Intel CPU costs are dropping like stones proper now, and the most recent gaming CPU to get the discount remedy is the Core i5 14600K. Now out there for simply $164, this overclockable 14-core chip makes for an important improve if you happen to’re nonetheless utilizing an Intel Twelfth-gen system, or if you wish to improve from a funds LGA1700 CPU, such because the Core i5 13400F.
As we present in our Intel Core i5 14600K overview, this CPU is a good all rounder. It is completely able to churning out respectable body charges within the newest video games, due to its six P-Cores, whereas its eight E-Cores additionally give this Intel CPU an edge in closely multi-threaded software program over eight-core chips, such because the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. It was overpriced at its $329 launch MSRP, however at $164, it is a veritable discount, being lower than half the launch worth in beneath two years.
What’s good about this CPU is that it makes use of the LGA1700 socket, which, not like some Intel CPU sockets, really lasted for 3 generations of chips. Which means you possibly can drop it into your present Intel Twelfth-gen motherboard as a simple improve, so long as you flash your BIOS to the most recent model. When you’ve been utilizing a Core i5 12400F for the previous couple of years, then this CPU is a good improve at its new worth.
You may need to flash your BIOS anyway, even when you have the perfect gaming motherboard for this platform already. Intel’s 14th-gen CPUs went via a tumultuous time final 12 months, due to sudden voltage fluctuations, leading to crashes in video games based mostly on the Unreal engine, and even completely broken CPUs in some circumstances. Intel has issued a number of microcode updates for its 14th-gen CPUs lately to knock this on the top, and these are utilized by a firmware replace – try our information on learn how to replace your BIOS if you happen to’ve by no means performed it earlier than.
In contrast to most cut-price Intel CPUs, the 14600K additionally has an unlocked multiplier (that is what the Okay on the finish of its mannequin quantity means), which makes it straightforward to overclock. By default, it runs at a peak clock velocity of 5.3GHz, however I’ve discovered you possibly can simply push it as much as 5.5GHz throughout all six of its P-Cores, following the identical ideas in our information on learn how to overclock the 13600K, so long as you’ve the perfect CPU cooler you possibly can afford for the job.
To reap the benefits of this deal, you simply have to click on on this hyperlink right here, which can take you on to the deal on Amazon the place you possibly can decide up the 14600K for simply $164. At this worth, the 14600K is even $34 cheaper than the Core i5 14600KF, which is similar CPU however with the built-in GPU disabled. It additionally considerably undercuts the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, which is the closest equal from AMD.
For extra recommendation on upgrading your processor, try our information to the perfect gaming CPU, the place we take you thru the perfect choices proper now. You can too learn our tutorial on learn how to set up a CPU, which guides you thru the entire improve course of from begin to end.
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