Best gaming CPU 2024

AMD has pulled out all of the stops for its newest X3D chip, that means one of the best gaming CPU is the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D proper now. This eight-core CPU isn’t low-cost, however it takes the successful formulation of its predecessor, the 7800X3D, and runs with it.

The 9800X3D is kind of merely the quickest gaming CPU we’ve ever examined, and it completely obliterates the present Arrow Lake competitors from Intel. This CPU tops our body price charts in Cyberpunk 2077 and Far Cry 6, and it’s additionally a lot faster than its predecessor in utility software program.

The key to this CPU’s success is its use of 2nd-gen AMD 3D V-cache, a big 64MB slice of silicon that sits underneath the CPU cores, reasonably than on high of them, because it did within the 7800X3D.

This cache massively improves gaming efficiency, and the truth that it’s beneath the CPU cores means your CPU cooler now straight cools these cores, reasonably than cooling the cache first. This not solely means cooler working temperatures than the 7800X3D, however it’s additionally enabled AMD to up the clock speeds, with a high increase clock of 5.2GHz.

Add in AMD’s newest Zen 5 structure and you’ve got a formidable gaming CPU, in addition to a chip that may deal with multi-threaded software program with out breaking a sweat. It doesn’t have a great deal of CPU cores, however it has sufficient for most individuals’s wants, and it’s a unbelievable chip for gaming.

Learn our AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D overview.

Whereas the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D has now been usurped by the superior 9800X3D, there are nonetheless causes to think about shopping for the earlier champion, notably should you can’t fairly afford the brand new chip. This perky processor punches nicely above its weight, normally costing round $399, and it competes with costlier flagship choices.

The 96MB of L3 cache contained in the 7800X3D does wonders to spice up the ground and ceiling of body charges, guaranteeing that you simply’re getting all of the pixel-pushing juice out of your graphics card. Its results are most keenly felt at resolutions like 1080p, making it a super selection for aggressive avid gamers.

It’s going to concede floor the place clock speeds are king, however these cases are few and much between in our expertise. Plus, the AM5 motherboard you choose as much as seat the 7800X3D will serve you nicely for a drop-in improve, futureproofing your construct.

Learn our AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D overview.

In case you’re seeking to construct a gaming PC on a really tight finances, the Intel Core i5 12400F is a discount CPU. The worth is wonderful for the gaming efficiency on provide. In contrast to newer finances CPUs, such because the Core i3 13100, the Core i5 12400F has six P-Cores underneath its warmth spreader, reasonably than simply 4, giving it loads of uncooked horsepower in video games.

Don’t be fooled by the ‘12’ on this CPU’s mannequin quantity both – the Alder Lake structure utilized by this chip is similar to the Raptor Lake structure utilized in Intel’s newest 14th gen CPUs, and we’ve discovered it greater than succesful in relation to gaming. In contrast to AMD’s AM5 CPUs, you may run the Core i5 12400F together with your outdated DDR4 reminiscence you probably have some in an present system, and it’ll fortunately run an outdated motherboard with a B660 chipset.

With its TDP of simply 65W, this CPU additionally doesn’t want a large AIO cooler to maintain it in test – a good air cooler will do the job tremendous. There are just a few catches. One is that this ‘F’ mannequin has no built-in GPU, however that’s not a problem should you purchase a separate graphics card for gaming. It additionally doesn’t have any of Intel’s E-Cores, which offer a lift in multi-threaded work, however these are largely irrelevant in relation to efficiency in most video games.

The height clock velocity of simply 4.4GHz may be increased, and this isn’t a Ok-series CPU both, so you may’t formally overclock it with the multiplier however you may’t have all the things at this value. That is the best choice if you need a good gaming CPU for the most affordable value potential.

Learn our Intel Core i5 12400F overview

If you wish to get a good gaming CPU on a good finances, but additionally need a little bit of a lift in multi-threaded work equivalent to video encoding and rendering, the Core i5 13400F is a stable candidate. It options six of Intel’s newest Raptor Lake P-Cores and a 4.6GHz increase clock, making it a succesful processor for gaming, however it additionally has an added bonus over the 12400F.

In contrast to its predecessor, the 13400F additionally has 4 of Intel’s low-power E-Cores underneath its warmth spreader, providing you with a complete of ten cores, which supplies it a lift in multi-threaded software program. It’s a super selection for anybody who does extra than simply recreation with their system however doesn’t have an enormous sum of money to spend.

Just like the 12400F, this chip doesn’t have a Ok in its mannequin identify, which suggests it might probably’t formally be overclocked by altering the multiplier, and the F means it doesn’t have an built-in GPU both. Nonetheless, the latter permits you to avoid wasting cash should you’re shopping for a devoted graphics card anyway.

