The best CPU for gaming may be the only comfort in a fractured PC market right now. Unlike RAM, SSDs, and soon, GPUs, CPUs are weathering the storm of AI-driven price inflation. There are loads of great CPUs out there right now for all the up-to-date motherboard sockets, and I'm here to help you find the best one for you.
The architecture of modern 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. That means that if you want something that will keep up with the very best gaming PCs, you don't need to look far, and even Intel's last-gen chips will likely be enough for you because of the move to DDR5 technology. The chips on the list below will do you just fine, and most importantly, won't break the bank.
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The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D will give you unparalleled performance boosts in gaming and content creation. Thanks to its 3D V-Cache technology, it's got better capacity for these tasks than any other rival on this list.
You can absolutely find better specs on this list and off of it, but the Intel Core i5-13600K packs in all the value, 4K potential, and up-to-date features most players need at a reasonable price.
Using this processor will mean you're locked to a DDR4 motherboard, but if you're building on a strict budget you'll be shocked at the solid performance this can give you in 2025.
If you want an up-to-date DDR5 chip that can handle gaming at 4K, you'll be shocked at the value for money AMD gives you in its 8600G processor. This trounced my expectations.
Intel's Core Ultra series wouldn't be my first recommendation for PC builders today, but if you're married to this motherboard socket, I'd recommend the 7 265K.
AMD's Ryzen 7 chips do a lot with fewer cores and threads than Intel, but the fancy 3D V-cache options aren't needed by most gamers. If you want a bit more headroom from Team Red without breaking the bank, here's your stop.
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Intel hasn't had the best time with its Raptor Lake products, but the 13900K was the one that truly blew us away. If you can avoid those volatility issues, this is also going to be cheaper than the newer Intel flagships.
For many people, Intel isn't the obvious choice these days, but if you're looking for great performance for the asking price and want to go back to the days before Raptor Lake volatility, check out the 12700K.
I'm the resident CPU nerd here at GamesRadar+, and my ethos is to make this typically confusing component more accessible to the PC gaming masses. I've tested plenty of desktop processors in gaming, content creation, and general use, and I'm always curious to seek out the next one to see how it compares. My main goals with this page are to help you get the best value for money and to hopefully help you understand a bit more about why a certain processor might be better for you.
January 29, 2026: Entering a new year, I've given this guide a spruce-up. I've swapped out the Intel Core i7-13700K for the more up-to-date Core Ultra 7 265K we reviewed last year, and I've swapped around a number of awards to better represent each chip I'm recommending here.
The best CPU for gaming overall
The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D has earned a reputation as the best gaming processor thanks to its excellent performance-enhancing 3D V-Cache and reasonable price to performance versus the Intel competition. Even as it continues to age, it's still a truly brilliant CPU to build with, and whether your rig is targetting 1440p or 4K, you're going to get excellent gaming performance thanks to this chip.
✅ You want something specifically for gaming: Compared to a lot of other processors that are designed for multiple workloads and tasks, this will give you a massive boost in gaming.
✅ You don't mind something a bit older: Even if it came out in 2023, this is still one of the absolute top dogs on the market, especially as it gets cheaper.
✅ You're targeting 4K or 1440p: It doesn't matter what resolution you're going for with this chip, you'll get excellent performance out of it.
❌ You have the budget for the newer versions: The Ryzen 9000X3D processors exist, and will likely futureproof you even more.
❌ You aren't planning on doing lots of gaming and/or content creation: If you aren't going to be doing intensive gaming, you can save your money and get something more affordable that will still give you what you need.
Specs & Features: Built for the AM5 socket that's also used for the Ryzen 8000G and Ryzen 9000 families, it's a great option to install today because there's an upgrade bath lying ahead of you, with even newer Ryzen 9000X3D models offering the best performance increase (when they come down in price a bit). With a boost clock of 5GHz, the habits of most gamers and content creators are going to be satiated, although it must be said that single core performance can be increased by choosing the newer Ryzen 7 8700G, which has a slightly higher boost clock. With a base clock of 4.2GHz though, you're getting better general performance than a lot of Intel's Raptor Lake i5 competition.
The main draw here is going to be the 3D V-Cache, which essentially allows a larger L3 cache to store more data on the processor if it needs to access it often, and access it quickly. This means for tasks like gaming and content creation, this thing is a beast.
