5 Best CPU for Gaming

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Best CPU for Gaming

Choosing a top gaming CPU in 2022 can be tricky because there are many great options.

For instance, Intel’s 12^th Gen chips have proven worthy competitors to AMD’s Ryzen 5000 chips, making it the best time to upgrade your gaming PC’s processor.

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These chips from AMD and Intel are all Quad-core processors which remains the most popular processor spec among Steam users; however, Hexa-core processors are poised to overtake them in the coming months.

This doesn’t mean that four cores and eight threads aren’t adequate for gaming setups; it is far from it since most games still depend on single-core performance.

Keep in mind that there is no need to get a top-of-the-line GPU and pair it with a budget CPU.

So if you’re hoping to use your gaming monitor’s 120Hz refresh rate, you’ll need a processor that doesn’t choke your performance or stifle your frame rates.

That said, let’s look at some of the best gaming CPUs available right now.

List of the Best CPU for Gaming Include

5 Best CPU for Gaming	Architecure	Base Clock	Boost Clock	Cores/Threads	TDP	Dimensions	Weight
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X	Zen 3	4.1Ghz	4.8Ghz	6 & 12	65W	1.57 x 1.57 x 0.24 in.	2.8 oz.
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X	Zen 3	3.7Ghz	4.8Ghz	12 & 24	65W	1.57 x 1.57 x 0.24 in.	2.8 oz.
Intel Core i5-12600K	Alder Lake	3.7Ghz	4.9Ghz	10 & 16	125W	4.57 x 1.73 x 3.98 in.	3 oz.
Intel Core i7-12700K	Alder Lake	3.8Ghz	4.9Ghz	12 & 20	125/190W	4.57 x 1.73 x 3.98 in.	1.59 oz.
Intel Core i9-12900K	Alder Lake	3.3Ghz	5.2Ghz	16 & 24	125W	‎6.46 x 5.12 x 5.47 in.	15.5 oz.
AMD Ryzen 7 3800X	Zen 2	3.8Ghz	4.7Ghz	8 & 16	105W	1.57 x 1.57 x 0.24 in.	2.8 oz.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X	Zen 3	3.8Ghz	4.7Ghz	8 & 16	105W	1.57 x 1.57 x 0.24 in.	2.8 oz.
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X	Zen 3	3.4Ghz	4.9Ghz	16 & 32	105W	1.57 x 1.57 x 0.24 in.	2.8 oz.
AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX	Zen 2	2.7Ghz	4.2Ghz	64 & 128	280W	3.07 x 2.2 x 0.3 in.	12.32 oz.

1. AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

Best CPU for Gaming – AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

We feel that the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is worth mentioning because while it’s a fantastic gaming CPU in its own right, it’s very cheap, especially if you’re upgrading from an older AM4-compatible gaming CPU.

The Ryzen 5 5600X also has the best value in the Ryzen 5000 series because it ships with a Wraith Stealth cooler, so you don’t have to spend extra cash on a 3^rd party cooler.

Keep in mind that while you don’t have to spend money on a new cooling system if you do, you’ll hit a higher base and boost clock speeds for longer.

Key Specifications

Architecture: Zen 3
Base Clock: 4.1Ghz
Boost Clock: 4.8Ghz
Cores/Threads: 6/12
TDP: 65W
Dimensions: ‎1.57 x 1.57 x 0.24 inches
Weight: 2.8 Ounces

2. AMD Ryzen 9 5900X

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X

AMD’s Zen platform has improved with each generation, but the fact that AMD has managed to eliminate a 19% IPC improvement with Zen 3 is nothing short of impressive.

So whatever resolution you’re gaming at, the Ryzen 9 5900X can handle it and keep your GPU of choice fed with plenty of juicy frames.

This is a 12-core and 24-thread behemoth, so it can cope with pretty much anything you throw at it.

Key Specifications

Architecture: Zen 3
Base Clock: 3.7Ghz
Boost Clock: 4.8Ghz
Cores/Threads: 12/24
TDP: 65W
Dimensions: ‎1.57 x 1.57 x 0.24 inches
Weight: 2.8 Ounces

3. Intel Core i5-12600K

Intel Core i5-12600K

The Core i5 12600K is a standout CPU for gamers because not only does it offer exceptional performance across the board, it does so at a budget-friendly price point.

It dwarfs pretty much every other gaming processor out there, including the pricier ones.

Since it’s built on a new architecture, you will need to get a new motherboard and probably some new RAM sticks while you’re at it- Alder Lake supports DDR4 and DDR5 RAM sticks.

Key Specifications

Architecture: Alder Lake
Base Clock: 3.7Ghz
Boost Clock: 4.9Ghz
Cores/Threads: 10/16
TDP: 125W
Dimensions: 4.57 x 1.73 x 3.98 Inches
Weight: 3 Ounces

4. Intel Core i7-12700K

Best CPU for Gaming – Intel Core i7-12700K

At under 400 dollars, the Core i7-12700K dwarfs AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X and Ryzen 9 5900X, all while offering the same gaming performance as Intel’s flagship gaming processor, the Core i9-12900K but for considerably less.