You gained’t want an enormously highly effective AIO cooler to maintain this CPU in test both, and should you purchase the retail model you’ll even get an satisfactory Intel inventory air cooler included within the field.

Learn our Intel Core i5 13400F overview.

Once we examined the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, we discovered that the Zen 4 processor packs a potent efficiency punch that’s sturdy sufficient to run with essentially the most highly effective GPUs of in the present day. This makes it a main candidate for almost any construct you would consider, no matter dimension or energy.

Regardless of sitting on the decrease finish of the Ryzen 7000 collection stack, the 7600X handily outperforms earlier era flagships in relation to gaming. Higher nonetheless, you’re not lacking out on many frames in any respect by choosing it versus its costlier siblings.

It’s value making an allowance for, nevertheless, that you simply’ll wish to pair the 7600X with suitably sturdy cooling because it doesn’t include a inventory cooler. Don’t neglect that you simply’ll want a brand new motherboard too, in addition to some sticks of DDR5 RAM.

Learn our AMD Ryzen 5 7600X overview.

For these needing a single chip that may deal with CPU and GPU duties, maybe for constructing a small system, or should you’re simply on a good finances, look no additional than the Ryzen 5 8600G. With six Zen 4 cores and a Radeon 760M built-in GPU, it’s a perky performer as a processor and stand-in graphics card.

The 8600G shines brightest in much less demanding video games, however it’s nonetheless able to enjoying the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 at 30fps should you’re comfy with enjoying at 1080p utilizing low settings. It’s suitable with FidelityFX Tremendous Decision too, which might help increase body charges additional by way of upscaling and body era.

You’ll must pair the 8600G with DDR5 RAM clocked at 6,000MHz or above to get essentially the most efficiency out of its built-in graphics. Whereas this does add to the entire value of placing collectively a system, you should use the identical RAM should you improve your CPU sooner or later.

In case you plan to pair the 8600G with a devoted graphics card, it solely helps a restricted variety of PCIe 4.0 lanes. That is much less of an issue with present era pixel pushers (Radeon RX 7000 and GeForce RTX 40 collection), however it would restrict the bandwidth of future graphics playing cards that use the PCIe 5.0 interface.

Learn our AMD Ryzen 5 8600G overview.

The 13700K is one thing of a champion for streamers and creatives alike, providing an all-in-one answer that doesn’t carry a very premium price ticket. That includes 16 cores and 24 threads, the chip is greater than able to dealing with real-time 120fps encoding utilizing the ‘x264 Slower’ preset.

That is particularly helpful you probably have a Radeon graphics card however it might probably act as an amazing substitute for ‘NVENC’ on GeForce GPUs, ought to the necessity come up. The chip can sustain with top-tier pixel pushers too, sustaining stable most, common, and minimal frames per second.

It’s a lot helpful for exporting and enhancing VODs too, boasting quick export occasions and rendering capabilities in Adobe suite purposes equivalent to Premiere Professional and After Results.

Learn our Intel Core i7 13700K overview.

Sitting on the high of Intel’s gaming CPU stack is the Core i9 14900K, one of many few chips on the market able to hitting 6GHz clock speeds.

It packs the same old make-up of 24 cores and 32 threads which have outlined each Core i9 for the previous three generations. The one different LGA 1700 processor able to competing is the Core i9 13900KS, however the 14900K is basically equivalent to the costlier CPU.

The Core i9 14900K is greatest suited to techniques that serve each as a gaming rig and workstation, as its strengths are greatest realized in multi-core workloads. Simply ensure you have a succesful energy provide and cooler at hand, because it’ll guzzle electrical energy like no one’s enterprise.

There’s a phrase of warning with this CPU, although, which is that there have been issues with voltage fluctuations, inflicting crashes in video games, and even completely broken CPUs. If you wish to run this CPU, ensure you flash the BIOS in your motherboard so it has the most recent microcode first.

Learn our Intel Core i9 14900K overview.

You’ll discover the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X on the high of Workforce Pink’s newest processor collection. On this chip lies the perfect that Zen 4 has to supply, with the flagship hiding some shocking methods up its sleeve.

Whereas this chip doesn’t boast a better core or thread depend in comparison with earlier era choices, they’re clocked a lot increased. This not solely interprets into increased frames per second but additionally drastically improves efficiency in nearly each utility that may make use of a number of CPU cores.

Its biggest trick, nevertheless, is its ‘Eco Mode’, which might pressure the processor to attract a most of 65W. Even with such low energy consumption, it might probably nonetheless commerce blows with top-tier processors. Naturally, you’ll get essentially the most out of the chip whereas working at its normal 170W TDP, however it makes the prospect of a small kind issue construct that includes the 7950X extra risk than a dream.

Learn our AMD Ryzen 9 7950X overview.