Bad time to buy a high-end CPU?

[BuToNz]

I primarily game in VR and have noticed a little bit of bottlenecking with my current CPU (6700K @ 4.6GHz and 2080ti). So I'm thinking a CPU upgrade is on the cards!

However, with the 3900X and the imminent 9900KS release it just seems just a bad time to buy? With the recent X299 price cut announcements will we see the consumer stuff coming down in price too? 3900X seems like a good option but prices are silly at the moment.

Anyone in the same boat and still going to buy or are you waiting it out?

 

[BuToNz]

Thanks for all the replies chaps.

It's funny how a couple of you think I'm penny pinching. I agree a 2080ti is a little unbalanced hence why I'm looking at higher end CPU's than my i7 was equivalent to back when I got it. Certainly didn't pay £500! But the price isn't the issue here it's the perceived value.

As I said I'm mostly playing VR games which led me to jump into top end GPU territory. It's the first time in generations that I've gone flagship and now that's showing my CPU age.

Intel are clearly behind with their manufacturing processes and have been sitting for too long. Now AMD have shook them up a bit - it seems like buying either side at the start of a potential CPU war, could render whatever CPU I pick a bad choice in the next year. Maybe I'm overthinking it and there won't be a huge jump in (gaming) performance.

Reading up the 9900k's that clock well could be being saved for the 9900ks SKU and the 3900x just isn't quite there with gaming performance. Maybe the answer is a second hand known good clocking 9900k?

Not looking to jump on a new CPU (and motherboard) if the prices are suddenly going to change or a new line up is 6 months away. The current Intel is pretty old and the AMD is a bit new (BIOS quirks and boost inconsistency).

The question is, do I sit and wait or just go for it?

 

[BuToNz]

nothing wrong with getting a 2080ti and looking for good value in parts you buy.

currently though its a bad time to buy a cpu. **SNIP***

Really good response, pretty much echos my feelings at the moment. There's a little of me which wants to stick Intel because that's what has been at the top end for gaming but I'm seeing Intel taking the p**s with prices. I think if the 3900x was retail price at the moment I'd have already jumped on it.

This is a good point though the bios' have already started to settle down. If I were you I might be inclined to give it a couple months before buying. The 3950X should be out around then which may see the prices of the 3900X normalise.

Sounds like a plan, really not interested in weird BIOS issues. I'd also be keeping my current RAM so compatibility does scare me a bit.

The best gaming GPU money can buy deserves the best gaming CPU. Due to prices of the 3900x being wildly inflated and gouged then I'd be seriously considering the 9900k.

I don't care that it's a 14nm re-spin, because performance is performance and these chips perform, my issue with the 9900k is the longevity of the platform.

So tough choice, if the 3900x was launch price and available that's what I'd get, paired with a B450 or x470 board (as the x570 seems totally pointless). Maybe as others have said it's worth waiting, but personally I don't agree, as I'd be wanting to get the best out of my £1000+ GPU and not upgrading the bottleneck just in time for a new nvidia card to arrive.

Oh man, that's what I keep thinking. In 12 months time we might see a new GPU lineup (And from AMD) which would be much better spent on instead of a new CPU.

It's a really tough decision, probably the toughest in the last 12 years of building I guess I'll give it a few more months and decide then. Appreciate all of the responses guys, all very valid points.