Though Intel has lost some of its lustre in recent years, the company still has plenty of processors worth a look. In fact, opting for a 14th Gen Core processor like Core i5-14600K as part of your next build could be a smart play. The chip still holds its own against more-modern competition and is now more affordable than ever.
Intel Core i5-14600K
“14th Gen Intel Core i5 processors are optimised for enthusiast gamers and creators and help deliver high performance.” – Intel
On Amazon US, you can pick up Core i5-14600K with an 8% ($16.99) discount making it just $208, the lowest price the processor has ever been on the storefront. On the other side of the pond, Amazon UK are offering the CPU complete with an 11% (£24) saving, taking its price down to £203.97. While this isn’t the cheapest the chip’s been, it’s only a few quid off.
In terms of specification, Core i5-14600K arrives with 14 cores, made up of six performance cores and eight efficient cores, and 20 threads under its belt. In these respects and many others it’s identical to its forebear, Core i5-13600K, but boasts slightly turbo clocks. While this doesn’t create a large generational gap between the two, the 14th Gen SKU remains the superior part and is readily available to buy.
Pitting Core i5-14600K vs. Ryzen 5 9600X, its most-contemporary competition, the Intel processor surprisingly emerges the better value buy. Shockingly, it’s the more efficient processor too. These coveted accolades come with the caveat of higher temperatures and power consumption. However, both are manageable if you’re aiming to prioritise performance above all.
You’ll need to pair Core i5-14600K with an aftermarket cooler but don’t forget whatever you’re using at the moment may be compatible via a bracket swap. If not, there are plenty of models out there readily able to tame the processor. Check out Damien’s be quiet! Pure Rock Pro 3 review if you’re after an inexpensive recommendation.
Likewise, you’ll be able to reuse your DDR4 RAM on some motherboards. However, I’d recommend grabbing some DDR5 sticks to properly unlock all the performance Core i5-14600K has to offer. Thankfully, picking up an LGA1700 board that supports either memory standard is simple and mightily affordable, as the CPU is compatible with Z790 models out the gate and Z690 options via BIOS update.
Follow Club386 on Google News for more deals on processors and more, as the team are always hunting for discounts on all things tech. You’ll also know as soon as review coverage and more from us arrives, piping hot.
