The Best Budget CPUs for Gaming

While gaming PCs are all the rage lately, with Intel’s 14th-generation CPUs due to show up later this year, many processors that excel at gaming continue to be discounted at lower prices even as reports indicate that the PC market continues to slow over time. This has allowed many gamers and enthusiasts to capitalize on gaming deals that were not possible a year ago in terms of price and performance.

RELATED: Intel vs. AMD: Which CPUs are better?

As Intel and AMD continue to grapple over the gaming market, buyers tend to benefit from a better price thanks to the competition that ensues with both chipmakers pushing their promotions and deeper discounts to entice gamers to upgrade to the latest and greatest in the business. AMD is pushing its CPUs and GPUs with an aggressive Starfield bundle, offering what is one of the biggest releases of the year along with its Ryzen 7000 CPUs and RX 7000 series GPUs with both Standard and Premium editions.

Likewise, Intel is gearing up to launch a two-game promotion in the coming week that sees it push Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Nightingale as part of a bundle with its 12th and 13th-generation Intel CPUs and ARC GPUs. This makes it a great time to be a gamer looking for a CPU upgrade to replace their aging hardware or to build a completely new PC from scratch. The team at Game Rant has compiled an up-to-date list to help gamers navigate the (sometimes) complex world of gaming CPUs to ensure they get the best value for their money.

AMD Ryzen 5 7600X

The Best Overall Budget AMD CPU For Gaming

$220 $300 Save $80

Gamers interested in upgrading to a newer CPU from Team Red will find the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X to be of spectacular value thanks to its high single-core performance, efficient hexacore architecture, and compatibility with newer technology such as PCI-E 5.0 and DDR5 memory. It also abandons AMD’s AM4 design, going for a pin-less processor offering by moving them to the motherboard instead.

Brand

AMD

CPU Model

Ryzen 5 7600X

CPU Socket

AMD AM5

Cores

6

Threads

12

PCIe 4.0 Support

PCI-E 5.0 and lower

Base Clock Speed

4.7 GHz

Boost Clock Speed

5.3 GHz

Cache

6MB L2 + 32MB L3 Cache

RAM

Up to 128 GB DDR5 5000 MHz

TDP

105W

iGPU

2-Core AMD Radeon Graphics

Pros

• Excellent single-core performance resulting in superior performance in games
• Significantly more power-efficient than its competition
• Uses a new socket AM5-based platform that brings in PCI-E 5.0 and DDR5 memory as part of its offerings

Cons

• Due to its limitations as a hexacore CPU, it does somewhat lag behind Intel’s more core-heavy alternatives in some productivity benchmarks
• Does not come with a stock cooler

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a 6-core 12-thread CPU powered by AMD’s new Zen 4 cores that offers considerably better power efficiency and higher clocks versus their predecessors. This allows AMD’s offering to be cost-effective while delivering significantly better gaming performance than its predecessors. It replaces AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X3D in terms of performance as an upgrade suggestion and contends for a position at the table as the best overall budget CPU for gaming.

This is partially due to it being the gateway for better CPU upgrades down the line, such as the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and its successors. AMD’s penchant for staying longer on a socket than its competition means that an upgrade to AM5 or the 7600X should unlock savings on motherboard upgrades for most users.

At the same time, the Ryzen 5 7600X does cap out at six cores. While these are significantly better for gaming than most of the competition, they do somewhat limit productivity-related workloads thanks to the limited amount of power under the hood. That being said if an efficient, fast CPU that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg is the ask, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X delivers wholeheartedly.

Intel Core i5-12600K CPU

The Best Overall Budget Intel CPU For Gaming

$180 $200 Save $20

The Intel Core i5-12600K is a deca-core processor operating at a base frequency of 3.70 GHz and a boost frequency of up to 4.9 GHz. Unlike its KF variant, this comes with onboard graphics as part of its 6 performance + 4 efficiency core design.

It offers 20MB of L3 cache while leveraging Intel 7 lithography to offer greater performance per watt than its predecessors.

Brand

Intel

CPU Socket

LGA 1700

Cores

6P + 4E (10 Total)

Threads

16 Threads

PCIe 4.0 Support

Yes

Architecture

Intel Alder Lake

Process

Intel 7

Base Clock Speed

3.7 GHz

Boost Clock Speed

4.9 GHz

Cache

20MB L3

iGPU

Yes, Intel UHD Graphics 770

Pros

• Offers an unlocked deca-core CPU that works on both 12th and 13th gen Intel motherboards
• Is better and cheaper than Intel’s 13th generation 13400 for gaming
• The cheapest unlocked 12th/13th gen CPU on offer with decent overclocking potential and strong single-core performance

Cons

• It does not come with a stock cooler as an unlocked CPU

The Intel Core i5 12600K was a favorite for reviewers and enthusiasts alike when it came out, offering spectacular value coupled with some of the best gaming performance for a gaming-centric CPU. Since then, it has doubled down as one of the best value CPUs that money can buy thanks to multiple price cuts since the 13th generation came out and another set of price discounts from retailers as the 14th gen inches closer to launch.

