The Best CPUs for 240Hz Competitive Gaming

For competitive games that run far above 144Hz, it is the chip most likely to keep frame times steady. Nothing else here matches its 96MB L3 cache; the Core Ultra 9 285K comes closest at 36MB. It matches the Core i7-14700K on boost clock (5.6GHz).

On core count it ties with the Ryzen 7 7700X at 8 cores. On rated power it sits mid-pack at 120W: the Ryzen 5 9600X offers 65W, and the Core Ultra 9 285K comes in at 125W. It also comes with a higher-clocked take on the 9800X3D design.

It needs an AM5 board (A620, B650, B850, X670 or X870 series) and DDR5 memory; a 600-series board may need a BIOS update first, so check the maker's CPU support list for the minimum version. It was priced above the Core i7-14700K and below the Core Ultra 9 285K at the time of writing.

It is a strong high-refresh option for Intel owners with a compatible board and a capable cooler. On L3 cache it sits mid-pack at 33MB: the Ryzen 7 9850X3D offers 96MB, and the Ryzen 5 7600X comes in at 32MB. On boost clock it ties with the Ryzen 7 9850X3D at 5.6GHz.

Its 20 cores core count ranks second of 6 here, behind the Core Ultra 9 285K (24 cores) and ahead of the Ryzen 5 7600X (6 cores). It matches the Core Ultra 9 285K on rated power (125W). An LGA1700 socket is unique to it among these picks, while the Ryzen 7 7700X uses an AM5 socket.

You get DDR4 or DDR5 memory here, which sets it apart from the Ryzen 7 7700X and its DDR5 memory. On price it sat fourth of 6, between the cheaper Ryzen 7 7700X and the pricier Ryzen 7 9850X3D, at the time of writing.

It suits competitive players who also stream from the same machine. On L3 cache it sits mid-pack at 36MB: the Ryzen 7 9850X3D offers 96MB, and the Ryzen 5 7600X comes in at 32MB. Nothing else here matches its 5.7GHz boost clock; the Ryzen 7 9850X3D comes closest at 5.6GHz.

On core count it leads this guide at 24 cores, ahead of the Core i7-14700K (20 cores). It matches the Core i7-14700K on rated power (125W). An LGA1851 socket is unique to it among these picks, while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses an AM5 socket.

It also offers 8 performance and 16 efficient cores and a built-in NPU for AI features. It was the highest-priced of the 6 picks at the time of writing, so the case for it rests on what it adds over the Ryzen 7 9850X3D and the rest.

It gives esports titles plenty of headroom without the cache premium. It matches the Ryzen 5 9600X and the Ryzen 5 7600X on L3 cache (32MB). It matches the Ryzen 5 9600X on boost clock (5.4GHz).

On core count it ties with the Ryzen 7 9850X3D at 8 cores. On rated power it ties with the Ryzen 5 7600X at 105W. You also get the Zen 4 architecture, a 5nm process and PCIe 5.0 support on AM5.

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. No cooler is included; a single-tower air cooler is enough at its rating. It was priced above the Ryzen 5 9600X and below the Core i7-14700K at the time of writing.

Esports titles rarely use more than six cores, so it handles high refresh rates on a modest budget. On L3 cache it ties with the Ryzen 7 7700X and the Ryzen 5 7600X at 32MB. On boost clock it ties with the Ryzen 7 7700X at 5.4GHz.

It matches the Ryzen 5 7600X on core count (6 cores). Nothing else here matches its 65W rated power; the Ryzen 7 7700X comes closest at 105W. It needs an AM5 board (A620, B650, B850, X670 or X870 series) and DDR5 memory; a 600-series board may need a BIOS update first, so check the maker's CPU support list for the minimum version.

No cooler is included; a single-tower air cooler is enough at its rating. On price it sat second of 6, between the cheaper Ryzen 5 7600X and the pricier Ryzen 7 7700X, at the time of writing.

It needs an aftermarket cooler, since none is included. It matches the Ryzen 7 7700X and the Ryzen 5 9600X on L3 cache (32MB). Its 5.3GHz boost clock is the lowest in this group; the Core Ultra 9 285K leads at 5.7GHz.

On core count it ties with the Ryzen 5 9600X at 6 cores. On rated power it ties with the Ryzen 7 7700X at 105W. It also comes with the Zen 4 architecture, a 5nm process and PCIe 5.0 support on AM5.

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. No cooler is included; a single-tower air cooler is enough at its rating. It cost the least of the 6 picks at the time of writing, with the Ryzen 5 9600X the next step up.