Our picks below will show you the best CPU for gaming. It’s always important to balance performance and price when looking at the best gaming processors, settling on a CPU that can deliver the full performance of your graphics card. As always, we made our picks based on the latest data in our CPU benchmark hierarchy, where you can directly compare the performance of the processors listed below. If you’re struggling to choose, our CPU buying guide can give you some broad pointers, and our AMD vs. Intel article will give you the latest on where the never-ending battle of the CPU duopoly currently stands.
AMD and Intel are winding down their current generations, so all eyes are on what the next generation holds. Intel has confirmed that we’ll see both Arrow Lake Refresh and Nova Lake in 2026 as it focuses on “holes to fill on the desktop front.” AMD hasn’t revealed its next generation of CPUs, but our benches are ready to test any upcoming Zen 5 chips, as AMD reportedly looks to release variants of its wildly popular X3D lineup.
Those CPUs are wildly popular for a reason. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the fastest gaming processor you can buy by a long shot. It beats everything; it’s 27% faster than the Core i9-14900K, 31% faster than the Ryzen 9 9950X, and a whopping 38% faster than the Core Ultra 9 285K. At a $480 list price, it’s on the more expensive end of gaming CPUs, but it’s hard to recommend anything else when the Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers such substantial leads over flagships that reach north of $600.
The Ryzen 9 9900X3D is more expensive and offers worse gaming performance; skip it unless you find it on a deep sale. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D, on the other hand, offers chart-topping gaming and productivity performance, skirting the downside of 3D V-Cache with AMD’s second generation of the technology.
The same was true in the previous generation with the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, the latter of which is still a relevant pick (if you can find it in stock) in a time when DDR5 prices are through the roof. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D remains one of our official recommendations for the best gaming CPU, however. You can find it closer to $400 now, and it still manages to beat everything but AMD’s own Zen 5 X3D offerings.
Here are the gaming CPUs we recommend buying. We have a shortlist of the top options and some alternatives below, but you can click the ‘More’ links to read our thoughts about a particular CPU and where it stands in the current market.
Best CPU for Gaming in 2026 at a glance (more info below):
CPU | Best CPU for Gaming | Alternate |
|---|---|---|
Overall Best CPU for Gaming: $300 to $400 | ||
Mid-Range Best CPU for Gaming: $200 to $300 | ||
Highest Performance Best CPU for Gaming: $400+ | ||
Budget Best CPU for Gaming: $100 to $150 | ||
Entry-Level Best CPU for Gaming: (iGPU) |
The list below is for the best CPUs for gaming, while our list of best CPUs for workstations is for those who frequently tackle high-end content creation or professional work, while the best budget CPUs can help you find a cheap chip. Processors benefit from the best thermal paste, so check out our guide if you're shopping for a new processor. But if you're after the best CPU for gaming, you're in the right place.
Best CPU for Gaming Benchmarks
Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
We rank all the Intel and AMD processors based on our in-depth CPU benchmarks hierarchy. You can see some of those numbers in the charts above, including CPU overclock performance results (marked as PBO for AMD processors). We're currently retesting all of these processors with the Nvidia RTX 5090, but only the first four slides have that testing. The remainder are historical testing results with the RTX 4090, which we'll remove once we have fully retested all of the gaming CPUs with the RTX 5090 for our benchmarks. This group of results comprises only the chips that have passed through our newest test suite. Additionally, the tables in our CPU benchmark hierarchy include rankings based on past CPU benchmarks and breakdowns of single- and multi-threaded performance in productivity applications across a broad spate of processors. Finally, be aware that the pricing in the charts above can fluctuate.
Quick Shopping Tips
When choosing the best CPU for gaming in 2026, consider the following:
- You can't lose with AMD or Intel: As noted in our AMD vs. Intel feature, AMD tends to make the best all-around CPU for gaming for mainstream PCs lately, but both offer compelling performance options at any given price point.
