Top 10 Gaming Processors

This chip is the most affordable gaming 6-core among the 12th generation of Intel Core processors and differs from its predecessors primarily in the transition to the LGA 1700 socket, which made it possible to add support for the PCI-E 5.0 bus, as well as the ability to work with DDR5 memory at frequencies up to 4800 MHz. Today, this chip has no competitors from AMD at all, they have yet to enter the market and it’s not a fact that they will be able to “play” at a price in the budget segment, while the i5-12400 fits into its requirements. Another big reason to buy the i5-12400 is the presence of integrated graphics, which will help save on a video card with a very limited budget for building a gaming PC. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that good motherboards on the LGA 1700 socket are more expensive, and the nominal frequency of the processor is reduced to 2.5 GHz, and this is the minimum pass to the world of games by today's standards.

The 6-core Ryzen 5 3600 processor is AMD's best gaming solution in the budget segment. The chip is based on the already familiar AM4 socket and has a 7 nm manufacturing process. In terms of energy efficiency, it is one of the top on the market: in games, temperatures stay at 60 degrees, and in stress tests they rise only to 70. In everyday tasks, 6 cores operating at a frequency of 3600 MHz (up to 4200 MHz in TurboBoost) are ahead of direct Intel competitors by 10-15%. In games, the gap is either negligible or non-existent. But here Ryzen is supported by the possibility of comfortable overclocking (there is a free multiplier) and a large third-level cache - 32 MB. Support for DDR4 RAM with a frequency of up to 3200 MHz is also pleasing, which the “blue” competitors cannot boast of. The presence of a PCI-E 4.0 controller is also a significant plus, but a higher price acts as a negative counterbalance, which even in the OEM configuration is higher than the BOX of, for example, the Intel Core i5-10400F.

A highly sought-after gaming CPU from Intel's 10th Gen Core lineup. It received 6 cores with a base frequency of 2.9 GHz and a bus option up to 4.3 GHz, which almost guarantees excellent performance in any games. Suitable for building a budget computer for gaming, but does not have an integrated graphics core, so you will have to supplement the processor with a discrete graphics card. It is also worth considering the use of the LGA 1200 socket, motherboards with which usually cost a little more, but on the other hand this socket is much more efficient in terms of providing power. As for the reviews, the vast majority of the numerous reviews are positive, the chip is praised for its good price-performance ratio, cool operation, large cache memory and high level of reliability. At current prices - an excellent solution for building an inexpensive PC.

The Ryzen 7 3700X has the most affordable price tag in the mid-range segment, and it is also the cheapest option with 8 cores, which are necessary for comfortable game streaming. The base clock speed of the processor is 3.6 GHz, with the inclusion of TurboBoost, the figure grows to 4.4 GHz. The multiplier is unlocked, but judging by user reviews, the overclocking potential is minimal. It is also worth paying attention to the strong difference in heat dissipation depending on the instance. Successful ones even under load heat up no more than 60 degrees, while not very successful “stones” give out about 40 degrees in idle time and up to 75-80 under load in games. The performance is excellent: in gaming, the processor outperforms the more budget Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-9600K by 3-8%, but in everyday tasks the advantage is much more noticeable - in working with multimedia, text, archives, etc. an increase of 20-30%. Of the shortcomings often mentioned in the reviews, we note the noisy operation of the standard cooler in the BOX version of the chip.

A distinctive feature of this gaming "stone": 12 cores with a base operating frequency raised to 3.8 GHz, and this is the best indicator in the segment. In games, if you have a decent video card, you can count on fps of about 120 fps at maximum graphics settings at FullHD resolution. The clock frequency in boost mode grows up to 4600 MHz. Like other Ryzen chips, the 3900X uses an AM4 socket and a 7nm process. The heat dissipation is quite high - at idle, the temperatures stay at 40-45 degrees, under load up to 70 and even higher when using an insufficiently productive PC cooling system. The huge amount of L3 cache is impressive - 64 MB. Among other things, we note the PCI-E 4.0 controller, the "classic" for AMD work with DDR4 at frequencies up to 3200 MHz and the presence of a free multiplier - you can play with overclocking. We advise you to immediately replace the standard cooler that comes in the BOX configuration with something more productive or turn your attention to the OEM version of the processor.

