Upgrading CPU and MOBO. Help me pick them, and, should I just wait for Intel's 13th gen?
Upgrading CPU and MOBO. Help me pick them, and, should I just wait for Intel's 13th gen?
I own a 3080 and my 10400 is really limiting VR performance. I’m considering purchasing the 12700K in June. Probably not an i9, but I’m unsure. Is this a solid option? What motherboard would suit it best? I only need basic stuff like at least one M.2 drive, and integrated Bluetooth (WiFi would be nice). I have gigabit internet and will keep my 8GB DDR4 3200 RAM—maybe upgrade to 32GB. That matters a lot when choosing a motherboard. Here’s my PC Partpicker list if you need more details. Regarding cooling, I thought about getting a Noctua NH-D15S and an ARCTIC MX-4 fan (4 grams). I’m not sure about the thermal paste yet—any thoughts? If I end up buying something subpar, let me know and I’ll suggest better options!
I think it should be out by the end of summer last time I checked. It’s expected to offer a solid performance boost. Still, if you’re in the market now, there’s no harm in getting one right away. Some people argue that the extra time spent using the hardware justifies the cost, so here’s my plan if you build it today: pick the 12700 chip instead of the 12700K. It delivers similar results and overclocking the Alder Lake doesn’t really help much. The BCLK OC support for the MSI B660M Mortar MAX DDR4 is promising but not yet available, so you could still overclock it for a reasonable price. Overall, VR isn’t much better with more cores, and a 12400 would likely match the 12700’s performance at a lower cost. If you go overclock, the Peerless Assassin 120 is a solid choice—it’s $41 and offers about 90% of the NH-D15’s speed. For the 12400, a stock cooler works fine unless you want to push it. Thermal paste options are similar; good choices match what comes with the cooler, while cheaper alternatives from Noctua or Thermalright are acceptable.