Should I overclock?
Should I overclock?
Hey everyone! I'm thinking about building a new PC for programming, gaming, streaming, videoing, editing, photoshopping, and sometimes 3D CAD. I'm wondering if it's worth overclocking my i7-9700K or switching to a strong Ryzen instead.
When you overclock the i7, it comes with a big cost, so make sure your motherboard has strong VRM and a top-tier cooler. This allows you to push performance up by 10-15% in CPU-bound tasks, but only if the CPU is the bottleneck. For GPU-heavy games, extra CPU gains won’t matter much. The Ryzen 3000 doesn’t overclock much, but you can get a modest boost with Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) on a decent board. Upgrading cooling is also wise since the stock units tend to be noisy and less efficient. These CPUs still run cooler than a 9700k.
When you overclock the i7 it comes with a big cost, so make sure your motherboard has strong VRM’s and a top-tier cooler. This allows you to push performance up by 10-15% mainly in CPU tasks. For instance, if your GPU is limited in games, extra CPU speed won’t matter much. Ryzen 3000 models don’t overclock much; a small gain can be achieved with Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) on a decent board. You might also need better cooling since the stock units are noisy and less efficient. These CPUs still run cooler than a 9700k. My 3700X with PBO automatically reaches 4.3-4-4 GHz across all cores on a reasonably priced MSI B450 Tomahawk Max board, which is more affordable than premium options for the 9700k.
When working with a 9700K setup, it seems necessary to push both components to meet its cost and deliver competitive results. That means considering the expense of an overclocking board as well. If you don’t intend to overclock from the start, purchasing one might not be wise.
For Ryzen 3000 models, there’s little need to overclock since it mainly boosts heat output without much benefit. Even with careful handling, gains are minimal in specific tasks and gaming isn’t a priority. The focus should shift to enhancing memory performance and fine-tuning the processor’s boosting using PBO for better compatibility with your motherboard.