Should you buy a K or non-K Intel CPU? | Ask a PC expert

[@KaviSenanayake]

Save those $$ for a better gpu Better gpu > K part Who's with me?

[@Silent_Shadow]

Agree

[@-........]

For gaming definitely, even 1440p ultra! Anything over i5/ryzen5 + nice gpu is almost overkill. Unless you are heavily streaming or rendering video in the background Edit: maybe you want that i7 for your games, but for most a new i5 is perfectly fine 😉

[@Dlyyzz]

And Intel changes its sockets every 2 years. With how much processors improve every generation these days, a solid 8400 + b360 and its equivalent 2 gens later probably cost you the same $ with 8600k + z390 + cooler. If you want to sell the old part on ebay, this would make even more sense.

[@Garth2011]

Most to all games can run with just about any mid range CPU just fine. Its the video card that does wonders with games.

[@jannatinkarlen8702]

basically, any gpu will just work fine for my use

[@yamilabugattas3895]

I completely agree with Gordon, most people won't notice the difference in performance between the K and non-K part, but they will definitely notice the price difference.

[@jpateka]

I bought a 9700 for $280 on ebay. Boosts all day at 4.4 on all cores. More than enough for the games I play. Paired with a 1080ti.

[@weithiamneo1442]

How do you boost all cores to 4.4? I thought that is auto managed by Turbo Boost.

[@jpateka]

@@weithiamneo1442 you go to the BIOS and extend the boosting time. It will do it indefinitely.

[@weithiamneo1442]

@@jpatekaGreat tks.

[@Cornell90]

@@jpateka Extend the boosting time? Can you tell abit more please and thank you

[@jpateka]

@@Cornell90 if you go into the BIOS most motherboards have like a setting to adjust the boosting time of the CPU

[@fakhirkhan9689]

I am super glad to finally see someone recommend a "non K" cpu. People are dumb af, they just follow dumb trends blindly. Good video !!!

[@vivekvarma3079]

fakhir khan yep, you r right

[@sebastian_hakansson78]

That's a quite easy answer really.. If you know about overclocking and want to tinker with your parts, then get a K (with the right mb and cooler), if you are afraid of overclocking or don't know how then get the non-K. I am still on my old and trusty i7-2600k@4,5ghz and it fast enough for what I NEED and run the games I want at 1080p fine with my rx570. All-core 3,3-3,5ghz vs 4,5ghz (or more) is a quite noticeable difference though.. Bragging-rights and having the best to impress friends or people you don't know on forums or for best benchmark score is just childish and silly! Get what you need for what you do and don't compare to others, there is always something better out there that someone might have (not just concerning computer stuff).. Overclocking is becoming less of a thing lately, like with the new Ryzen.

[@ehrisl4303]

im researching into getting a gaming computer and ive heard from some channels that review pc builds talk about the k at the end and it confused me. So thank you for clearing this up this will save me money

[@westnylefx]

Great Series, love the work you guys put into the videos.

[@bartonle]

When I purchased my Origin pc, I went with the 8700 non k part. I saved a good amount, and was able to put the savings toward new pc games. I was told that the processor is not as important as graphics cards, so I did not want to spend the extra for the minor improvement in game performance.

[@RandomClips1337]

So for clarification, the only difference between the two is the K's are overclockable and have higher clock speeds and the non-K's aren't overclockable and have somewhat lower unnoticeable clock speeds. I was looking at purchasing the 9700k. I don't overclock and have no plans on doing so but looking at it price-wise (through the website CCL), the 9700k comes in at £30 cheaper (it is currently on sale) than the non-K version and even though the 9700F is around £50 cheaper (than the sale price), I feel like the 9700k is still the better option as it has integrated graphics (always nice to have a backup).

[@B2UBL0Wheeler]

I5 10400 10 FPS difference from 10600k no water cooling needed spent the extra 100 dollars on a 2070 super👍

[@hallohallo3881]

who needs a watercooled 10600k ? Jesus my 10600k runs at 4,8ghz stocked on aircooled noctuah easy never hits over 85 degree ... and on stocked 4,8 u will get a lot more then 10fps ... omfg

[@d3m3nt3d_t3acup_]

@@hallohallo3881 only in 1080p, where you will probably avoid when you have a higher tier GPU

[@thomascromwell6840]

​@@hallohallo3881What if you live in parts where it crosses 100F in the summers? Would you then need a better cooler?

[@valdius85]

A fair point was brought up: buy cheaper parts and update more often.

[@bactanite]

I bought the i7 8700 for the reasons you gave. It works way better than the troublesome Ryzen 1700 I upgraded from.