It has eight high-performance and four efficiency cores, making a total of twenty threads.

The high-performance cores have a base/boost of 3.6/5.0Ghz, while the efficiency cores have a base/boost of 2.7/3.8Ghz. What’s more, it’s fed by 12MB of L2 cache and 25MB of L3.

Key Specifications

Architecture: Alder Lake
Base Clock: 3.6Ghz
Boost Clock: 4.9Ghz
Cores/Threads: 12/20
TDP: 125/190W
Dimensions: 4.57 x 1.73 x 3.98 Inches
Weight: 1.59 Ounces

5. Intel Core i9-12900K

Best CPU for Gaming – Intel Core i9-12900K

If you’re building a high-end PC not just for gaming but also for more intensive exploits such as 3D rendering and video editing, the Core i9-12900K is the CPU for you.

It’s a powerhouse, no doubt, but it needs a setup built around it to help it shine.

As a result, you’ll need a beefy PSU to make the most of its power, and a serious cooling system wouldn’t hurt either.

The fact that there is a lot of overclocking headroom will allow you to push this CPU to a whole new level.

Key Specifications

Architecture: Alder Lake
Base Clock: 3.2Ghz
Boost Clock: 5.2Ghz
Cores/Threads: 16/24
TDP: 125W
Dimensions: ‎6.46 x 5.12 x 5.47 Inches
Weight: 15.5 Ounces

6. AMD Ryzen 7 3800X

Best Ryzen CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 3800X

As a 3^rd Generation Ryzen CPU, the Ryzen 7 3800X is built on AMD’s Zen 2 architecture, making it slightly less efficient than other CPUs on this list.

It has eight cores and 16 threads, which have a boost clock speed of 4.5Ghz. This means that the Ryzen 7 3800X can run multiple heavy apps simultaneously.

This makes it the perfect mid-range CPU for pros who run multiple apps simultaneously and need their PC to keep on running throughout the day regardless of the payload.

Key Specifications

Architecture: Zen 2
Base Clock: 3.8Ghz
Boost Clock: 4.7Ghz
Cores/Threads: 8/16
TDP: 105W
Dimensions: 1.57 x 1.57 x 0.24 Inches
Weight: 2.8 Ounces

7. AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

The Ryzen 5800X is built on AMD’s Zen 3 architecture with eight cores and sixteen threads. The Zen 3 architecture delivers a 19% boost in IPC throughput, allowing the Ryzen 5800X to deliver impressive gains over previous-gen models.

Unfortunately, AMD stopped including air coolers in chips with a TDP rating above 65 watts, so the Ryzen 5800X doesn’t have what used to be AMD’s most prized asset for the Ryzen 7 series.

However, it’s still a very capable Ryzen CPU, all things considered.

Key Specifications

Architecture: Zen 3
Base Clock: 3.8Ghz
Boost Clock: 4.7Ghz
Cores/Threads: 8/16
TDP: 105W
Dimensions: 1.57 x 1.57 x 0.24 Inches
Weight: 2.8 Ounces

8. AMD Ryzen 9 5950X

Best Ryzen CPU – AMD Ryzen 9 5950X

Sitting on top of AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series is the Ryzen 9 5950X, a behemoth and an over-powered CPU for most people.

It’s equipped with sixteen cores and thirty-two threads that can offer boosts of up to 4.9Ghz alongside a whopping 72MB of L3 and L2 cache.

As with most high-end CPUs, the Ryzen 9 5950X’s power is clear from specifications, but it takes a bit more digging to realize its performance benefit in real-world use.

It might be better than the 5900X when it comes to running power-intensive tasks; however, the Ryzen 9 5950X shines most when it comes to multithreaded performance.

Key Specifications

Architecture: Zen 3
Base Clock: 3.4Ghz
Boost Clock: 4.9Ghz
Cores/Threads: 16/32
TDP: 105W
Dimensions: 1.57 x 1.57 x 0.24 Inches
Weight: 2.8 Ounces

9. AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX

Best Ryzen CPU – AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX

With AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper Pro 3995WX, you never need to place creative and productive tasks on hold.

You can compute detailed simulations or render complex 3D scenes as you rehearse a 3D model or fine-tune animations.

What’s more, you can encrypt compositions as you edit high res images or footage. With support for more storage capacity and extensibility, the Ryzen Threadripper Pro 3995WX can do more a lot faster than ever before.

Key Specifications

Architecture: Zen 2
Base Clock: 2.7Ghz
Boost Clock: 4.2Ghz
Cores/Threads: 64/128
TDP: 280W
Dimensions: ‎3.07 x 2.2 x 0.3 Inches
Weight: 12.32 Ounces

Final Thought

As you can see, there are plenty of good processors for gaming from the two leading chipmakers, AMD and Intel.

Therefore, the selection comes down to preference on architecture, but either way, you’ll be getting truly capable CPUs.