The Best 16-Core CPUs

It also offers a 4.8GHz boost clock and offers a 16 cores core count. Its 4.8GHz boost clock is the lowest in this group; the Core i7-14700KF leads at 5.6GHz. On core count it ties with the Ryzen 9 7950X at 16 cores.

It is the only pick here with an AM4 socket; the Core i7-14700KF has an LGA1700 socket instead. No other pick in this guide offers DDR4 memory; compare the Core i7-14700KF, which has DDR4 or DDR5 memory. It drops into an AM4 board with DDR4 memory; older B450 and X470 boards need a BIOS that supports this chip, so check the support list before swapping.

No cooler is included; a single-tower air cooler is enough at its rating. No other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the Core i7-14700KF was closest.

It suits a gaming PC that already has a graphics card. It matches the Core i7-14700 on L3 cache (33MB). Its 5.6GHz boost clock is the highest here; the Core Ultra 7 265KF comes next at 5.5GHz.

On core count it ties with the Core Ultra 7 265KF and the Core i7-14700 at 20 cores. Like the Core i7-14700, it has an LGA1700 socket, while the Ryzen 9 7950X uses an AM5 socket. No other pick in this guide offers DDR4 or DDR5 memory; compare the Ryzen 9 5900XT, which has DDR4 memory.

It also offers 8 performance and 12 efficient cores and an unlocked multiplier. It fits LGA1700 boards (600 and 700 series) with either DDR4 or DDR5, depending on the board; 600-series boards may need a BIOS update for 14th-gen chips. When we checked, only the Ryzen 9 5900XT cost less, and the Core Ultra 7 265KF cost more.

It costs less and needs a graphics card for any display output. Its 30MB L3 cache is the smallest in this group; the Ryzen 9 7950X leads at 64MB. Its 5.5GHz boost clock ranks second of 4 here, behind the Core i7-14700KF (5.6GHz) and ahead of the Ryzen 9 5900XT (4.8GHz).

No other pick in this guide offers an LGA1851 socket; compare the Core i7-14700, which has an LGA1700 socket. It is the only pick here with DDR5 memory; the Ryzen 9 5900XT has DDR4 memory instead. It also offers 8 performance and 12 efficient cores and an unlocked multiplier.

It needs an LGA1851 board (Intel 800-series chipset) and DDR5 memory; LGA1700 boards and coolers without an LGA1851 mounting kit will not fit. Budget for a dual-tower air cooler or a 240mm-plus AIO, since none is included. It was priced above the Core i7-14700KF and below the Core i7-14700 at the time of writing.

It also offers a 33MB L3 cache and offers a 5.4GHz boost clock. On L3 cache it ties with the Core i7-14700KF at 33MB. On boost clock it sits mid-pack at 5.4GHz: the Core i7-14700KF offers 5.6GHz, and the Ryzen 9 5900XT comes in at 4.8GHz.

It matches the Core i7-14700KF and the Core Ultra 7 265KF on core count (20 cores). It shares an LGA1700 socket with the Core i7-14700KF; the Ryzen 9 7950X goes with an AM5 socket. It fits LGA1700 boards (600 and 700 series) with either DDR4 or DDR5, depending on the board; 600-series boards may need a BIOS update for 14th-gen chips. Its price falls between the Core Ultra 7 265KF and the Ryzen 9 7950X, based on our last check.

It also offers a 64MB L3 cache and offers a 16 cores core count. On L3 cache it leads this guide at 64MB, ahead of the Core i7-14700KF (33MB). On core count it ties with the Ryzen 9 5900XT at 16 cores.

It is the only pick here with an AM5 socket; the Ryzen 9 5900XT has an AM4 socket instead. It needs an AM5 board (A620, B650, B850, X670 or X870 series) and DDR5 memory; check the board's CPU support list for the minimum BIOS version. At our last price check it topped the group, with the Core i7-14700 the nearest cheaper option. If you want a confirmed boost clock, look to the Core i7-14700KF instead: it offers 5.6GHz, while this one gives no figure.