Buying Guide
Good CPUs for a Gaming PC: Four Mid-Range Picks
Four mid-range processors that are good enough for most gaming PCs without flagship prices.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
11 min read4 products evaluated
Most gaming PCs pair a mid-range card with a mid-range processor. The chips here have enough cache or cores to keep such cards busy.
We compared cores, boost clock, L3 cache, rated power and platform from manufacturer specifications. Gaming results depend on the graphics card, resolution and game, so we make no frame-rate claims.
Quick Picks
Which of the 4 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Best Mid-Range Gaming CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D96MB of L3 on a six-core AM5 chip.
Best for: New mid-range builds.
Check price for AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best AM4 Upgrade
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D96MB of L3 that fits many AM4 boards after a BIOS update.
Best for: Upgrading an AM4 PC.
Check price for AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best With a Cooler
AMD Ryzen 7 7700Eight cores with a Wraith Prism in the box.
Best for: Skipping a cooler purchase.
Check price for AMD Ryzen 7 7700 on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Best Intel Mid-Range
Intel Core Ultra 5 245KFFourteen cores on LGA1851.
Best for: New Intel builds.
Check price for Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it stands out | Best for | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96MB of L3 on a six-core AM5 chip. | New mid-range builds. | Check price for AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| 96MB of L3 that fits many AM4 boards after a BIOS update. | Upgrading an AM4 PC. | Check price for AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| Eight cores with a Wraith Prism in the box. | Skipping a cooler purchase. | Check price for AMD Ryzen 7 7700 on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| Fourteen cores on LGA1851. | New Intel builds. | Check price for Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Best Mid-Range Gaming CPU1 of 4
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D
The Ryzen 5 7600X3D brings 96MB of L3 cache to a six-core AM5 chip at a 65W rating.
Best for
- New mid-range builds.
Skip if
- Pass on it if 6 cores leave less headroom for streaming alongside games rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
It is the cheapest way into AMD's cache-heavy gaming line on AM5. Its 4.7GHz boost clock ranks third of 4 here, behind the Ryzen 7 7700 (5.3GHz) and ahead of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D (4.5GHz). On core count it trails the group at 6 cores, while the Core Ultra 5 245KF offers 14 cores.
On rated power it ties with the Ryzen 7 7700 at 65W. Like the Ryzen 7 7700 and Core Ultra 5 245KF, it has DDR5 memory, while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D uses DDR4 memory. 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. When we checked, only the Ryzen 7 7700 and cheaper picks cost less, and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D cost more.
Key specs
- L3 cache
- 96MB
- Max boost
- 4.7GHz
- Cores / threads
- 6 cores
- Rated power
- 65W
- Threads
- 12
- Socket
- AM5
- Memory
- DDR5
- Cooler in box
- No
- Integrated graphics
- Yes
Pros
- 96MB of L3 cache from 3D V-Cache
- 65W rating suits a modest air cooler
- Integrated graphics for display output without a graphics card
- 96MB of L3 cache on a six-core chip
Cons
- 6 cores leave less headroom for streaming alongside games
- No cooler in the box
- Core count trails the Core Ultra 5 245KF (14 cores)
The catch
Core count is its weakest area, and the Core Ultra 5 245KF covers it better at 14 cores.
Best AM4 Upgrade2 of 4
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the last X3D chip for AM4.
Best for
- Upgrading an AM4 PC.
Skip if
- Worth skipping when aM4 is a final-generation platform with no newer CPUs coming is a problem.
Why we like it
It lets an existing AM4 board take a cache upgrade without a new platform or DDR5. It matches the Ryzen 5 7600X3D on L3 cache (96MB). Its 4.5GHz boost clock is the lowest in this group; the Ryzen 7 7700 leads at 5.3GHz.
On core count it ties with the Ryzen 7 7700 at 8 cores. On rated power it sits mid-pack at 105W: the Ryzen 5 7600X3D offers 65W, and the Core Ultra 5 245KF comes in at 125W. No other pick in this guide offers an AM4 socket; compare the Ryzen 7 7700, which has an AM5 socket.
It is the only pick here with DDR4 memory; the Ryzen 5 7600X3D has DDR5 memory instead. It also offers a drop-in upgrade for many existing AM4 boards after a BIOS update. Only the Ryzen 5 7600X3D came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 4 picks.
Key specs
- L3 cache
- 96MB
- Max boost
- 4.5GHz
- Cores / threads
- 8 cores
- Rated power
- 105W
- Threads
- 16
- Socket
- AM4
- Memory
- DDR4
- Cooler in box
- No
- Integrated graphics
- No
Pros
- 96MB of L3 cache from 3D V-Cache
- 3D V-Cache on the AM4 platform
- Drop-in upgrade for many existing AM4 boards after a BIOS update
- Core count of 8 cores, ahead of the Ryzen 5 7600X3D
Cons
- AM4 is a final-generation platform with no newer CPUs coming
- No cooler in the box
- No integrated graphics, so a graphics card is required
The catch
It gives ground on boost clock, where the Ryzen 7 7700 offers 5.3GHz.