[@Funkbutterfly]

I just picked up a dell xps 8390. Only the special edition tower lets you configure a k processor, and those all cost several hundred dollars more. I went with the base model, got an i7 9700 and 16 gb of ram for $750. Plan to upgrade the hard drives and add a graphics card down the road (pc is meant for music production, not gaming). If I was doing my own build I probably would have opted for the k though because at this point it's like a $30 difference in terms of the part.

[@Hero-fm6hx]

is there a big difference between i7 9700 and i7 9700k

[@Fra93TheGrande]

Not really

[@mrBytemare]

Thanks for this information! Just ordered an i7-9700F for 300$ :) Combined with RTX 2060Super, hope I'll be happy with that :)

[@mrBytemare]

@Cuervo Delgado Well I ended up with the i7-9700k and 2080super instead, was a big sale I just went for it. Very happy with my build. :) imgur.com/a/i3ACxZG

[@奈-o2y]

what about i7 9700F ? what is the different between F and non K or K

[@Game2Test]

i'm a non k user for a long time now. the best thing about using it is, you just plug it in, turn it on and play. no tweaking just play. no problem.

[@CareyHolzman]

Why a 'K' CPU with an 'H' motherboard? Many people hear the letter K after an Intel CPU name and think you must want to overclock - but you can't unless you have a 'Z' motherboard. Now, imagine you want to build a computer with no intention of overclocking, but you want the fastest thing for the money. Looking online, you notice the 'K' version of the CPU you were going to buy, is on sale and only $5 more! Would you pay $5 to go 10% faster? That's right! An Intel 'K' CPU is 10% faster than the non-K version of the same chip. Straight out of the box, plug and play. Or would you rather spend an extra $50 more to purchase a Z-based motherboard that has features you will never use because someone falsely told you a Z-based motherboard was required for a 'K' CPU to work.... K CPUs ARE NOT JUST FOR OVERCLOCKING! Stock i7 fans are inadequate and can be very loud and cause thermal throttling under load. So you're going to want a third-party cooler with ALL i7's, K or not.

[@mseleznev]

Not so simple. For "K" processors with higher TDP you need a motherboard with better power chains - numbers of power phases, VRM with heatsink etc. And very often this is Z-based motherboard.

[@ArthurM1863]

This guy is a genious. He clearly know his PC related stuff.

[@edmundgoh8935]

intel 9700 with 1660 GPU (game content testing), love the smooth and low temperature performance.

[@raymondhachmishvili2483]

9700F with 3080FE....best CPU I've used...temps, power draw, smoothness

[@fredrikg934]

Lower temperature is for me a cool feature. 😎

[@charlesfunrue8618]

I run a non-k i7 8700. I don't waste time overclocking. It was cheaper. And the best part? When all six cores are active it's the identical speed at 4.3 Ghz across all cores as the 8700k. So I get all the same performance for less cost. Winning.

[@TheBlinxz]

I have a Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H with an i5-3570K and I only began overclocking a couple weeks ago. It's now at 4.5Ghz stable on all 4 cores with a Hyper 212Evo. The difference is like going from a Ford Focus to a Lamborghini Aventador. I just upgraded the RAM from 8GB 1866Mhz to 16GB 2400Mhz and I'm satisfied with my computer and I'm no longer obsessed with looking for possible upgrades. I could wait another few years probably.

[@tommo1330]

Great vid I just bought a $2700 aud pc with 2080 and i7 9700 3 ghz base (4.7ghz boost) the next prebuilt pc was lot more expensive with a 9700k as needs better cooler and motherboard. The only thing I am curious about the 3 ghz base clock speed is this more than enough in general for a gaming pc? as it just boosts during games etc but I guess question is am I missing much or any noticable difference by having a base clock speed of 3 ghz instead of the 3.6 ghz and when it does boost is it pretty instant or is it a bit laggy/choppy while it's juicing up. Any info on this appreciated sorry I don't know much about computers.

[@r0adwarri0r90]

I'd like an answer to this question myself

[@ravo2923]

Looking same answer

[@NvSpooks]

I’m looking for the same answer

[@supergear3]

I went with i9-9900 non K to upgrade my Trident 3 9th Gen since nonK TDP is 65W.

[@anonamous6968]

Did the same, went with non k 9900 because of less wattage and heat. There is a 9900T but I could not find it available anywhere. It actually runs at 35w.

[@MrSupakilla123]

just copped rtx 2080 super i7 9700f 16 gb of ram i didnt get the k this time my old builds i have and i saved a good amount going w the F the rtx super power will make up for frames in that small diff between them what do you guys think?

