Upgrade comparison: 9900K Z370 vs 5800X Performance differences highlighted
Upgrade comparison: 9900K Z370 vs 5800X Performance differences highlighted
He recently got his RTX 3080 after waiting a long time. He’s planning to upgrade his PC in the SSUPD Meshlicious and install a new PSU (Corsair SF750) plus a 280mm AIO (Arctic Cooling Liquid Freezer II 280). He’s thinking about upgrading his CPU and asked for some guidance, but I’m unsure which choice offers the best return. His current setup is: i5 8600K ASUS Z370-I with 2x 8GB 3600mhz RAM, 2x 500gb 970 EVO drives. The two options are: either keep the existing board and move to a 9900K, or purchase a new motherboard (ASUS X570-I) paired with a Ryzen 5800X. Right now both the 5800X and 9900K are priced similarly in Sweden, so it’s unclear if spending 320€ on the X570-I is worthwhile. What should I recommend?
If it's only about games, it might be best to keep using what you have and wait until AM5. A 9900K or 5800X won’t really bring anything new.
9900k seems like a straightforward choice for me because I dislike setting it up again. No need for reinstallation or changes—just install and use as it is. The biggest drawback I notice is the age of the model; I wouldn’t want to purchase something new right now. Look for used units if possible. 5800X might boost performance, but the extra cost of a new motherboard and the hassle of switching platforms could matter. If a new platform becomes available, Alder Lake could be worth considering by year-end. If you plan to change platforms, make a bigger jump. Identify your ideal configuration. With AMD no longer offering cheaper full desktop options in the Zen 3 lineup, many are shifting toward 6 cores over 8 for better value, though 8 still delivers strong gaming performance. The current 8600k is on the lower side for high-performance builds and might limit the 3080 in certain scenarios. 8c16 appears to be the sweet spot, though a model around 6c12t or 8c8t could also help. If you find any affordable used units from others upgrading, they might be worth looking into too.
I appreciate your perspective. The main issue with 8600K is the absence of hyperthreading. 5800X seems unlikely to justify the cost. Recent reports suggest Intel’s 12th gen (10nm Alder Lake) will arrive in Q4 2021, while AMD’s Zen 4 (5nm) is expected later this year (Q2/Q3/Q4 still pending). These updates are much more substantial than a simple refresh of Intel ++++14nm or Zen ++3. Perhaps a modest upgrade to a 9700K/9900K would be better, or stick with the current 8600K for a while longer.
9900k is a straightforward upgrade, which is what I suggest atm. Unless he’s pushing next-gen GPUs, go for a 5800x or 5900x. He could also try the 8600k for another year and check—though I’ve seen issues with that on a second machine, it’s definitely tough.