Product code K is available on the secured chipset.
Product code K is available on the secured chipset.
think about unlocking the 8700k or 9700k on a locked chipset. You already have a B365 motherboard and are planning an upgrade—worth it? The 9700k is nearly the same price as the 9700 and 9700f, with a boost of about 0.7 GHz at base and 0.2 GHz on turbo. Since Intel’s non-K CPUs are locked and slower at frequencies you can’t change, these speeds could be up to 10-15% faster than stock.
Considering you also have to invest heavily into a cooler, this whole endeavour is senseless. Sell the board and get AM4/1200 or wait for Zen 3 in September. But buying into a dead and inferior platform (1151) is just senseless all because you have a 80$ board lying around. That's not an excuse to dump 400$ more into an inferior product.
No, the cost isn't the main issue. Cheaper Z chipsets are better because they support higher memory speeds, and nowadays 3GHz RAM is only slightly more expensive than 2.4GHz. Good memory performance matters a lot, even with a quad-core i3. Asrock also offers BFB support for locked CPUs.
I understand, but I'm looking to cut costs. Ryzen requires quicker RAM, so I'll need to upgrade the memory too, along with the motherboard and something like 3700x, 3800x, or 3900x for the same gaming experience. I'd also think about using an aftermarket cooler if I want a Ryzen system. Considering all this, plus the 8-core/8-thread or 6-core/12-thread with high speeds, it should last about five years for 1080p or 1440p games. That means I might save on the current 8th/9th generation models.
I'm looking to cut costs on the motherboard and RAM, but it feels like the extra 200$ isn't worth it for a modest speed boost.
What CPU do you currently have? If you don’t need an upgrade right now, just wait for Zen 3—by then you’ll have the funds for a new platform CPU and more memory.
However, you might be thinking about upgrading the CPU? That doesn’t really add value. I’m not sure which memory kits you’re looking at, but affordable Z390 boards are around $120, which is still cheaper than swapping your 9400F for an i7.
I plan to wait more than three years for an upgrade. My current setup is an i3 9100f, and I’m really struggling with this 4-core, 4-thread configuration.
Obviously, jumping from 9100f to 9700k or 8700k will boost performance significantly compared to a 10% improvement on 2400 to 3200 memory, making a CPU upgrade the top priority.
You're looking at a 3300x and a B450 board. What RAM are you using?