[@opheliumzone4671]

I feel like if they increased the Tau variable of the non K cpu allowing it to show off at high Mhz for longer before powering down to a lower wattage and heat output, it would be better value.

[@Superior85]

When buying Intel I always go with a K CPU (or C for Broadwell). They might cost more but it worked out well for me since I always overclock them and in my case the unlocked CPUs held their value even 2-3 years later. Intel unlocked CPUs came with a cooler up to the 5000 series but I always upgraded the stock cooler so the lack of cooler nowadays doesn't really bother me.

[@pixels_per_inch]

True, my friend had a 6700k for 4 years and had never touched his BIOS, not even enabling XMP. He's too scared to change anything in his BIOS lol

[@hallohallo3881]

well k for overclock and non k for normal use should be clear ... if u do nothing its bullshiat if u know how to handle it k ist the best thing u can get 😣 80% dont know how to setup things, i have a 2600k still runs at 4,2ghz since day one without any problem aircooled

[@ClassicGamer2996]

I upgraded from a I5-12400f to a I7-12700k because the cpu was 50% off on Newegg ($299 CAD on May 9th 2024) Was having issues that was fixed by replacing my cpu

[@kasimirdenhertog3516]

Solid ‘get real’ kind of opinion! 👏 You could argue that all CPU’s are overclocked already. The base clock is what the CPU is intended to run, but nowadays, all CPU’s boost well past this until they run into power or temperature constraints. These constraints and the boosting mechanism are well thought out. You can improve on this, but you really have to know what you’re doing. For most people, it’s better to leave it alone and just buy a non-K chip.

[@arpistola4518]

I gotta say I recently built my first pc, I got a i5 10400f paired with a 3060 and that things a beast. Honestly more than happy with it

[@natural_instincts]

What about the hardware encoders and decoders in K version. Someone told me they are better in K version.

[@pentiumjet1156]

2600k user here. I know I’m outdated but I don’t do 3D or video editing in 1440 or 4K. Upgrade from a i5 2400 was a massive increase. Best 70 bucks invested. Just got a arctic freezer 13 and going to oc to 4.4-4.5 ghz

[@kerwinfernandes9583]

Thank you for helping. God bless you! :)

[@ZiaAbbasMirza]

What about the 10i7FNHAA what FNHAA stands for ? Also, it doesnt have K which means it non overclock CPU. If it is true then why the specs says BASE frequency 1.1Ghz and MAX frequency 4.7Ghz. If this CPU is non overclock then whats meaning of low freq 1.1 and high freq 4.7. Please let me know sir.

[@movdqa]

10700 on a 490z with GTX 1050 Ti and 64 GB RAM. I wanted to run with maximum efficiency and lowest temps for my workload. Also running ESports Duo 34. This is for a trading workstation.

[@anonamous6968]

I was actually curious about the 9900T which runs at a super low 35 watts but could not find any out there. Went 9900 non k. Runs at 65 Watts. 9900k runs at 95 watts. K runs much hotter. Then if you overclock even hotter still. It is possible to overclock my locked chip with wattage boost option in bios of my setup. Had it up to 4.2ghz base clock and stepping up to 5ghz no problem. It was just for fun but didn't see a need to run it at that speed for any length of time. Not overclocked my cpu runs at 32-60c idle to full speed. With increased wattage, it went up to 90c at full load with my Noctura cooler going full tilt. Normally I can't hear the fans but with overclocking I could. 90c is still below max TDP but still, I want this to live for some years so I'm going to take care and not push it too much. It does everything I need without the overclocking and it does it cool and quiet. So that's my story. Locked cpus can be overclocked with the right motherboard if that's what you want. But they get very hot so you need a really good cooler. You may shorten their life so approach at your own risk.

[@theonlyk9918]

One question if u can’t over clock the non k the y does it go up to 4.8 ghz or is that something else I’m not that good with this but I’m thinking or getting the i7 10700

[@As5Hat]

It boosts automatically when it needs to. The K version you have to do it manually. Think of the non K as basically the exact same processor but it does it automatically for you :)

[@Barbarianbrotha]

I'm happy I went with the non K in my area51m. It still overclocked to 4.5 but runs cooler than K at 5.0. Rather go with longetivity especially inside a laptop with a 2080rtx that used run hot as heck before I underolted it and Alienware capped it at 78c. This will probably be my last laptop. I think game streaming off uber powered cloud servers is going to take over after 5 years anyways.

