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14 best gaming cpus we tested in 2024

Matt Austin
  Mar 28, 2024 10:17 PM

The best gaming CPU doesn't have to be the most powerful. Games use CPU differently from other types of applications, and there are many other factors to consider. How much budget? Do you need multi-core and multithreading to do other things, or do you just need super-powerful single-core for gaming?

Whatever those factors are, we have a ton of CPUs to choose from, and this article will help you find the best gaming CPUs in 2023.


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Buying Guides

When choosing a CPU model for gaming, you should balance performance/ features with the money you have. And if you are playing games, don't forget to invest in graphics cards. Because the CPU is strong, but the weak graphics card is also zero. And when buying a CPU, you should note the following tips:

  • You won't waste your money, no matter if you choose AMD or Intel in games, clock speed is more important than the multiplier.
  • Allocate the amount to other parts properly.
  • Don't get unlocked CPU codes if you have no intention of overclocking.

However, tip 2 is only true in a few cases. There are a number of games that are quite consuming CPU resources. So, you should also learn a little more about the game you plan to play.

Here, will be the top 5 best CPUs for Gaming today:

1. Intel Core i7-10700K - The most comprehensive gaming CPU

 

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The Intel Core i7-10700K is made for gamers looking for the ultimate in performance, and gamers who want to tweak their CPU without breaking their wallet. And for the first time in history (at least for the Desktop array), the Intel Core i7 series has Hyper-threading support. With 8 cores / 16 threads, better than its predecessor i5-10600K, i7-10700K is not tired of any challenges that users can bring. If you do not have the need to use iGPU, you can refer to the i5-10600K model with of course less performance but in return for a slightly cheaper price.

The Intel Core i7-10700K also has a base clock rated at 3.8GHz compared to 3.6GHz on the Intel Core i7-9700K. Like the i7-9700K, the Intel Core i7-10700K has been unlocked and we found that the i7-9700K $299 CPU is an ideal candidate for overclocking as it features soldered integrated heatsink (IHS) instead of Material. The more basic thermal interface (TIM - aka thermal paste), something we've never seen since 2nd generation Sandy Bridge Core processors.

The best, however, is not necessarily without weaknesses. And the first weak point is that you need to replace the mainboard to use this CPU to its full potential. Second, that Intel is still using a 14nm process for the Intel Core 10 generation CPU. In my opinion, this is a fatal step backwards for the Intel green team, causing them to lose breath before the AMD "red storm".

But, there's also no denying the performance of this best model of gaming CPU. Apparently, AMD still has work to do to take the throne from Intel.

2. AMD Ryzen 9 3950X - worth every penny

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What to say about the Ryzen 9 3950X now? This is the embodiment of the performance of the HEDT CPUs, but in the form of a mainstream CPU. From past to present, when talking about high performance, users will immediately think of HEDT CPU models. But they are often very expensive and the cost of the components included is very expensive. But now, with Ryzen 9 3950X, gamers can enjoy HEDT performance without breaking their wallet. The retail price of nearly $710 will make many people shy. But compared to HEDT CPU models from Intel or AMD itself, this price is too great.

However, it will have one downside: single-core performance will be cut a bit. Not to mention, with 16 cores / 32 threads, during full load, this CPU model sometimes gets quite hot. So you need to have a good enough heat sink when you want to buy the Ryzen 9 3950X.

  • Advantages: There are 16 cores & 32 threads. Overclockable, high-powered, Gen PCIe 4.0, and compatible with most AM4 arrays.
  • Disadvantages: Requires high cooling and limited overclocking.

3. AMD Ryzen 5 3600X: Mid-range price but excellent heat dissipation

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The Ryzen 5 3600X is the best processor in its price range for gaming and productivity, marking a major shift in the mid-range segment. On stock settings, the Ryzen 5 3600X regularly beats the more expensive Intel Core i5-9600K in both categories, despite having thin margins in gaming, reversing Ryzen's long-term trend being the best in terms of productivity while Intel rules the game.

If you're overclocking, the Intel processor will offer more performance, but you'll have to provide your own powerful cooler to get there, adding significantly to the cost, while AMD includes an attractive cooler, potentially in the box. The majority of enthusiasts looking for a fast processor and able to handle common computing tasks with ease will find the incredible value in the Ryzen 5 3600X.

It also greatly improves the performance compared to its predecessors. Zen 2 improves the IPC in the game by 15%. Paired with the right GPU, we'll have a gaming machine worth the money - all thanks to the AMD Ryzen 5 series.

