Intel 9700K 8-core Unlocked for $199 @ Microcenter

[swilli89]

Intel Core i7-9700K Coffee Lake 3.6GHz Eight-Core LGA 1151 Boxed Processor - Heatsink Not Included - Micro Center

Get it now! Equipped with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, your computer will have the power and responsiveness to help your productivity soar.

www.microcenter.com

Seems like a SCREAMING deal. This is more or less 10700k performance for $200.

Looking at benchmarks, its neck and neck with the Ryzen 5600 in gaming benchmarks, and the 5600 is both 50% more expensive and unavailable for the time being.

 

[loafbred]

I'm tempted to buy one to sell later, when they're scarce. If not for the prices of Intel motherboards, I'd like to use it myself.

 

[Motostu]

I hope we get a Microcenter around here someday. Nice deal.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Can't go wrong at that price. But for potential buyers that may not be aware, there are factors to consider before purchase -

1. 8c/8t and frame pacing issues in the most CPU intensive titles in the next year or 2 are inevitable IMO.
2. Dead platform
3. I don't know which sites have this CPU neck and neck with a 5600x, but Gamer's Nexus results for 5600x are better than a 9700k stock or @5.2GHz would turn in. Because in some games it is faster than a 10900k@5.2GHz.

1. Still a good deal. Great deal, if you have a decent Z390 and a slower CPU. Swap CPUs, and sell the old one.

 

[gibster]

Surprised they made these with only 8T, my 6700K has that many from 4C...

 

[VirtualLarry]

Nice deal. (But I would say something about obsolete tech., but that would be thread-crapping. But for that price, last-gen is A-OK in my book.)

 

[UsandThem]

Nice deal. (But I would say something about obsolete tech., but that would be thread-crapping. But for that price, last-gen is A-OK in my book.)

It's not the "latest and greatest" sure, and there are all the security patches / issues, but at $200, you still get a lot of CPU for that amount.

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/amd-ryzen-7-5800x/22.html

 

[undertaker101]

Keep in mind the dead platform.

 

[jiffer]

Keep in mind the dead platform.

You can say that about a lot of tech. But keep in mind, it will still work as well five or ten years from now as the day it was released. (In other words, the performance hasn't changed.) Old tech has a lot of life left in it, especially if it's only one generation removed from the latest generation.

Or go ahead and pay premium prices for the latest and greatest. It will be "dead" in a couple of years, too.

Disclaimer: I'm still using Ivy Bridge CPUs. I don't need a top of the line gaming computer. I'm upgrading to a four core/eight thread Core i3-10100 @ $100 as we speak. I'm sure I'd be blown away by the performance of this $200 CPU.

 

[undertaker101]

You can say that about a lot of tech. But keep in mind, it will still work as well five or ten years from now as the day it was released. (In other words, the performance hasn't changed.) Old tech has a lot of life left in it, especially if it's only one generation removed from the latest generation.

Or go ahead and pay premium prices for the latest and greatest. It will be "dead" in a couple of years, too.

Disclaimer: I'm still using Ivy Bridge CPUs. I don't need a top of the line gaming computer. I'm upgrading to a four core/eight thread Core i3-10100 @ $100 as we speak. I'm sure I'd be blown away by the performance of this $200 CPU.

True I still use a 5960x..but you are better served by a 3600 with x570, way more futureproof for similar money. Drop in a 5900x for 300 a couple years from now..

 

[jiffer]

True I still use a 5960x..but you are better served by a 3600 with x570, way more futureproof for similar money. Drop in a 5900x for 300 a couple years from now..

I've never spent more than $150 for a video card or a CPU. I picked up an open box GeForce GTX 1650 at MicroCenter this morning when I bought the aforementioned Core i3-10100. I looked at this thread because I was curious about what I missed while I was there. If you want an Intel platform, this is a pretty good deal. If you're open to getting an AMD platform instead, then yeah, I'd look at the Ryzens, too. It's all about perspective. I appreciate hearing your perspective.

I started with a Ryzen 3 3100 and an AsRock B450M Pro4, but I was thinking about upgrading to an Asrock B550M Pro4. When I looked at its Intel equivalent, the Asrock H470M Pro4, I decided to go with the Intel platform instead. I just think it's a better motherboard overall. You probably see them both as budget motherboards.

 

[blckgrffn]

I’ve got a thread over in the CPU subforum about this, but I have to say even setting low power limits I am pretty darn impressed.

BL3 being the title I care about as my most needy game I play, my daughters B360/i7 9700k/Hyper 212/16 GB 2666 DDR4/WD Black 500 GB NVME/GTX 970 setup launches fast, loads fast, and even on a 2560*1600 display has really smooth frame rates with medium settings and 75% resolution scaling. The smoothness difference coming from the i3 8100 is crazy.

Tabbing out with a 100W long turbo it seems to be running 4.6 ghz no sweat.

I suddenly have a lot more respect for the platform. I “knew” it was fast but man. Yeah.

Bases on the availability of Zen 3 and trying to do my dads build right now that 9900k @ $300 is looking mighty tempting. That would certainly calm the worries about frame pacing and the like in the future for him. Then I am like it’s only $50 more for a 10700k and a platform that will at least get a refresh and I have to check myself, what am I thinking?!? It’s the 9700k at $200 that’s amazing.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I started with a Ryzen 3 3100 and an AsRock B450M Pro4, but I was thinking about upgrading to an Asrock B550M Pro4.

I'm doing a white-themed / RGB build with those.

 

[VirtualLarry]

i5-9600k (6C/6T) and B365 mATX TUF mobo combo $224.99 AP @ Newegg, just posted a deal thread for that one too (and ordered one).

 

[Dug]

If anyone is willing to purchase and sell, please let me know.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Yeah Intel's 9th gen was really weird with how they removed SMT from most of the consumer parts, so a prior gen 8700 actually had more threads than the 9700 (despite having fewer physical cores).

Anyhow, killer deal, but I've been looking forward to building an AMD system for the first time since the Athlon 64 days so I'll hold out for a 5xxx series deal.

 

[blckgrffn]

And now I am tempted to buy one Tsk my wife will kill me

I have bought 2 9700k and one 9900k so far - the i9 for a good friend too many hundreds of miles away to get their himself. I mean, the juice you get out of these CPUs at these prices is really solid.

Arguably faster than the current new consoles and so should age OK.

 

[Golgatha]

Even thought it's a dead platform, I was pretty happy to get an i9 9900k for $300 recently. It's the fastest CPU in the house at the moment.