Should I switch from an i5-12400 to an i9-12900K?
Should I switch from an i5-12400 to an i9-12900K?
Hi All,
I'm considering an upgrade from the i5-12400 to the i9-12900K. I think it would be beneficial to replace the cooler, so I'm checking Be Quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 (it's quiet and I like their setup). My primary tasks are gaming, but I also use Blender for 3D printing and Premiere Pro for video editing. The upgrade would cost around AUS $600. Would it be worth it? Any other suggestions on how to improve my current system would be appreciated.
Current PC Specs
CASE: Corsiar 5000D Airflow
MOBO: MSI PRO Z690-A LGA 1700 DDR4
CPU: Intel i5-12400
GPU: MSI gaming trio RTX4070
CPU Cooler: Be Quiet Pure Rock 2 FX
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 4 x16GB 3200 DDR4 (four sticks at a good price)
PSU: Corsair 850w 80+ Gold Modular
STORAGE: 2 x samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 1 TB (one for daily use, others for games and video editing)
STORAGE: Lexar SSD NQ970 4TB (for movies and video files)
Cheers all!
Stephen
This i9-12900K model works well with the latest BIOS and supports Intel 13th and 14th generation CPUs. The strongest chip you can fit in is the i9-14900KS. There are significant differences between these two processors, as shown in the comparison here: https://technical.city/en/cpu/Core-i9-12...i9-14900KS. There’s no need to upgrade other parts—your build is solid. Also, what is your PSU model and how recent is it?
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
*
Intel Core i7-12700F 2.1 GHz 12-Core Processor
($379.00 @ Centre Com)
Total:
$379.00
Costs cover shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts
*Selected lowest-priced components based on criteria
Created by
PCPartPicker
2025-06-22 16:12 AEST+1000
your build looks strong, and definitely you'll notice a noticeable performance boost, especially in gaming and applications.
as discussed, you can upgrade to a more powerful chip for the motherboard.
though it's true that high-end 13th and 14th generation chips faced degradation problems,
it seems intel couldn't fully resolve that issue.
there are still ways to improve longevity through settings and adjustments.
For $600 AUD you can purchase the i7-14700K.
Here’s the breakdown:
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: Intel Core i7-14700K 3.4 GHz 20-Core Processor
($575.00 @ Amazon Australia)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 66.17 CFM
($55.00 @ Scorptec)
Total: $630.00
Shipping, taxes, and available discounts are included
Generated by PCPartPicker
2025-06-22 15:20 AEST+1000
The price is slightly above budget, but the cooler makes it a great value. No cooler with a lower cost than Peerless Assassin 120 SE exists.
i9-12900K vs 17-14700K: https://technical.city/en/cpu/Core-i9-12...-i7-14700K
Performance improvement is noticeable.
The buyer is based in Australia, so US pricing doesn’t apply.
I don't understand it.
The prices are listed clearly: i9-12900K is $613 AUD, i7-14700K is $574 AUD, and the i7-14700KF is $534 AUD, which is about 28% better than the i9-12900K. The PC part page links here. Paying $80 AUD more for roughly 28% worse performance doesn't seem right to me. Good quality PSU works fine, so no need to replace it.