Is it necessary to wait for the 15th generation Core processors and the 50 series graphics cards?

I’ve seen this situation before. Many people tend to get busy with other things over time and forget about their short-term pursuits. So, to the questioner, I just want to say that if you can stick to this desire until the second half of 2024, then reconsider building your PC.

As for the issue of new versus old platforms, the so-called 15th generation Core should be the Arrow Lake series released at the end of next year, which has actually been renamed the Ultra series. After the i5, it will be U5, and after the i7, it will be U7.

ARL is indeed a long-awaited new architecture, where both the big and small cores are incremental updates from one generation later, and the IPC will see a significant increase. The leaks about the frequency predictions are also accurate. It will be manufactured using TSMC’s N3B process, and while there will be some decrease in frequency, it won’t be too much. Otherwise, it would be a step back in single-core performance, making the ARL unnecessary.

As for whether to go directly for the 136KF/146KF next year on June 18th or wait for this ARL’s U5K, I can’t really make a judgment right now.

ARL’s U5K will definitely be stronger, but the price to pay is a newer motherboard, as ARL has changed the socket again. The current Z690/Z790 motherboards won’t fit ARL.

The i5 136KF/146KF, by comparison, is a generation behind in architecture, and the power consumption will be a bit higher than ARL’s U5K. The advantage is that motherboard prices will be more attractive. By next year’s June 18th, the price difference between 146KF and 136KF should be minimal, and at that point, it’s a no-brainer to go for the 146KF. Just looking at the 146KF as a CPU, it’s quite powerful and should comfortably meet the needs of most people for over five years, easily handling even a 4090, not to mention if you’re considering an RTX50, you may not even go for the flagship model.

So whether it’s the 146KF or ARL’s U5K, I personally suggest you make a decision next June 18th, as my opinion might change by then.

As for the laughable ARL-S iGPU transition, even if I tell you it’s 48EU, what of it? A mere 48EU, just on par with a light gaming card. Its transitional uses can also be met by the iGPU of the current 136K/146K. Desktop CPU iGPUs aren’t made very strong because they need to control the area, otherwise, it would impact the stacking of CPU cores.

As for the RTX50 series graphics cards, it’s really hard to say. There was a roadmap marked with NV’s watermark saying RTX50 wouldn’t come until 2025.

If it’s really not coming out until 2025, then you can only buy the RTX40 next June 18th, but by then the product line will be richer, with RTX4070Super, RTX4070Ti Super, and RTX4080Super.

The first two cards will see a significant performance improvement, but the improvement in the 4080Super is expected to be about the same as the 2080Super back in the day.

The RTX50 series is rumored to be manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm process and switch to the BlackWell architecture, which could mean a very significant improvement.

But after experiencing the RTX40 series, we’ve learned a lesson

The provided paragraphs are written in Chinese.

Title: Considerations for Gaming PC Components

As a gamer, it seems reasonable to focus on the graphics card, and there may not be a need for a high-end CPU.

In the current DIY computer community, the graphics card holds significant importance, especially in gaming consoles. Having a powerful graphics card is crucial, and other components only need to meet the minimum requirements. To put it bluntly, a gaming PC is essentially a combination of “graphics card + graphics card enclosure.”

When it comes to CPUs, whether it’s an i5 or i9 (or r5 or r9 in AMD’s Ryzen series), the performance difference is minimal in AAA games. In other words, if you were to secretly replace my i9-14900K with an i5-13600K in my computer, I wouldn’t notice any difference in gaming performance, especially at higher resolutions. Since the goal is to achieve the performance of an RTX 4070 and use a 4K display, the impact of the CPU becomes even smaller. In essence, the past two or three generations of i5 and i9 CPUs perform quite similarly.

In some popular online games, lowering graphics settings and reducing the resolution to 720P may shift the bottleneck from the graphics card to the CPU, increasing the CPU’s impact on frame rates. However, such game settings are not practical because these online games typically already achieve much higher frame rates than the refresh rate of most monitors. Most players wouldn’t lower the resolution to play games. Such game settings are commonly used in CPU benchmarks but not by regular gamers.

As for whether to wait for the RTX 50 series, the goal is to have a graphics card at least on par with the RTX 4070. I believe the RTX 50 series might be equivalent to something like the RTX 5060 TI. However, the RTX 4060 TI was just released in May this year, and based on the usual release cycles, the RTX 5060 TI might not be available until 2025. Waiting that long might not be practical. Perhaps it’s better to keep an eye on the upcoming Super series in the next month.

• GeForce RTX 4070 Super – January 17, 2024;
• GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super – January 24, 2024;
• GeForce RTX 4080 Super – January 31, 2024.

Title: Considerations for Upgrading Your Computer Configuration

Whether it’s necessary to wait largely depends on your current setup.

For my own current configuration, I can run all the games I play at 4K resolution, except for Cyberpunk 2077. Even with Cyberpunk 2077, it’s playable with DLSS/FSR enabled. Therefore, I don’t feel a pressing need to upgrade, and I can continue to wait for future releases. Not to mention the 15th generation or even the 16th generation paired with the 50 series, it’s not impossible to wait.

But what about your current setup? Can you afford to wait?

A 14th generation CPU paired with a 40 series graphics card, can it still handle games? Certainly, it can. While it may not offer the same value for money as the future 50 series, it’s worth noting that most computer components depreciate over time. There’s no need to overly fixate on this aspect. The real question is whether you need to buy a new system right away to meet your current gaming needs.

