[SOLVED] Maximum single core performance for around 500 bucks?

Dreepa

Reputable
May 28, 2016
5
0
4,510
Heya,

I am looking for a new CPU, and man are there many options and pros and cons now.
Maybe some experts here can help me out.
What I basically want is the fastest single core performance. I can spend around 500 bucks.

I do not use any applications, but I am a hardcore cities skylines player and also run minecraft with A LOT of mods. So to me single core is what matters and I want to get it as high as possible.

Can anyone recommend what I should get?

Thanks a lot!
 
Solution
Here you go for a 9700K based system. 9700K, Gigabyte Aorus Z390 Elite motherboard with a great 12 phase VRM, 16GB DDR4 3600 Gskill Trident Z Ram and I have add a 1TB NVMe M.2 Drive as this is a very fast drive for not a lot of money and it is 1TB!The 9700K is about as good as it gets and is just fractions of the 9900K and it saves a fair bit over the 9900K.

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/TZwNNq

CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($359.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB 66.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($65.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z390 AORUS ELITE ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($171.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600...
As to the best single core CPU, the 9700K and the 9900K are right at the top of the tree with the 9900K boosting to 5GHz on 2 cores out of the box with the 9700K very close behind at 4.9GHz. Both CPU's will overclock to 5GHz on all cores and with good cooling even 5.2GHz is achievable via overclocking.

9900K is $488 in the US
9700K is $362.99 in the US

The 9700K will more than do the job!
 
Today, the fastest single thread processors will be one of the 9th gen intel K suffix processors with a good overclock. The 9600K, 9700K and 9900K will all approach 5.0 when using a Z390 based motherboard and a good cooler. The main difference is how many threads you get. 6/8/16 respectively.
You can get the max possible oc using the intel performance maximizer app:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-cpu-auto-overclock-performance-maximizer,6179.html
To insure that you get a good chip, you could opt for one that has been binned.
This 9700K from silicon lottery is guaranteed to do 5.2 and costs your $500 budget:
https://siliconlottery.com/collections/all/products/9700k52g

Really, though, a 9600K is very good for the price.
 

Dreepa

Reputable
May 28, 2016
5
0
4,510
Your alias makes me think you're not located in the USA. Regardless, its customary for all people posting need for build suggestions threads after following the stylizing in this thread. We can move forward from there.

Oh, ok, sorry, I did not know that.

Here we go:



Approximate Purchase Date: ASAP. Today, tomorrow maybe. Definitely this week,

Budget Range: ~1000 $$ total for RAM, CPU, Mainboard. The other components I re-use from the old PC.

System Usage from Most to Least Important: Cities Skylines, Minecraft extremely modded, mangement and strategy games, some shooters/RPGs. Least: Programming or video editing.

Are you buying a monitor: No. Already got a WQHD 27 inch MSI I am happy with.



Parts to Upgrade: CPU, Mainboard, RAM. The currently used powersupply got 700W

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: None

Location: Non-US. (Germany)

Parts Preferences: None

Overclocking: Yes, but not enthusiastic about it. I'll take the extra performance if it does not mean spending days to tweak settings and voltages or killing my new CPU.

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: 2560 x 1440

Additional Comments: It's really about building the biggest Cities in Cities Skylines and having EPIC minecraft worlds with hundreds of mods. Those 2 use cases probably are the hardest CPU drain I can imagine relevant to me.

And Most Importantly, Why Are You Upgrading: My CPU is years old and cannot manage what I said above.
 
Here you go for a 9700K based system. 9700K, Gigabyte Aorus Z390 Elite motherboard with a great 12 phase VRM, 16GB DDR4 3600 Gskill Trident Z Ram and I have add a 1TB NVMe M.2 Drive as this is a very fast drive for not a lot of money and it is 1TB!The 9700K is about as good as it gets and is just fractions of the 9900K and it saves a fair bit over the 9900K.

PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/TZwNNq

CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor ($359.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB 66.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($65.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z390 AORUS ELITE ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($171.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory ($99.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive ($95.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $792.76
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-10-22 10:08 EDT-0400
 
Solution
Updated to Germany region pricing and shops...

PCPartPicker Part List: https://de.pcpartpicker.com/list/TZwNNq

CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor (€388.99 @ Amazon Deutschland)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB 66.7 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler (€56.03 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z390 AORUS ELITE ATX LGA1151 Motherboard (€187.26 @ Mindfactory)
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z RGB 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory (€105.89 @ Alternate)
Storage: Crucial P1 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive (€107.68 @ Amazon Deutschland)
Total: €845.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-10-22 16:10 CEST+0200