Top choice for i5 13600K under $160 is a balanced CPU with strong performance and good value.
Top choice for i5 13600K under $160 is a balanced CPU with strong performance and good value.
I don't understand what's going wrong with you, but this is quite extreme when thinking about "worst advice ever." I think it's important not to pay for features unless you actually need them. Still, paying more can improve performance (like better power delivery or OC capabilities) and provide higher-quality parts. The brand also plays a role. Various brands manage support and warranty differently—something a buyer should definitely take into account. Lastly, what I valued most when choosing my current motherboard was BIOS and software updates. When AMD began with Ryzen, Asrock wasn't something I would have considered at first due to past perceptions of their reputation. But they took Ryzen seriously, used mostly reliable components, and consistently pushed updates to keep things up-to-date. While some competitors had poor bug fixes or were just slow, I didn’t go the extra mile for an AMD product because they were seen as a lower-tier brand. This made me think about buying an Asrock board instead.
OCing stands out as an outlier despite being a common topic. Generally, most people won’t change their system settings. Brand preferences seem to have little impact on longevity. Updates are often handled by sellers upon request, making it usually not a major concern. Overall, the guidance is useful but should be viewed with caution. I tailored my suggestions after discussing other considerations, and I welcome any differing opinions—honestly, I’m not a specialist and can make errors (see signature). Please respect the conversation.
The PC part picker displays an error message. The ASRock B660 Steel Legend ATX LGA1700 motherboard is compatible with an Intel Core i5-13600K processor running at 3.5 GHz and supports BIOS version 7.02. If your board uses a less recent BIOS, updating it will be required to enable the CPU.
It's the most affordable Z690/790 M-series board, but other boards need a 360AIO to avoid hitting power limits, which reduces performance.
We're discussing a 1440p display and a 13600K processor. Power consumption in most games should remain manageable for the Thermalright Peerless Assassin without needing an overclock or underclock. If you're unsure and performance gains are possible, you could consider this board for just $20 more, but I still support my original suggestion.
Funny thing is, I just helped a guy with a b board. He said being cool in Cyberpunk means hitting 85°C, but then he had to turn off the e cores to bring it down to 80.