The 5 9600k paired with a GTX 1650 offers excellent performance for competitive Fortnite.
The 5 9600k paired with a GTX 1650 offers excellent performance for competitive Fortnite.
It's a dead platform since Intel introduced a new one for the 10th generation. The upgrade options would end around the 9900k. Choosing a 10th gen 10600k would give more flexibility, as the 11th generation would be available on the same platform and expected early in 2021. This applies similarly if you opt for a B550 board with an R5 3600, which would let you access the latest 5000 series Ryzen chips for gaming—currently hard to find at stores.
It's alright, though not ideal. Are you planning to construct a new setup? I usually advise against purchasing a dead platform.
I'm purchasing my initial computer, so I'm unsure if it's good or not.
What you refer to is the term "dead platform," which people often discuss in videos as being very effective.
It's a dead platform since Intel introduced a new one for the 10th generation. The upgrade options would end around the 9900k. Choosing a 10th gen 10600k would give more flexibility, as the 11th generation would be available on the same platform and expected early in 2021. This applies similarly if you opt for a B550 board with an R5 3600, which would let you access the latest 5000 series Ryzen chips for gaming—currently hard to find at stores.
When playing Fortnite, the optimization settings can significantly affect performance. Many players turn off hyperthreading in Comp Fortnite, even with Intel processors, to achieve better overclock results. Even older 900 series models can maintain stable 300+ FPS at 1080p with competitive settings, depending on CPU single-core performance and RAM speed or timings. Using a 2060 Ti or similar, you can reach up to 1440p at 240 or 360 frames per second—this was achieved by turning off hyperthreading and running only 8 cores, with a RAM speed of 3733MHZ (timings 14-15-15-28). See the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E9QMEL5Yo0.
As logainofhades mentioned, 10600k would be a better option for the future. I wouldn’t choose AMD if I ever compete in Fortnite. The current configuration supports around 6 cores and 12 threads, offering a clear upgrade path.
For graphics, aim for at least an 1660 Ti processor, which is sufficient for 1080p at 240–360 frames per second (depending on your settings). If you also play other games, a 2060 Ti or Super should work for 1440p at lower refresh rates. With a 240–360Hz monitor, lower refresh rates like 120–144Hz are acceptable even with a GTX 1060 or 1650 Super.
If you aim for 240fps or higher consistently, ensure fast RAM, proper timings, and a motherboard that supports overclocking. Running dual-channel with 3600MHz RAM at the lowest timings is ideal. With higher RAM speed, better timings, and a faster CPU (like 10900k with 4600MHz), performance continues to improve. Check the motherboard manufacturer’s site for RAM compatibility recommendations.
The AMD 6c/12t is more than sufficient for competitive Fortnite, particularly with the new 5600x release.
I've noticed this repeatedly—people switching from 3950x to 9900k and seeing a significant boost in FPS at low 1080p settings. I hope they've resolved it this version; I'm not looking for an IPC boost, but rather something in Windows 10 that might be causing this issue, especially with AMD on Fortnite. We'll need to see the benchmarks later to confirm.
You're likely correct that the CPU appears to perform well. The sweetspot might have been promoted by Intel for a long time, but the 5000 series could actually be superior for our needs. We'll keep an eye on this.