The Best Processors for a Budget Gaming PC

It is a common drop-in upgrade for AM4 owners. On L3 cache it leads this guide at 32MB, ahead of the Core Ultra 5 225F (20MB). It matches the Core i5-12400F on boost clock (4.4GHz).

On core count it ties with the Core i5-12400F, the Ryzen 5 8600G and the Ryzen 5 5500 at 6 cores. Like the Ryzen 5 5500, it has an AM4 socket, while the Core Ultra 5 225F uses an LGA1851 socket. It also offers DDR4 support that keeps an AM4 upgrade cheap.

It drops into an AM4 board with DDR4 memory; older B450 and X470 boards need a BIOS that supports this chip, so check the support list before swapping. When we checked, only the Core Ultra 5 225F and cheaper picks cost less, and the Core i5-12400F cost more.

This is the OEM pack, so budget for a cooler; it suits a low-cost gaming build with DDR4. Its 18MB L3 cache ranks third of 5 here, behind the Ryzen 5 5600 (32MB) and ahead of the Ryzen 5 5500 (16MB). It matches the Ryzen 5 5600 on boost clock (4.4GHz).

On core count it ties with the Ryzen 5 5600, the Ryzen 5 8600G and the Ryzen 5 5500 at 6 cores. On rated power it ties with the Core Ultra 5 225F at 125W. It is the only pick here with an LGA1700 socket; the Ryzen 5 5600 has an AM4 socket instead.

No other pick in this guide offers DDR4 or DDR5 memory; compare the Ryzen 5 8600G, which has DDR5 memory. When we checked, only the Ryzen 5 5600 and cheaper picks cost less, and the Ryzen 5 8600G cost more.

It suits a budget Intel build that will pair with a B860 board. On L3 cache it sits mid-pack at 20MB: the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 32MB, and the Ryzen 5 5500 comes in at 16MB. On boost clock it sits mid-pack at 4.9GHz: the Ryzen 5 8600G offers 5GHz, and the Ryzen 5 5500 comes in at 4.2GHz.

Its 10 cores core count is the highest here; the Ryzen 5 5600 comes next at 6 cores. It matches the Core i5-12400F on rated power (125W). You get an LGA1851 socket here, which sets it apart from the Ryzen 5 5500 and its an AM4 socket.

It shares DDR5 memory with the Ryzen 5 8600G; the Ryzen 5 5600 goes with DDR4 memory. You also get 6 performance and 4 efficient cores, PCIe 5.0 support and Intel 800-series chipset support. Its price falls between the Ryzen 5 5500 and the Ryzen 5 5600, based on our last check.

It can run a PC without a graphics card until you buy one. On L3 cache it ties with the Ryzen 5 5500 at 16MB. On boost clock it leads this guide at 5GHz, ahead of the Core Ultra 5 225F (4.9GHz).

It matches the Ryzen 5 5600, the Core i5-12400F and the Ryzen 5 5500 on core count (6 cores). You get an AM5 socket here, which sets it apart from the Ryzen 5 5500 and its an AM4 socket. It shares DDR5 memory with the Core Ultra 5 225F; the Ryzen 5 5600 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. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the Core i5-12400F.

It has a smaller 16MB L3 cache and runs PCIe 3.0, which matters little for a budget graphics card. On L3 cache it ties with the Ryzen 5 8600G at 16MB. On boost clock it trails the group at 4.2GHz, while the Ryzen 5 8600G offers 5GHz.

It matches the Ryzen 5 5600, the Core i5-12400F and the Ryzen 5 8600G on core count (6 cores). It shares an AM4 socket with the Ryzen 5 5600; the Core i5-12400F goes with an LGA1700 socket. It also comes with a Wraith Stealth cooler in the box.

It drops into an AM4 board with DDR4 memory; older B450 and X470 boards need a BIOS that supports this chip, so check the support list before swapping. It undercut the Core Ultra 5 225F and every other pick on price at the time of writing.