Electronic products improve with each generation, and each new release will inevitably make your current setup seem outdated. The timing of your purchase ultimately depends on whether your current setup is sufficient for your needs. If it’s not, then it might be necessary to make a purchase now and wait for the next upgrade cycle. If it is sufficient, then you can afford to wait a bit longer and exercise patience.

Title: Considerations for Computer Upgrades and Hardware Choices

Your idealized state of readiness largely depends on your current situation. My suggestion is to consider building your computer system in the latter half of 2024.

It’s akin to someone waiting for their New Year’s monetary gift (hongbao) and planning how to spend it before actually receiving it. However, unforeseen changes can disrupt your plans. It’s best to wait until you have the budget available before seriously considering the build. For now, focus on saving up for your computer budget.

As for building a DIY desktop computer, as long as it fits within your budget, there’s no need to obsess over minor details like clock speeds or the generation of a graphics card’s VRAM. Regarding the 15th generation and the potential improvement in integrated graphics, it may not have much relevance to gaming, especially when you are using a dedicated graphics card. Integrated graphics are generally not very useful for gaming unless you have productivity needs.

Now, let’s address your four potential configurations:

1. If you consider the 13600KF, the price won’t vary significantly in the short term. By the time of the 2024 618 shopping festival, prices may drop further. The motherboard prices for this CPU are generally reasonable. As for the graphics card, you might consider the RTX 4070 Ti. By June 2024, the RTX 4070 Ti may no longer be in production, so you could also explore the newly released RTX 4070 Super or discounted RTX 4070 Ti.

2. The initial prices of AMD processors can be high, but they often come with promotions like CPU-motherboard bundles later on. If you’re not very familiar with AMD, it might be advisable to stick with Intel. The Ryzen 8000 series CPUs with GPU cores are generally less suitable for those using dedicated graphics cards because they have half the L3 cache, resulting in a loss of performance.

3. By the 2024 Double Eleven shopping festival, you might find good deals on the i5-14600KF or i7-14700KF paired with entry-level Z790 motherboards. Currently, the i5-13600KF with a mid-range B760M motherboard offers the best value for money. With a budget of around 10,000 yuan, you could build a system with the i5-13600KF, a mid-range B760M motherboard, and an RTX 4070 Ti.

4. When it comes to purchasing other hardware components in 2025, theoretically, prices should be at their lowest. However, as seen with solid-state drives in the latter half of this year, prices can keep rising, even for high-value options like 2TB SSDs, which have seen nearly a one-third price increase.

Your expectations might be overly idealistic. My personal advice is, if you’re ready, go ahead and make the purchase. The sooner you buy, the sooner you can enjoy your new system. Delaying your purchase might result in discounts, but there’s no guarantee.

Regarding the potential upgrades in the RTX 50 series, such as GDDR7 VRAM, DP2.1 ports, and 3nm manufacturing technology, they might not significantly impact your gaming experience. For instance, the current RTX 3060 Ti G6X is still popular and can compete with the RTX 4060 Ti.

Although the “waiting gang” will never lose, is it a bit too early to call for the 15th generation Core i and 50 series graphics cards?

The release time and performance of the 15th generation Core i are uncertain

Due to the delay caused by Intel’s 4nm process and the Meteor Lake architecture, Intel had to introduce the exclusive “+++” process for the 14th generation Core i desktop, based on the “Raptor Lake-S Refresh” architecture… Just from the name, it’s based on the 13th generation Core i desktop, which is the improved version derived from Raptor Lake-S, with some fixes and slight frequency boosts.

While on the mobile front, despite the Intel 4nm process and the Meteor Lake architecture for Core i Ultra, although IPC performance has improved, single-core performance seems to take a step back compared to the previous generation…

So, can this Arrow Lake really be released on time?

It’s worth noting that Arrow Lake is not just about TSMC N3B process; in some rumors, Arrow Lake-S is said to use Intel 20A process for the compute module, TSMC N3B process for the GPU module, while the SOC module and I/O module will continue to use TSMC N6 process.

Even if it’s all TSMC N3B, considering the performance of Apple’s M series, especially the M3, it’s unlikely that the desktop Arrow Lake-S can achieve the same frequencies as the 13th/14th generations. So, if IPC doesn’t see a significant leap, will single-core performance regress?

The release date for the 50 series is uncertain, and there may not be a 50 series graphics card within your budget in the 2025 618 shopping festival

Since Nvidia has already confirmed the early 2024 release of the 40 series 70/80 Super graphics cards, the release date for the 50 series graphics cards is likely to be at the 2025 Taipei Computer Show, COMPUTEX. This event typically takes place at the end of May to early June. This means that, by the 2025 618 shopping festival, the new graphics cards may not have hit the market, and even if they have, it might only be flagship models like the 5090, with no other non-consumer-grade graphics cards available.

For the 70-level graphics card that the original poster is targeting, the 40 series was released in June 2022, and the 4070 is expected to be available in April 2023, spanning over half a year.

Therefore, for those in need of a high-performance gaming desktop, the following options may be more suitable:

(1) In 2024 618, when the prices are right, build a system directly with a 13th/14th gen i7-14600K or a similar tier AMD processor plus an RTX 4070 Super graphics card.

(2) In 2024, purchase a new lightweight laptop and use a gaming console for a year (especially since “Black Myth: Wukong” will be available on PS5/XSX), and consider a gaming PC with a 16th gen Core i and an RTX 5070 graphics card in the 2026 618 shopping festival.

