Buying Guide
The Best CPUs for Overclocking
Five processors compared, from the Ryzen 7 7700X to the Ryzen 9 9950X, with the trade-offs of each named.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
12 min read5 products evaluated
Unlocked chips with high power limits give overclocking headroom. Every pick is unlocked at 105W or more, ordered by boost clock.
We sorted these picks by L3 cache, max boost and cores / threads, working from the makers' own data; any figure a maker omits is noted as missing, and no figure here comes from our own testing.
Quick Picks
Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Highest Boost Clock
Intel Core i9-14900KThe highest boost clock here (6GHz).
Best for: Buyers who put boost clock first.
Check price for Intel Core i9-14900K on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K8 performance and 16 efficient cores.
Best for: Buyers who want 8 performance and 16 efficient cores.
Check price for Intel Core Ultra 9 285K on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
AMD Ryzen 9 9950XAMD's recommendation of a liquid cooler at the highest price in the group.
Best for: Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Ryzen 7 7700X costs less.
Check price for AMD Ryzen 9 9950X on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Strong Alternative
AMD Ryzen 9 9900XThe Zen 5 architecture.
Best for: Buyers who want Zen 5 architecture.
Check price for AMD Ryzen 9 9900X on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Rated Power
AMD Ryzen 7 7700XThe lowest rated power here (105W).
Best for: Buyers who put rated power first.
Check price for AMD Ryzen 7 7700X on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it stands out | Best for | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The highest boost clock here (6GHz). | Buyers who put boost clock first. | Check price for Intel Core i9-14900K on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| 8 performance and 16 efficient cores. | Buyers who want 8 performance and 16 efficient cores. | Check price for Intel Core Ultra 9 285K on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| AMD's recommendation of a liquid cooler at the highest price in the group. | Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Ryzen 7 7700X costs less. | Check price for AMD Ryzen 9 9950X on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The Zen 5 architecture. | Buyers who want Zen 5 architecture. | Check price for AMD Ryzen 9 9900X on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The lowest rated power here (105W). | Buyers who put rated power first. | Check price for AMD Ryzen 7 7700X on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Highest Boost Clock1 of 5
Intel Core i9-14900K
The Core i9-14900K is the last LGA1700 flagship with a 6.0GHz boost clock.
Best for
- Buyers who put boost clock first.
Skip if
- Choose another pick if you can't accept this: no cooler in the box.
Why we like it
Check your board has the latest BIOS for Intel's stability microcode. It matches the Core Ultra 9 285K on L3 cache (36MB). Its 6GHz boost clock is the highest here; the Core Ultra 9 285K comes next at 5.7GHz.
On core count it ties with the Core Ultra 9 285K at 24 cores. No other pick in this guide offers an LGA1700 socket; compare the Ryzen 9 9900X, which has an AM5 socket. It is the only pick here with DDR4 or DDR5 memory; the Core Ultra 9 285K has DDR5 memory instead.
It also comes with 8 performance and 16 efficient cores. 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. It was priced above the Ryzen 9 9900X and below the Core Ultra 9 285K at the time of writing.
Key specs
- L3 cache
- 36MB
- Max boost
- 6GHz
- Cores / threads
- 24 cores
- Rated power
- 125W
- Threads
- 32
- Socket
- LGA1700
- Memory
- DDR4 or DDR5
- Cooler in box
- No
- Integrated graphics
- Yes
Pros
- 6GHz maximum boost
- 24 cores for encoding and background work
- Integrated graphics for display output without a graphics card
- 8 performance and 16 efficient cores
Cons
- No cooler in the box
- Costs more than the Ryzen 7 7700X at the time of writing
Also Consider2 of 5
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
The Core Ultra 9 285K is Intel's flagship on LGA1851, with 24 cores and high single-threaded clocks.
Best for
- Buyers who want 8 performance and 16 efficient cores.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: no cooler in the box.
Why we like it
It suits competitive players who also stream from the same machine. On L3 cache it ties with the Core i9-14900K at 36MB. On boost clock it ties with the Ryzen 9 9950X at 5.7GHz.
