The Best Gaming Desktop Processors

It targets players who want the most gaming headroom AMD offers in an eight-core chip. It is AMD's second-generation X3D eight-core chip with 96MB of L3 cache. On L3 cache it leads this guide at 96MB, ahead of the Ryzen 7 7700X (32MB).

Nothing else here matches its 5.6GHz boost clock; the Core Ultra 7 265K comes closest at 5.5GHz. It matches the Ryzen 7 7700X and the Ryzen 7 7700 on core count (8 cores). Its 120W rated power ranks third of 5 here, behind the Ryzen 7 7700 (65W) and ahead of the Core i5-14600K (125W).

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 the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the Core Ultra 7 265K.

It suits a builder who wants an Intel platform and a lot of multi-threaded headroom. Its 30MB L3 cache ranks fourth of 5 here, behind the Ryzen 7 9850X3D (96MB) and ahead of the Core i5-14600K (24MB). Its 5.5GHz boost clock ranks second of 5 here, behind the Ryzen 7 9850X3D (5.6GHz) and ahead of the Ryzen 7 7700 (5.3GHz).

Nothing else here matches its 20 cores core count; the Core i5-14600K comes closest at 14 cores. On rated power it ties with the Core i5-14600K at 125W. It is the only pick here with an LGA1851 socket; the Ryzen 7 9850X3D has an AM5 socket instead.

It also offers 8 performance and 12 efficient cores and a built-in NPU for AI features. When we checked, only the Core i5-14600K and cheaper picks cost less, and the Ryzen 7 9850X3D cost more.

It gives esports titles plenty of headroom without the cache premium. On L3 cache it ties with the Ryzen 7 7700 at 32MB. On boost clock it sits mid-pack at 5.4GHz: the Ryzen 7 9850X3D offers 5.6GHz, and the Ryzen 7 7700 comes in at 5.3GHz.

It matches the Ryzen 7 9850X3D and the Ryzen 7 7700 on core count (8 cores). Its 105W rated power ranks second of 5 here, behind the Ryzen 7 7700 (65W) and ahead of the Core i5-14600K (125W). It shares an AM5 socket with the Ryzen 7 9850X3D and Ryzen 7 7700; the Core i5-14600K goes with an LGA1700 socket.

You also get the Zen 4 architecture, a 5nm process and PCIe 5.0 support on AM5. Its price falls between the Ryzen 7 7700 and the Core i5-14600K, based on our last check.

Its 14 cores give good headroom for a mid-range gaming build. It boosts to 5.3GHz, and the unlocked multiplier allows overclocking on a Z-series board. Its 24MB L3 cache is the smallest in this group; the Ryzen 7 9850X3D leads at 96MB.

It matches the Ryzen 7 7700 on boost clock (5.3GHz). On core count it sits mid-pack at 14 cores: the Core Ultra 7 265K offers 20 cores, and the Ryzen 7 7700 comes in at 8 cores. On rated power it ties with the Core Ultra 7 265K at 125W.

It is the only pick here with an LGA1700 socket; the Ryzen 7 9850X3D has an AM5 socket instead. No other pick in this guide offers DDR4 or DDR5 memory; compare the Ryzen 7 7700X, which has DDR5 memory. When we checked, only the Ryzen 7 7700X and cheaper picks cost less, and the Core Ultra 7 265K cost more.

It gives eight AM5 cores without buying a cooler. It matches the Ryzen 7 7700X on L3 cache (32MB). It matches the Core i5-14600K on boost clock (5.3GHz).

On core count it ties with the Ryzen 7 9850X3D and the Ryzen 7 7700X at 8 cores. Nothing else here matches its 65W rated power; the Ryzen 7 7700X comes closest at 105W. Like the Ryzen 7 9850X3D and Ryzen 7 7700X, it has an AM5 socket, while the Core Ultra 7 265K uses an LGA1851 socket.

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. It cost the least of the 5 picks at the time of writing, with the Ryzen 7 7700X the next step up.