- Eight cores is sufficient for gaming: If you’re looking at a pricey flagship, you’re likely wasting some money if gaming is your primary focus. You can game on as little as a quad-core CPU, but performance scaling really falls off past eight cores.
- Budget platform costs: You never want to pair a strong CPU with a weak GPU, RAM, and storage. Right now, it’s especially important to consider platform costs, however. DDR5 prices are peaking, and you’ll need to factor in the cost of DDR5 and a new motherboard if you’re coming from an older socket like AM4.
- Overclocking isn’t for everyone, but if you follow our How to Overclock a CPU guide, you can scrape out extra performance gains.
Best CPU for Gaming 2026 - $300 to $400
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is not only AMD's fastest gaming chip but also the fastest available on the market. It easily beats Intel's more expensive competitors, not to mention AMD's own lineup. At $455, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is both the fastest gaming CPU available and a solid value in the high-performance category.
This chip really has no peer in the market — the Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers outstanding gaming performance, beating Intel's fastest gaming chip, the $433 Core i9-14900K, by 30% in our test suite. The 9800X3D is also almost unbelievably 35% faster than the current-gen Intel flagship, the $520 Core Ultra 9 285K. The stock Ryzen 7 9800X3D's 1% low frame rates (a good smoothness indicator) also deliver an exceptionally smooth gaming experience, benefiting gamers even in GPU-limited scenarios.
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has eight cores and 16 threads that operate at a 4.7 GHz base and 5.2 GHz boost clock rate. The chip employs AMD's 3D V-Cache tech with a new spin, which places a 3D-stacked SRAM chiplet underneath the die to deliver an incredible 96MB of L3 cache to great effect. AMD moved the L3 cache chiplet from the top to the bottom of the compute die this generation. That gives the integrated heat spreader (IHS) direct access to the compute die, allowing for more thermal headroom, and in turn, higher clock speeds. The end result is a comparatively low-power chip that delivers incredible gaming performance and comparable productivity performance to other eight-core models on the market.
3D V-Cache previously came with trade-offs in the productivity department, but that’s not the case with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Still, 3D V-Cache doesn’t provide a performance benefit in every game, and the performance benefit is less pronounced as your display resolution climbs.
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has much lower power consumption than the Intel competition, making it a far cooler processor that won't require as expensive accommodations, like a beefy cooler, motherboard, and power supply. It also takes particularly well to undervolting, which is easy to accomplish with AMD’s Curve Optimizer. That means the 9800X3D delivers top-notch gaming performance and a cooler, quieter, and less expensive system than you'll get with an Ultra 9 or Core i9.
Read: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Review
The $309 Ryzen 7 9700X had a rough initial product launch, but AMD's targeted firmware and operating system improvements have changed the picture tremendously, allowing the chip to place much higher on our CPU benchmark hierarchy (head there for the most up-to-date gaming benchmarks). Combined with lower-than-launch pricing, the Ryzen 7 9700X is a strong contender, tying Intel's Core i9-14900K in gaming and beating the Core i7-14700K. That's not to mention that it beats Intel's entire lineup of new Core Ultra processors as well. Now, all of those processors offer faster performance in heavily-threaded productivity applications than the 9700X, but when it comes to a pure gaming experience, the 9700X either ties or beats all current Intel competitors.
The Ryzen 7 9700X has eight Zen 5 cores with 16 threads that operate at a 3.8 GHz base and 5.5 GHz boost clock. The chip has a 65W TDP, though AMD retroactively added a 105W TDP option you can select in the BIOS that helps boost performance in productivity applications. With either setting, the 9700X has comparatively tame power consumption, so it is an easy chip to cool. You'll have to buy your own cooler for the processor, though.
The Ryzen 7 9700X drops into socket AM5 motherboards, and B-series motherboards make the most sense for this class of chip. B850 and B840 motherboards get AMD's latest chipset with features like mandatory PCIe 5.0 support on the top M.2 slot and better availability for features like Wi-Fi 7. However, the Ryzen 7 9700X will still work with the older B650 chipset if you can find a board on sale.
