The i9 9900K is an older processor, likely no longer supported by manufacturers.
The i9 9900K is an older processor, likely no longer supported by manufacturers.
Typically you wait for the software beforehand... and then test it. With good hardware already, I mean... It’s pointless to buy something out of anxiety when you’re not sure about it. Of course, games can become quite demanding depending on settings and levels, but hold on... it might be GPU-heavy on a 6-core, 12-thread processor.
I recently switched from a 9900K to a 12600K. The main change I’ve felt is the cooler performance of the 12600K. I play AAA games at 3440x1440p with maximum settings, aiming for around 100 FPS, which keeps me heavily reliant on my GPU. Why did I make the switch? First, I secured a solid deal on the 12600K and a Z690 motherboard, allowing me to sell my older Z390 and 9900K units at a fair price. Second, I simply wanted to upgrade. It seems you might still have a few more years of gaming life with your 9900K unless you believe it’s limiting your experience.
I have funds to upgrade the CPU, motherboard and RAM, but I'm not sure if I need them. The hardware should still be okay for a while longer. I'd rather wait. I think the 3090 will be useful. Once the CPU becomes too slow, I'll replace it then.
I still have an i7 5930k with a gtx 970 card in one of my systems, and it works perfectly for any game or program. In my view, the CPU isn’t very old.
I've checked my i9 9900k with a 3080 ti at various resolutions. It lags behind newer CPUs only at 1080p. At 4K it performs similarly across the board. For context, I'm using an EVGA XC3 Ultra 3080 ti. Against a Ryzen 5800x, it achieves around 143fps in 1440p and 160fps in 1080p. With Horizon Zero Dawn, it's about 128fps, while the 5800x hits 129fps. Assassin's Creed Odyssey averages 90fps on the 5800x versus 93fps on the i9. Shadow of the Tomb Raider reaches 143fps, and Horizon Zero Dawn is 142fps. At 1080p, things change significantly. The SOTTR i9 9900k clocks at 168fps, while the 5800x hits 183fps. The MSI Gaming X Trio 3090 with an i9 10900k edges out slightly, but no real jump. With a high-end 3080 ti (FTW3 Ultra), my 5900x achieves 203fps, placing it well ahead of the i9 9900k. At 1440p, it matches the 5800x performance. The i9 12900k could be an upgrade, but unless you're a 1080p enthusiast, the Ryzen 5000s and 11th-gen Intel chips still fall short.
PCPartPicker list of components assembled for build. CPU selected is Intel Core i5-12600K at 3.7 GHz with 10 cores ($299.99 at B&H). Cooler chosen is Noctua NH-U12S 55 CFM ($69.95 on Newegg). Motherboard picked is Gigabyte Z690 UD DDR4 ATX LGA1700 ($199.99 at B&H). Memory installed: G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 ($78.99 on Newegg). Storage added: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME ($159.99 at B&H). Video card included: EVGA GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB XC GAMING ($750.00). Case selected: Corsair 4000D Airflow ATX Mid Tower ($94.99 at Best Buy). Power supply: EVGA SuperNOVA GA 750 W 80+ Gold Certified (modular) ($109.99 at EVGA). All amounts sum to approximately $1810.88, taxes and shipping included. Created by PCPartPicker on 2021-12-10 08:49 EST.