The Best Desktop CPUs for Gaming

It is the chip to pair with a high-end graphics card when the CPU would otherwise hold frame rates back. Its 5.2GHz boost clock ranks fourth of 6 here, behind the Core Ultra 7 265KF (5.5GHz) and ahead of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D (4.5GHz). On core count it ties with the Ryzen 7 9700X and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D at 8 cores.

On rated power it sits mid-pack at 120W: the Ryzen 7 9700X offers 65W, and the Core Ultra 5 225F comes in at 125W. Like the Ryzen 7 9700X, it has an AM5 socket, while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D uses an AM4 socket. It also comes with second-generation 3D V-Cache placed under the cores and an unlocked multiplier, a first for AMD's X3D chips. Only the Ryzen 7 5800X3D came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 6 picks.

It costs less and needs a graphics card for any display output. Its 30MB L3 cache ranks fourth of 6 here, behind the Ryzen 7 9800X3D (96MB) and ahead of the Core Ultra 5 225F (20MB). It matches the Ryzen 7 9700X on boost clock (5.5GHz).

Nothing else here matches its 20 cores core count; the Core i5-14600KF comes closest at 14 cores. On rated power it ties with the Core i5-14600KF and the Core Ultra 5 225F at 125W. Like the Core Ultra 5 225F, it has an LGA1851 socket, while the Core i5-14600KF uses an LGA1700 socket.

You also get 8 performance and 12 efficient cores and an unlocked multiplier. It was priced above the Core i5-14600KF and below the Ryzen 7 9700X at the time of writing. What it gives up: no integrated graphics, unlike the Ryzen 7 9800X3D; by contrast, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D has it.

It is the quieter, cooler-running choice when a build balances games with everyday work. On L3 cache it sits mid-pack at 32MB: the Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers 96MB, and the Core Ultra 5 225F comes in at 20MB. On boost clock it ties with the Core Ultra 7 265KF at 5.5GHz.

Nothing else here matches its 65W rated power; the Ryzen 7 5800X3D comes closest at 105W. It shares an AM5 socket with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D; the Core i5-14600KF goes with an LGA1700 socket. 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 fourth of 6, between the cheaper Core Ultra 7 265KF and the pricier Ryzen 7 5800X3D, at the time of writing.

It costs less and needs a graphics card for display output. Its 24MB L3 cache ranks fifth of 6 here, behind the Ryzen 7 9800X3D (96MB) and ahead of the Core Ultra 5 225F (20MB). Its 5.3GHz boost clock ranks third of 6 here, behind the Core Ultra 7 265KF (5.5GHz) and ahead of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D (4.5GHz).

On core count it sits mid-pack at 14 cores: the Core Ultra 7 265KF offers 20 cores, and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D comes in at 8 cores. On rated power it ties with the Core Ultra 7 265KF and the Core Ultra 5 225F at 125W. It is the only pick here with an LGA1700 socket; the Core Ultra 5 225F has an LGA1851 socket instead. What it gives up: no integrated graphics, unlike the Ryzen 7 9800X3D; by contrast, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D has it.

It lets an existing AM4 board take a cache upgrade without a new platform or DDR5. On L3 cache it ties with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D at 96MB. On boost clock it trails the group at 4.5GHz, while the Core Ultra 7 265KF offers 5.5GHz.

It matches the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the Ryzen 7 9700X on core count (8 cores). Its 105W rated power ranks second of 6 here, behind the Ryzen 7 9700X (65W) and ahead of the Core Ultra 5 225F (125W). You get an AM4 socket here, which sets it apart from the Core i5-14600KF and its an LGA1700 socket.

DDR4 memory is unique to it among these picks, while the Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses DDR5 memory. It also offers a drop-in upgrade for many existing AM4 boards after a BIOS update. Its price falls between the Ryzen 7 9700X and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, based on our last check.

It suits a budget Intel build that will pair with a B860 board. Its 20MB L3 cache is the smallest in this group; the Ryzen 7 9800X3D leads at 96MB. Its 4.9GHz boost clock ranks fifth of 6 here, behind the Core Ultra 7 265KF (5.5GHz) and ahead of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D (4.5GHz).

On core count it sits mid-pack at 10 cores: the Core Ultra 7 265KF offers 20 cores, and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D comes in at 8 cores. On rated power it ties with the Core Ultra 7 265KF and the Core i5-14600KF at 125W. Like the Core Ultra 7 265KF, it has an LGA1851 socket, while the Core i5-14600KF uses an LGA1700 socket.

It also comes with 6 performance and 4 efficient cores, PCIe 5.0 support and Intel 800-series chipset support. It cost the least of the 6 picks at the time of writing, with the Core i5-14600KF the next step up.