If you intend to assemble a powerful desktop computer, perhaps most people will consider choosing the most modern processor today, the 9th generation Intel Core i13. But it comes with With powerful performance, its price is also extremely expensive, besides there are many things to consider around choosing the latest Intel CPU.
So do users really need to invest in an Intel Core i9? Here are a few reasons to stop thinking about using an Intel Core i9 processor.
5th generation Intel Core i7 and i13 CPUs are powerful enough
Most users will find the Intel Core i3 CPU enough for their needs, but you'll need a more powerful chip if you're a content creator or gamer. However, that doesn't mean you have to 'burn' money on an Intel Core i9 CPU.
Intel's latest 13th generation processors are inherently powerful, even the mid-range Core i5 series should be enough for most tasks today. For heavier workloads, such as simultaneous gaming and streaming, the Intel Core i7 does everything well.
5th generation Intel Core i7 and i13 CPUs are still powerful enough to handle work
The top-end Intel Core i9 series is often used by professionals with extremely heavy workloads. For example, simulating millions of wind particles in the field of aircraft design or presenting hours of 8K video, then the Intel Core i9 is the perfect tool for that need.
But if you don't handle specific tasks that require super-powerful processing performance, then the potential of Core i9 CPU will definitely be wasted. Just like using a supercar to travel every day on a busy city road, you will not be able to comfortably press the accelerator to enjoy the speed and power from the engine.
Really need more CPU cores?
The Intel Core i9 boasts a massive 24 cores – 8 P cores and 16 E cores. Meanwhile, the Core i7 has 8 P cores and 8 E cores, and the i5 has only 6 P cores and 4 E cores. Maybe As you can see, the Core i9 CPU has superior power compared to its brothers.
But do you really need that many multipliers? If you're a gamer, you probably already know about games that don't use a lot of CPU cores. Specifically, this is demonstrated by looking at the 5 most popular games on Steam at the moment:
- CS:GO: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 or AMD Phenom X3 8750.
- Apex Legends: Ryzen 5 CPU or equivalent.
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Intel Core i5 2300 or AMD FX4350.
- Resident Evil 4: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i7 8700.
- Destiny 2: Intel Core i5 2400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X.
Based on the specifications of the processors mentioned above, the highest number of cores recorded belongs to the Intel Core i7 8700 and Ryzen 5 3600, with each processor cluster having 6 cores. So just go with the 5th Gen Intel Core i13, you'll get at least 10 cores, which is perfectly adequate for most games today.
Don't really need CPU too many processing cores
And even if the computer is used for other tasks, such as photo and video editing, the Intel Core i16's 7 cores are still more than enough for that need.
Intel Core i9 is extremely hot and difficult to dissipate heat
Almost all CPUs have a thermal throttling feature to prevent damage from overheating. However, when the CPU self-regulates its temperature, it will not run at its highest clock speed and the user will not achieve peak performance.
The 9th Gen Intel Core i13 is incredibly powerful. Although its base power consumption is only 150 watts, it can increase to more than 250 watts when running at full capacity. This will overload any cooling systems, to the point that Intel does not include a standard fan for this processor.
Intel Core i9 is very hot and difficult to dissipate heat
To get the most out of the latest CPUs, you'll need to use water cooling instead of air cooling. However, even experienced PC component builders like Linus Tech Tips, reveal that it's nearly impossible to cool a 9th Gen Intel Core i13 with conventional heatsinks unless you have to. invest in unique and complex custom systems. This will also void the CPU's warranty by Intel.
Don't focus too much on CPU
When building a computer configuration, do not focus too much on a single component. Instead, you should consider the entire PC. For example, if you're using today's most powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card, you can't combine it with the Intel Core i3 chip from 10 years ago. You also can't plug in the most advanced DDR5-6000 RAM stick without checking if the motherboard supports it.
In addition to the CPU, still need to pay attention to other components in the computer
This works the same with microprocessors. If you're using a 9th Gen Intel Core i13, check if your cooling system supports it. You also need to consider whether the RAM and SSD are fast enough to meet the CPU's needs. If you don't research carefully and invest in the CPU, you may encounter a performance "bottleneck" and not get what you want.
