i3 8350k or i5 8400 for budget gaming build

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tanner775

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Ok so I am having difficulty making this decision.

http://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i3-8350K-vs-Intel-Core-i5-8400/3935vs3939

But I've seen arguments that the 8400 has better value because you can buy a cheap mobo (when it comes out) and maintain the same performance as the 8350k (at stock) with less power consumption which means less heat so you don't have to buy an aftermarket CPU cooler. However, that worries me because I like having the option to OC and I know that in the future I would like to buy a i5 8600k or i7 8700k with a gtx 1080 when I make the leap from 1080p to 1440p gaming. I cant do that with a B series mobo, I need to have a Z370, right? Or can I have a i5 8400 and use a z370 mobo? In addition, I think with the i3 8350k I wouldnt even need to upgrade to a i5 8600k or i7 8700k if I can reach 5Ghz OC-ing. All I would need to do is purchase the right cooling gear and a better GPU right?

Idk, I'm just confused about the cost vs future-proof scenario.
 
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Depends on the game. Some are primarily single threaded, so clock speed is king. Some are more heavily threaded, so they'll benefit from more cores.

I mean, every game will benefit from higher clock speeds, but the i5 has 50% more cores for those games that can take advantage of them. You won't be able to make up for that with clockspeed with the i3 (again, in games that can take advantage of them). By and large new games are slowly becoming more heavily threaded.

If you look here, you can see that an i5 8400 and a mildly overclocked i3 8350k get about the same average FPS. https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Core_i3_8350K/18.html
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TJ Hooker

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Yes, you need a Z series mobo to overclock. And using an 8400 with a Z370 board will work just fine (but you won't be able to overclock).

FYI, resolution has no impact on CPU usage so moving from 1080p to 1440p doesn't mean you'll need to upgrade your CPU.
 
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tanner775

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What about the fps increase? Also, are you saying that I wouldnt have to replace either of them once I make that leap into 1440p 80-90fps gaming?

If I don't have to replace either than it would make sense to go with the 8350k right? since I'm a gamer and I like to OC?
 
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TJ Hooker

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If you want to game at a higher FPS at 1440p than you were at 1080p, then yes, that would require more CPU horsepower (assuming your GPU is up to snuff).

Basically, if a CPU is capable of 80-90 fps at 1080p, it's capable of 80-90 fps at 1440p. I don't know if an 8400 is capable of 80-90 fps in every game though.
 
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tanner775

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Sorry to keep pestering you but what does more CPU "horsepower" mean? More cores or more clock speed or combo of both? See this the underlying question I keep trying to ask but I cant figure out because as I understand it, more cores = more IPC which is essentially better multitasking ability for people who do things like video editing (which is something I dont do). More Clock speed is for gamers like myself who just want to increase their fps & resolution performance @ max settings. I am in no way trying to argue, I'm just trying to understand because I'm new at all of this so I appreciate your help.
 
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TJ Hooker

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Depends on the game. Some are primarily single threaded, so clock speed is king. Some are more heavily threaded, so they'll benefit from more cores.

I mean, every game will benefit from higher clock speeds, but the i5 has 50% more cores for those games that can take advantage of them. You won't be able to make up for that with clockspeed with the i3 (again, in games that can take advantage of them). By and large new games are slowly becoming more heavily threaded.

If you look here, you can see that an i5 8400 and a mildly overclocked i3 8350k get about the same average FPS. https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Core_i3_8350K/18.html
 
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tanner775

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This was very helpful, appreciate your time.
 
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jonne1992

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Depends on the game. Some are primarily single threaded, so clock speed is king. Some are more heavily threaded, so they'll benefit from more cores.

I mean, every game will benefit from higher clock speeds, but the i5 has 50% more cores for those games that can take advantage of them. You won't be able to make up for that with clockspeed with the i3 (again, in games that can take advantage of them). By and large new games are slowly becoming more heavily threaded.

If you look here, you can see that an i5 8400 and a mildly overclocked i3 8350k get about the same average FPS. https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Core_i3_8350K...
Click to expand...

How i5 has more cores? both 4 cores, 4 threads..
 
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