For its own part, the 12600K is a fantastic processor of its own accord, easily taking on and defeating the more pricey (and locked) Intel Core i5 13400 in a variety of benchmarks. While it doesn’t come with a CPU cooler out of the box, there are plenty of cooling options one can consider to get the job done.

The Intel Core i5 12600K has the added advantage of working out of the box with both Intel-based 12th and 13th-generation motherboards. This allows a fair degree of flexibility in pairing what is arguably the best Intel chip bargain currently available to gamers at the time of writing.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU

The Best Low-Budget AMD CPU For Gaming

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a midrange CPU, excellent for gaming setups. This is the fastest six-core AM4-based processor from AMD and features 12 processing threads. According to the company, the processor can deliver 100-plus FPS performance in the world’s most popular games. The processor supports DDR4 memory with a sweet spot of 3600MHz

It offers 4.6 GHz boost clock speeds out of the box with overclocking potential in tow coupled with 35 MB of cache. This model comes bundled with a quiet and capable AMD Wraith Stealth cooler. 

Brand

AMD

CPU Model

5600X

CPU Socket

AMD AM4

Cores

6

Threads

12

PCIe 4.0 Support

PCI-E 4.0

Base Clock Speed

3.7GHz

Boost Clock Speed

4.6GHz

Cache

3MB L2 + 32MB L3

Graphics

N/A

TDP

105W

Pros

• Decent gaming performance
• One of the best value buys for AMD’s AM4 platform
• Has plenty of motherboard options to choose from thanks to a mature AM4 platform
• Comes unlocked with a decent stock cooler

Cons

• Hexacore CPUs are somewhat limited in multicore productivity-related uses
• Is slightly slower than the competition in single-core benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a decent mid-range hexacore CPU, offering 12 threads across its 6 cores in an unlocked package. It comes with a decent thermal solution out of the box, a rarity for an unlocked CPU that provides adequate cooling unless users plan to overclock the CPU.

As a middle-of-the-road option for AMD’s AM4 crowd, the 5600X will remain relevant longer than most processors. That is likely even after the 7600X’s launch and significant performance gains on offer simply due to the sheer number of AM4-based PCs out there looking for a cost-effective upgrade.

At the same time, AMD’s 5600X’s age does show when it gets compared to new Intel CPUs. Somewhat disappointing single-core performance does tend to show in multiple eSports titles where Intel’s slightly cheaper quad-core solutions do pull ahead while the 5600X remains a decent overall alternative for most games.

Intel Core i3-13100

The Best Low-Budget Intel CPU For Gaming

The Intel Core i3-13100 is a 4-Core, 8-Thread Raptor Lake-based CPU that is decent for entry-level gaming while offering access to both, newer tech and a solid upgrade path thanks to it being from the latest 13th-generation Intel CPU offerings. It delivers acceptable single-core and somewhat lackluster multicore performance given its limitations of being a quad-core CPU consisting entirely of Rocket Lake P-Cores.

Brand

Intel

CPU Model

Core i3 13100

CPU Socket

LGA 1700

Cores

4 P-Cores

Threads

8 Threads

Architecture

Raptor Lake

Process

Intel 7 (10Nm)

Base Clock Speed

3.4 GHz

Boost Clock Speed

4.5 GHz

Cache

12MB L3, 5MB L2 Cache

RAM

N/A

PCIe

PCI-E 4.0 and 5.0 Supported

Graphics

Intel UHD Graphics 730

TDP

89 W Turbo, 60 W Base Power

Pros

• Decent single-core performance
• The best budget-centric offering for an Intel CPU currently
• Comes with a stock cooler as part of its offerings
• Has an integrated GPU unlike its AMD counterpart

Cons

• A quad-core CPU may be somewhat limited in terms of performance in certain titles
• Does not offer much of a performance gain over the cheaper Intel core i3 12100/12100F

The Intel Core i3 13100 is a capable quad-core, 8-thread CPU that offers an iGPU and decent single-core performance as two of its most redeeming features. As an entry-level Intel CPU, it also offers a solid upgrade path to better Intel 12th and 13th-generation processors down the line. At the same time, as a quad-core CPU, one can argue that it isn’t as future-proof for most gamers compared to AMD’s offerings in the same price range.

It does clock in somewhat cheaper than AMD’s offerings but comes in a locked version, with users not able to tweak the CPU in most cases. As it stands, it does benefit from the ability to work with even DDR5 memory, allowing it to be an excellent placeholder for gamers looking to upgrade CPUs when the 14th generation shows up in force along with deeper discounts on the 13th generation flagships.

AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D

The Best Premium Budget AMD CPU For Gaming

$399 $449 Save $50

The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is AMD’s latest and greatest CPU when it comes to gaming. With an excellent and highly efficient gaming performance that tops the charts currently, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is here to stay and has a crown to claim thanks to its 3D V-Cache-enabled prowess when it comes to gaming on a PC.

Brand

AMD

CPU Model

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

CPU Socket

AM5

Cores

8

Threads

16

Architecture

Zen 4

Process

5nm

Base Clock Speed

4.2GHz

Boost Clock Speed

5.0GHz

Cache

8MB L2 + 96MB L3

TDP

120W

PCIe 4.0 Support

Yes, Supports up to PCI-E 5.0

iGPU

Yes, Integrated Radeon 2 Core

Pros

• Is currently the fastest gaming CPU available
• Is considerably more efficient than its competition from Intel
• Requires significantly less cooling than most of its counterparts
• Has a built-in iGPU on offer

Cons

• Needs a discrete CPU cooling solution

If one is looking for the fastest gaming CPU on the block, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D delivers the goods at a price that is considerably lower than Intel’s best in the business for gaming. It trades at a $50 discount across both retailers tracked by Game Rant, plus it comes bundled with a standard copy of Starfield as part of the package from AMD Rewards.

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D leverages its stacked ‘3D v-cache’ which is essentially a lot of L3 cache available to the CPU to allow it to handle larger amounts of data without having to address memory outside the chip. While it has limited gains, if any for productivity use cases, it does allow for much more efficient and faster gaming performance versus the competition.

This makes the Ryzen 7 7800X3D an easy pick for gamers on a budget but able to stretch it somewhat to get the fastest CPU for their gaming needs. It does however require a discrete CPU cooler, which adds to its cost and requires a newer AM5-based motherboard in addition to DDR5 memory, unlike Intel which supports both DDR4 and DDR5 across its 12th and 13th generation CPUs.

Core i5 13600KF

The Best Premium Budget Intel CPU For Gaming

$286 $297 Save $11

The Intel Core i5 13600KF Processor is an excellent workhorse. It comes unlocked, does away with the integrated graphics on its non-F variant, and proceeds to eat the last generation i7 for lunch as it dethrones it to take its position as Intel’s most complex and yet simple choice for a gaming processor when it comes to value and in-game performance for pc-builders and gamers going the Intel route.

Brand

Intel

CPU Model

Core i5 13600KF

CPU Socket

LGA 1700

Cores

14

Threads

20

PCIe 4.0 Support

PCI-E 5.0 and 4.0 support

Base Clock Speed

3.5GHz

Boost Clock Speed

5.1GHz

Cache

24MB

TDP

181W

iGPU

No

Pros

• Excellent single-core performance
• Comes unlocked out of the box
• Performs close to the higher-end Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors when overclocked for gaming
• Considerably better value for gamers than higher-end Intel and AMD processors

Cons

• No discrete GPU
• Needs a discrete thermal solution; does not come with a cooler

The Intel Core i5 13600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread CPU that also features as the best overall Intel CPU for gaming on Game Rant’s guide for the best Intel CPUs. That’s thanks to its unique value proposition for gamers looking to get an Intel CPU for their newest upgrade or brand-new gaming PC.

It offers high clocks and can be made to boost even higher when paired with a capable overclocking motherboard while allowing users on the other end of the spectrum to save money by reusing their DDR4 memory if they want to go that route. At a sub-$300 price tag, the 13600KF has no direct competition from Intel or AMD, offering a unique price-versus-performance blend that is hard to beat, even if it sheds its integrated GPU. Gamers would barely miss it as nearly all modern games require a discrete solution.

Users do need to account for the lack of a thermal solution on the 13600KF. This is fairly normal for Intel which does not offer a cooler with its unlocked ‘K’ series processors, but it does tend to add to the cost of a new CPU cooler. The 13600KF is also more demanding than its last-generation Intel counterpart as well as most competing AMD processors. This means beefier cooling might be the way to go, especially if overclocking is on the menu for gamers looking to max out the very capable Intel mid-range CPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the fastest gaming CPU currently?

The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, leveraging its larger L3 cache and newer Zen 4 cores, is currently considered the fastest CPU for gaming until the next generation of CPUs arrive.

Q: Is an integrated GPU needed for gaming in 2023?

Yes and no. While the iGPU generally is disregarded by gamers, it is a handy alternative for some when trading up GPUs, allowing them to sell their older GPU before upgrading to a newer one. It is equally valuable for diagnosing PC issues at times, allowing users to eliminate the discrete GPU as a cause of any errors by allowing an alternate display option.