15th Gen Core" should be Intel’s Arrow Lake S, expected to be released by the end of 2024. However, its performance remains uncertain. Arrow Lake S is expected to utilize TSMC’s N3B process, with a potential decrease in single-core frequencies. Additionally, it employs a glue-like design similar to Meteor Lake, which might affect single-core performance negatively. The actual performance remains uncertain, so it’s advisable to consider going for Raptor Lake, as selling off your current platform won’t lead to losses.

Considering Meteor Lake, chiplets currently incur a 5%-8% reduction in single-core performance. With the N3B process aiming for around 5.6 GHz and an additional 7% reduction, the overall performance improvement might not be significant.

Regarding Nvidia graphics cards, they might release the 5000 series around the time of Arrow Lake. Given Nvidia’s pricing tendencies, unless you have a substantial budget, the cost-effectiveness is unlikely to change much. Waiting may not be worthwhile.

In recent years, one of the most terrifying yet frustrating behaviors is being a “wait and see” party!

Of course, when I mention “wait and see” party, I’m not talking about people waiting to watch a show or waiting to buy mining cards. I’m referring to consumers who genuinely need and are willing to purchase PC hardware through legitimate channels but want to get it a bit cheaper or want to buy the next-generation product with stronger performance for the same money.

For this type of consumers, I can offer two best pieces of advice:

1. Be patient and wait until the next-generation products are available before deciding which generation to purchase. Before that, it’s best not to do anything at all, and don’t even look at various performance prediction information online. The more you read such information, the easier it is to get confused.

2. Based on your budget, choose the product that offers the best value for your needs right now.

…

When RTX 20 series graphics cards were released, waiting for RTX 30 series became the attitude of many. By the end of 2023, RTX 20 series graphics cards had become nearly worthless due to mining.

When RTX 30 series graphics cards were released, waiting for RTX 40 series became a common sentiment. By the end of 2023, RTX 30 series graphics cards had also become largely obsolete due to mining.

When RTX 40 series graphics cards were released, waiting for RTX 50 series became the unwavering goal of many.

When RTX 50 series graphics cards are released, well, I’m sorry to say, but it’s still uncertain when RTX 50 series will hit the market. Given the current situation, RTX 50 series is likely to be delayed until 2025…

And to make it more awkward, RTX 4090 has been banned for sale!

Suppose Nvidia can’t export more RTX 4090 chips to the Chinese market by February 2024. In that case, the remaining RTX 4090 inventory in the Chinese market by the end of January 2024 will be exhausted, and at that time, you won’t be able to buy RTX 4090 anymore (unless you can accept the kind of RTX 4090 imported from abroad, which is basically a product that can’t be returned if it has problems).

After the ban on RTX 4090, Nvidia has specially introduced a model called RTX 4090D . This RTX 4090D is a special version of RTX 4090 tailored for the Chinese market. Its performance is definitely not as good as the previous RTX 4090, and the specific performance reduction and which hardware components are cut are not yet known.

However, according to various insider sources, the first batch of RTX 4090D is likely to land in the Chinese market in late December 2023 or early January 2024. The initial price of RTX 4090D is expected to be around 13,000 yuan.

Holding out for RTX 4070 while thinking about RTX 5070 is clearly not realistic!

It can be foreseen that the main theme next year will still be RTX 40 series graphics cards. RTX 5070?

RTX 4080 SUPER hasn’t even been released yet, so how can RTX 5070 be released so easily?

If you want to wait for a graphics card of the RTX 5070 caliber, it’s at least a matter for the end of 2024. You might even have to wait until 2025 to see RTX 5070…

So, why wait? You don’t need to wait at all. Don’t even think about it.

Therefore, in the realm of standalone graphics cards, there really aren’t too many twists and turns. The only thing to watch out for is how much cheaper RTX 4070 will be in the “618” and “Double Eleven” sales events in 2024.

Finally, one more point that I don’t quite understand: why does the author want to buy a laptop with integrated graphics?

Why?

What’s the reason for that?

Instead of buying a laptop with integrated graphics, it’s better to scavenge for some used hardware and build a desktop computer!!!

I didn’t expect this question to keep appearing before me. Does it mean I’m one of those “wait and see” folks? I can’t figure it out. Big data is impressive.

Forget it, it’s a headache. There won’t be a big improvement, and even a small one depends on their mood.

The 15th generation Core, the 50 series discrete graphics card, all these things will happen at the end of 2024. Do we really need to wait until 2025?

For the “wait and see” folks, they definitely won’t be buying high-end configurations, otherwise, they wouldn’t be so indecisive.

The 14th generation Core showed zero performance improvement, mainly just a name change. As for graphics cards, the RTX 40 series, especially the RTX 4060Ti, compared to the previous generation, offers less than a 20% performance improvement. It seems like they’re trying to make up for it with toothpaste.

Regarding the 15th generation Core, there are various insider rumors now, and Intel’s official announcements have also outlined their plans for the next few years. But sometimes, it’s not about what’s advertised but about the actual effect. The 14th generation Core H45 focused on the ultra series, improved integrated graphics performance, but didn’t significantly enhance CPU performance. How do you see this?

As for gaming laptops using the HX series, they’re basically unchanged.

The 15th generation Core mentions the Arrow Lake architecture. H45 might package the CPU and memory together for a 10% performance boost. If it turns out this way, that would be quite something, considering a 10% boost is a lot in the world of tech.

