Best cpu for gaming pc

Which processors currently have the best price-performance ratio for playing current titles, and what should you definitely look out for when buying a new CPU? This detailed guide will answer those pressing questions, and also provides many useful tips.

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. Although CPUs are durable and can last for years when properly cared for, PC technology is constantly evolving. Newer gaming CPUs make use of faster clock speeds, larger cache sizes, and higher thread counts, allowing for improved performance when paired with compatible modern hardware.

Best cpu for gaming pc

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. As we go into , the CPU market shows a somewhat strong and diverse outlook, with various options for consumers of all ilks. Sometimes choosing a CPU is hard. So we've got you covered. In our CPU Guides, we give you our pick of some of the best processors available, supplying data from our reviews. Intel and AMD are competing well against each other in the high-end segment, with both Intel's 14th Gen Core family and AMD's Ryzen dominating what's available in flagship options.

Turbo Clock: 5. AMD has held the top spot for a long time, with its Zen architecture making for some incredible leaps in performance, but Intel stole the crown with its Alder Lake family, specifically the Core i5 K, and made it even better with Raptor Lake and the Core i5 K.

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.

Even with a convenient guide to best gaming CPUs, picking out a new processor will invariably require some thought. Maybe even some chinstroking. Besides the need to pair your desired chip with a compatible motherboard and RAM , modern CPUs have tangled themselves up in a dense snarl of mathematical naming conventions and increasingly bewildering variations of core and thread counts. This is particularly the case at less demanding resolutions like p, where higher-end graphics cards can really open the taps — but only when the CPU can keep up. A short version for recent models: Intel 12th and 13th gen chips use the LGA socket and work with Intel or series mobo chipsets, while Ryzen chips fit in the AM5 socket and use AMD series chipsets. Good for it. In all seriousness, this is an intensely powerful gaming CPU for the money, which for all my moaning does make numerous improvements on the excellent Core iK.

Best cpu for gaming pc

If you're looking for the best CPU for gaming, your horizons have never been broader. Thanks to AMD and Intel sticking with their respective motherboard sockets for more than one generation, there is currently a multitude of current-gen processors that are DDR5 compatible and will serve you brilliantly for playing modern games. For consumers on either side of the red and blue battle that's great news, because it means more affordable chips and plenty of choice. More generations of processors that are compatible with current motherboard architecture is a great thing, not least because a lot of people still need to be convinced to upgrade to DDR5 RAM. The architecture of these chips has come a long way, so much so that "mid-range" isn't what it used to be on the Intel or AMD side. But, if you want something that will keep up with the very best gaming PCs , you don't need to look far. The chips on the list below will do you just fine, and shouldn't present any bottlenecks with even the best graphics cards.

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In the broader context of everything gaming, game consoles offer some of the best value when considering a true budget solution. Next, consider how you plan to use your new system. He's killed a chip or two in his time, but all in the name of science. Best budget. As with everything it's all about balance. It's a technically elegant, efficient CPU that delivers on its promises. You can step up to the more expensive DDR5 if you need access to more memory throughput. The Radeon M series graphics with up to 12 compute units are powerful enough to play pretty much any current game at p, especially if you enable AMD's upscaling technologies. However, we still think it offers fantastic gaming performance at such a low price. It wears its gaming predilections on its sleeve, and delivers performance that could make a Core i9 blush. That's primarily because of Ryzen's strict requirement for pricey DDR5 memory and the generally higher pricing for AMD's B-series motherboards, both of which increase the cost of your build significantly. Overall, when it comes primarily to gaming, there's much more benefit to be had from upgrading the graphics card than focusing purely on the processor, especially at higher resolutions such as p and 4K. Sign up now Username Password Remember Me.

Our picks below will show you the best CPU for gaming.

AMD Ryzen 5 X. The chip comes with eight P-cores that support hyper-threading, and 16 single-threaded E-cores for a total of 24 threads. Read: Intel Core iK Review. And for a fraction of the price and power demands, too. Best CPU graphics 8. Those four extra cores make for a significant increase in multithreaded performance. Lost your password? It's a technically elegant, efficient CPU that delivers on its promises. Boost Clock: 4. With eight cores and 16 threads that operate at a 3. 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. For help with deciding, learn more about Gaming Laptops vs Gaming Desktops. As such, the Ryzen 5 is listed as our alternate pick below. You do have to be aware of the tradeoffs with this highly-specialized chip — our gaming benchmarks show that the 3D V-Cache doesn't boost performance in all games, though we found that it impacted nearly every title we tested. I have my disagreements with these ratings.