When choosing a new motherboard and CPU, consider your needs carefully.
When choosing a new motherboard and CPU, consider your needs carefully.
My motherboard and CPU stopped working, so I need a new motherboard and CPU. I’m planning to spend about 400 initially. At first, I was thinking of an AM5 system like the 7700x or 9700x, but the price of Intel 5 245KF is now really cheap where I live. The 245KF costs 200, 7700x is 240, and 9700x is 295. My PC mainly runs coding, Android, Visual Studio, Blender, and GIMP. I already have DDR5 from my old PC. The Intel price surprised me a lot—I might upgrade the CPU later. There seems to be new series for LGA 1851, AM5 already has better CPUs, and they’ll probably improve more. I’m considering a CPU cooler of 240AIO, a motherboard, two 16GB DDR5 6000MHz RAM sticks, and many SSDs or HDDs. My GPU is an RTX 3090, the PSU is an 850 EVGA from 3 years ago, and the chassis is old. I’m using Windows 11 and a 4K x 2 monitor.
1851 processors faced significant criticism at launch because they couldn't outperform the 14th generation CPUs in gaming. Many reviewers quickly dismissed them, focusing on their shortcomings compared to 14600K/14700K models. While they use more advanced manufacturing processes and avoid some problems common in 13th and 14th generation chips, they still offer decent performance for general use and are a solid choice for gaming.
My motherboard and CPU died so i need new MB + CPU,
Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model.
price of intel 5 245KF is suddenly very low where i live
+
PC use is mostly coding Android and Visual studio and some Blender and GIMP
+
looking to spend around 400
Where are you located? What is your preferred site for purchase?
I'm in Serbia, that's why I included prices for CPUs.
I mostly have the rest except for MB and CPU.
CPU: looking to buy
CPU cooler: 240AIO
Motherboard: looking to buy
Ram: 2x16 DDR5 6000Mhz
SSD/HDD: plenty
GPU: RTX 3090
PSU: 850 EVGA, 3 years old
Chassis: old
OS: windows 11
Monitor: 4k x 2
LGA 1851 performs well with application tasks, but the actual results depend on the specifics. Intel plans to stop supporting this socket after this generation. AM5 should remain supported for another 2 to 3 years, meaning it will likely receive at least one more generation before reaching end-of-life. Meanwhile, AM4 is nearing its 10-year mark, and new CPUs have been released this year.
yes but those cpus aren't entirely new
they are simply variations with more or fewer cores and cache of the existing models.
still, it's remarkable how long AM4 has been available.
currently 245KF provides a better price-to-performance ratio for application tasks.
AM5 offers a clearer upgrade path in the future.
prices for motherboards in your region should also be considered:
a reasonable older B650 chipset board for AM5 tends to be slightly more affordable
than Z890 boards for Intel, which might reduce the overall cost difference between CPUs.
if you choose Intel, opt for non-F models if the price gap isn't significant
(245K includes integrated graphics and quicksync can still make IGPU useful).
The 1851 processors received much criticism at launch because they couldn’t outperform the 14th generation CPUs in gaming. Many reviewers quickly turned against them, focusing on their shortcomings. Compared to the 14600K or 14700K models, they offer only slightly better gaming performance. They benefit from a more advanced manufacturing process and avoid some problems that affected 13th and 14th generation chips. Overall, they provide good value for money in most regions, suitable for both gaming and everyday tasks. The main issue is that the 1851 socket will eventually be phased out, leaving no clear upgrade route ahead. Another point of concern is that these chips are limited to DDR5 memory, whereas older models could run with cheaper DDR4 options—though this is still a viable choice considering current pricing. Still, using DDR4 with these CPUs would result in a noticeable drop in performance compared to faster DDR5 alternatives.
comparing options: intel core 5 245kf with msi z890 gaming plus wifi for 450 or amd 7 9700x with msi pro x870-wifi for 500, with a growing preference for ryanze.
well 245KF offers a slight edge in productivity but a minor drawback in gaming performance.
rounding up these two processors makes them nearly comparable in general.
9700x provides a stronger upgrade route and can reach its full potential even with slower memory.
the ideal setting for Ryzen is around 6000MHz cl30 expo, whereas for Intel, to achieve top CPU performance you should opt for at least 7000MHz cl32 or 7600 CL36 memory modules.
based on these prices, I’d choose the 9700x (unless a cheaper Z890 motherboard is available).
you also don’t need an X870 board for the 9700x, and a more affordable B850 would further reduce costs.