Performance: I saw inexplicable performance gains in some CPU-intensive games, like a 40fps gain in Planet Zoo compared to an even newer Ryzen 7 model. In other games and benchmarks, the wins weren't that dramatic, but they were a significant boost in performance compared to other AMD CPUs we've tested. All-round, as it continues to age, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is still showing itself to be the best CPU to buy if you're looking for dedicated gaming processor.
The best CPU for most players
The Raptor Lake Intel Core i5 processor is an absolute powerhouse that should really make us question what we deem a mid-range CPU to be these days. Packed with 6 performance cores, 6 efficiency cores, and 20 threads, on paper, this is essentially a cheaper and more efficient 12th Gen i7.
✅ You want 4K processing power: There's no need to overspend, this is all most players will need for gaming at 4K.
✅ You want a good deal: Since this is a few generations old now, it gets discounted often, and it's easier to find a good deal on it compared to its launch price.
✅ You haven't upgraded in a while: For a first DDR5 generation chip, this will surprise you. i5 processors have come a long way, and this is essentially an i9 from a few generations before it.
❌ You do a lot of content creation: While this is enough processing power for 4K content creation, you may benefit from the extra headroom an i7 can give you.
❌ You're still on a DDR4 motherboard: This will only sit in an LGA1700 motherboard, so if you've still got an older PC, this won't work.
❌ You don't have a need for integrated graphics: You can always save some money here and get the 13600KF model which doesn't have integrated graphics power.
Specs & Features: If there are any flaws to note here, it might be that there's no turbo max 3.0 - that's reserved for 13th gen i7 and i9 processors. Like the others in the Raptor Lake bunch, this CPU can be a tad more power hungry than you might like, and it can run hot under stress. Rest assured though, the i5 gives you the best all round package in these regards, and won't be nearly as extreme as an i7 or i9.
The 13600K has 14 cores and 20 threads, making it excellent value for money versus so many of the other contemporary processors out there. It offers more headroom than AMD processors in terms of specs, and since its getting discounts more often these days, it's becoming excellent value for money.
Performance: In gaming, benchmarking, and content creation, this CPU barely broke a sweat, and doing both at the same time barely used up to 15% of the CPU's capacity. That's so efficient that I thought there was something going wrong during testing, because an i5 definitely isn't expected to be this powerful.
When you take price-to-performance into account, there really isn't any beating this CPU without moving to the AMD side. For a large majority of players, money shouldn't be wasted on an i7 or i9 because they simply don't need the extra architecture Intel gives them and charges more money for. An Intel Core i5-13600K is all you'll need for 4K gaming and great content creation power right now.
The best budget CPU for gaming
The AMD Ryzen 5600X may not blow anyone away with its sheer power, especially with AMD's 7000 series on the shelves now. But as far as AM4's last-generation chipsets from the company go, it's very hard to beat in terms of price. What's more, the 5600X is frequently on sale, down from its already competitive $260 MSRP.
The AMD Ryzen 5600X is a solid all-around performer with both its single-core and multi-core capabilities in-game, too. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, which may not sound like much compared to the DDR5 options on this list, but that's plenty for a budget gaming PC build that's targetting 1080p. This CPU has a higher-than-average clock speed combined with its quiet-yet-cool operation over extended periods of time.
If you're after a processor to keep your rig under budget for now, then the 5600X continues to impress across the board all these years later.
The best value 4K CPU
AMD Ryzen chips are known for their phenomenal value, and if there are any builders on a budget looking for a DDR5-compatible CPU that can handle gaming and content creation in 4K, this is the one we recommend. It's available both with and without an AI-oriented NPU, and if you opt for the version without, you get a slightly slower clock speed but pay even less money.
✅ You want 4K power on a budget: 4K processors can be pricey, this one gives you so much power for the money it costs.
✅ You have an AMD motherboard: If you're on a budget on the AMD side but you still want something capable, this will save you from overspending on a Ryzen 9000 option.
✅ You don't plan on doing much content creation: Compared to Intel's equivalents at this price, you don't get an awful lot of content creation power here.
❌ You want an X3D option: AMD's best processing efforts come from its X3D V-cache options, but this isn't one of them.
❌ You're looking for integrated graphics: You'll probably want a bit more power, so look at the Ryzen 7 from this 8000G generation.
❌ You want more cores and threads: If you feel like AMD is a bit stingy with the specs they give you, maybe consider an Intel chip instead.
Specs & Features: Six cores and 12 threads may not seem like an awful lot for a modern-generation of processor, but such is the power and efficiency of AMD's Zen 4 architecture. You get less architecturally than you do if you opt for an Intel Core i5-13600K, but you get bang-on equivalent clock speeds and gaming performance, which is very impressive.