Best With a Cooler3 of 4
AMD Ryzen 7 7700
The Ryzen 7 7700 is the 65W version of the 7700X and ships with a Wraith Prism cooler.
Best for
- Skipping a cooler purchase.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the Core Ultra 5 245KF was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
It gives eight AM5 cores without buying a cooler. On L3 cache it sits mid-pack at 32MB: the Ryzen 5 7600X3D offers 96MB, and the Core Ultra 5 245KF comes in at 24MB. Nothing else here matches its 5.3GHz boost clock; the Core Ultra 5 245KF comes closest at 5.2GHz.
It matches the Ryzen 7 5800X3D on core count (8 cores). It matches the Ryzen 5 7600X3D on rated power (65W). It shares DDR5 memory with the Ryzen 5 7600X3D and Core Ultra 5 245KF; the Ryzen 7 5800X3D goes with DDR4 memory.
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. On price it sat second of 4, between the cheaper Core Ultra 5 245KF and the pricier Ryzen 5 7600X3D, at the time of writing.
Key specs
- L3 cache
- 32MB
- Max boost
- 5.3GHz
- Cores / threads
- 8 cores
- Rated power
- 65W
- Threads
- 16
- Socket
- AM5
- Memory
- DDR5
- Cooler in box
- Yes
- Integrated graphics
- Yes
Pros
- 65W rating suits a modest air cooler
- Wraith Stealth cooler in the box
- Integrated graphics for display output without a graphics card
- L3 cache of 32MB, ahead of the Core Ultra 5 245KF
Cons
- Costs more than the Core Ultra 5 245KF at the time of writing
Best Intel Mid-Range4 of 4
Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF
The Core Ultra 5 245KF is the entry to LGA1851, with 14 cores and no integrated graphics.
Best for
- New Intel builds.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: no cooler in the box.
Why we like it
It needs a graphics card to show a picture, which every gaming build has anyway. On L3 cache it trails the group at 24MB, while the Ryzen 5 7600X3D offers 96MB. On boost clock it sits mid-pack at 5.2GHz: the Ryzen 7 7700 offers 5.3GHz, and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D comes in at 4.5GHz.
Nothing else here matches its 14 cores core count; the Ryzen 7 5800X3D comes closest at 8 cores. Its 125W rated power is the highest in this group; the Ryzen 5 7600X3D leads at 65W. An LGA1851 socket is unique to it among these picks, while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D uses an AM4 socket.
It shares DDR5 memory with the Ryzen 5 7600X3D and Ryzen 7 7700; the Ryzen 7 5800X3D goes with DDR4 memory. It undercut the Ryzen 7 7700 and every other pick on price at the time of writing.
Key specs
- L3 cache
- 24MB
- Max boost
- 5.2GHz
- Cores / threads
- 14 cores
- Rated power
- 125W
- Threads
- 14
- Socket
- LGA1851
- Memory
- DDR5
- Cooler in box
- No
- Integrated graphics
- No
Pros
- 14 cores for encoding and background work
- 6 performance and 8 efficient cores
- Intel 800-series chipset support
- PCIe 5.0 support
Cons
- No cooler in the box
- No integrated graphics, so a graphics card is required
- L3 cache trails the Ryzen 5 7600X3D (96MB)
The catch
The trade-off is L3 cache; for more, the Ryzen 5 7600X3D offers 96MB.
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.
- How these picks were ranked
- We lined up four processors on L3 cache, boost clock, core count and rated power from manufacturer specifications. We did not test them in-house, and all 9 compared fields are stated for every pick.
- The shared baseline
- All 4, from the Ryzen 5 7600X3D to the Core Ultra 5 245KF, state L3 cache, boost clock and core count.
- Who each pick suits
- The Ryzen 5 7600X3D for 96MB of L3 on a six-core AM5 chip; the Ryzen 7 5800X3D for 96MB of L3 that fits many AM4 boards after a BIOS update; the Ryzen 7 7700 for eight cores with a Wraith Prism in the box.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the Core Ultra 5 245KF ($150 to $250) to the Ryzen 7 5800X3D ($250 to $500).
What to Look For
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
L3 cache
The Ryzen 5 7600X3D tops L3 cache at 96MB and the Core Ultra 5 245KF sits lowest at 24MB; 2 picks share the top figure. The Ryzen 5 7600X3D is the pick for L3 cache.
