5 Best CPUs For Gaming in 2024

By Robin Owens 20 days ago, Hardware

Affordable and high-quality CPU for gaming.

best cpu for gaming

Today, there is a generous choice of all kinds of processors for gaming. They all have different characteristics and prices, so, the question is how to select the best CPU for gaming. You probably want a product that is reasonably priced and powerful enough to cope with the most advanced games or some other complex task. This article contains a description of the worthiest options currently available, so you are bound to choose something suitable for your needs.

Top 5 Best CPUs For Gaming

  1. AMD Ryzen 7 3700X - Our Choice
  2. AMD Ryzen 5 3600 - For gaming
  3. AMD Ryzen 9 3900X - Ultra-fast
  4. AMD Ryzen 7 3800X - Easy to install
  5. Intel Core i5-10600K - Easy to Lock

The budget always matters, so it is important to find a processor, which isn’t too expensive, yet offers all the necessary features. Below you will see not only the list of the most decent options but also our tips on how to choose the best CPU for gaming.

1. AMD Ryzen 7 3700X

Our Choice
amd ryzen 7 3700x cpu for gaming

Power Source: 8 | Polar patterns: 16 | Connectivity: 4.0 GHz | Frequency response: 4.4 GHz

  • ✚ Afforable
  • ✚ High perfomance
  • ✚ Stable
  • Overheats
Rating

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X offers top of the line performance for the money spent on the processor. The processor offers six cores, twelve threads, and four texture units, which allow users to get more work done through the computer system at once than with other similar options on the market today.

Performance wise, the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X processor is on par with the current crop of gaming options on the market. With up to two or three times the frames per second (FPS) that other options offer, the processor is sure to give you smooth and fast gaming play. The graphics card is a solid component, allowing users to get high definition gaming visuals on a 1080p display, and all of the settings can be set to high or ultra for extra detail. Users will also find plenty of memory space, allowing them to run multiple programs and games at the same time without any loss of quality.

2. AMD Ryzen 7 3800X

Easy to install
amd ryzen 7 3800x cpu for gaming

Power Source: 8 | Polar patterns: 16 | Connectivity: 4.0 GHz | Frequency response: 4.4 GHz

  • ✚ Ideal for overclock
  • ✚ Stability
  • ✚ Powerful and efficient
  • High price
Rating

AMD has once again proven itself to the rest of the computing world by putting out one of the most powerful and efficient processors on the market. With the new AMD Ryzen 7 3800X, gamers can now take their game experience to the next level. No longer does a gamer need to compromise power for size and compact form factor. With the new processor, games will finally come in a different size, and with a whole new level of realism and smoothness.

This processor is built for precision and overclockers. With this processor, many have already achieved fantastic results, including achieving a gaming advantage over many of their competition.

3. AMD Ryzen 9 3900X

Ultra-fast
amd ryzen 9 3900x cpu for gaming

Power Source: 6 | Polar patterns: 12 | Connectivity: 4.2 GHz | Frequency response: 4.5 GHz

  • ✚ Easy to install
  • ✚ CPU cooler
  • ✚ Easy to lock
  • ✚ Small form factor
  • High price
Rating

The two main things that separated the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X from the other AMD CPU's is the clock speed and the cores. The clock's speed is pretty fast, which is always a good thing with an overclocked processor, but we won't talk about the cores as they are really not that important for gaming as we are not looking at them all that much. The processor also has a nice small form factor, which is a big plus in our opinion.

The AMD Ryzen 9 3900X is equipped with an AMD Crossbar CPU cooler. This is a really nice cooler and provides good cooling for this processor. The cooler allows you to OC the processor to up to 4.5GHz, which is very common for gaming platforms these days.