We note right away that a cheaper i7-12700F processor could have been in this place, but the version with integrated graphics was included in the rating, as the best similar option in the mid-budget market segment. In addition, the i7-12700K has slightly higher operating frequencies, because in the bus it can accelerate to 5.0 GHz. The chip is based on 12 cores, of which 4 are energy efficient, i.e. for games, the main 8 will be used, which is enough for comfortable gaming and for streaming without lags. Of the other goodies of the 12th generation, there is a PCI-E 5.0 controller, support for DDR5 RAM and a free multiplier for those who like to overclock. At the same time, we note the high heat dissipation, so the chip will require a very thorough study of the PC cooling system. As for the graphics accelerator, the UHD Graphics 770 with a frequency of 1500 MHz is quite capable of running most modern games at medium-high settings, allowing you to save on a video card, but only if you only play games without streaming.

A relatively inexpensive solution from Intel for those who need an 8-core, but quite budgetary processor for comfortable gaming and streaming. In the base it gives out 2.9 GHz of operating frequency, but is capable of accelerating up to 4.8 GHz, which is one of the best results in the segment. With the help of this CPU, it is easy to assemble a gaming computer that will digest any modern games at high settings, and simpler projects will pull on ultras. On motherboards with Z-chipsets, it perfectly reveals the potential of video cards, allowing them to use their capabilities to 100%, and also interacts well with RAM in terms of its overclocking. Judging by the reviews, there are no critical problems with heating, the “stone” works stably and optimally distributes the load between the cores, so that in many games only 4 cores are used with a load of up to 60%, but it is better to have a case with very good ventilation. We also note that against the background of the availability of versions of more recent generations, the price of the chip looks overpriced.

One of the most advanced chips on the market, revealing all the technological innovations from Intel. Made according to the 8 + 8 scheme, i.e. performance cores are complemented by the same number of energy-efficient ones, ensuring that the processor's performance is equally high both in games and in low-cost tasks. Separately, we highlight the wide range of the bus, the option to work with DDR5 RAM and the presence of a PCI-E 5.0 controller, which together allows you to maximize the gaming PC, squeezing 100% of both the video card and the RAM. Now about negative nuances. First, get ready to invest in the cooling system, otherwise there will be a risk of overheating. Secondly, overclocking does not always work correctly and you will have to work hard, especially with energy-efficient cores.

This chip is primarily focused on assembling a high-performance computer for working with 3D graphics and other expensive tasks, but is often used by gamers as well. The key feature is the limit for 4-channel RAM increased to 256 GB, although, on the other hand, the i9-10920X processor uses a PCI-E 3.0 controller, which significantly worsens interaction with gaming video cards, but in general, no one complains about performance, after all, 12 cores plow at a frequency of 3.5 GHz and are able to boost up to 4.8 GHz. Moreover, the “stone” supports a free multiplier, so it is not afraid of overclocking. Naturally, you will need to install reliable liquid cooling, because a TDP of 165 W is quite a lot, and under load the chip quickly heats up to 70 degrees or more. There were no other "claims" in the reviews.

AMD's top solution for building powerful gaming PCs.The processor is built on the Vermeer architecture and 7nm process technology, has 16 cores with a base frequency of 3.4 GHz and a boost option up to 4.9 GHz. Already at the L2 level, the cache volume is 8 MB, and at L3 it reaches 64 MB, in aggregate this is the best result in the rating. For all its power, the processor is very energy efficient: the declared TDP is 105 W, but still there is a tendency to heat up, so you have to be confused with cooling and, judging by the reviews, it is best to collect dropsy. In addition, the CPU reveals its full potential on more recent chipsets, so you have to fork out for a good motherboard. In general, the Ryzen 9 5950X is an excellent choice for those who not only play, but also edit game videos, often stream in high quality or work with various graphics.