something to be said about knowing your intel machine will just work. Maybe it's just the bad taste this x570 board has left in my mouth tho. My last intel build was a 4790k way back when. But i've been supporting Ryzen since zen 1 release with the 1700. I just want something that I know will work now.
Microcenter has reduced the cost by another twenty dollars, bringing it down to 200. You may receive a refund of twenty dollars for the price gap. For a 3500 for a 9700k and an Aorus Pro mobo, you’d consider it a solid deal if you plan to upgrade your CPU or motherboard within the next couple of years, as the 9700k is limited in threads and this could become a problem soon. If you prefer to maintain your CPU for several years, opting for the 9900k would be worth a hundred dollars more. It should still outperform or match the 5600x in gaming, offering better performance and future-proofing. The 5600x might work with a more affordable cooler and provide improved reliability, though its availability is uncertain. You could sell your 9700k and motherboard later, recouping some value and using it to fund a future upgrade when the next Ryzen or Intel release arrives.