[@haroldfranklin3670]

It comes down to if your going to overclock or not. I used to overclock my cpu,ram,gpu,and vram as high as I could . Just upgraded my two 7970's water cooled with a single rtx2070 . I haven't overclocked it yet. I didn't bother adding it to my loop. It boosts itself and I get all the performance I need and more. Also overclocking an rtx gpu seems alot different then what I'm used to. So I'm a little hesitant. In the future if it starts to let me down I will try to oc it just to get some more life out of it. Curious as to how long until I find something the 2070 cant handle.

[@1rcproductions]

Thanks. You just helped me with a bit of buyers remorse. I just bought an i7 9700 non k version. I have never over-clocked and do not plan on doing so. I saved $115 CDN including tax. Cheers!

[@SARDiverDave]

Same. Bought an i7-9700f and was starting to feel stupid. Like having a 10" pecker and still feeling inadequate.

[@191desperado]

9700 running great here too. A lot cooler too.

[@jwoseph8178]

Man I just wanted to build myself a gaming PC, having played on console for years and years, so B360mobo and i5-9400f and stock air cooler with a 1660ti and I am a gaming fool. Could care less about how fast my chip is running, as long as the game looks good and plays good then it's all good.

[@HaydenLau.]

Couldn't* care less

[@fdiskformat5049]

I got my self by accident a 10900 non K . Can y put in the motherboard bios MCE remove all limits ? And will this help allot ? I do not worry about the temps with this one.

[@rwfrench66GenX]

I have a 10th Gen I-7 10700 and it runs at 65W. All of the K's I can upgrade to are 125W. The I-7's have a 16MB cache, the I-9's have a 20MB cache, most are only .4 GHz faster, although it doesn't say the FSB speed which I would imagine is the same since it's the same chipset so throughput speed wouldn't really change. I have a Dell 8940 with a 360W power supply and there doesn't seem to be a larger power supply I can install so even if I got the K CPU what kind of drain would I get since it uses 125W compared to the 65W for the non-K?

[@xboxguy727]

you don't get multi core turbo on non-k parts.

[@aeureus]

The key part that I've always been going for in PC components is powerful, but efficient; the best combination of both. That way, bills and potential for issues and replacement (longevity of parts for all reason under the sun) are low, but you still get some kick.

[@teeaymusik9811]

So the K versions have more power and also saving energy?

[@aeureus]

@@teeaymusik9811 not necessarily, I was referring to components in general. But putting that into perspective, the K version can use less than the non k, it simply depends on what you set in bios (but ONLY IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING). The only difference between them is the unlocked overclock capabilities of the K and the base settings of the core speeds. TLDR if you're going up and beyond with super liquid cooling shenanigans use K version, otherwise pick whichever is cheaper (though do bare in mind, k version doesn't come with stock cooler).

[@teeaymusik9811]

@@aeureus But the K has higher base core speed and you can undervolt it so doesn't it makes sense to go for it anyways?

[@aeureus]

@@teeaymusik9811 as I said, yes it has higher base settings, but that can be removed or dialed back. You can undervolt both. *The only difference is that on the K, you can set speeds higher, essential for overclockers.* So go for whichever is cheapest that suits you. If they're both same price and you don't care for overclock, go for non-K because that has a cooler.

[@heberdo4639]

So I bought a liquid cooler and a processor non k intel, is it good if I use the cooler instead of the one that comes with the processor?

[@blazer666del]

I overclock after a year or so of owning my K CPU to keep my older k series up with the latest CPUs... gets me a few more years out of my CPU before I upgrade

[@ReviewUtility]

I'am buying an i7 107000 processor and to choose a board i have three options:- 1. MSI Z490 A-Pro 2. MSI B460 Tomhawk 3. MSI B460 Mortar wifi with 1. Stock Intel cooler (comes in box) 2. Cooler Master hyper 212 (Air cooler) ... I'am an engineer and need this build for running CAD, small simulation and Mild Gaming with (1660 super) please respond as i will be making this purchase today. Thank You, Shantanu.

[@rapolegario4161]

go for z490 and rtx 2070 noctua nhd15 best air cooling

[@ReviewUtility]

@@rapolegario4161 thank you for the input. in terms of hyper threading 6 core 12 threads , 10 th gen seemed attractive to me from a future perspective- heard that games are being coded to utilise multi cores more (6 core 12 threads minimum), or am i just 🤯 overthinking? Thank you.

[@poolas8ball]

how about TDP? Is base K part equals to non-K? Specs only say max TDP which I assume includes overclocking. E.x. between 9700 and 9700k? I have ITX case with cpu AIO. currently running 9100F (bellow 60C), but thinking to switch to i7

[@kilner79]

got a 3930k 8 years ago still running 4.8 still works amazing runs everything i need but as ive had it so long i fancy a change so i will probably just waste my money for teh sake of it

[@eylon951]

Whats the difference between K, F and without k i dont understand ?