Read: Ryzen 5 9700X Review
Compared to its 13th Gen counterpart, Intel boosted the Core i7-14700K's core count by adding four more e-cores and tweaked the boost clock rate, but left its recommended pricing the same as the prior-gen model. At $358, the 14700K delivers essentially the same gaming performance as Intel's flagship $433 Core i9-14900K — but for significantly less. You can also discard the integrated graphics engine and get the otherwise identical Core i7-14700KF for $343.
As always, if you aren't after top performance in heavy productivity tasks, the Core i7 model takes the shine off the Core i9. The Core i7-14700K is a great high-performance gaming chip at its price point, offering 97% of the flagship Core i9-14900K's performance for $75 less. Better yet, you can overclock the chip and get basically identical performance to the stock Core i9-14900K.
Our benchmarks show the Core i7-14700K is a much better all-rounder than Ryzen if you're looking for performance in productivity work. The Core i7-14700K has eight P-cores (high-performance) and 12 E-cores (efficiency), for a total of 28 threads. The P-cores run at a 3.4 / 5.6 GHz base/boost, while the E-cores weigh in at 2.5 / 4.3 GHz. In addition, the execution engine is fed by 33MB of L3 cache and 28MB of L2.
The 14700K also supports leading-edge connectivity with support for DDR4-3200 or up to DDR5-5600 memory, along with 16 lanes of PCIe 5.0 and an additional four lanes of PCIe 4.0 from the chip for M.2 SSDs. The 14700K has a 125W PBP (base) and 253W MTP (peak) power rating.
You'll need to buy a capable cooler for the chip, and you'll also need a 700- or 600-series motherboard. You can find a wide selection of high-end motherboards that support DDR5 memory, and although you'll only find lower-end and mid-range DDR4 motherboards, there are still some decent options. The choice between DDR4 and DDR5 is an unexpected upside with the Core i7-14700K and Intel’s LGA 1700 CPUs more broadly, as soaring DDR5 prices have inflated the cost of a platform swap to AM5 or LGA 1851. Just keep in mind that DDR4 comes with a roughly 5-8% drop in gaming performance.
Read: Core i7-14700K Review
Mid-Range Best CPU for Gaming - $200 to $300
The $192 Ryzen 5 9600X had a rough start like AMD's entire Zen 5 lineup, but its gaming performance has significantly improved after targeted firmware and platform updates. It now earns a recommendation, especially with its new sub-$200 price point.
The Ryzen 5 9600X has six Zen 5 cores with 12 threads that operate at a 3.9 GHz base and 5.4 GHz boost clock. The chip has a 65W TDP, though AMD retroactively added a 105W TDP option you can select in the BIOS. The higher power mode doesn't provide a big benefit in games, but it can improve your productivity performance. Regardless, this is a relatively easy chip to cool with an after-market cooler. AMD doesn't include one of its stock coolers in the box.
Just like the Ryzen 7 9700X, you can drop the Ryzen 5 9600X into any existing AM5 motherboard. The latest B850 and B840 chipsets pair well with a CPU in this class, but if you can settle for PCIe 4.0 storage and the older Wi-Fi 6E standard, you can save some money with a B650 motherboard.
Read: Ryzen 5 9600X Review
At this price, the Core i5-14600K would normally be our recommendation. The newer Core Ultra 5 245K is marginally slower (around 4% at 1080p), and it was more expensive than the last-gen Core i5-14600K. Now though, the tables have turned. It’s difficult to find the Core i5-14600K in stock, and if you do, we’ve seen prices trend above $250. Meanwhile, the Core Ultra 5 245K is readily available for around $220, and you can ditch the integrated graphics with the Core Ultra 5 245KF to get the price closer to $200.
