Question Gaming i5 vs i7

[Tattooguy90]

Intel Core i7-4770 Haswell Quad-Core 3.4 GHz LGA 1150

vs

Intel Core i5-4690K Devil's Canyon Quad-Core 3.5 GHz LGA 1150

I have
-Windowss 10
-GTX 1660
-8gb of ram

i want to play more games but when I've ran benchmarks or gone on "can you run it" my CPU is ALWAYS the issue. I'm running a 5 or 6 year old (i5 4670k 3.4 GHz) I obviously want a decent CPU at a good price. Those are both around the $250 range. Thanks for all the help!

 

[Tattooguy90]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't a weak CPU limit or hold back a "good" gpu?

Current set up
I5-4670k 3.4 GHz
Gtx1660
8g ballistix sport 1600

 

[Nihilanth]

Overclocking a 4690K is only possible IF the OP has a Z97 motherboard.
Yes, a new 2600 is less, but one also needs a motherboard to go along with it.

Spending on a Z97 motherboard will have a lower out of pocket cost.

Yes, a B540 motherboard may be less, but one also needs to buy a processor to go along with it.

The OP stated that he/she wanted to do better in games.
If there was a desire for multithreaded batch apps, then, of course, the many cheap threads of ryzen is good.

If OP doesn't have a Z97 board and buys one for 120, he's still stuck with a quad core w/o hyperthreading if he doesn't spend another 175 on an i7.
If OP has a Z97 board and upgrades his CPU, he's still spending more on an overall weaker chip w/ possibly no warranty and no further upgrade path.
Also, OP has only 8GB 1600MHz RAM. That's another 60-70 at least if he wants to upgrade to faster, 16GB RAM.

Whichever way you look at it, spending more money on a dead platform w/ no further upgrade path (other than maybe RAM if he already has a Z97 board and is ready to OC his CPU) doesn't make any sense. Not trying to start an argument here, just stating my thoughts.

@Tattooguy90
Yes, a weak CPU will hold back a good GPU. Also, if games are all you care about, then the R5 3600 is probably the CPU to get.

 

[Finstar]

Full platform upgrade:
PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor ($128.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock B450M PRO4 Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($69.89 @ OutletPC)
Memory: Team T-FORCE VULCAN Z 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $263.87
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-15 08:08 EDT-0400

 

[Chrushop]

If you look at CPU Userbench your 4670K vs a Ryzen 2600, you're going to get an ~11% gaming performance increase; though massive 40% increase as a workstation. You could just be thermal throttling so your CPUs 100% may be a downclocked 100% despite it 'maxing out'. If you have already done thermal paste replacement then disregard. But it's easy to do before you invest in a new system