[SOLVED] i5-9600K vs i7-8700 and motherboard and cooler?

[tang8547]

Hi

I am building my first ever desktop and would like some advice.

Usage:
1. Gaming (mostly RPG, then maybe Civilization or the Sims ) but probably will be on 1080p/60hz, not a fan of FPS. (I really want to try the idea of 1440p/60hz but probably over my budget for the moment)
2. some multi-thread programming work, nothing too hardcore (8700's 6 more threads does not make much a difference to me)
3. Not going to overclock (so not a fan of 8700K)
4. Would like to last for 4-5 years

So I am trying to decide which CPU should I get?

i5-9600K or i7-8700? Understand that 9600K has better single core performance? But what will be the difference on i5 and i7 generally?

Also looking for a CPU cooler:

As i am building from a retailer here are the options i have:

Cooler Master Hyper 212X (this is my current choice)
NH-U14S

FrostFlow 120
Cooler Master Master Liquid Lite 120/240
Corsair H55. H60, H80i and beyond ...

On my usage i think 212X would do the trick?

Also on motherboard:

Interestingly the options i have is a cheap entry level Z390 (Gigabyte Z390UD) with an ok Z370 (Asus TUF Z370 Plus). The Z390 is actually cheaper and cover all the basics that i need. Should I go with the Z390 then ? (or the cheapest option for me is Asus Z370-P II. Retailer does not support lower than Z370).

FYI my other settings:
GPU: 8GB RX 580 (better 1080p than 1060 and cheaper ...)
Memory 16GB 2400hz
Storage: 2TB Seagate + 256 SSD
Power: 450W

I am a newbie into this world. Any opinions welcomed.

 

[terry4536]

It all depends upon whether you want to overclock or not. Normally I would pick the I5-9600K and a Z370 or Z390 motherboard. But without overclocking the i7-8700 has the same Turbo frequency as the I5-9600K and it has hyper-threading. So you could make a case for a locked I7-8700 and a H370 motherboard.

 

[terry4536]

But the debate aside, I would get the I5-9600K and a Z390 motherboard. As for the cooler, I would suggest a Corsair H115i or a Noctua NH-D15. Ether will keep the CPU cool.

I would get the Z390. You may change your mind about overclocking. It will be there if you decide to use it.

 

[tang8547]

But the debate aside, I would get the I5-9600K and a Z390 motherboard. As for the cooler, I would suggest a Corsair H115i or a Noctua NH-D15. Ether will keep the CPU cool.

I would get the Z90. You may change your mind about overclocking. It will be there if you decide to use it.

But for my setup do i ever need water cooling?

 

[SkyNetRising]

But for my setup do i ever need water cooling?

Not necessarily.

But PSU choice should be better. Minimum recommended PSU for RX 580 is 500W.

 

[terry4536]

But the debate aside, I would get the I5-9600K and a Z390 motherboard. As for the cooler, I would suggest a Corsair H115i or a Noctua NH-D15. Ether will keep the CPU cool.

I would get the Z90. You may change your mind about overclocking. It will be there if you decide to use it.

But for my setup do i ever need water cooling?

Not necessarily, I included both options so you would have a choice of which route to take. For example, RGB lighting is big right now. But if you want a light show, then you probably don't want a big air CPU cooler in the way. So there are more concerns than just cooling.

Personally I would get tired of the RGB light show pretty quick It is kind of like Christmas lights. They are nice at the beginning of the season. But the novelty wears off quickly.

 

[terry4536]

Do you want input on the other components? I wasn't sure what you were asking. You said that you were not choosing a CPU. But in the next sentence, you did exactly that by asking about the two CPUs.

 

[tang8547]

Do you want input on the other components? I wasn't sure what you were asking. You said that you were not choosing a CPU. But in the next sentence, you did exactly that by asking about the two CPUs.

Sorry that just a typo ...

Yes i am asking about CPU choice

No i am not a fan of RGB.

As i am building from a retailer my choic of coolers are limited. (Well of course i can buy one from market and install myself but given my handyman skill i would prefer not to go that way ...)

212x is my first choice, but if i am going with i5-9600k i could save some buck and upgrade the cooler to either NH-U14S or H60

But i have heard NH-U14S being a big fan might crashed case or internal components (i am using a budget case)
and water cooling might dry out through micro leaking in years?

Yes any input welcomes. Someone mentioned i need a better power unit for RX 580? Is 450W not enough?