[@drakomus7409]

the new h570/b560 motherboards letting you overclock ram is a game changer, good high speed ram can give more FPS return then 200mhz on the cpu and you do not need to buy a 100 dollar cooler for the ram

[@stuartrobson5265]

Bought a intel i7 9700f board bundle...I'm building a music production studio so need to run the software ...no need to overclock so it's the perfect cpu for my needs...

[@osue69]

I suppose you could sorta file that under the it's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it philosophy.

[@dataorbit27]

Non k 9900 was $150 cheaper, I was also able to get a 2080 super for $400 cheaper than a ti. I won't overclock and I won't miss what I don't have.

[@srock9826]

Does it cross 65w limit tdp, while gaming about 4 hrs continuously at base clock?

[@northernpanda6953]

Running a I7-9700 non k and a stupid nvidia RTX 2060. Waiting for the RTX 3000 series to come out before doing anything but my question is would I have any gain going with a K processor as long as my screen card is off the top self?

[@roimores]

Very surprised that Gordon thinks exactly like me. Majority of people buy overclockable CPUs. Bought an i5 8400 brand new because: - It was around $60 cheaper than the K version (there is no i5 8400K, instead there was the i5 8600K), and it already includes a cooler "good" enough for it. So around $75 saved if bought the cheapest non-stock air cooler and around $100 if I bought the cheapest CPU water cooling back then. - It was my first PC build and I still don't have experience or deep knowledge about overclocking. - Right now I don't need any overclock. My CPU performance is more than I need. - I want a low maintenance PC, so I don't want water cooling by any reason. - I want a silent air cooled PC, so I don't want it to run at high RPMs. - Every power consumption I can cut, the better for future power-demanding upgrades (like GPUs) and electricity bill. - This build was designed to be upgraded to a faster CPU in around 5 to 7 years, being the i9 9900K compatible with my current motherboard and PSU. By then, I will choose again if I need the extra 5 to 10% performance of the overclock on the upgrade CPU, or it is better to buy the locked one and save money for other components or the next build with a brand new platform. I think that if I stick 7 years with the i5 and 5 more years with the i9 (total of 12 years), platforms and compatibilities will be in 2030 the real reason to build another PC and not that 5 or 10% less CPU performance.

[@keithstarnicky6993]

Got an i7-8700, running on a Z370 mobo with a Dark Rock 3 cooler. Saved about $60 by not getting the K part. Kicking myself every day for not getting the K part to the point of considering upgrading to a 9700K or even 9900K.

[@TheSchantz3]

Why get Z370 if you aren't overclocking? The H370 would probably have been enough.

[@keithstarnicky6993]

@@TheSchantz3 Wanted better VRM thermals for heavy video transcoding duties. That's also why the beefier CPU cooler than stock.

[@Titanboru]

I'm building my first PC in the New Year. Absolutely no interest in overclocking. I was planning on getting an i5 9500 but I can get an i5 9600K for the same price. I was getting an after market cooler anyway. Both have similar boost speeds (.2GHz difference). Is the K chip better value with a higher Base clock speed straight out of the box, or does the boost clock make that irrelevant? Or will the 65w vs 95w TDP make it costly in the long run? I'm getting an Aorus H370 gaming 3 wifi motherboard, great VRMs. I know the story of Z boards, overclocking etc.

[@thejaguar5901]

Im non k and not interested in overlocking bcoz i avoid heat stress on cpu but im confused now . I5 10600 vs i7 10700 the difference is not big which better to raise performance and gaming ?

Did you think for WORK. Video edition, After Effects and stuffs like that, the version of 10900K for 150 bucks more than the 10900, it will make so much difference if I DIDN'T overclock it? Or even go for a 10850K instead 10900 for 20 bucks more?

[@magnet-o]

I’m getting an i7-9700 and the clock speed is 3.0-4.7ghz so how am I meant to get it to 4.7ghz whilst not being able to overclock?

[@191desperado]

It does it automatically. Just make sure you have a decent cooler and when it needs to it will ramp up automatically. Mine stays at 4.6 while gaming.

[@magnet-o]

191desperado thanks

[@mohammadabdurroufhrithik5152]

Thank you!

[@bryanangelov]

It is fun to overclock an Intel CPU and I have 3 Intel CPUs with a K SKU. But the latest CPU I bought, is a non-K, I7-10700. It is $50/$60 cheaper, it is for my wife, who is not interested in overclocking, but I still have paired it with Z490 motherboard so she can have a higher speed RAM. I bought the motherboard, new, from a guy who bought a combo deal from Newegg and he cared only for the GPU. I paid for an Asus Z490-A Prime $150. The two things I do not like about the K SKU CPUs are (1) that some of them are really bad overclockers and (2) you need a good PSU and a CPU cooler if you really want to push it hard.