Performance: Using this CPU for our benchmark tests, I was pleasantly surprised by the results when I was gaming in 4K. Single and Multicore performance in the likes of Cinebench and Blender weren't quite as strong as in Intel's corner, which maybe speaks to how this processor is less viable for content creators. Still, if it's just some gaming in 4K you're after, this is surprisingly capable. Playing Planet Zoo, Homeworld 3, and Cities Skylines, I was able to get 4K60 out of this processor, which is very impressive for something of this price.
There's great value to be had here because we've seen how well supported AMD's 5000 series platform has been since 2016 (it's still seeing new additions to the lineup today), and that makes us confident that if you opt for a CPU and motherboard like this for your DDR5 machine, you'll likely get years of upgrades and support for your money.
The best Intel Core Ultra CPU
The Intel Core Ultra series wouldn't be my first pick for anyone shopping for a new CU right now. For starters, when they launched, they were actually worse in gaming tasks than the volatile Raptor Lake products that were cheaper. But perhaps more importantly, seeing as they've improved since then, Intel likely won't be sticking around on its current motherboard socket for long. Still, if one of them sticks out from the bunch for me, it's the 7 265K.
✅ You know you need something for the LGA 1851 socket: If you're already locked into this motherboard socket, go ahead.
✅ You don't plan on upgrading your CPU: This is one to consider a long-term investment, since we still don't know how long Intel is planning support for this motherboard
✅ You want lots of cores and threads: 20 cores and 20 threads gives you loads of headroom.
❌ You have an option for AMD: For futureproofing, I'd opt for AMD chips at the moment, personally.
❌ You're looking for the best gaming and content creation mid-ranger: AMD's 3D V-cache really is worth the hype.
Specs & Features: With 20 cores and 20 threads, you have loads of room to gallop. That breaks down into eight performance cores and 12 efficiency cores. What might startle you is that the 14700K (the Raptor Lake equivalent of this chip) has a thread count of 27, and that the 265 doesn't support hyperthreading.
What is here, is a much more efficient design that prevents it from being a nightmare to cool (ike the Raptor Lake CPUs are). We found in our testing that compared to the 14700K, there was a difference of 65W to 95W at some points, which is a massive vote of confidence in Intel's newer architecture.
Performance: For a full rundown of how benchmarking scores differ between the two, take a look at our review. What I will say is that the 265K could have easily stolen the award on this list for the most improved CPU for gaming. When it launched, a slew of bugs and performance hitches meant it wasn't received well critically. Now, after various BIOS patches and price drops, the performance per buck has really levelled out in gaming. When it comes to content creation, the clock speeds aren't the most impressive we've seen, but in gaming, thread performance is surprisingly good despite a lack of hyperthreading.
The best value CPU
While shopping around for a CPU these days, you'll probably hear wonders about AMD's Ryzen 7 options since they offer excellent gaming and content performance for solid value prices. That much is true, but if you dip into the X3D models that are designed for ultimate gaming performance and content creation, you can actually end up spending more than you need to. For me, the Ryzen 7 8700G which can go toe-to-toe with some of those X3D products but costs less is actually a better option for most players.
✅ You need integrated graphics: I wouldn't recommend sticking with integrated graphics, but if you need a holdover until your GPU arrives, this is a solid choice.
✅ You want something that stays cool under pressure: Compared to the Intel Core i7-13700K, this is so much easier to keep cool.
✅ You don't create content: If you want CPU power but don't need the more expensive X3D options from AMD, this is a nice alternative.
❌ You do need 3D V-cache features: If you are a content creator or just want to squeeze as much gaming power out of your system as possible, an X3D option is one to consider.
❌ You can get by with a Ryzen 5: If you don't tend to play CPU-intensive games, just stick with the Ryzen 5 8600G.
❌ You want the latest AMD generation: The Ryzen 9000 series is here, so that may offer you better performance.
Specs & Features: The only down side is that compared to the Ryzen 5 8600G, you don't get many wins on your spec sheet. In fact, your base clock speed here is slower than the Ryzen 5 from the same generation, and your L3 cache is just the same. Luckily, single core performance thanks to a higher boost clock speed is better, and you do get a big emphasis on integrated graphics, which could be useful if you're waiting for a GPU upgrade and need a holdover.