The sales pace of the RTX 50 series is already picking up

I’ll have TSMC’s 3nm lithography process, and TSMC happily tells everyone that Nvidia is going up a notch in lithography technology.

In addition, the memory bandwidth will increase.

And, the PCIe level will go up to 5.0, with stronger data throughput.

But all these upgrades can’t withstand Nvidia’s swift move to cut your CUDA core count in half. Hey, just right, a 15% performance boost, and a 15% price increase.

So, it’s all unknown. The RTX 50 series should be released around the end of 2024, with widespread availability expected in 2025.

In other words, the complete 15th generation Core plus RTX 50 series is a 2025 thing, with about a year left. What should we do during this time? Play games? Life is only about a hundred years, is it worth it for these minor upgrades?

Moore’s Law is already practically dead. Moreover, the old man who created this theory has already passed away. Increasing the process is more about increasing costs. Intel even uses different process technologies for different modules in SOC chips to reduce costs and increase efficiency. So, the semiconductor development pace, which used to be fast, has finally slowed down.

That’s about it. Let’s call it a day and go to bed.

If you want to play games, go ahead and build your setup.

In just a few years, you’ll realize that the time in life for gaming becomes shorter.

Moreover, there’s no need to buy true flagship models or the latest and greatest components; their cost-effectiveness is too low.

A budget of 10,000, hardware configuration, the timing of building a PC, and even four potential scenarios for up to a year and a half ahead, except for the unknown release dates and actual performance of new CPUs and GPUs…

The original poster is likely not a novice and has a clear understanding of their needs!

So when ordinary users talk casually about the 50-series graphics cards or the 15th-gen Core CPUs, you can make jokes and play around, but this individual is genuinely trying to make the most out of every penny, and I won’t mock them for it.

However, if I were the original poster, I wouldn’t consider waiting for these two major hardware releases a good plan.

Considering your gaming needs and a budget of 10,000 yuan, which includes a 27-inch or larger 4K monitor costing around 1,500-1,600 yuan, a keyboard and mouse combo with good cost-performance for 200-300 yuan, and a reasonable budget of around 8,000 yuan for the PC itself, at most 8,500 yuan.

Take it easy. Typically, with a budget of 8,500 yuan for the PC, half of it often goes to the graphics card. According to your expected choice of the RTX 4070, which is currently priced around 4,200-4,300 yuan and may or may not see a price drop next year, let’s calculate based on 4,000 yuan for now. Then, consider the CPU. A purchase cost of around 2,000 yuan for the CPU and a corresponding motherboard is reasonable. If you choose the i5-13600KF, which has a decent motherboard price, you can now budget for memory and storage. Assuming you pick up these components at a good price, even the highly anticipated 15th-gen Core CPUs and RTX 50-series graphics cards won’t guarantee a better deal. Given the uncertainty of the market, who can say for sure whether waiting for them for half a year to a year and a half will be worth it? During this time, gaming on your existing setup can still be enjoyable. A system with an i5-13600KF and RTX 4070 is more than sufficient for 2K gaming, and waiting for a better deal in this fast-moving tech landscape is challenging.

Now, let’s talk about memory and SSD. After a price surge in the early months of 2023 due to the long-term chip shortage, both memory and SSD prices have stabilized at higher levels. Future price trends are uncertain, but it’s unlikely there will be significant drops by June 18 next year. You may need to allocate around 1,300-1,400 yuan for high-frequency DDR5 memory and a 2TB SSD. The power supply and case can’t be compromised either. A case typically costs 100-200 yuan, and a power supply with a minimum of 650W should be considered. The budget allocation for these components is quite clear.

The biggest pain point in building a PC these days is graphics card prices. The 30-series cards are at a good price but hard to find due to mining, and the 40-series cards are expensive and not cost-effective. The future of the 50-series cards is uncertain, with no clear information about their release date or performance. Moreover, rumors suggest that we may have to wait until 2025 for the RTX 50-series, and who knows how Nvidia will treat gamers then? Is it really worth waiting for so long? It might be more practical to go for the RTX 4070, and if necessary, hold out until next year for the RTX 4070 Super.

Looking at a friend’s PC build a few months ago with similar CPU and GPU choices to the original poster, but leaning towards more premium options with MSI components, the total cost was over 10,000 yuan.

In conclusion, if you are targeting the performance level of the RTX 4070 within your budget, it’s unlikely that your total budget will decrease. Buying now rather than later is a safer bet. Whether it’s the Arrow Lake series or the Ryzen 8000, there’s always uncertainty in the market. The cost difference between an Intel and AMD platform won’t be significant, and this 10,000 yuan budget is unlikely to see much reduction. If you have a computer you can use in the meantime, waiting for half a year might be possible, but if you don’t have a suitable laptop or desktop, it’s better to build one sooner rather than later. There’s really no need to wait.

I am PenPoint CoolPlayer, and I hope my response can provide you with some guidance and inspiration. If you find it helpful, please like and share it with friends who have similar needs. That’s all for this article; we’ll meet again in the next one!

This demand is super clear, but for the time being, you are overthinking.

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On October 16, 2023, Intel released its latest 14th-generation processors, with only six models in the initial batch, targeting enthusiasts and high-end gamers in the K/KF series. Specifically, they include: i9-14900K/KF, i7-14700K/KF, i5-14600K/KF.

The cheapest option right now is the 14600KF, currently priced at around 2,300 yuan. Adding a motherboard for about 1,000 yuan brings the total to around 3,300 yuan. It’s highly likely that the interface will change next year, and the B760 motherboard will support Intel’s 14th generation. Price-wise, it’s expected that by June 18 next year, the price may drop to a maximum of 3,000 yuan.

