Best CPU for Gaming for 2025

Check out these top CPU options.

If you’re shopping for a new CPU for your gaming PC, in this guide, we’ve listed a handful of the best options currently available.

The list is leaning heavily towards AMD at the moment, especially with how well their 3D V-Cache processors perform and how disappointing the gaming performance has been for Intel’s Core Ultra CPUs.

And, while Intel’s older 14th generation CPUs benchmark well, they have been plagued by instability issues that make them difficult to recommend.

Ultimately, though, whether you’re looking for an upgrade, or you’re planning on building a new system, one of the options on this list will work well for you.

Watch: What to Look for in A CPU

Watch our Beginner’s Guide to Choosing A CPU below, or on our YouTube channel.

What is the Best CPU for Gaming?

The best overall CPU for gaming right now is the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. If you’re looking for the best Intel alternative, the i7-14700K is an excellent gaming CPU. The best mid-range options right now are either the AMD Ryzen 5 7600(X), the Ryzen 5 9600X, or the Intel Core i5-14600K, but we’ve given the edge to the 7600(X) thanks to its much lower pricetag. AMD’s Ryzen 7 5700X3D is a great option for users looking to upgrade their older AM4 systems. We like the Ryzen 5 5600X and Intel Core i5-12400F for budget-oriented builders, and for entry-level gaming PC builds, the Intel Core i3-14100F is a great cost-efficient option to get you started.

Our Top Picks for the Best Gaming Processors

For a quick look at our top choices for the best processor at a variety of different budgets, we’ve provided the table below. The table shows our top pick overall, the best Intel alternative, the best mid-range option, a great upgrade option, our choice forthe top budget-oriented CPU, and the best entry-level CPU as well.

		NAME	SPECS
TOP PICK		AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D	8(C)/16(T) Socket AM5 4.7GHz Base 120W TDP	Check Price Read Review »
INTEL		Intel Core i7-14700K	20(C)/28(T) Socket LGA 1700 3.4GHz Base 125W PBP	Check Price Read Review »
MID-RANGE		AMD Ryzen 5 7600(X)	6(C)/12(T) Socket AM5 4.7GHz Base 105W TDP	Check Price Read Review »
UPGRADE		AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D	8(C)/16(T) Socket AM4 3.0GHz Base 105W TDP	Check Price Read Review »
VALUE		AMD Ryzen 5 5600(X)	6(C)/12(T) Socket AM4 3.7GHz Base 65W TDP	Check Price Read Review »
BUDGET		Intel Core i3-14100F	4(C)/8(T) Socket LGA 1700 3.5GHz Base 58W PBP	Check Price Read Review »

*To read our full overviews on our top CPU choices, just click the “Read Review »” button. You can also keep scrolling down to find more options based on your specific budget.

1. AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Our pick for the best CPU for gaming

If you have a large budget and you’re looking for the best overall CPU option for gaming, there’s no better option right now than the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

The 9800X3D is an 8-core, 16-thread processor on AMD’s AM5 socket. It operates at a base clock frequency of 4.7GHz, but can boost up to 5.2GHz when under load.

Its standout feature is AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology. This technology stacks more L3 cache onto the chip, which can give AMD’s X3D processors huge performance gains in certain titles.

The 9800X3D will run you ~$500 at the moment, though, so it does come with a steep pricetag. The slightly older 7800X3D is also a good alternative and at times has been priced ~$50-$100 less, but if you’re already spending upwards of $400 on a CPU, what’s another ~$50 or so to get even more performance?

2. Intel Core i7-14700K

The best Intel option for gaming

While Intels’ 13th and 14th generation CPUs have been difficult to recommend due to instability issues (which they claim can now be fixed with a BIOS update) and the rise of AMD’s 3D V-Cache processors, there are still use-cases for certain users where Intel’s CPUs still make sense.

Due to certain features, like Quicksync, Intel’s CPUs do outperform AMD’s counterparts in certain tasks like video encoding. So, if you’re doing a lot of video editing work alongside gaming, an Intel CPU might be worth considering over the AMD alternative.

Right now, we like Intel’s Core i7-14700K as the best option for gaming and productivity work. Yes, there is the new Core Ultra series of CPUs, which offer a boost in productivity performance, but they actuall offer less gaming performance than the older 14th generation processors.

Ultimately, though, AMD currently offers the better gaming performance and we’d recommend going with team red unless you need Intel-specific features for non-gaming tasks.

3. AMD Ryzen 5 7600(X)

The best mid-range CPU for gaming

If you have a more moderate budget to spend on your CPU or on a new gaming PC build, you have a number of options. There’s AMD’s newer Ryzen 5 9600X and Intel’s 13th, 14th, and Core Ultra i5 and 5 series CPUs.

