4690k or 4790 for GTX 970

[DanR]

Hello. I'm building a gaming computer within these two weeks. This will also be my main rig. All the parts will be purchased locally - less of a hassle, I live in Beirut, Lebanon.

I have managed to round up these two machines at very similar prices. I can afford purchasing the more expensive option, I just need to know if it is worth it or not. I'd like to run my computer for at least 3 years without having to upgrade anything - though the longer the run, the better obviously.

Option 1:

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor ($344.30)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($53.00)
Motherboard: MSI H97 GAMING 3 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($150.00)
Memory: Kingston Fury White Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($99.00)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($76.60)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($450.00)
Case: Corsair 230T Windowed-BLUE ATX Mid Tower Case ($108.90)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($94.60)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($27.50)
Monitor: LG 22MP55HQ-P 60Hz 22.0" Monitor ($161.70)
Total: $1565.60

Option 2:

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($274.00)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($53.00)
Motherboard: MSI Z97S SLI Plus ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($137.50)
Memory: Kingston Fury White Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($99.00)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($76.60)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card ($450.00)
Case: Corsair 230T Windowed-BLUE ATX Mid Tower Case ($108.90)
Power Supply: Antec High Current Gamer 520W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($94.60)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($27.50)
Monitor: LG 22MP55HQ-P 60Hz 22.0" Monitor ($161.70)
Total: $1482.80

I am aware the prices are significantly higher than other parts of the world. Shipping components from abroad will cost me a fortune anyway.

I'd appreciate any input.

 

[jibberegg]

You won't see much of a difference with gaming, but if you use it for productivity then hyperthreading on the i7 might be nice. One thing you might want to consider though is a solid state drive. Will definitely make a big difference!

 

[DanR]

I can grab this for $74:

Kingston SSDNow V300 Series SV300S37A/120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

 

[mfenn]

Given the choice between an i7 + no SSD and and i5 + SSD, I'd take the i5 and SSD every time. You will be hard-pressed to notice a difference between the i5 and i7 outside of benchmarks, but you will notice the difference between HDD and SSD every single time you click on an icon in Windows.

 

[Aspendancer]

Option #2 with an SSD and overclock that CPU, that cooler should be great for overclocking, only thing better would be water-cooling.

 

[hkbazzi]

Hi DanR i also currently live in lebanon i want to u ask from where did u get those parts relatively here in lebanon theyre cheap please contact me on 76885955 thx

 

[Essence_of_War]

Kingston SSDNow V300 Series SV300S37A/120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

If possible, I would stay away from that SSD. Yes, it's very cheap, but Kingston pulled a bait-and-switch on the quality of the NAND used in it after it was reviewed, and didn't feel that it was necessary to change the product numbers.

Are any of: Crucial MX100, samsung 840 Evo, SanDisk Ultra Plus, available near you?

 

[Termie]

As between the non-overclockable 4790 and the overclockable 4690K, the 4690K is the definite winner for gaming (but not productivity). Most games respond to overclocking, very few respond to hyperthreading, and some perform worse with it. I have found that both BF4 and Unreal-based games deliver lower frame rates with hyperthreading enabled.

 

[StrangerGuy]

I vehemently disagree with a 4690K with a $150 mobo. You should be looking at a 4790K and a budget mobo for around the same price. I just don't get why the 4690K gets blindly recommended so often when the 4790K is already 4.2GHz stock.

 

[Essence_of_War]

I just don't get why the 4690K gets blindly recommended so often when the 4790K is already 4.2GHz stock.

No one is making blind recommendations.

The 4790k isn't in the decision mix, the OP said that they are choosing between two specific builds: one that includes a non-overclockable i7 (the 4790), and one that includes an overclockable i5 (4690k) AND an SSD.

Also, to be very clear, the i7-4790 is not the same chip as the i7-4790k. The stock difference between the 4690k and the 4790 is a 100MHz speed bump and 2 MB of L3 cache. And HT of course. With that in mind, asTermie has pointed out, most games respond well to OC'ing, but only a handful of games respond well to HT. Crysis 3 comes to mind, and that's basically it.

On top of that, as mfenn has already pointed out, the 4790 costs more and forces the OP to give up an SSD. I suppose that reasonable people can disagree on the merits of HT vs. an SSD, but I think anyone who's giving up the latter for the former is missing out.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Point is though, I dont know what the availability is in Lebanon, but if the 4790k is available, I dont see any reason to go with the 4790 non-k, since the k model is significantly faster even at stock.