Considering inflation, by Singles' Day next year, the 14th-gen processor may not be cheaper than the current 13th-gen, costing around 2,800 yuan.

However, the 13th-gen processor won’t have any advantage compared to the 14th-gen and may even see a significant drop in performance.

As for graphics cards, this year’s new release plan includes the 40-series Super. According to Nvidia’s current pace and market leaks, the 50-series won’t be available until the fourth quarter of 2024 at the earliest. The first to be released will be the 5090 and 5080, with the 5070 expected to arrive in the domestic market only in mid-2025.

Based on Nvidia’s current pricing strategy, which determines prices based on performance, the 5070 is expected to cost around 9,000 yuan, which exceeds your budget.

In simple terms, the price is determined by the performance. For example, the 4090 is priced at $1,599, and the performance of the 4080 is approximately 75% of the 4090, so the price of the 4080 is $1,599 x 0.75 = $1,199.25, which is eventually priced at $1,199. The 4070 Ti, originally 4080, was priced at $899.25 due to the performance ratio, and later, due to the AMD 7900 XT, it was forced to reduce the price by $100, eventually priced at $799. The 4070 is priced at $799 x 0.75 = $599.25, and then the 4060 Ti is priced at $599 x 0.75 = $449.25, eventually priced at $449. Then, with the 4060, things are a bit different because it’s cut quite a bit. The 4060 (3072 CUDA) is about 29% less powerful than the 4060 Ti (4352 CUDA), so the price is $449 x 0.71 = $318.79, eventually priced at $319. The 4050 (2560 CUDA) is about 19% less powerful than the 4060 (3072 CUDA), so the price is $319 x 0.81 = $258.39, eventually priced at $259.

Now, let’s talk about the AMD camp. The Ryzen 8000 series is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2024. It’s best to wait for performance benchmarks and compare them with the 14th-gen CPUs to determine the cost-effectiveness.

However, for now, if you want graphics card performance without AI requirements, I personally recommend using AMD graphics cards.

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So, I have three scenarios for you:

Scenario One: Buy Now, Enjoy Sooner

Get the 13600KF paired with a 7800XT or 7900GRE (slightly more expensive). This setup’s biggest advantage is that you can have a machine capable of 4K at 60 frames or 2K at a high refresh rate right now, without needing to wait. You’ll even have some budget left to pick a good monitor.

Scenario Two: Wait Until June 18 Next Year

Based on current expectations, by June 18 next year, the 14600KF and motherboard combo will cost about 3,000 yuan. In terms of graphics cards, if you can manage Nvidia’s pricing strategy, you can consider the 4070 Ti.

Both of these scenarios share a common point: it’s best to consider AMD when making a purchase unless you have specific requirements for Intel or Nvidia due to AI needs. As a gaming machine, AMD offers better value for your money.

Additionally, in the Github database, two AMD Radeon RX 8000 series graphics cards have already appeared, codenamed GFX1200 and GFX1201. According to AMD’s naming convention, GFX11 represents RDNA 3, GFX115x is RDNA 3.5, so GFX1200 and GFX1201 are likely based on the RDNA 4 architecture. However, despite the new architecture, RDNA 4’s efficiency doesn’t seem to have improved significantly. Reports suggest a 50% efficiency improvement over RDNA 2. Furthermore, AMD has shown no inclination to release flagship graphics cards for RDNA 4.

The RDNA 4 graphics cards currently revealed by AMD are Navi 44 and Navi 48, which are not flagship models. They are most likely targeted at 2K resolutions.

Scenario Three: Wait and See

If you can plan until Singles' Day in 2024 or June 18, 2025, then wait until then to make a decision.

My most sincere advice is, if you have a computer now, see what GTA’s actual configuration requirements are before considering your next purchase.

In general, it is not advisable to focus excessively on gaming requirements or consider gaming needs as the top priority for a PC. PCs are undoubtedly a significant driving force in the gaming industry and are influenced by the substantial demands of gaming. However, these are macro-level narratives. When it comes to individual players, whether to use a console, PC, or any other platform, how to achieve it is flexible. It’s essential not to base your expectations on the word “barely.”

This might sound a bit preachy, considering I’ve also resorted to all sorts of financial preparations to buy electronic products. But clearly, I’ve regretted it to a great extent. The core expectation of what I’m saying is to “de-glamorize” these products. Whether it’s the 13th-gen i5 or the RTX 4070, they are tools just like valve cores on bicycles, light bulbs in your home, and pliers. Their devaluation rate is incredibly high. Placing too much enthusiasm on a consumer product that is destined to “lose money at the speed of light” in terms of assets is not appropriate.

Screwdrivers and graphics cards are one and the same. Don’t force it.

The OP mentioned that the budget won’t be more comfortable until mid-2024, so during this period, try not to think about PC-related things as much as possible. Consider these matters when the budget is more abundant. Saving money for the sake of a computer, unless it is directly related to study and work, is not worth it. Saving money is saving money, not a necessary life necessity. Don’t tie this pressure to the specific materialistic level.

The essence of a gamer is to solve gaming problems within a budget. When the budget is not yet available, waiting is the way to go. The overclocking enthusiasts I know, who fuss over certain frequencies and small parameters of DDR5 8XXX every day, find joy in it. For gamers, this is psychological torture.

