Need help buying a cpu

rwhite025

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Aug 10, 2015
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Hey, I am currently in the process of upgrading my build. I want to upgrade my motherboard, cpu and ram because my cpu is bottlenecking my gpu I think. I have a MSI GTX 960 4gb, the 6500 and 6600k cpu's are the same price at the micro center where I live, I think it's online as well, I can buy either one but I am afraid that my 960 will be botttlenecked because of the 6600k, if I get the 6500 I am afraid that I can't upgrade my gpu because they can't support each other. if I were to upgrade my gpu it would proabably be a 1060 or rx 480 8gb.

thx- R
 
Solution
2 things. First, they might be the same price, but the 6600k is better, but will need a cooler purchased with it. The Cryorig H7 runs $35 and is amazing. Both will work with a 960.

Second - a better CPU will most always provide you with better performance. If your settings are low, your graphics card doesn't have to do work. i.e. If you turn your resolution way down, your CPU still runs, but your graphics does less work. By definition, this is bottlenecking. If you feel like your 960 is bottlenecked, you can turn the settings up, unless your FPS is too low, or your monitor(s) don't allow for higher resolution.
2 things. First, they might be the same price, but the 6600k is better, but will need a cooler purchased with it. The Cryorig H7 runs $35 and is amazing. Both will work with a 960.

Second - a better CPU will most always provide you with better performance. If your settings are low, your graphics card doesn't have to do work. i.e. If you turn your resolution way down, your CPU still runs, but your graphics does less work. By definition, this is bottlenecking. If you feel like your 960 is bottlenecked, you can turn the settings up, unless your FPS is too low, or your monitor(s) don't allow for higher resolution.
 
Solution
If you can get a 6500 and a 6600k for the same price, there's absolutely no reason not to get the 6600k. Neither of those CPUs will bottleneck a 960 in any way. I don't know what you mean by "I can't upgrade my gpu because they can't support each other", but either of those CPUs will work just fine with any GPU you upgrade to, e.g. a 1060 or RX 480.

Edit: derp, forgot that the 6600k doesn't have a stock cooler. So I suppose that's one tiny reason to go with the 6500. Still, the 6600k would be the better buy at that price. I'm sure you can get a cooler that's as good or better than the Intel stock one for pretty cheap.
 


I have a general idea of what it's gonna be, but here it is.

Intel Core i5-6600K 209.99

Fractal Design Define Nano S 70.00

MSI B150I GAMING PR 109.99

G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 16GB 67.99

CRYORIG H7 Tower Cooler 34.99

About 500 dollars in total
 


An amd 7700k

some gigabyte mobo

8gbs of crucial ballistix Ram

msi gtx 9604gb as you already know,

how come I should not buy a 6600 and then a b150?
 


thank you but it does not explain why i should not get a b150, I like its looks and I need the wifi support
 
I meant don't buy the i5 6600k with the B150 motherboard. They are compatible, but the i5 6600k is meant for overclocking which the b150 does not support. You're paying extra for nothing. The 6600k also forces to buy an unnecessary cooler too.

The motherboard itself is fine.
 


understood, thank you