However, we like AMD’s Ryzen 5 7600 and 7600X over the newer 9600X, 14600K, and Core Ultra 5 at the moment, due to the 7600(X) coming in at roughly $30-$100 less expensive than those options.

And, while the 13600K currently costs roughly the same as the 7600X, the 7600X offers a bit more gaming performance and comes with a better upgrade path.

Although, if you have the additional ~$50 or so necessary to spend on the 9600X, or you could utilize the superior productitivy performance that Intel’s i5 and Ultra 5 chips offer, those may be better options for you.

4. AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D

The best CPU upgrade option (AM4)

Despite the launch of AMD’s newer AM5 socket, their older AM4 socket remains a viable option for value and budget-oriented PC gamers. The most attractive AM4 CPU currently available is AMD’s Ryzen 7 5700X3D.

The 5700X3D is such a strong CPU that it actually performs on par with the newer Ryzen 5 7600X in gaming and, thanks to its extra L3 cache, it can actually offer more performance than the 7600X in certain titles.

And, while it is currently difficult to recommend that new builders choose the 5700X3D over the 7600X (thanks to the upgrade path and DDR5 memory that the AM5 socket offers), the 5700X3D is worth considering if you currently have an older AM4 system and are looking for a cost-efficient upgrade. For such users, a 5700X3D can be dropped into your current system without having to upgrade your motherboard and memory, too.

Ultimately, the 5700X3D will offer current owners of an AM4 system the opportunity to put off a platform upgrade for another 3-5 years.

5. AMD Ryzen 5 5600(X)

The best value gaming CPU

For gamers who are looking to build a brand new PC, but who are working with a tight budget, AMD’s newer AM5 socket likely won’t be a plausible option.

Fortunately, AMD’s older AM4 socket is still a viable platform to work with despite its limitations. No, you won’t get to utilize DDR5 memory, and you’ll be limited to really only one CPU upgrade option, the abovementioned Ryzen 7 5700X3D.

However, for right around ~$120, the Ryzen 5 5600 and 5600X are cheap enough to where they will allow you to allocate more of your budget to your GPU, which should, in turn, provide you with a better in-game experience.

You could also consider the Intel i5-12400F, which performs similarly to—if not better than—the Ryzen 5 5600X in terms of gaming performance. However, we like the fact that the 5600X has affordable motherboard options available to it that can actually accommodate an upgrade to a higher-end CPU in the future.

But, either of these older generation CPUs are great options for budget builders.

6. Intel Core i3-14100F

The best budget gaming CPU

If you’re working with an extremely tight budget and you’re looking to put together an entry-level gaming PC, options like Intel’s i3-14100F and AMD’s Ryzen 5 5500 are worth checking out.

Of the two, the 14100F will offer the superior gaming performance and it comes in at a better price.

The 5500 does offer better affordable motherboard options and that will make upgrading to a better CPU in the future a lot easier. However, the 14100F’s performance advantage is big enough to where we like it a bit better.

Ultimately, though, either of these CPUs will serve as solid entry-level options for a budget gaming PC build.

FAQ

What Type of CPU is Best for Gaming?

A dedicated desktop processor will always be the best option for gaming. APUs or CPUs with integrated graphics can be excellent gaming processor options for users who are working with a tight budget. However, for pure gaming performance, they will always lose out to a dedicated processor paired with a dedicated graphics card.

Also Read: APU vs CPU: Which Processor Type is Better for Gaming?

What is the Fastest CPU for Gaming?

As of right now, the fastest CPU for gaming is the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. However, in terms of real-world performance, options like the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D and the Intel Core i7-14700K (to name a few) will also give you excellent results. And, if you’re budget restricted, older processors like the Ryzen 5 5600X and the Intel Core i5-12400F will perform admirably as well.

Is Ryzen or Intel Better for Gaming?

AMD and Intel have traded the gaming CPU crown back and forth over the past decade. As of right now, AMD’s newest 9000-series 3D V-Cache generation processors currently offer the best performance for gamers. And, while Intel’s new Core Ultra CPUs have released to disappoinment, and their 13th and 14th generation processors were plagued by instability issues, they are still worth considering for certain users.

How Much Is A CPU for A Gaming Computer?

You can spend anywhere between $100 and $1,000 (or more) on a new CPU for your gaming computer. Options like the ~$500 AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D currently offer the pinnacle in CPU performance for gamers. However, even a ~$90 option like the Intel Core i3-14100F will work well for budget-oriented gamers who need a decent CPU to get them by.