The 12th, 13th, and 14th-gen Core processors were originally part of the same family, and their performance at the same frequencies is even less distinguishable than the differences in memory timings. By the end of 2024, they will be considered outdated. If you already have a platform that you are satisfied with, it’s a wise choice to give up these three generations of alter egos. If you’re not satisfied with your computer and it’s not necessary to upgrade immediately, waiting is also natural, and there’s no need for psychological preparation. The 15th-gen Core processors may introduce NPU on the desktop side, IPC improvement is uncertain, but it’s unlikely to be purely an alter ego. I remain optimistic about the value of the entire platform.

If you indeed have to wait until June 18, 2024, to build your PC, it means your demand can completely endure the wait. The reason to continue waiting is still quite sufficient. Black Myth is set to release on August 20th, which is a concern, but unlike movies, games are relatively easy to avoid spoilers as long as you have the patience. If all else fails, consider buying a second-hand console and discs, which won’t cost you much.

With that said, “a single thought invested in gold, a moment makes the world vast.” Rather than considering so many fluctuations in the “market” in the short term, if you genuinely don’t want to wait, it might be better to go directly for second-hand platforms across the board. There’s not much difference between a new and second-hand CPU (both are generally bad and don’t overclock much), and you can save money on motherboards and graphics cards. If you’re concerned about reliability, just buy a better new power supply.

The OP’s situation is not the typical “wait and see” type.

Second-hand 40-series mining cards are scarce, so there’s hardly any need to worry about quality issues. Manufacturers like Asus also support personal warranties, so there’s no need to be overly concerned about after-sales issues. Historically, when operated properly and not affected by mining booms, the price fluctuations in the second-hand graphics card market have generally been smaller than the range of new cards. Even if it’s not as budget-friendly as consoles (don’t expect prices to remain flat outside of mining times), by the time the so-called 50-series arrives, you won’t lose much. Motherboard situations are generally similar, and the second-hand market is unlikely to be rapidly pushed down in price when the new generation is introduced.

As for integrated graphics cards and APUs, both have their value—more convenient and hassle-free than ordinary low-end discrete graphics cards. However, expecting high-end integrated graphics and APUs is an unrealistic expectation. High-end CPUs won’t allocate too much area for integrated GPUs, and the memory bandwidth doesn’t support a significant leap in performance. No matter how high the specs of the Nongqi 680M/780M are, it’s still a struggle to use them for tasks like AI noise reduction in Photoshop. Intel integrated graphics are highly inefficient for running old games, so they aren’t useful for hardcore gamers.

Buy it now.

Even if your budget is halved and the graphics quality is reduced.

Because your time for gaming, the time that brings you joy, is very short.

The laptop I used during my college days struggled to run Call of Duty 7, and I was happily playing it at the lowest graphics settings with barely 20-30 frames per second.

Ten years after graduation, except for one game, The Legend of Zelda, I’ve hardly played any games.

The threshold for happiness is different now.

If you like something, go play it now, as opportunities may not come again.

I can say with confidence that for DIY electronics, the 618 shopping festival usually doesn’t result in significant price drops, especially for graphics cards. In fact, graphics cards might even see significant price increases due to unexpected events. So, if you’re wondering when to make a purchase, it’s best to choose based on your actual needs. The so-called “wait-and-see” approach is often adopted by some online forum users who are hoping to find bargains, but such opportunities are unpredictable. If you have a genuine need, don’t be swayed by others.

As for your proposed PC build, I believe that building a system for Black Myth: Wukong should be achievable. In previous gameplay previews of the game, NVIDIA showcased even the 1660 Ti, so handling the 4070 series should be relatively straightforward.

Is it necessary to wait for the 15th generation Intel Core and the 50 series graphics cards?

It’s not necessary. The 15th generation Intel Core, in fact, corresponds to the already-released Core i9-12900HK for laptops. According to tests conducted by Geekbench, there haven’t been significant improvements in its CPU capabilities, and in some aspects, there have been regressions. The main improvements are in integrated graphics and NPUs, which aren’t particularly relevant to your needs.

Regarding the 50 series graphics cards, the 4090D is already well-known throughout the internet. It’s clear that NVIDIA intends to continue selling the 40 series for at least another six months. Moreover, both NVIDIA and Intel typically release new generations of products towards the end of the year (around January to February). So, if you’re planning to wait, you’ll have to wait until after the Lunar New Year to see what’s available. However, as I mentioned earlier, if you have an immediate need, it’s best to make your purchase now. The price drops for older products, especially graphics cards, may not be that significant.

First of all, the OP won’t make a purchase until 618 in 2024 at the earliest. Electronic products are bound to depreciate gradually (under normal circumstances, without discussing abnormal consumption markets like mining). So, we should evaluate the OP’s four configurations based on the situation in next year’s 618.

The first plan, where the OP wants to buy the 13600KF at a low price next year, is not recommended. First of all, for any purpose, I recommend using integrated graphics. The new architecture’s integrated graphics are very powerful and highly cost-effective in hardware encoding and decoding. I don’t recommend saving this little money. Second, by next year, the 15th generation (Ultra) will likely have been released, so it’s better to go for something like the 14600.

The second plan is entirely unworkable. The OP wants to buy an 8000 series Ryzen in 2024 and use integrated graphics until 2025 before buying a discrete graphics card. Isn’t that like taking off your pants to fart? The OP has a budget of 10,000 RMB, so why wait for another year? During this year, won’t your 8000 series Ryzen depreciate for nothing? Using integrated graphics to barely get by for a year, won’t that be a hardship for you?