 

[terry4536]

The PC case budget doesn't affect the CPU cooler. Each case has the supported cooler height in the specifications. So just pick a cooler that is shorter that that specified height in mm. If you have no preference, then go with an air cooler. It is cheaper. It will last longer, and is likely quieter.

The Cooler Master 212 Evo is a popular inexpensive CPU cooler. It requires 159 mm of room in the case.
The Cooler Master 212 is similar to the Evo. It requires 158 mm of room in the case..

The Noctua NH-U14S is a better quality CPU cooler. It requires 165 mm of room in the case.


I don't know how much flexibility that you have on these components.

I would get a matched set of 2 x 8GB 3000 or 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM (G.Skill or Corsair).
I would get a 550 watt EVGA G3 or Seasonic Focus PSU.

I don't really have a preference between the two motherboards (you will need a BIOS update for the z370).

 

[tang8547]

The PC case budget doesn't affect the CPU cooler. Each case has the supported cooler height in the specifications. So just pick a cooler that is shorter that that specified height in mm. If you have no preference, then go with an air cooler. It is cheaper. It will last longer, and is likely quieter.

The Cooler Master 212 Evo is a popular inexpensive CPU cooler. It requires 159 mm of room in the case.
The Cooler Master 212 is similar to the Evo. It requires 158 mm of room in the case..

The Noctua NH-U14S is a better quality CPU cooler. It requires 165 mm of room in the case.


I don't know how much flexibility that you have on these components.

I would get a matched set of 2 x 8GB 3000 or 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM (G.Skill or Corsair).
I would get a 550 watt EVGA G3 or Seasonic Focus PSU.

I don't really have a preference between the two motherboards (you will need a BIOS update for the z370).

What difference does that frequency on memory make? (purely newbie question, i know obviously greater is quicker, but is that noticeable in gaming or daily use?)

 

[SkyNetRising]

What difference does that frequency on memory make? (purely newbie question, i know obviously greater is quicker, but is that noticeable in gaming or daily use?)

For Ryzen system - yes. Memory impacts system performance significantly.
For Intel systems - not so much.

 

[tang8547]

What difference does that frequency on memory make? (purely newbie question, i know obviously greater is quicker, but is that noticeable in gaming or daily use?)

For Ryzen system - yes. Memory impacts system performance significantly.
For Intel systems - not so much.

What's the reason to go beyond 500W on RX 580 then?

 

[SkyNetRising]

To have some extra power reserve in case it is necessary for OC.

 

[terry4536]

The PC case budget doesn't affect the CPU cooler. Each case has the supported cooler height in the specifications. So just pick a cooler that is shorter that that specified height in mm. If you have no preference, then go with an air cooler. It is cheaper. It will last longer, and is likely quieter.

The Cooler Master 212 Evo is a popular inexpensive CPU cooler. It requires 159 mm of room in the case.
The Cooler Master 212 is similar to the Evo. It requires 158 mm of room in the case..

The Noctua NH-U14S is a better quality CPU cooler. It requires 165 mm of room in the case.

I don't know how much flexibility that you have on these components.

I would get a matched set of 2 x 8GB 3000 or 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM (G.Skill or Corsair).
I would get a 550 watt EVGA G3 or Seasonic Focus PSU.

I don't really have a preference between the two motherboards (you will need a BIOS update for the z370).

What difference does that frequency on memory make? (purely newbie question, i know obviously greater is quicker, but is that noticeable in gaming or daily use?)

Especially when you are building a new system, you would be leaving cheap performance on the side. There isn't much of a price difference between 2400 MHz RAM and 3200 MHz RAM. Later on doing the same upgrade gets expensive.

The faster RAM will add to the total performance of the system. The system is limited by the weakest component. It doesn't make as much difference as the processor (in terms of performance) but it does contribute.

Here is a comparison of two 2 x 8GB RAM kits. The two kits are very similar except for the operating frequency (same brand,model, and latency). In this case there is a $45 difference in price for a matched set of 3200 MHz kit and the 2400 MHz kit. I've seen it less than that as well.

 

[terry4536]

What difference does that frequency on memory make? (purely newbie question, i know obviously greater is quicker, but is that noticeable in gaming or daily use?)

For Ryzen system - yes. Memory impacts system performance significantly.
For Intel systems - not so much.

What's the reason to go beyond 500W on RX 580 then?

It is a good idea to add 50 -100 watts to the system requirements. It gives you a buffer for overclocking, upgrades, and variation of the rated wattage of the power supply.

From the standpoint of power supplies there is little difference. The major brands of power supplies present their models in 100 watt steps from 450watts (450, 550, 650, 750, 850 watts).