The Core i5-14600K remains a faster gaming CPU, if only marginally so. The real struggle is finding it in stock around $230. At that price or lower, it’s a better choice than the Core Ultra 5 245K.
The Core Ultra 5 245K comes with 14 cores, split across six P-cores and eight E-cores. The Lion Cove P-cores operate at a 4.2GHz base frequency and can boost up to 5.2GHz, while the Skymont E-cores start at 3.6GHz and boost up to 4.6GHz. Unlike its Alder Lake and Raptor Lake counterparts, the Core Ultra 5 245K’s P-cores don’t use Hyper-Threading. You get 14 cores and 14 threads.
Although the Core Ultra 5 245K trades a hair of performance compared to the Core i5-14600K, it also saves quite a bit of power. It operates at the same 125W base power, but the boost only reaches up to 159W – 22W lower than the last-gen version. In use, it ends up being one of the most power-efficient chips on the market, beating AMD’s Zen 5 offerings.
You’ll need one of Intel’s latest 800-series motherboards for the Core Ultra 5 245K, along with a costly kit of DDR5. Older chips like the Core i5-14600K have an advantage with DDR4 support, though options for LGA1700 motherboards with DDR4 support are drying up.
Read: Core Ultra 5 245K review
The $179 Ryzen 5 7600X is still a decent value in the midrange CPU market. It’s marginally slower than the Ryzen 5 9600X, but also marginally cheaper – the Ryzen 5 7600X offers about 90% of the performance of the Ryzen 5 9600X for 94% of the price. It’s a slightly worse value, but it’s still a good option to keep in mind, especially if you find it on sale. The Ryzen 5 7600, sans X, is available at around the same price. We’ve yet to see it drop below the Ryzen 5 7600X, however.
With the 7600X, you get six cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 4 architecture, clocked at 4.7GHz with boost speeds up to 5.3GHz. Unlike the Ryzen 5 9600X, the Zen 4-based version comes with a TDP of 105W. Cooling it shouldn’t be an issue, and you’re free to run in AMD’s 65W Eco mode through the Ryzen Master software.
The Ryzen 5 7600X slots into AM5 motherboards, including 600- and 800-series chipsets, and it supports PCIe 5.0. DDR5 is required, which is a tough pill to swallow at this bang-for-your-buck price point, but it’s hard to avoid soaring RAM prices.
Although the Ryzen 5 7600X is our official recommendation, you should also keep the $200 Ryzen 5 7600X3D in mind. It’s exclusive to Micro Center, and you can only buy it in-store. It triples the L3 cache to 96MB with AMD’s 3D V-Cache, and it ends up 11% faster than the Ryzen 5 7600X at 1080p, despite a 400MHz cut in maximum clock speed.
Read: Ryzen 5 7600X review
Highest Performance Best CPU for Gaming - $400+
Zero compromises. That was AMD's mission when it designed the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. And according to our testing, that mission was a rousing success. AMD's 3D V-Cache technology has proven to be the killer tech that delivers dominating performance over Intel in gaming, and the second-gen revision propels the 16-core, 32-thread $699 Ryzen 9 9950X3D to a whole new level of gaming performance — all while preserving the full performance in productivity applications, a first for AMD's gaming-optimized X3D chips.
Our CPU benchmarks show the 9950X3D is an incredible 37% faster than Intel's flagship Core 9 285K on average in 1080p gaming. It also beats Intel’s fastest competing gaming chip, the Core i9-14900K, by 26% on average in our test suite. In fact, on average, the 9950X3D even ties the hands-down best CPU for gaming on the market, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is impressive in productivity work, too, matching the standard Ryzen 9 9950X in our overall measure of both single- and multi-threaded workloads, an impressive accomplishment. It’s also 11% faster than the competing Intel Core Ultra 9 285K in threaded workloads, though Intel does maintain a 7% lead in single-threaded work.