Performance: Fortunately, performance isn't as dicey as the spec sheet might have you think. In fact, in content creation, and especially in single core performance in Cinebench, the Ryzen 7 8700G matched the former generation's Ryzen 7 X3D model. That's really encouraging as this chip's price continues to fall. Elsewhere, 4K gaming tasks were handled with ease, and one of this processor's most impressive traits is its ability to stay cool under pressure. Each of our benchmarking games saw more stable, and higher frame rates than the Ryzen 5 8600G, although not an awful lot. If you want that extra bit of room to gallop with in content creation tasks, I'd go for this one, but the Ryzen 5 is still an excellent option for even less money.
The best Raptor Lake CPU
Intel's 13th Gen flagship CPU is a powerhouse that few will need, but if you're going to go for a top-of-the-range processor from the last few years, this is the sweet spot. Yes, the 14th Gen Core Ultra equivalent will likely give you better performance, but this is the one you'll get better value from in terms of price. The specs separating the latest model are few, so you really are getting the best deal with the Raptor Lake version.
✅ You're building an enthusiast-grade PC: This is overkill for most gamers, so there's no need to overspend on it if you aren't trying to build a powerhouse.
✅ You do heavy 4K gaming and content creation: Looking for the best results? An i9 is undoubtedly the way to go.
✅ You have a high-end GPU: You won't bottleneck 4K GPUs with Ryzen 5 or i5 chips today, but if you want to get the most out of an RTX 5080 or 4090, then the 13900K is the one to go for.
❌ You're on a tight budget: There's no need to fork out for the most expensive options these days, you'll be surprised with how good the mid-range options are now.
❌ You don't play RTS games at 4K: If you don't plan on playing CPU-intensive titles at 4K, max settings, there's really not much point.
❌ You want something that's easy to cool: You need some decent cooling for this sort of chip, so keep that in mind.
Design & Specs: This i9 sports a whopping 24 cores and 32 threads, which is enough to make even the busiest of workloads weep. With that amount of headroom, there just isn't anything that'll make this CPU struggle - in gaming, content creation, or anything else you have in mind. We've seen the sorts of performances that come from the lesser i7 and i5 in the Raptor Lake wave, and they were plenty for most gamers to get by on. If our review of this flagship is anything to go by, nothing will stop you with this i9 house in your rig.
Performance: One of the biggest concerns we had with this chip was that it would be unruly in its temperature management. With the right AIO in your system though, we actually found very passable results. While providing the best benchmarking scores of any CPU we've tested until now, it remained below 66°C, which is very impressive for a generation of processors that are known to run hot.
Again, let us stress that this processor is overkill for the majority of people. For most gamers, an i5 or i7 in the 13th Generation will get you by easily. For the enthusiast, however, there's no beating this right now.
The best non-volatile Intel CPU
If you're looking for a decent LGA1700 chip for your rig, and you know you want to stick with Intel, I have a recommendation for you. Maybe just to be safe, and maybe to get a bit nostalgic while also minding your spending, go for the 12700K. It's before Intel went through the phase we all still think about. There was no volatility with the 12th gen products, and their performance still holds up.
The Intel Core i7-12700K was our testing rig's processor of choice for a time, and it still has a place on this list because it sits pretty in the 12-core category and still manages to produce good processing for the power it demands. 12 cores is a sweet spot for a lot of gamers today, but you may have to pay bigger amounts if you go for something newer than the 12th Generation.
With DDR5 compatibility on the Intel side, you don't have many 12-core options to choose from, particularly because the 13th generation really upped the ante when it comes to core and thread numbers.
I used this processor to test some serious GPU power, including the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX, and loads of RAM kits. It never failed me and offered excellent power for 4K gaming. As the price of this chip continues to drop, you're going to get loads of value from it - especially if you're in this motherboard ecosystem but don't want to risk the volatility and cooling difficulty of the Raptor Lake options.. That said, if you can afford more, the 13th and 14th gen equivalents can offer more overhead when they work.
Best CPU for gaming: FAQs
What CPU is best for gaming right now?
In our opinion, the best CPU for gaming right now is the 13th Gen Intel Core i5-13600K. On paper, it's a slightly better 12th Gen i7, but it's a lot cheaper. Don't be put off by the fact higher tier processors exist, an i5 like this is an absolute powerhouse, and it'll save you money you can put into other expensive next-gen components.
Do you need a powerful CPU for gaming?
