Best cpu for gaming pc

The browser version you are using is not recommended for this site. Please consider upgrading to the latest version of your browser by clicking one of the following links. Processors come with an array of specifications and features that can impact gaming performance.

All numbers in the text are updated to reflect pricing at the time of writing. Numbers in graphs reflect MSRP. As the first quarter of is already well underway, there's not been much in the way of launches since last year. Last year October , we also saw Intel introduce their 14th Gen Core family , headlined by the Core iK with its impressive 6. AMD's Ryzen series continues to fiercely compete at the high end of the market, offering CPU enthusiasts and gamers on all budgets a wide range of processors to select from. The availability of processors, motherboards, and DDR5 memory remains strong at key retailers, ensuring that the current market is well-prepared to meet the high demand.

Best cpu for gaming pc

Best overall 2. Best budget 3. Best gaming CPU 4. Best Intel high-end 5. Best AMD high-end 6. Best CPU graphics 8. FAQ 9. CPU review list Jargon buster. The best gaming CPU is one of the most hotly contested titles in the industry, changing hands with each successive new generation of processors. Right now, Intel is leading the charge on the more affordable side of things with its excellent budget and mid-range 13th Gen chips, while AMD has the superb Ryzen 7 X3D to deliver mega gaming performance for more money. That's true even now it's launched the 14th Gen, because the Core i9 K and Core i5 K are just nominal refreshes of the chips that went before them, just with IRL irrelevant clock speed bumps. The outright best CPU for you isn't all about raw frame rate metrics—most of us game at resolutions where our graphics card is the dominant player in terms of deciding on game performance—so, while the AMD is undoubtedly the best for top-end gaming frame rates, Intel's chip is a superb all-rounder for the money. I'm happy to report that there are a ton of great affordable processors out there right now, too.

The G includes the top-of-the-line Radeon M integrated graphics. Find out more about how we test. Throw it at any problem, and it's likely going to solve it in record time.

Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more. The processor is one of the most important components for a gaming PC to maintain a high performance and avoid bottlenecks. But what is the best gaming CPU you can buy for your money? In order to help answer that question, our team of experts have made sure to review all of the latest processors from the likes of AMD and Intel. We use the same PC to benchmark every processor in each round of testing.

We have benchmarked CPUs for over 25 years, so we've preserved many of our legacy historical CPU rankings on the second page of this article. Your CPU is considered a computer's most important component. CPU benchmark comparisons help us sort out the differences between chips, but you'll find a dizzying collection of model numbers and specs from both Intel and AMD. Intel's 14th-Gen Raptor Lake processors have arrived, with the highest-end overclockable models landing first. We've added those models to our rankings below. Only Micro Center has this chip, and it is selling in its stores only, marking the only truly exclusive CPU launch we've seen in recent memory. However, as with all of AMD's gaming-specialized X3D parts, the chip comes with lower performance in productivity apps, which is exacerbated by its older Zen 3 architecture. That said, it's the best gaming-per-dollar CPU we've ever benchmarked, so check the review for the particulars. This eight-core thread chip uses AMD's 3D V-Cache technology to accelerate gaming performance, but the tech doesn't accelerate all games and results in reduced performance in some applications. We also recently reviewed the Ryzen 9 X3D which has the same tech, but its pricing is too high.

Best cpu for gaming pc

The best CPUs for gaming are the heart and brains of your PC, therefore, they require extra special care and attention. Sure, the latest and greatest CPUs will offer better performance, but you might not need to spend a lot. The big question is: AMD or Intel?

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EU RRP. This group of results comprises only the chips that have passed through our newest test suite. It's not even in the same ballpark. However, the Ryzen 9 X3D does lag its direct competition in some productivity apps due to the tradeoffs associated with the 3D chip-stacking tech, and it doesn't accelerate all games equally. That's true even now it's launched the 14th Gen, because the Core i9 K and Core i5 K are just nominal refreshes of the chips that went before them, just with IRL irrelevant clock speed bumps. If the answer is Ryzen or Intel's 12th Gen Core, then you're more likely to notice a much bigger jump in performance by upgrading your graphics card. In other games that don't benefit from the large levels of L3 cache, things are much closer throughout most of the games. It's not so much anymore, but it remains the best bet for gaming performance if you're stuck with an AM4 motherboard. There are also a few times where the CPU outperforms the standard Core i9 K, which again is a great achievement. The Core iK comes with six threaded P-cores that operate at 3.

Buying a processor for a gaming rig is both easier and harder than it used to be. If you want hearty performance, then the fastest clock speeds, highest core counts, and fattest caches yet await you. The difficult part is the complexity of these new chip lineups.

The browser version you are using is not recommended for this site. As such, the Ryzen 5 is listed as our alternate pick below. That means you're getting the same eight-core, thread layout in a single chiplet so no potential inter-chiplet latency issues , but a slightly slower clock speed because of a necessarily lower voltage. A BGA socket is when the processor is permanently soldered to the motherboard, typically on a laptop. The best for pure fps While the Core i5 K is the best all-round CPU we'd recommend for most gamers, if all you want is the chip that will deliver the highest frame rates, and forget all that multithreaded performance, the X3D is it. Another question to really consider is, what are you upgrading from? I just ordered the K for my new build. Show Full Site. Model Number. Intel article dives deep into the topic and comes up with a winner.