[@As5Hat]

I just got a 10900. The guys asked me when if bought it if I wanted to over lock and and I said 99% probably will never do that. The thing is programmed to respond to large workloads and boost itself. I’d rather save $ and power having a lower clock and have it just auto tune itself higher when it needs it. Otherwise I’d need to tell it when to boost and it’s stuck at the standard base clock with the K. That’s how I understand it anyway. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I saved money not buying a cooling fan, a high end motherboard, etc. And I’ll get basically the same results or better than someone getting a k processor and never ov clocking it. Lol

[@bambangkurniawan5634]

My initial response to your comment would be, "who the heck using intel fan with high end chip!?". But the right thing to do with tech is, as long as it served its intended purpose, we shouldn't throw more money at it. So if it satisfy you already, nothing is better.

[@DinoTrollerino]

You didn't get it completely right, I'll try to explain as simple as possible how it works. Intel cpus have a "base clock" which is basically only used for TDP calculations and doesn't really matter and a "boost clock" which is the intresting one. Now it gets a little more complex, the boost clock actually has different "levels" that change based on how many of the cores are under heavy load, for example if you are loading only 1 or 2 cores you get 5Ghz, if you load 4 you get 4.8 and so on (k cpus often have these steps 100-200Mhz higher than non-k ones so they sometimes offer very slightly better performance even when non overclocked) . Overclocking allows you to change the maximum boost values, so you can have, for example, a 5ghz boost even when loading all the cores, the only manual part is setting up the overclock in the bios and then it will behave just as a non overclocked part, but with an higher turbo (and increased power consumption) but you also need to do a lot of system stablity testing to ensure that the pc won't crash. Depending on the cpu you might be able to gain more or less performance but 9 and 10 series cpus (expecially i9s and i7s) are already very close to the limit and overclocking is worth it only if you are looking for every little bit of performance available, usually on older or lower level cpus you can gain more (on my i5 I went from 4.3Ghz single core to 4.9Ghz all core). So basically getting a K cpu in most cases doesn't really make sense unless you enjoy tinkering with settings to try to squeeze as much performance as you can from your components, it's a niche audience but it exists.

[@As5Hat]

@@DinoTrollerino Good explanation, although I'd like to mention that the "World Clock" or whatever it's called would be a good addition to that. Idk if i got the term right but I think there's always a core that is the primary that sort divides the work to the others. Also, I ended up returning it for a 3900XT lol. then I got an MAG X570, and a 2080ti Kingpin. Once the new cards are available I'd love to sell the Kingpin and get one. Although I really love the cooling on this GPU. It's 58C consistent at max load due to stock water-cooling built in.

[@DinoTrollerino]

@@As5Hat I'm guessing you are referring to the BCLK (often referred to as base clock)? BCLK is the base frequency from which some of the clocks are derived and it is fixed, meaning it will stay the same no matter what. In the past the BCLK affected everything cpu related but it doesn't work like this anymore. The formula is quite simply BCLK * multiplier, so if you have a 100Mhz BCLK and a x50 multiplier you have 5Ghz (since as I said before BCLK is fixed, all the stuff like turbo that dynamically changes clocks acts on the multiplier) Everything that uses BCLK as a base (like each core, cache and other parts of the cpu) has a different multiplier which can be modified if you have a K or unlocked CPU. Basically the K allows you to change the multiplier for easier overclocking, but it is also possible to overclock by tinkering with the BCLK, and this is possible even on non-K CPUs if you have a Z-series motherboard, so for example a 102Mhz BCLK will give you 5.1Ghz with a x50 multiplier (a few years ago some motherboards with non z chipsets came with frequency generators to allow BCLK overclocking, but Intel was not happy to say the least). While BCLK overclocking is quite a bit less effective than multiplier overclocking (mostly because it affects more stuff than only core clock introducing more possible stability issues) it can be viable in some occasions.

[@As5Hat]

@@DinoTrollerino uhhh nope, I know what the BCLK is, I used to program microcontrollers with machine language and C. There is something called a world thread that influences how the others behave. It's generally core 1 or 2 in the list.

[@spinkick9270]

I5 6500, Asus z170 e 2x4gb Ram, sapphire Rx 570 4gb and 40tb storage I'll be ok for a while. This me coming from 3rd gen and I can't tell the difference only in games if I run fraps I can tell, but I don't even turn on fraps anymore because I'm enjoying life.

