Real gaming worth comparison: 12,600k vs 5,800X in the US
Real gaming worth comparison: 12,600k vs 5,800X in the US
12600K launched on November 4th, offering strong performance across various benchmarks. Testing at 300 USD and 5800X at 340 USD showed nearly identical results, though some games saw trading losses. Given its lower price, it seems logical to opt for the 12600K. However, cooling and motherboard costs must be factored in—Z690 is the only chipset supporting 12th gen chips right now. The cheapest Z690 board is around 200 USD. For the 5800X, I selected the B550 A Pro at 110 USD. Cooling needs LGA1700 compatible units; I chose the ETS T50 AXE for 12600K and SE 224 XT for 5800X. The 5800X is 50 USD cheaper than the 12600K, but microcenter offers it at 300 USD, saving about 80 USD. Would the extra overclocking justify that savings? It might be better to hold off until the B660 arrives and check what 124K brings. What are your thoughts? Links: 5800X – https://pcpartpicker.com/list/dsbVXb 12600K – https://pcpartpicker.com/list/C2TnW3
The motherboard interfaces are similar, not drastically different from what a typical user requires. The Pro version adds nothing extra for the average consumer.
If you're patient, waiting makes sense. Both Zen 3D and Zen 4 are being developed. Adding 3D V-cache to Zen 3 is said to boost game performance by 15-25%, which would definitely surpass the 12th generation. Zen 4 promises even bigger changes, like shifting to a smaller architecture node than Intel. Overall, it seems the 12th generation will likely fade quickly.
Don't consider Zen 3 for gaming with new builds over the 12th generation; DDR5 revealed significant memory limitations on DDR4 for specific titles, a trend likely to grow, making patience acceptable if desired.