4. AMD Ryzen 7 3700X - Best overall value

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At this point, many people will say that they are biased towards AMD, but things always happen for reasons. If you're after a multi-threaded CPU that's right for the job, while still gaming efficiently, and high value for money then the Ryzen 7 3700X is for you. It's a reasonably priced Zen 2 CPU, which greatly improves overall performance over its predecessor, the 2700X, but consumes less power. More importantly, it's a lot cheaper than Intel's 9700K or i9 9900K octa-core CPU.

But it still has gaming performance comparable to top Intel chips at 1440p or 4K. That makes the 3700X a great chip for work and gaming, while Intel is only powerful around games.

And in case you wanna reach the higher of AMD Ryzen 7 - then the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X is also a great choice.

5. Intel Core i9 10900K - The fastest gaming CPU available today

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The Intel Core i9 10900K is the most powerful gaming CPU in the world (if it's just games in particular), but it comes with a hefty price tag making it not the best gaming CPUs ever. But if money isn't an issue for you, Intel's 10-core CPU is the best processor to go with your high-end graphics card.

When it comes to GPU-dependent games (which have the majority of the market), no matter how high-end graphics cards are used, the difference in gaming performance between the top Intel and AMD CPUs (3700X) , specifically at 4K, is negligible. It's a great chip in both technology and performance, but in terms of price - especially when you compare the price with AMD - really makes buyers consider AMD more.


FAQs

1. Is a multi-core CPU the best?

Even though multi-core CPUs dominate today's gaming computers, programming for multi-core chips remains difficult. That means the game engine has yet to fully exploit the power of these CPUs. Meanwhile, AMD has decided to go up against Intel in the multiplier battle, even 6 cores are now becoming more and more popular.

But games are slowly catching up with CPU technology. We used to expect DirectX 12 games to emerge, and AMD promised Vulkan API support for developers, making the CPU even more important in improving gaming performance. While that hasn't happened yet, the GPU is still the most important component in a gaming machine, but that doesn't mean we can use the old CPU - you still need a quality processor to exploit out of graphics card.

2. Are there any gaming CPUs that do not need to be combined with discrete video graphic cards?

Here is the perfect answer for your question: The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G with the Vega 11 core, you can play esports games in Full HD and heavier titles at 720p. However, the price of this CPU also makes many people concerned. More expensive but not much performance compared to Ryzen 5 2400G. Not to mention, Vega 11 core will take 1 part of your RAM to make VRAM. If you ignore those weaknesses, the Ryzen 5 3400G is a CPU that is very suitable for gamers with “skinny pocket”.

3. Should I choose AMD or Intel?

There are currently only two choices from AMD or from Intel. The two firms have been competing for years, and of course, the consumer has always been the one to benefit the most from this fair fight.

The performance debate is still fundamentally an issue. Some Intel processors do a little better at gaming, and AMD handles tasks like video editing faster (thanks in large part to the extra cores and threads). So choosing between AMD or Intel depends on what your gaming PC is for and your budget.

4. Need to remember before choosing the best Gaming CPUs

  • For gaming, clock speed is more important than core count: Higher CPU clock speed translates into snappier performance on common simple tasks like gaming, while more cores will get you through the block amount of work takes time faster.
  • Budget for a full system: Don't pair a powerful CPU with weak memory, RAM, and graphics.
  • Overclocking is not for everyone: For most of people, it makes more sense to spend an extra $20 - $60 and buy a high-end chip than spend time overclocking and extra money on a cooler high grade.

5. The correlation between CPU and VGA?

For a gaming PC, your CPU needs to have a sufficient performance threshold for VGA to reach its full potential. Avoiding the VGA status is too strong while the CPU is too weak leading to the VGA "idle" never running at full load 100%, such a wasting the power of the VGA.

The CPU should be powerful enough to run at full capacity with the VGA. Ideally, you should choose a CPU so that both the CPU and VGA run at 100% capacity at least in the specific game you want to play. All the apparatus built by GEARVN must ensure a balance between VGA and CPU. Only then can the full strength of a PC system be brought into play.

When you use a CPU with enough power to "pair" with the VGA when gaming, when you turn on other tasks, the CPU will no longer meet the performance levels needed to maintain gaming performance. ideal, and the most noticeable result is that your in-game FPS will be significantly affected.


Final Thoughts

Today, gamers who build computers often focus their budget on the graphics card products because most games consume a lot of resources, but gamers should also know that a good CPU can also. Improve the gaming experience greatly. The CPU affects everything in your computer, from gaming performance or application performance to operating performance, and it also determines which motherboard platform you use.

The above are all the best CPUs at the moment for gaming, almost if you own one of the above products, the CPU upgrade in the coming time for a few years is not necessary. We truly hope that after reading this article, you can buy for yourself the best CPU for gaming in 2023!


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