It matches the Core i9-14900K on rated power (125W). You get an LGA1851 socket here, which sets it apart from the Ryzen 7 7700X and its an AM5 socket. You also get 8 performance and 16 efficient cores and a built-in NPU for AI features.
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. Its price falls between the Core i9-14900K and the Ryzen 9 9950X, based on our last check.
Key specs
- L3 cache
- 36MB
- Max boost
- 5.7GHz
- Cores / threads
- 24 cores
- Rated power
- 125W
- Threads
- 24
- Socket
- LGA1851
- Memory
- DDR5
- Cooler in box
- No
- Integrated graphics
- Yes
Pros
- 5.7GHz maximum boost
- 24 cores for encoding and background work
- Integrated graphics for display output without a graphics card
- 8 performance and 16 efficient cores
Cons
- No cooler in the box
- Costs more than the Ryzen 7 7700X at the time of writing
Premium Pick3 of 5
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
The Ryzen 9 9950X gives 16 cores and 32 threads without the X3D premium.
Best for
- Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Ryzen 7 7700X costs less.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: 170W rating calls for a large air cooler or a 280mm-plus AIO.
Why we like it
It is the better buy when CPU encoding and editing matter more than the last few frames per second. It matches the Ryzen 9 9900X on L3 cache (64MB). It matches the Core Ultra 9 285K on boost clock (5.7GHz).
On core count it sits mid-pack at 16 cores: the Core i9-14900K offers 24 cores, and the Ryzen 7 7700X comes in at 8 cores. On rated power it trails the group at 170W, while the Ryzen 7 7700X offers 105W. Like the Ryzen 9 9900X and Ryzen 7 7700X, it has an AM5 socket, while the Core i9-14900K uses an LGA1700 socket.
You also get AMD's recommendation of a liquid cooler. Only the Core Ultra 9 285K came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 5 picks.
Key specs
- L3 cache
- 64MB
- Max boost
- 5.7GHz
- Cores / threads
- 16 cores
- Rated power
- 170W
- Threads
- 32
- Socket
- AM5
- Memory
- DDR5
- Cooler in box
- No
- Integrated graphics
- Yes
Pros
- 64MB of L3 cache
- 5.7GHz maximum boost
- 16 cores for encoding and background work
- Integrated graphics for display output without a graphics card
Cons
- 170W rating calls for a large air cooler or a 280mm-plus AIO
- No cooler in the box
- Rated power trails the Ryzen 7 7700X (105W)
The catch
It gives ground on rated power, where the Ryzen 7 7700X offers 105W.
Strong Alternative4 of 5
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
The Ryzen 9 9900X steps down to 12 cores on Zen 5.
Best for
- Buyers who want Zen 5 architecture.
Skip if
- Pass on it if no cooler in the box rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
It leaves plenty of threads for an encoder alongside a game, with a lower power rating than the 16-core chips. It matches the Ryzen 9 9950X on L3 cache (64MB). Its 5.6GHz boost clock ranks fourth of 5 here, behind the Core i9-14900K (6GHz) and ahead of the Ryzen 7 7700X (5.4GHz).
On core count it sits mid-pack at 12 cores: the Core i9-14900K offers 24 cores, and the Ryzen 7 7700X comes in at 8 cores. On rated power it sits mid-pack at 120W: the Ryzen 7 7700X offers 105W, and the Ryzen 9 9950X comes in at 170W. Like the Ryzen 9 9950X and Ryzen 7 7700X, it has an AM5 socket, while the Core i9-14900K uses an LGA1700 socket. You also get the Zen 5 architecture.