4. AMD Ryzen 5 3600

For gaming
amd ryzen 5 3600 cpu for gaming

Power Source: 6 | Polar patterns: 12 | Connectivity: 4.0 GHz | Frequency response: 4.2 GHz

  • ✚ Afforable
  • ✚ Easy to install
  • ✚ Stable
  • ✚ Easy to lock
  • Overheats
Rating

With AMD Ryzen 5 3600, you can finally say goodbye to your old CPU and say hello to a new one that'll help you optimize your computing experience. With this processor in your hands, you'll be able to enjoy all the benefits of having a modern multi-core processor at a fraction of the price you would pay if you'd get it from some other company. Here are the main reasons why anyone should invest in a processor in the new Athlon series.

If you want to improve your gaming performance and your overall computing experience, then the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor is for you. It's loaded with features such as multiple cores and threads, faster texture mapping, and better overall graphics card processing so you can get the most out of your PC while playing your favorite online or offline games. You'll definitely be amazed at how much faster your computer will become and how smoothly your system runs when you use this processor.

5. Intel Core i5-10600K

Easy to Lock
intel core i5-10600k cpu for gaming

Power Source: 6 | Polar patterns: 12 | Connectivity: 3.3 GHz | Frequency response: 4.8 GHz

  • ✚ Compatible
  • ✚ Fast
  • ✚ Stays cool
  • High price
Rating

The Intel Core i5-10600K is a great chip for anyone that's looking for a top of the line processor for gaming. With 12 threads, four levels of processing power and a base frequency of 3.3 GHz, you'll be sure to get a lot out of this processor. In addition, this is also a chip that will scale all the way up to a Quad core processor that will make your gaming experience that much better.

For the most part the best part of the Intel Core i5-10600K is the fact that it uses a newer generation of cores, the 14nm. By using a new generation core means that it's going to be much faster, and will run your CPU more efficiently than any of the older cores that your CPU was using before. Even though the new cores are much faster, they come at a hefty price.

IMAGE NAME FEATURES
amd ryzen 7 3700x cpu for gaming
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
Our Choice
  • Afforable
  • High perfomance
CHECK PRICE
amd ryzen 7 3800x cpu for gaming
AMD Ryzen 5 3600
For gaming
  • Ideal for overclock
  • Stability
CHECK PRICE
amd ryzen 9 3900x cpu for gaming
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
Ultra-fast
  • Easy to install
  • CPU cooler
CHECK PRICE

How to Choose the Best CPU For Gaming?

how to choose the best cpu for gaming

Nowadays, well-known manufacturers, like Intel and AMD, impress buyers by upgrading and relaunching popular and reliable processors, making them more sophisticated. They add extra features, offer more powerful options with more cores and more threads. Considering a huge offer on the market, you may need professional help to get an ideal processor for your gaming adventures. Continue reading to find out more.

You Can't Lose with AMD or Intel

Intel and AMD are the largest and best-known companies, manufacturing processors. Both of them have good budget-friendly options, and the overall performance of the CPUs produced by these competitors is generally on the same level. But since you are mainly interested in gaming performance, we recommend you to choose Intel’s processors, as when you pair them with a GPU, they can deliver slightly better performance. However, they are more power-consuming. On the other hand, on the average settings and resolution, without a special GPU, AMD’ Raven Ridge models show much better gaming performance.

Overclocking

If you are planning to overclock, you should note that Intel doesn’t offer any suitable CPUs for less than $125. Whereas AMD has a range of tuning-ready processors, already coming with quite good coolers. The majority of motherboards allow for automated overclocking, so the process will be understandable and even average users can take advantage of it.

Our CPU Buyer’s Guide has more information if you are interested in going deeper into the topic. In the guide, you will find out more about the prices of different CPUs, about specifications of processors, the importance of cores over the clock speeds, etc. If you are ready to pay more and are interested in high-end processors, then check our lists of Best CPUs for Gaming and Best CPUs for Applications. In this article, we are considering only our top low-priced picks to help you to select the best CPU for gaming, when you are not ready to pay a lot.

Is CPU More Important than GPU?

You can’t deny the importance of the GPU in the overall performance of a gaming system. In fact, this component is even more important than the CPU for some games. Basically, a GPU is a single-chip processor. Its task is to coordinate and improve video and graphics performance.

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