And there’s a more crucial point that the OP might have overlooked. AMD’s product line is not straightforward. The products with the highest prices or the highest CPU specifications don’t necessarily have the strongest integrated graphics. Currently, the most powerful integrated graphics from AMD are found in the 7940H/HS with the 780m, featuring 12 GPU cores, with actual performance at around the level of a GTX 1060. In contrast, the flagship 7950X is equipped with integrated graphics that are equivalent to entry-level graphics cards, scoring only around 23XX in Fire Strike and 7XX in Time Spy.

In other words, these desktop CPU models from AMD, as well as notebook CPUs that require additional discrete graphics, only feature integrated graphics at the level of entry-level graphics cards. Models with the highest level of integrated graphics, such as the 7940HS, also only have 8 cores and 16 threads. The 8000 series Ryzen next year will likely have a similar structure. So, the OP’s idea of spending 5,000 RMB on a top-of-the-line 8000 series Ryzen and using integrated graphics for a year is not feasible.

The third plan, waiting until Double 11 next year for the 15th generation Intel or 8000 series Ryzen with integrated graphics, is also unlikely to work. As for Ryzen, I mentioned earlier that desktop CPUs probably won’t have top-tier integrated graphics. For Intel’s 15th generation, according to the information released so far, it’s only going to be on par with the 780m, and as everyone understands, such information usually ends up being downgraded. Moreover, the OP’s concern is correct; the motherboards for new releases tend to be expensive and not worth the wait.

The fourth plan makes even less sense. You’ve waited another year until 618 in 2025, so how will you spend this year? Don’t fall into the trap of endless waiting.

I have a group where there are a few funny people like this. One of them wanted to change their phone, waited from the Snapdragon 7 era until now. When the Snapdragon 888 came out, he said it was hot. When the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 came out, he asked if it was good enough, and now he says he wants to wait for Gen 4. At this rate, when Gen 4 comes out, he’ll want to wait for Gen 5… Another person was using a GTX 1060, and during the mining card crash, he said he wanted to get a 20 series mining card, but was afraid it wouldn’t last, so he waited. When the prices of the 30 series became reasonable, he was still afraid of mining and continued to wait. When the 40 series came out, he said it was expensive, he said he couldn’t get one, so he’s still waiting, and now he’s waiting for the 50 series…

Why bother…

If you can save up 10,000 RMB by 618 in 2024, then go for the 14600+4070 combination; that should be sufficient.

Believe me, no matter how powerful Intel and AMD’s new integrated graphics are, they won’t be able to handle the games you mentioned at 4K resolution, so this path is not worth considering.

With a budget of 10,000 RMB, aiming for 4K high refresh rate is quite challenging. Moreover, your requirement of 2K high refresh rate and 4K 60 is contradictory. A 4K 60Hz monitor, when set to 2K resolution, will still run at 60Hz. Some smaller manufacturers may have unconventional panel setups that can achieve 2K high refresh rate and 4K 60, but I don’t recommend you buy them. With a budget of 10,000 RMB including a monitor, it’s safer to go for a 2K high refresh rate setup. There are plenty of monitor options available, and it won’t put too much strain on the graphics card.

Among these options, I recommend going for the 13600KF+4070/super. If you’re willing to wait, then wait for the super variant; if not, go for the 4070. The price of this card has already started to ease.

As for waiting for the 15th Gen and 50 series, it’s a bit of a pipe dream. Based on NVIDIA’s release schedule and market trends in recent years, the initial cards in these series will definitely exceed your budget. There’s even less reason to wait for new CPUs; the 13600KF may not match the new series, but it can still hold its own.

Your situation falls under the category of immediate need, and for immediate needs, waiting is unnecessary. Whether mainstream products will be widely available by 2025 is uncertain, and waiting another year and a half would be quite agonizing.

Based on your description, if it’s not a matter of funds, it’s likely due to a lack of funds. There’s no need to wait for the RTX 50 series. Based on your gaming needs, which primarily involve online games, the graphics card requirements aren’t exceptionally high. If you’re satisfied with 4K at 60 frames per second, the current RX 6800 XT can meet your requirements.

Of course, if you insist on ray tracing, then you may want to consider the RTX 4070 or RX 7900 GRE.

The 15th generation is entirely unnecessary because, as you can see from Intel’s marketing materials, including their recent release of the mobile ULTRA series, their product focus is on AI applications, not gaming.

You can check benchmark scores, and you’ll notice that traditional single and dual-core scores have decreased or regressed, while integrated graphics have improved.

The 15th generation desktop CPUs share the same emphasis in their marketing:

1. Emphasizing AI application scenarios.
2. Emphasizing integrated graphics improvement.

For gaming performance, there may even be a decline because the clock speeds have decreased. Furthermore, games still heavily rely on single and dual-core performance rather than AI acceleration.

Additionally, don’t solely focus on the hardware specification improvements Intel promotes. Realizing actual gaming performance improvements requires substantial efforts, including driver support, optimization for various 3D APIs like OPENCL and DIRECTX, which all take time and can’t be achieved in a short timeframe.

Furthermore, the current pricing of Intel’s 13th generation processors is quite amusing. The 13600KF is priced higher than the 13600K. Yes, you read that correctly. The processor without integrated graphics is actually priced higher than the one with integrated graphics. It’s worth noting that these processors generate a significant amount of heat, require robust cooling and power supplies, and have high demands on motherboard power delivery, especially during extended gaming sessions.