Key specs
- L3 cache
- 64MB
- Max boost
- 5.6GHz
- Cores / threads
- 12 cores
- Rated power
- 120W
- Threads
- 24
- Socket
- AM5
- Memory
- DDR5
- Cooler in box
- No
- Integrated graphics
- Yes
Pros
- 64MB of L3 cache
- 5.6GHz maximum boost
- 12 cores for encoding and background work
- Integrated graphics for display output without a graphics card
Cons
- No cooler in the box
- Costs more than the Ryzen 7 7700X at the time of writing
Lowest Rated Power5 of 5
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
The Ryzen 7 7700X brings eight Zen 4 cores with high clocks to AM5 at a lower price than the X3D chips.
Best for
- Buyers who put rated power first.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: no cooler in the box.
Why we like it
It gives esports titles plenty of headroom without the cache premium. Its 32MB L3 cache is the smallest in this group; the Ryzen 9 9950X leads at 64MB. Its 5.4GHz boost clock is the lowest in this group; the Core i9-14900K leads at 6GHz.
On core count it trails the group at 8 cores, while the Core i9-14900K offers 24 cores. Its 105W rated power is the lowest here; the Ryzen 9 9900X comes next at 120W. Like the Ryzen 9 9950X and Ryzen 9 9900X, it has an AM5 socket, while the Core i9-14900K uses an LGA1700 socket.
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 other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the Ryzen 9 9900X was closest.
Key specs
- L3 cache
- 32MB
- Max boost
- 5.4GHz
- Cores / threads
- 8 cores
- Rated power
- 105W
- Threads
- 16
- Socket
- AM5
- Memory
- DDR5
- Cooler in box
- No
- Integrated graphics
- Yes
Pros
- Integrated graphics for display output without a graphics card
- The Zen 4 architecture
- 5nm process
- PCIe 5.0 support on AM5
Cons
- No cooler in the box
- L3 cache trails the Ryzen 9 9950X (64MB)
- Boost clock trails the Core i9-14900K (6GHz)
The catch
L3 cache is its weakest area, and the Ryzen 9 9950X covers it better at 64MB.
How We Chose
Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.
- The figures behind the order
- We compared five processors on L3 cache, boost clock, core count and rated power, using each maker's published specs. These are research figures, not bench results, and every compared field is stated for all 5 picks.
- The shared baseline
- All 5, from the Core i9-14900K to the Ryzen 7 7700X, state L3 cache, boost clock and core count and share integrated graphics.
- Who each pick suits
- The Core i9-14900K for the highest boost clock here (6GHz); the Core Ultra 9 285K for 8 performance and 16 efficient cores; the Ryzen 9 9950X for AMD's recommendation of a liquid cooler at the highest price in the group.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the Ryzen 7 7700X ($150 to $250) to the Ryzen 9 9950X ($500 to $1000).
What to Look for in a CPUs for Overclocking
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
L3 cache across these picks
Here L3 cache runs from 32MB on the Ryzen 7 7700X to 64MB on the Ryzen 9 9950X, a 100% spread. For less, the Ryzen 9 9900X is the runner-up at 64MB ($250 to $500 tier).
Boost clock
The Core i9-14900K tops boost clock at 6GHz and the Ryzen 7 7700X sits lowest at 5.4GHz. Start with the Core i9-14900K if boost clock decides it.
A desktop CPU seated in its motherboard socket with the retention frame open Core count
Across these 5 picks core count spans 8 cores (the Ryzen 7 7700X) to 24 cores (the Core i9-14900K). Start with the Core i9-14900K if core count decides it.
Memory
The Core i9-14900K lists DDR4 or DDR5; the Core Ultra 9 285K, the Ryzen 9 9950X, the Ryzen 9 9900X and the Ryzen 7 7700X list DDR5. Sort out memory before price: it splits 5 stated picks into groups of 4 and 1.
Cooler in box
The Core i9-14900K, the Core Ultra 9 285K, the Ryzen 9 9950X, the Ryzen 9 9900X and the Ryzen 7 7700X go without. Sort out cooler in box before price: it splits 5 stated picks into groups of 5.
