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For many of us, gaming is an integral part of our lives. Whether it's a game we play for fun or a game that we play for work, there's no denying that gaming can be a lot of fun. But for those of us who are serious about gaming, we often find ourselves wanting more power than we have.
The best CPU for gaming will help you achieve your gaming goals. Whether you play competitively or casually, there are many different types of gaming PCs to choose from. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the differences between CPUs, as well as how to choose the best one for your needs.
Our Top Picks
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Best Overall: Intel Core i5-12400
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Best Value: Intel Core i5-13600K
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Best Performance: Intel Core i9-13900K
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Best Zen 4: AMD Ryzen™ 9 7950X 16-Core
- Best Budget: AMD Ryzen 7 5700G 8-Core
Reviews
We will be discussing the pros and cons of the top 4 Best CPUs for Gaming on the market today, and also giving you our personal opinions on each one.
1. Intel Core i5-12400
(Best Overall)
Specification
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CPU Manufacturer: Intel
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CPU Model: Core i5
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CPU Speed: 4.4 GHz
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CPU Socket: LGA 1151
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Reason to buy
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Good value
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Exceptional output
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Dependable gaming performance
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High-quality gaming performance
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Powerful single- and multi-thread
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Extremely affordable
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PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 memory
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Enables the overclocking of memory
Reason to avoid
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LGA1700 motherboard is necessary
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Do not overclock
Product Summary
The Intel Core i5 12400 is our top pick for budget laptops for college students because it's an all-around performer that can handle everyday tasks with ease.
This processor is built for business people and students, so it has a decent enough processor for everyday tasks. That said, it’s not the absolute best you can get, but it’s still a solid performer.
2. Intel Core i5-13600K
(Best Value)
Specification
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CPU Manufacturer: Intel
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CPU Model: Intel Core i5
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CPU Speed: 5.1 GHz
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CPU Socket: LGA 1700
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Reason to buy
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Basically a Core i9 +Fairly efficient
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Cheaper 600-series platform is available
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A Cheaper 600-series platform is available
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Gaming performance near a Core i9 12900K
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Exceptional efficiency for a midrange CPU
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A large core value for the money
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Under pressure, the heat was kept under control, although with a 240mm water cooler.
Reason to avoid
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Higher cost than an equivalent last-generation chip
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Warmer and more ravenous than the Core i5 12600K
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In some games, slower than the last generation
Product Summary
The Intel Core i5-13600K is a 13-core desktop processor that offers excellent performance and power efficiency. It’s also a great overclocker, so you can push it as high as it goes.
The processor is compatible with both the Intel 600 and 700 series motherboard chipset-based motherboards, which means it should work with virtually any motherboard you own.
3. Intel Core i9-13900K
(Best Performance)
Specification
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CPU Manufacturer: Intel
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CPU Model: Intel Core i9
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CPU Speed: 5.8 GHz
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CPU Socket: LGA 1700
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Reason to buy
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Excels at tasks involving both single-core and many cores
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The impressive performance of the maker app
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Exemplary support for quick DDR5 memory
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Support for DDR4 and 600-series motherboards
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Affordable price
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A lot of cores
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Games that use integrated graphics
Reason to avoid
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Runs hot and ravenous when fully loaded
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Does not have AMD's 3D V-cache for gaming
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Not necessarily the best option for all games
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The Intel Z790 chipset offers only a few new features
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Small increases in gaming performance
Product Summary
The Core i5-13600K is a 6-core processor that combines eight processing cores and sixteen threads to give you the power you need to handle everything from photo editing, to video rendering, or even complex scientific simulations.
With a quad-channel memory controller, it can handle up to 128 GB of DDR4-2400 memory with a maximum bandwidth of 200GB/s. The PCI-E slots support PCIe 3.0 devices and a single slot supports up to 10 lanes.
4. AMD Ryzen™ 9 7950X 16-Core
(Best Zen 4)
Specification
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CPU Manufacturer: AMD
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CPU Model: Ryzen 9
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CPU Speed: 5.7 GHz
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CPU Socket: AM5
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Reason to buy
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Out-of-this-world CPU efficiency
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Dependable gaming advancements
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Built-in graphics
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32 processing threads and 16 full-power cores are supported
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Retail pricing is less than it was previously
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Compatible cooling solution for AM4
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It functions with lightning-fast DDR5 memory and PCI Express 5.0
Reason to avoid
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DDR5 might increase costs
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A little too much power usage
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A new AM5 motherboard is necessary
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Not suitable for DDR4 RAM
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Lengthy bootup times
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Heats up
Product Summary
The Ryzen 9 9900KS is our overall pick because of its price, value, and high performance. As a reminder, this is the 16-core CPU that’s going to be featured in the top-end X570 chipset motherboard.
You can also opt for the Ryzen 9 9900K, which has a 5.0 GHz base clock and 4.6 GHz boost clock, or the slightly cheaper Ryzen 9 9900 which has a 5.1 GHz base clock and 4.7 GHz boost clock.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What's the difference between a gaming PC and a workstation?
A gaming PC is a PC designed to be used for playing video games. A workstation is a computer that has a specific purpose such as working on spreadsheets, word processing, and other non-gaming activities.
2. Why should I upgrade my CPU?
Upgrading your CPU can increase the speed of your computer and increase the amount of memory. This can lead to faster gameplay.
3. What is the difference between Intel and AMD?
Intel and AMD both manufacture processors, but they have different features. Intel processors are better for gaming because they are built for high performance, and they are usually made for high-end systems. AMD processors are designed to be used for multiple computers and are often made for low-cost systems.
Final thought
If you’re looking for the best CPU for gaming, the main things to keep in mind are that it needs to be powerful, low-powered, and efficient. You don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of money, but you’ll want the CPU that’s going to give you the best performance.
We hope that you found this post helpful. You can share your thoughts on the article in the comment section below.