The Zen 5-powered Ryzen 9 9950X3D comes armed with 16 cores, 32 threads, 144 MB of total cache, and a peak boost clock rate of 5.7 GHz. It drops into Socket AM5 motherboards.
The 9950X3D uses AMD’s cutting-edge 3D chip-stacking technology, 3D V-Cache, to enable an incredible 128MB L3 cache. AMD's game-boosting 3D V-Cache tech is now in its third generation, and this time around, AMD moved the vertically-stacked 64MB L3 cache chiplet from the top to the bottom of the compute chiplet to enable higher thermal headroom. As a result, the 9950X3D has the same 170W/230W TDP threshold as the standard Ryzen 9 9950X model, instead of the 50W lower rating the company used with the previous-gen chip. That unleashes the ultimate in performance.
For those searching for the highest-end performance money can buy, if you can afford it, you won't find a mainstream desktop PC chip that offers a stronger blend of gaming and productivity performance.
Read: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Review
The prior-gen $432 Core i9-14900K is now selling for all-time low pricing, primarily because the newer $519 Core Ultra 9 285K has arrived to take its place. However, the Core Ultra 9 285K is actually slower than the 14900K in gaming, so it isn't a suitable replacement. Even in the face of Intel’s 200S Boost update, which was meant improve gaming performance, the competitive landscape remains unchanged. In our testing, the Core Ultra 9 285K gained an average of 7% from the update, which means it’s still slower than the Core i9-14900K.
You should be aware that the much more economically-priced $358 14700K (listed above) is only 2% slower than the 14900K in gaming but costs roughly $80 less. The Ryzen 7 9700X, also listed above, is also less expensive and effectively ties the 14900K in gaming.
However, there are Intel fans willing to pay extra for the absolute most gaming performance they can get from an Intel platform. Also, the 14900K does offer more multi-threaded horsepower than the 14700K and 9700X, which could be useful if you game, stream, and record simultaneously or do other heavy multi-tasking while gaming. Just make sure that your use case justifies the extra cost.
The 14900K sports leading-edge connectivity, supporting DDR4-3200 or up to DDR5-5600 memory, along with 16 lanes of PCIe 5.0 and an additional four lanes of PCIe 4.0 from the chip for M.2 SSDs.
The chip comes with eight P-cores that support Hyper-Threading and 16 single-threaded E-cores for a total of 32 threads. The P-cores have a 3.2 GHz base, and peak frequencies reach an amazing 6.0 GHz with Turbo Boost Max 3.0 (this feature is only active on P-cores). Meanwhile, the E-cores have a 2.4 GHz base and stretch up to 4.4 GHz via the standard Turbo Boost 2.0 algorithms. The chip also has 36MB of L3 cache and 32MB of L2.
This 14900K has a 125W PBP (base) and 253W MTP (peak) power rating, but we recorded considerably lower power consumption than its prior-gen counterpart. You'll need to buy a capable cooler for the chip, and you'll also need either a 700-series or 600-series motherboard. Like other Raptor Lake Refresh chips, you can find DDR4 and DDR5 motherboards, though you’ll need to go with a DDR5 board for the highest performance.
The lower price of DDR4 might entice some gamers, but you'll lose anywhere from 5-8% of gaming performance with higher-end Intel chips. You can step up to the much more expensive DDR5 if you need access to more memory throughput and, thus, every bit of performance possible.
Beyond specs, the Core i9-14900K was at the center of a years-long controversy concerning instability. An error in the microcode (CPU firmware) meant the Core i9-14900K would degrade faster than expected, starting with instability in games. Intel has rectified the issue with microcode 0x12F, so make sure you update your BIOS immediately if you pick up Intel’s last-gen flagship
Read: Intel Core i9-14900K Review
Best Budget CPU Pick - $100 to $150
At $137, the Core i5-12400F is still a decent value, though prices have crept up from its lows of around $100. The newer Core i5-13400F and Core i5-14400F are better options, but you won’t find them anywhere near this price. They’re selling for closer to $190, competing for space occupied by CPUs like the Ryzen 5 7600X. For now, the Core i5-12400F remains our recommendation, assuming you can find it below $150. The Arrow Lake replacement for this chip, the Core Ultra 5 225F, is available for around $160, and it’s queued for testing to see if it passes muster for inclusion on this list.
