Replacing I5-8600K @4.8Ghz with i9-9900K CPU swap only

[MDFlier 2,031]

I was just perusing some ads and I noticed I could snag an i9-9900K for $450 locally today.

I'm currently running an i5-8600K @4.8Ghz on a Gigabyte Z370 Gaming 7 MB with 16GB HyperX Fury DDR4-2666 PC4-21300 CL16 memory and an RTX2080Ti GPU. The 2080Ti was a $1K impulse purchase. The CPU would be an impulse purchase, too. I'm pretty happy with how my system runs P3D, but I've been throwing hardware at flight sims since the monochrome graphics days so it's a habit.

Gigabyte says the current version of BIOS supports the i9-9900K. I'm pretty sure I can get away with swapping the CPU only and not have MS deactivate Win 10. Later on, I'll upgrade the RAM to 32GB of something faster.

The $10,000 question is - would there be any performance benefits at all in P3D with just the CPU swap? I'd expect to OC the i9-9900K at either 4.7 or 4.8 Ghz. I'm not planning on trying for 5. If I could get another 5-10 FPS at KBOS at night in a snowstorm I'd be happy

 

Edited November 30, 2019 by MDFlier
removed redundant extra superfluous repetitive deletions

[asgnp 27]

You’ll see noticeable improvement in texture and scenery loading times. FPS improvements would be insignificant.

I had an opportunity to swap out my 8600k (5.0) to a 9700k (4.9), and the only changes i noticed was in texture and scenery load times. The reason I decided not to keep it was that my motherboard VRM (Asus Z370-A Prime) was reaching 80-90c.

Just make sure your motherboard can handle the 9900k, it’s very power hungry.

Edited November 30, 2019 by asgnp

[Bob Scott 7,720]

I'd take a look at the RAM you're using before you upgrade the CPU.  2666 MHz at CAS 16 is skunky-slow cull-bin stuff.  At 12ns true latency it's 20% slower than even your average consumer-grade DIMMs (e.g. 3000 MHz CAS 15, 3200 MHz CAS 16).  I'd want to feed that 16MB of dedicated cache on the 9900K with something a lot quicker.  Even on your present rig it's an undermatch for the overclocked 8600K and 2080Ti.

 

[CaptKornDog 282]

I agree, the RAM could use a facelift.

[MDFlier 2,031]

Ya know... I hadn't really given the memory any thought at all now that you mention it. I purchased that memory the day I got the motherboard and 8600K (Ironically, exactly 2 years ago yesterday) . The only reason that I bought that particular memory was that it was the only one Micro Center had in stock that was listed in Gigabyte's supported memory list for my MB. 

In about 1/2 hour, I'll be heading over to Micro Center. They have G.Skill Trident Z 16GB 2 x 8GB DDR4-3600 PC4-28800 CL15 on sale for $159. That's $87 off regular price. G Skill explicitly lists my MB in their QVL, but it appears that Gigabyte has not updated their QVL since the original version and this memory is not listed. Micro Center is great at returns, and is only 10 minutes away so I'll  take the chance that G Skill is not lying to me.

I don't expect to see any major performance gains, but the specs say there is a substantial difference between the two so we'll see. At the very least, it should bring more balance with the other components.

Then... We still need to answer the question as to whether or not the CPU upgrade makes sense.

Edited December 1, 2019 by MDFlier

[Bob Scott 7,720]

1 hour ago, MDFlier said:

Then... We still need to answer the question as to whether or not the CPU upgrade makes sense.

My primary sim rig is a water-cooled 8086K (top-binned 8600K) running at 5.3GHz.  I'm very happy with its performance running P3Dv4.

My portable sim rig has an air-cooled (Noctua NH-D15) 9900K at 5.0GHz on the same motherboard.  I'm also very happy with its performance.

I've toyed with the idea of replacing the 8086K with a 9900KS (top-binned 9900K), but to be honest, I'd consider that to be an extravagance.  And I'm still not convinced yet that eight cores at 5.0 beats six at 5.3 given how critical max throughput on the main thread is for P3D performance.  So never say never, but right now I'm holding pat with my 8086K.

The caution above is also important...you need a mobo with sufficiently robust power regulation to handle the 9900K.  Might be that a better cooling solution and a more aggressive overclock on the 8600K would put you at par with the 9900K in terms of clock speed and, by extension, frame rate--and without adding the power and heat load of two additional overclocked cores.

[MDFlier 2,031]

Gentlemen, thank you for zeroing in on this glaring deficiency in my system. I really should have known better, but I had no idea how much of a difference fast RAM actually makes. Now I do. Did I get a FPS increase? Maybe a few here and there, but no big increase. There is however, an obvious change in overall smoothness and responsiveness for the better. I use this system a lot so I am very used to how it feels. It's definitely running much better.

I've got the NGXu sitting at KMSP Gate F3 in the snow and fog right now.  It looks beautiful. Getting 30-50 FPS externally, and 29-35 internally. I can live with that for now.

[TurboKen 221]

There is a quick way to verify if you are interested. Simply go to your BIOS and change your ram back to 2666, then load the same saved airport at your current ram setting. I bet your new ram gave you 5 fps more.

I would take an 8-10% improvement for 100 bucks all day long.

Edited December 2, 2019 by TurboKen