Thanks to modern processor architecture, you may not need as "powerful" a CPU as you think. Ryzen 5 and i5 chips are equivalent to the i9 CPUs from even a few years ago. While you'll still be able to play most games with a CPU that's a few years old, it can benefit you to pair your computer's brain depending on the GPU you use. Even folks with an RTX 4090 don't need an i9 to work with it. The best CPU for gaming for most people doesn't require you to spend that much these days.
What CPU do pro gamers use?
While we can't speak for everyone, E-Sports athletes and streamers will likely use the best of the best, highest-end components they can get their hands on to optimize everything about their performance. Particularly streaming will put a lot of strain on hardware if it's being done from the same PC that's running a game, so the most powerful CPU and GPU imaginable are necessary if content creators want their footage to look good. Most likely, we'd bet that professional gamers (the type that are draped from head to toe in RGB lighting at all times), will use 13th Gen Intel Core i9 or the most up-to-date Ryzen 9 CPUs.
What is the best CPU type for gaming?
If you're wondering which brand does it better, that's a hard question to answer. We've rounded up the best CPUs for gaming from both Intel and AMD, and depending on your preferences, and maybe the rest of your rig, one or the other might be better suited for you individually. Intel may have the edge on popularity, but AMD has come a long way to combat that in recent years.
For the majority of people, a 12th Gen Intel Core i5, or an AMD Ryzen 5 or 7 will be more than enough for gaming. If you're a streamer, or someone who spends a lot of time doing multimedia production, a higher-end CPU might be advantageous.
What is the strongest CPU?
When it comes to the best CPU for gaming, content creation, or whatever other demanding tasks you might have for it, you're spoiled for choice these days. There's excellent value to be had with the AMD Ryzen 7000 series, especially the ones with X3D in their names, since they've been bred with unreal performance in mind. On paper, the Ryzen 9 in that family takes the cake. But the 13th Gen i9 also packs some outrageous power if you can afford it.
How we test the best CPUs for gaming
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Testing CPUs for review can get fairly computer science-y, and rightly so. This is the chip that's going to process all of the things you do on your gaming PC, so we try to get a sense of how each will perform while gaming, content creating, and more general tasks. At the same time, we also want to make the numbers and results as clear to understand as possible.
To begin, we'll benchmark CPUs using industry-standard software like Cinebench and Blender. These emulate rendering and processing tasks for a CPU during content creation and give us a standardized way of looking at a chip's raw performance against its rivals. This will tell us a lot about its multicore and single-core performance, and we'll typically do each test three times and take a mean average as our result.
While doing these tests we track temperatures, voltages, and percentage of use through monitoring software like HWiNFO, NZXT Cam, or other similar programs. Then, it's onto gaming.
To really test a CPU's mettle, we'll play games that are known to make them sweat. This includes RTS games and City Builders that have to simulate loads of calculations and character models at any one time. Across all our tests, you'll notice scores from Total War: Warhammer 3, Homeworld 3, and Cities: Skylines. We'll also test in other CPU-intensive games that we're playing, these could be Planet Zoo, Baldur's Gate 3, Civilization, or anything else that puts a processor under pressure.
For more on how we test gaming PCs and their components, check out our Hardware Policy.
How to choose the best CPU for you
The first thing to determine which CPU you should buy is what motherboard you have. It'll be locked to one type of processor and that'll seriously narrow down your shopping list between AMD and Intel. Besides that, I'd be asking some questions about how you plan to use a CPU. And it'll come down to three things.
Gaming: Do you tend to play a lot of games that put strain on a processor? These are things like RTS games and City Building sims. If you do tend to play games like that, especially at 4K with high settings, you'll probably want a more powerful processor. If you play a wide variety of genres, you can get by with a Ryzen 5 or i5 processor.
Content creation: If you're a content creator, be it a streamer, video editor, graphic designer, or 3D artist, you'll probably need a bit more processing power than a typical user would. Again, a lot of Ryzen 5 and i5 chips can handle these tasks with ease these days, but if you want things to run as smoothly as possible, a Ryzen 7 or i7 is the one to go for.
Budget: Lastly, budget is going to play a big role in the sorts of processors you shop for. Luckily, it's a buyer's market just now, so it doesn't take long for even the latest chips to get discounted, but your budget might decide which generation and manufacturer you go for. AMD tends to be cheaper, but Intel offers you more in terms of raw specs. i9 and Ryzen 9 options are more expensive, but Ryzen 5 and Core i5 options are more accessible.
Now you've got one of the best chipsets available for the money, keep your rig in top tier shape with the best gaming keyboard and best gaming monitor on the market, too.