How to Choose a CPUs for Overclocking
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who put boost clock first | Core i9-14900K | The highest boost clock here (6GHz) |
| Buyers who want 8 performance and 16 efficient cores | Core Ultra 9 285K | 8 performance and 16 efficient cores |
| Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor, since the Ryzen 7 7700X costs less | Ryzen 9 9950X | AMD's recommendation of a liquid cooler at the highest price in the group |
| Buyers who want Zen 5 architecture | Ryzen 9 9900X | The Zen 5 architecture |
| Buyers who put rated power first | Ryzen 7 7700X | The lowest rated power here (105W) |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The Ryzen 9 9950X leads on L3 cache at 64MB, ahead of the Ryzen 9 9900X at 64MB.
| Processor | L3 cache | Max boost | Cores / threads | Rated power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core i9-14900K | 36MB | 6GHz | 24 cores | 125W |
| Core Ultra 9 285K | 36MB | 5.7GHz | 24 cores | 125W |
| Ryzen 9 9950X | 64MB | 5.7GHz | 16 cores | 170W |
| Ryzen 9 9900X | 64MB | 5.6GHz | 12 cores | 120W |
| Ryzen 7 7700X | 32MB | 5.4GHz | 8 cores | 105W |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
At our last check the cheapest pick, the Ryzen 7 7700X, sat in the $150 to $250 tier, 3 tiers in all up to the Ryzen 9 9950X at $500 to $1000; Amazon prices move, so recheck before buying.
| Price tier | Processors |
|---|---|
| About $150 to $250 | Ryzen 7 7700X |
| About $250 to $500 | Ryzen 9 9900X, Core i9-14900K |
| About $500 to $1000 | Core Ultra 9 285K, Ryzen 9 9950X |
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Core Ultra 9 285K compare with the Core i9-14900K on boost clock?
Between the top two, it is 6GHz on the Core i9-14900K against 5.7GHz on the Core Ultra 9 285K, a 5% difference. The Ryzen 7 7700X closes the ranking at 5.4GHz.
Is the Ryzen 7 7700X ahead of the Ryzen 9 9900X on rated power?
The Ryzen 7 7700X comes out best at 105W, with the Ryzen 9 9900X at 120W. The spread runs down to the Ryzen 9 9950X at 170W.
Is the Ryzen 9 9950X worth paying more than the Ryzen 7 7700X?
On paper it adds L3 cache (64MB against 32MB), boost clock (5.7GHz against 5.4GHz) and core count (16 cores against 8 cores). It does not win everywhere: the Ryzen 7 7700X still leads on rated power (105W). The Ryzen 7 7700X sat in the $150 to $250 tier and the Ryzen 9 9950X in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked, with 3 other picks between them; pay the difference only if L3 cache and boost clock decide your purchase.
What makes the Core i9-14900K the Highest Boost Clock?
It earns the label for the highest boost clock here (6GHz). The Core Ultra 9 285K is next on boost clock at 5.7GHz, so this pick's 6GHz is 5% further out. It gives up rated power (125W against 105W) to the Ryzen 7 7700X, the cheapest pick. It makes sense for anyone who puts boost clock first.
Do the Core i9-14900K and the Core Ultra 9 285K differ on socket?
The Core i9-14900K uses LGA1700; the Core Ultra 9 285K uses LGA1851; the Ryzen 9 9950X, the Ryzen 9 9900X and the Ryzen 7 7700X use AM5.
Beyond the specs, what sets the Core i9-14900K and the Core Ultra 9 285K apart?
The Core i9-14900K: 8 performance and 16 efficient cores. The Core Ultra 9 285K: 8 performance and 16 efficient cores. The Ryzen 9 9950X: AMD's recommendation of a liquid cooler.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the Core i9-14900K, chosen for the highest boost clock here (6GHz). Look at the Core Ultra 9 285K for 8 performance and 16 efficient cores, the Ryzen 9 9950X for AMD's recommendation of a liquid cooler at the highest price in the group and the Ryzen 9 9900X for the Zen 5 architecture if those matter more to you.
Overclock with a strong cooler and a Z or X-series board.
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About the author
PC Hardware Editor
Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.
Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility
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