should i upgrade to an 8700k ?

[ichsan1448]

i currently have an i7 4790, ive had it for more than 4 years and recently have been looking for an upgrade so, should i really upgrade ?

my current system :
I7 4790 (Non-K)
12Gb Ram 1600Mhz
P81-D3
and a 144Hz monitor

i usually play online games, and when i play singleplayer games i like to max out and still get around 90 fps and now the 4790 cant really do that anymore, so my question is does the 8700k give me a really big improvement ?

 

[jankerson]

What GPU are you using?


Overall it will be a complete platform upgrade so yes you will see an improvement.

I7 8700K, Z370 MB and 16Gb of DDR4 3000 or 3200.

 

[ichsan1448]

im using an msi gtx 1070 armor overclocked, and any idea how much more performance should i get from upgrading ?

 

[jankerson]

im using an msi gtx 1070 armor overclocked, and any idea how much more performance should i get from upgrading ?

Could be 15 to 20 FPS or more depending on the games.

 

[bmockeg]

Are you planning to overclock?

 

[jankerson]

Are you planning to overclock?

Doesn't matter, the 8700K beats it even at stock speed by the amount I stated.

 

[bmockeg]

Non-overclocking upgrade.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i5-8400 2.8GHz 6-Core Processor ($178.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock - B360M Pro4 Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($68.98 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2666 Memory ($160.98 @ Newegg Business)
Total: $408.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-07-12 12:07 EDT-0400

Overclocking upgrade.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor ($347.79 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Noctua - NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler ($83.61 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock - Z370 Killer SLI/ac ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($141.88 @ OutletPC)
Memory: G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3200 Memory ($156.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $730.27
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-07-12 12:11 EDT-0400

 

[jankerson]

VERY small difference between the i5 8400 and the I7 4790 in gaming.

So that wouldn't be worth it.

 

[bmockeg]

There's a very small difference between the 8400 and 8700k in gaming as well.

 

[jankerson]

There's a very small difference between the 8400 and 8700k in gaming as well.

Oh no it's actually HUGE, up to 30% in some games.

I just looked at the stats before I posted the 1st time.

The i5 8600 is closer however, not the i5 8400.

 

[WildCard999]

If your really must have everything maxed out and an average of 90 FPS then the upgrade may be worth it... however your system is still excellent and literally lowering a setting slightly may give you that additional FPS so you don't have to upgrade and depending on the game it may not even be noticeable (ultra to very high).

 

[bmockeg]

Possibly in 4k, but it's around 3-10 FPS in 1080p where they are both well over 60. Unless playing in 4k you wont notice any difference between a 8400 and 8700k

 

[jankerson]

Possibly in 4k, but it's around 3-10 FPS in 1080p where they are both well over 60. Unless playing in 4k you wont notice any difference between a 8400 and 8700k

You have that reversed.

1080P is harder on the CPU than 4K.

At 4K the GPU does almost all the work so the CPU has less of an impact.

But he isn't playing at 4K, not with a GTX 1070 he isn't.


He is playing at 1440p.

 

[bmockeg]

Youre right about 4k theres almost no difference.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/11859/the-anandtech-coffee-lake-review-8700k-and-8400-initial-numbers

Not sure where you are getting a 30% increase.

 

[jankerson]

Youre right about 4k theres almost no difference.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/11859/the-anandtech-coffee-lake-review-8700k-and-8400-initial-numbers

Not sure where you are getting a 30% increase.

1080P and 1440P.

Depending on the game, some games use more threads than others.

But it is a large difference across the board however.

 

[Karadjgne]

At 1080p/60Hz and 4k/60Hz, the cpu is doing exactly the same amount of work, it's got to mess with the same code, doin the same job. It won't start getting swamped until the gpu becomes a factor. Being on a 144Hz monitor doesn't change that amount of work required of the cpu until fps is affected by gpu limits placed by detail settings.

 

[jankerson]

At 1080p/60Hz and 4k/60Hz, the cpu is doing exactly the same amount of work, it's got to mess with the same code, doin the same job. It won't start getting swamped until the gpu becomes a factor. Being on a 144Hz monitor doesn't change that amount of work required of the cpu until fps is affected by gpu limits placed by detail settings.

That's why all the CPU's are about the same performance at 4K, the GPU is the limiting factor, even with a GTX 1080Ti.

The largest differences will be at 1080P, FPS wise.

 

[bmockeg]

I've never seen a benchmark where an 8700k was 30% faster than an 8400. You'll have to provide a link for that, don't believe that for a second.

 

[jankerson]

I've never seen a benchmark where an 8700k was 30% faster than an 8400. You'll have to provide a link for that, don't believe that for a second.

We are talking about actual gaming performance here.

At 1080P it's up to 30% faster depending on the game, some games actually use more CPU threads than others. 12 threads vs 6 then combine that with the much higher clock speed of the I7 8700K over the i5 8400.

But then that will be the trend as time goes on as the game developers optimize more games to utilize more CPU threads.

 

[bmockeg]

I've got some ocean front property in Arizona

 

[ichsan1448]

so what do you guys think ?
should i upgrade and spend more than $500 ?
or should i just hold and wait for the newer generations since my cpu is 4 years old and its still holding on and chances are intel or amd isnt going to release a new and better cpu

 

[Karadjgne]

There's only a few reasons to upgrade.
1. You want to. So no advice is really going to matter, you've made up your mind and are doing it anyways.
2. You need to. The pc just doesn't perform to your expectations and things like gaming needs etc.
3. It's broke.

1 is generally 'latest and greatest' fever, many are also under the assumption that just because a pc is older, it's not good enough to do the job. 'Keeping up with the Jones's' also falls in this. When all your buds have new pc's, your 4 yr old one is now a joke. Also includes looks. Aesthetics plays a role, some get tired of the way a pc looks and just want new, not caring that a case swap solves all that.

2. This is up to you. You set any expectations, requirements etc. Some games are requiring better equipment to maintain what you consider decent fps etc.

3. Duh.

So which is it? Personally, my gtx970 and i7-3770K handles anything I play easily exceeding my 1080p monitors refresh. Adding 30% on top of fps I already can't see is a waste. The only advantages would be better storage ability and gimmicks like native USB type C etc. If it's #1, you are the only person who can justify your decision vrs your wallet, regardless of if your pc is still good or not.

 

[bmockeg]

If your computer is allowing you to play games and,enjoy them then theres no reason to upgrade get.