The 12400F is slightly faster than our alternative in this category, AMD’s Ryzen 5 5600. But more importantly, it supports modern features like PCIe 5.0, as well as DDR4 and DDR5 support. Memory support is especially notable given surging DDR5 prices. With the Core i5-12400F, you can settle for DDR4 if you’re doing a full platform swap, or stick with DDR5 if you already have a kit. Just keep in mind that DDR4 represents a minor, single-digit performance drop compared to DDR5.
The Core i5-12400F comes with six P-cores and 12 threads, but it lacks e-cores. In contrast, its replacement (and our top pick above), the 13400F, comes with four e-cores to add more performance in threaded workloads. The 12400F has a 2.5 GHz base clock and boosts up to 4.4 GHz. The chip also comes with 18 MB of L3 cache and has a 65W PBP (base) and 117W MTP (peak) power rating.
The Core i5-12400F drops into the cheap and plentiful Socket 1700 ecosystem, so 600- and 700-series boards are fine. Naturally, a B-series model will be the best logical pairing for this class of chip. These come in either DDR4 or DDR5 flavors, so be sure to match your motherboard to the type of RAM you choose to use.
The Core i5-12400F also comes with a competent bundled cooler, but we always recommend stepping up to a more capable third-party model, some of which can be found as for as low as $20 if you're particularly price sensitive. All in all, the Core i5-12400F at this price point is a solid chip for a budget system.
Read More: Intel Core i5-12400F Review
The $140 AMD Ryzen 5 5600 delivers a solid blend of performance in both gaming and productivity applications, bringing a new level of value to the Zen 3 lineup. If you're fine sticking with a previous-gen AM4 motherboard, the Ryzen 5 5600 makes a great base for a budget build. The primary trade-off for the AM4 platform is that you're limited to DDR4, and you don't have access to PCIe 5.0. You also have a limited runway for upgrades, as the fastest gaming CPUs on AM4 – the Ryzen 7 5700X3D and Ryzen 7 5800X3D – have reached end of life.
The Ryzen 5 5600 also makes an absolutely unbeatable budget chip if you're updating a first-gen Ryzen system. The 5600 unseats the Ryzen 5 5600X, a long-time favorite. The 5600X is only a mostly imperceptible ~1% faster in gaming and multi-threaded PC work than the non-X model, but provides a 4% advantage in single-threaded work.
Our testing shows that the Ryzen 5 5600 generally matches the gaming performance of its more expensive sibling, the ~$170 Ryzen 7 5800X. That makes the 5600 an incredibly well-rounded chip that can handle gaming well, from competitive-class performance with high refresh rate monitors to multi-tasking gaming workloads like streaming, while also serving up more than enough performance for day-to-day productivity apps. As with all AMD CPUs for gaming, you can fully overclock the chip.
The Ryzen 5 5600 has a 3.7 GHz base and 4.6 GHz boost clock. The chip also has a 65W TDP rating, so it runs cool and quiet. Existing AMD owners with a 500-series motherboard will be happy, as the 5600X drops right into existing 500-, 400-, and 300-series motherboards. If you need a new motherboard to support the chip, AMD's AM4 motherboards are plentiful and relatively affordable, with the B-series lineup offering the best overall value for this class of chip.
