- Reaction score
- 1,701
The K-series Core i5 are usually the easiest recommendation from any new Intel generation. I'm less sure of the Core i5 14600K. On the one hand, this new chip is a couple of frames faster than the Core i5 13600K it replaces and remains extremely competitive versus AMD's mid-range. On the other, it's a touch more expensive than the 13600K and paying extra for near-enough the same thing doesn't feel great. Though that's mostly because the older chip is discounted on its way out the door.
Due to Intel's decision to stick with a largely unchanged Raptor Lake architecture for the 14th Gen—the same used throughout most of the 13th Gen— there are few differences between the Core 14600K and 13600K. That includes the launch price, which remains at $329.
After one year in the market, however, the 13600K is no longer selling at Intel's recommended customer price. I've found it for as little as $310. You might be thinking: what's $19? That's not a huge amount extra to pay for the newer thing. But when there's so little to gain by spending that money—which you could otherwise be saving towards a better GPU or faster RAM—I start to have my doubts.
www.pcgamer.com
Due to Intel's decision to stick with a largely unchanged Raptor Lake architecture for the 14th Gen—the same used throughout most of the 13th Gen— there are few differences between the Core 14600K and 13600K. That includes the launch price, which remains at $329.
After one year in the market, however, the 13600K is no longer selling at Intel's recommended customer price. I've found it for as little as $310. You might be thinking: what's $19? That's not a huge amount extra to pay for the newer thing. But when there's so little to gain by spending that money—which you could otherwise be saving towards a better GPU or faster RAM—I start to have my doubts.
Intel Core i5 14600K review
The best mid-range gaming CPU... returns with mildly higher clocks and price tag.