[@Mooshimoca]

weird, i bought a k but it was only 5 euro more and was gonna get a water cooler so idm spending an extra 5 euro.

[@packman67ny]

Officially non-k user now because Ryzen 3000 :)

[@frankneugebauer6455]

at least we got one guy here with a valid reason. 👍

[@Gamevet]

But did you buy the X model? Hmmm?

[@tacticalcenter8658]

my xeon 1680v2, 3930k, 6600k will all go to a max around 4.8-5ghz. with chilled water cooling. these are all fairly budget cpu's with different core counts. the xeon fluctuates through the years from cheap to expensive and hard to find or scarce. but man is an 8core 4.6ghz overclock a great thing. still runs everything without any issues. in anycase, there is a lot of old stuff that can compete pretty good at running what you need to, efficiently when overclocked to a few more ghz than the stock speed.

[@Gamevet]

@@tacticalcenter8658 Is chilled water a practical everyday solution though?

[@kilner79]

untill rma then go back intel

[@SnowCrust]

k gives u more ram speed? i got 8700 and regret cuz it only supports max 2666

[@dieaking6475]

Thanks. So ill go with the i7 14700 NON K paired with 7800XT NITRO + 32GB RAM AT 3600mhz Motherboard : Msi b760 tomahawk ddr4 wiffi Screen: philips evnia philips 34m2c3500l/00 3440x1440 180hz 0.5mms fast va Case: NZXT Pubg limited case, and i almost dont even play this game anymore. But the case is huge and components stay cool.

[@pyro226]

I know back in the day, K parts (stock) used to be clocked 15% higher, which was enough to make a difference. At the high end, power limits come into play, though some motherboard manufacturers are paying games to run non-k parts out of spec. No say on when Intel might patch it if they haven't already.

[@aaronsisourath2144]

would a 2080 super and a i9-9900 or an i9-9700 be a good combo?

[@sendlocation8476]

I have a old NON-K cpu (i7-4790) and I really regretted it now. Wish I would of got the K series because right now I would be able to over lock it abit to get abit more performance. Though might have to upgrade soon.

[@TheForce_Productions]

But you'd got to make an additional invest for a liquid cooling, it's better to save that and buy a new processor/system.

[@thedalailmao]

1920x1080 @ 144 Hz: non-K 6C12T (CPU bottleneck doesn't matter as all mid-range/ high-end GPUs can push these frames) 2560x1440 @ 144 Hz: overclocked K 6C12T (CPU bottleneck is a problem since most mid-range/ high-end GPUs alone cannot push these frames; both CPU + GPU need to be working hard) 3440x1440 @ 100-144 Hz: non-K 6C12T CPU (CPU bottleneck doesn't matter as all GPUs will almost always be the bottleneck, including the 2080 Ti) 3840x2160 @ 100-144 Hz: non-K 6C12T CPU (CPU bottleneck doesn't matter as all GPUs will almost always be the bottleneck, including the 2080 Ti) Minimum 6C12T these days as the frame times and frame time pacing of the i5s are really bad (more noticeable dips and less smoother performance). Also, modern consoles will be multi-threaded. So, things heading in this direction as Gamers Nexus have clearly pointed out. Also, upgrading from 2133-2400 MHz RAM to 2666-3200 MHz RAM gives like 15 fps XD

[@mpirata]

I now bought a rtx 3070 with i7 9700 do you think I should switch to an i7 9700k? I don't want to overclock because I don't think it makes much difference?

[@CaptainScorpio24]

no yuh shudnt. get i9 9900 non k of possible

[@merry1694]

Thanks for the thorough explanation. May go with a non K chip as I'm doing a mini itx build - like a extreme SFF one. Temperatures would be a concern - overclocking would be highly difficult without exorbitant temps. It's cheaper as well!

[@daviniarobbins9298]

It also uses less watts. That is helpful with high electric unit rates right now.

[@chicoriver8606]

2 years ago I was playing Mad Max with a Xeon 1245 v1 combined with a 1060 6 GB and was fine. Know I have a 8700k sometimes over clock to 5ghz with a 2080 SC and yes I can see the difference between new and old hardware but sometimes it feels like the little hiccups was software and not hardware performance.

[@cgplayz-minecraft5826]

Do youbgiys recommend the i7 9700F proccessor

[@raymondhachmishvili2483]

go for it....mine is paired with 3080FE....pushes every bit of it.. great temps, power draw.. everything is smooth

[@PeterJaquesMusic]

great video! i've got a z390 mobo and am deciding between 9900 and 9900k, for audio engineering (no gaming). i won't overclock, but a) i might undervolt, for better thermals (and less noise), and b) i have ddr-3000 ram, which requires an XMP profile. my questions: * Are non-K cpus compatible with XMP ram profiles? * are they undervoltable? * is it possible to set the minimum frequency higher on the 9900, for "guaranteed" minimum performance? the lower tdp of the 9900 is attractive for thermal/noise reasons...