Prices for the Ryzen 5 5600 have drifted upward as stock depletes, but that’s offset by platform costs. In addition to low prices on AM4 motherboards, the Ryzen 5 5600 is limited to DDR4. High DDR5 prices are a significant roadblock to opting for a newer chip, as prices continue to surge. So it’s hard to recommend a newer budget CPU, even if it’ll net you higher performance. In the event you already have a kit of DDR5, the $189 Ryzen 5 7600 is a compelling option, and it includes AMD’s Wraith Stealth cooler.
Read: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 Review
Entry-Level Best CPU for Gaming - For gaming on integrated GPUs
The $273 Ryzen 7 8700G, AMD's flagship desktop APU, delivers the fastest socketed performance on the market from integrated graphics, bringing passable 1080p gaming to the desktop PC without a discrete graphics card, but its high price point relegates it to a niche audience.
In contrast, the $190 Ryzen 5 8600G delivers 90% of the 8700G's performance but for ~$80 less, making it a solid alternative for gaming systems that don't use a discrete GPU.
Naturally, you'll have to accept lower fidelity settings and be realistic about which titles can play at 1080p resolution. Still, AMD's Hyper-RX suite of features, which includes in-driver Radeon Super Resolution upscaling tech, frame generation with AMD Fluid Motion Frames (AFMF), Anti-Lag+, and Radeon Boost, helps boost performance at a slight cost to image quality. This new feature set, a first for AMD's iGPUs, is a boon for budget gamers.
The Ryzen 5 8600G has six Zen 4 CPU cores and the RDNA 3 GPU engine with eight CUs. The Ryzen 5 8600G drops into the AM5 platform, with value-focused B650 and A620 motherboards being the obvious best combination. These systems offer a new level of connectivity for AMD's APU processors, which were previously on the aging AM4 platform but require DDR5 memory. That adds some cost, so do a value analysis before selecting this processor. If you're looking for the lowest entry price possible with an APU, the Ryzen 5 5600G listed below slots in as the value alternative.
The Ryzen 7 8600G only supports 16 usable lanes of PCIe 4.0 connectivity, while other processors on the AM5 platform support PCIe 5.0. However, we don't feel this will impact this class of system.
More: AMD Ryzen 7 8700G and Ryzen 5 8600G Review
The Ryzen 5 5600G steps into the arena as the value champ for APUs, which are chips with strong enough integrated graphics that they don't require a discrete GPU for light gaming—just be sure you're willing to accept lowered quality settings.
The Ryzen 5 5600G gives you 96% of the gaming performance on integrated graphics than its more expensive sibling, the Ryzen 7 5700G, but for 25% less cash. Our testing shows that its level of performance makes it the best value APU on the market. As long as you're willing to sacrifice fidelity and resolution and keep your expectations in check, the Ryzen 5 5600G's Vega graphics have surprisingly good performance in gaming.
The 5600G's Vega graphics served up comparatively great 1280x720 gaming across numerous titles in our tests, but options become more restricted at 1080p. Of course, you can get away with 1080p gaming, but you'll need to severely limit the fidelity settings with most titles.
With eight cores and 16 threads that operate at a 3.9 GHz base and boost up to 4.4 GHz, the Ryzen 5 5600G also offers solid performance for its price point in standard desktop PC applications. The chip also comes with a bundled Wraith Stealth cooler, sweetening the value prop, and drops into existing 500-series and some 400-series motherboards, though support on the latter will vary by vendor.
The Ryzen 5 5600G is nearly five years old, and as a result, it’s hard to find it in stock at a reasonable price. AMD updated this model with the Ryzen 5 5600GT in early 2024, which features identical silicon and a slight boost to clock speed, and you’ll generally find it for less at around $150.
If your budget is tight and you're looking to build a system for modest gaming, you should check out our Best Cheap CPU feature. Some of those chips can deliver passable gaming performance without a graphics card, and their prices start at just $55 (£40).
Read: AMD Ryzen 5 5600G Review
- MORE: CPU Benchmark Hierarchy
- MORE: AMD vs Intel
- MORE: Best Cheap CPUs
- MORE: Best CPUs for Workstations