How much boost clock you need
Across these 4 picks boost clock spans 4.5GHz (the Ryzen 7 5800X3D) to 5.3GHz (the Ryzen 7 7700). The Core Ultra 5 245KF comes second at 5.2GHz, in the same price tier as the Ryzen 7 7700.
A desktop CPU seated in its motherboard socket with the retention frame open How much core count you need
Here core count runs from 6 cores on the Ryzen 5 7600X3D to 14 cores on the Core Ultra 5 245KF, a 133% spread. If core count is your first filter, the Core Ultra 5 245KF sets the ceiling at 14 cores.
Memory
The Ryzen 5 7600X3D, the Ryzen 7 7700 and the Core Ultra 5 245KF list DDR5; the Ryzen 7 5800X3D lists DDR4. Sort out memory before price: it splits 4 stated picks into groups of 3 and 1.
Cooler in box
The Ryzen 5 7600X3D, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D and the Core Ultra 5 245KF go without; the Ryzen 7 7700 has it. Sort out cooler in box before price: it splits 4 stated picks into groups of 3 and 1.
How to Choose
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New mid-range builds | Ryzen 5 7600X3D | 96MB of L3 on a six-core AM5 chip |
| Upgrading an AM4 PC | Ryzen 7 5800X3D | 96MB of L3 that fits many AM4 boards after a BIOS update |
| Skipping a cooler purchase | Ryzen 7 7700 | Eight cores with a Wraith Prism in the box |
| New Intel builds | Core Ultra 5 245KF | Fourteen cores on LGA1851 |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The Ryzen 5 7600X3D leads on L3 cache at 96MB, ahead of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D at 96MB.
| Processor | L3 cache | Max boost | Cores / threads | Rated power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 7600X3D | 96MB | 4.7GHz | 6 cores | 65W |
| Ryzen 7 5800X3D | 96MB | 4.5GHz | 8 cores | 105W |
| Ryzen 7 7700 | 32MB | 5.3GHz | 8 cores | 65W |
| Core Ultra 5 245KF | 24MB | 5.2GHz | 14 cores | 125W |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
At our last check the cheapest pick, the Core Ultra 5 245KF, sat in the $150 to $250 tier, 2 tiers in all up to the Ryzen 7 5800X3D at $250 to $500; Amazon prices move, so recheck before buying.
| Price tier | Processors |
|---|---|
| About $150 to $250 | Core Ultra 5 245KF, Ryzen 7 7700, Ryzen 5 7600X3D |
| About $250 to $500 | Ryzen 7 5800X3D |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ryzen 7 7700 ahead of the Core Ultra 5 245KF on boost clock?
The Ryzen 7 7700 leads at 5.3GHz, with the Core Ultra 5 245KF at 5.2GHz. The spread runs down to the Ryzen 7 5800X3D at 4.5GHz.
Which has the highest core count: the Core Ultra 5 245KF or the Ryzen 7 5800X3D?
The Core Ultra 5 245KF tops core count at 14 cores; the Ryzen 7 5800X3D follows at 8 cores, 75% apart. The Ryzen 5 7600X3D is at the other end of this group with 6 cores.
Is the Ryzen 7 5800X3D worth paying more than the Core Ultra 5 245KF?
On paper it adds L3 cache (96MB against 24MB) and rated power (105W against 125W). It does not win everywhere: the Core Ultra 5 245KF still leads on boost clock (5.2GHz) and core count (14 cores). The Core Ultra 5 245KF sat in the $150 to $250 tier and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D in the $250 to $500 tier when we checked, with 2 other picks between them; pay the difference only if L3 cache and rated power decide your purchase.
What makes the Ryzen 5 7600X3D the Best Mid-Range Gaming CPU?
The label rests on 96MB of L3 on a six-core AM5 chip. It gives up boost clock (4.7GHz against 5.2GHz) and core count (6 cores against 14 cores) to the Core Ultra 5 245KF, the cheapest pick. It suits new mid-range builds.
Do the Ryzen 5 7600X3D and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D differ on socket?
The Ryzen 5 7600X3D and the Ryzen 7 7700 use AM5; the Ryzen 7 5800X3D uses AM4; the Core Ultra 5 245KF uses LGA1851.
Beyond the specs, what sets the Ryzen 5 7600X3D and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D apart?
The Ryzen 5 7600X3D: 96MB of L3 cache on a six-core chip. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D: 3D V-Cache on the AM4 platform. The Ryzen 7 7700: a Wraith Prism cooler in the box.
Bottom Line
The Ryzen 5 7600X3D is the good all-round pick for a new AM5 build. The 5800X3D upgrades an AM4 PC, the Ryzen 7 7700 includes a cooler, and the Core Ultra 5 245KF covers Intel.
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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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