The 12th generation is a rushed product, and if your budget allows, it’s not advisable to purchase a 12th generation processor right now. Among the 12th, 13th, and 14th generation processors, the 13th generation currently offers the best value for money. Additionally, if you don’t have a strong preference for Intel, you might consider AMD ZEN 4. The 7500F is a solid entry-level choice, while the 7800X3D offers a premium option.

If you are using such high-end configurations, you don’t need to wait because you will upgrade in the future.

If you don’t require such high-end configurations, there’s also no need to wait because what’s available now will suffice for several years.

Seaside Aroma: Top Ten Rankings of Laptops in 2023: Which laptop brand is good, recommended laptops for comparison (ultrabooks).

Here are some fundamental insights about gaming consoles that I’d like to share with everyone:

CPUs and GPUs Are Continuously Evolving

Looking back at the recent history of CPUs and GPUs, it’s evident that they are updated almost every year, with each year bringing something new. From Nvidia’s 1000 series GPUs to the 2000 series, 3000 series, 4000 series, and even the 5000 series in 2014, or the 6000 series in 2015… You’ll notice that this field has no end in sight!

Now, let’s consider CPUs. From the 10th Gen Intel Core, 11th Gen, 12th Gen, 13th Gen, 14th Gen, and even the 15th Gen in 2014 or the 16th Gen in 2015… CPUs also seem to have no end in sight!

So, if you’re aiming for the best value for money, the answer is simple: don’t buy until you no longer want to play games!

It’s somewhat amusing when you think about it. Why can’t we spend our money to buy products that always offer the best value for money? Therefore, the practical approach is to buy products that offer a reasonable balance of performance based on your current budget. Waiting for the next best thing is an endless cycle – next year’s purchase won’t be as good as the following year, and so on.

If the RTX 4070 Is Considered Low-End, Is Gaming Exclusively for Enthusiasts?

Firstly, I’m not sure who’s funding your gaming PC build. If it’s your own money, I acknowledge you as a high-end gamer. But if it’s funded by your family, I’d advise against it, really.

From RTX 1060 to RTX 2060, RTX 3060, and now RTX 4060, it’s clear to the naked eye that if you’re gaming at 2K resolution, the 60 series graphics cards are more than sufficient. Why go for the 4070?

If you want the 4070, but you also want to game at 4K resolution with 60 frames per second, that’s a questionable choice. Anyone with some gaming knowledge knows what 60 frames per second means – it’s unplayable! Throw a grenade, and you might eliminate yourself…

If you truly want to game at 4K, you’d need a display with at least 4K 120Hz support. If it’s 2K 120Hz, there’s absolutely no need for a 70 series graphics card.

A 10,000 Yuan Budget Is Insufficient

With a budget of 10,000 yuan, including the monitor and keyboard, are you planning to use a membrane keyboard for a 10,000 yuan setup? Are keyboards free?

If it’s for gaming at 4K resolution, you should at least go for an RTX 4080 graphics card, my friend.

If you’re considering the RTX 4070, it’s roughly under 5,000 yuan, the CPU costs around 1,500, and the motherboard, power supply, memory, case, and SSD… aren’t free either, right?

For a 2K 120Hz monitor, you can find a decent one for around 2,000 yuan, but if it’s 4K 120Hz, it might be quite challenging within that price range.

In Conclusion

Buy as much firepower as you need, and spend wisely. Trying to save on other components after investing in a high-end graphics card isn’t a good strategy. Your computer is a system with components like memory, motherboard, power supply, case, and even fans – skimping on any of these can result in poor performance and overheating. With a budget of 10,000 yuan, why bother scrimping on such small expenses? It’s not worth it. A few packs of cigarettes' worth of savings, isn’t it?

First, it’s essential to be clear that when it comes to gaming, the graphics card is the key component. Black Myth definitely doesn’t rely heavily on the CPU, and the PC version of GTA 6 is likely not coming until at least 2026 because next-gen games require more time for optimization. Waiting for the RTX 50 series new cards means waiting until at least 2025. Moreover, traditionally, flagship models are released first, which means waiting for the RTX 5070 would be another half-year. Do you really want to hold off on playing games until GTA 6 is released, especially when you’re in the prime of your gaming years?

I’m not sure if the original poster has noticed, but news about the RTX 4090D has been circulating widely recently, along with the RTX 4080 SUPER, RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, and RTX 4070 SUPER. The first two are said to replace the RTX 4080 and RTX 4070 Ti, while the RTX 4070 SUPER and RTX 4070 will coexist in the consumer graphics card market. With new flagship to mid-range models available, this lineup will likely be around for over a year. So, it might be better to wait and see what the SUPER series has to offer. Waiting for the RTX 50 series would be a very long wait.

As for the CPU, for 4K resolution gaming, it’s true that it doesn’t heavily rely on the CPU. However, choosing the Intel Core i5 13600KF or Intel Core i5 14600KF is a solid choice. These mid-tier CPUs can easily handle future titles like GTA 6. The choice between the 13600KF and 14600KF is straightforward as their architectures are identical, with only slight differences in clock speeds, and the price difference is usually within 150 yuan.

For motherboard recommendations, the Gigabyte B760M AORUS ELITE X AX Ice Carving X has gained popularity recently. It features a lavish 14+1+1 power design, supports DDR5 memory with 8266MHz frequency, and sports a white armor and PCB, making it ideal for a clean white-themed build. If you have the requirements, you can build your PC soon. There’s no need to wait too long, and solution one seems suitable for the original poster.