[@AntiLibdelusions]

I bought the 4.7GHz Intel Core i7-9700. It's only saying 3.0GHz at 8 threads. What does this mean and will it get up to 4.7 automatically or is there something i need to do manually in order to get that 4.7GHz performance? Sorry for the ignorant question. Hope someone can help. Thank you.

[@ahmedalmashhadani]

it will ramp up automatically when need it don't worry.

[@pixels_per_inch]

Check if turbo boost is enabled in BIOS

[@semprefedeli6729]

Do I need an I7 in k or F to run Da Vinci Resolve... Which one would you recommend buying to use that video editing programme? Thanks for answering me in advance!

[@raymondhachmishvili2483]

the k on K are same chip...the tdp is higher because of the base clock... they draw the same power

[@SuperDigitalMe]

does MCE work with non K cpu's?

[@05milmachine90]

I went 9900 non K in my Alienware A51M because I am not going to overclock a laptop that is already running at its thermal limits, and hey a desktop I9-9900 in a laptop is already pretty cool. That said, I also cant undervolt it to lower the temps either...

[@Gatsbi]

I got 9700k because I found used one for $252 which was cheaper than 9700 at $285. I gave up overclocking because non overclocking like-new condition used asus mobo is $80 cheaper at $48. So $300 for cpu and mobo combo is good deal in my opinion. And I hate electronics running hot.

[@vgiannakos]

I think the only occasion that the K counts was the i7 4790K. The performance out of the box is so much more without overclocking than the non K

[@mdrafique9295]

Give view on F part also --- please

[@leomiha3996]

Well if u have gpu in system then go for F. Same performance but bit cheaper. iGPU is when u dont have/need a gpu. It can also be used when gpu dies but thats not rlly often, ur doin wrong if u buy non f cpu cause "just in case", Especially when ur gamer cause iGPU is gonna be crap for u and u gonna buy another one soon.

[@spikpootarb7274]

my 3770 has been running for 8 yrs and no sign of dying. encoded a fair few movies with it. lookin to double my core count on with 10700 and has better latency (11 gen non k is worse than 3770!) but there is only a £20 dif between k and non k (unless non k drops again- it going up and down!)

[@woohan6430]

I bought the elutronics 9900 non k laptop. I see great performance and about 2000 USD less then and MSI.

[@DanielGarcia-sh4xj]

On the fence right now, i7 9700f or kf/k. Already have a tower cooler, tomahawk z390, 32gb ddr4, plenty of noc fans LOL. Does that 300mhz make any real life difference, using doing photoshop and some games and not upgrading my10bit 60gz monitor to 144 or higher, those 1k plus.

[@VENO5407]

Probably would've gone with a Kraken x52 and a z390-f gaming anyways because I like the way they look to be honest :) The 9700k was worth it to me.

[@FTWinnick]

the k version still has higher base clock speeds even when its not OC'd. I'd go with that, it's not much more.

[@onofriopiccolino5166]

Over clocking lowers the lifespan of your cpu big time. I overclocked a i7 4790k and it died after a year. Now I got a i7 10700f. He is 100% right I was one of those people that would feel bothered knowing someone was getting 100 or 200hz more. But after only a year my cpu died it woke me up and now I would rather put the extra money that over clocking cost into getting a better SSD or a better GPU

[@millena_123]

bought 10th non k for budget but i think its still recommended and im glad still can work out. all i need is a gpu xD

[@wolfshanze5980]

I buy non-K Intel parts... like my son's i7-3770, daughter's i7-4790 and my own i7-9700F... why do I buy non-K? Because keeping multiple cheaper non-K CPUs, paired with cheaper no-overlock supporting MBs, and the fact that "well, I don't overclock anyways"... I end up saving a good chunk of change for the next upgrade.

[@MaZEEZaM]

I always bought the k unit but don’t oc because I want to know it’s more likely to be stable.

[@kevinhaskins6619]

Non-K here. Overclocking is such a PIA for anyone who just wants to use the machine.

[@kutaybarcin8304]

Can I use my ram at 3600mhz with non K 9700? given with the right motherboard?

[@roimores]

Yes, you only need a motherboard that supports that speed. The i7 9700 ideal RAM is DDR4-2666 MHz. Above that you will experience higher CPU temperatures.