AMD and Intel have both made excellent processors for gaming. They’re also suited to productivity tasks, such as music production and video editing. While the best bang for your buck lies within the midrange of both, such as the Ryzen 7700X or Intel’s Core i5-14600K, it’s the flagship models that offer the best gaming performances. The i9-14900K from Intel has 24 cores with the option of supporting up to 32 threads. The best AMD CPU has 16 cores with 32 threads. Both chips tend to be neck and neck when it comes to running demanding games. Overall, the 14900K steals the top spot when multiple cores are needed, but if you have applications that rely on individual cores, AMD is the way to go.
Building a Solid Gaming PC on a Budget
You don’t need to buy the best out there if you want a solid PC for gaming. If you’re on a budget, then the i5-13600K is a solid choice. It offers amazing gaming potential for those who play demanding titles. Even if you only play less-intensive games, like Panther Moon Bonus Lines at Paddy’s online casino, you can still take advantage of smoother animations and quality graphics by buying a solid processor. If you’re leaning towards AMD, then it can compete in terms of performance, but the 7600X processor tends to lag. The 7700X is also much more expensive, so if you want a good mid-range processor at an affordable price, Intel is currently coming out on top.
Buying an older-generation CPU is also worth thinking about. The Ryzen 5000 series is still a solid and capable processor, with the 5800X3D being competitive to this day. In terms of upgrades, it’s a dead-end. The Ryzen 7000 needs a new motherboard complete with its own memory configuration. The Intel 12th or 13th generation CPU is also a great pick, with the 12600K being a standout choice in the midrange bracket. You also have a clear path to upgrade, moving to the 14th generation whenever you want to.
High-End Processors for Intensive Gaming
If you want to use your computer for intensive gaming, then you need a ton of power with plenty of cores. Mainstream CPUs are great for this, but if you need more than 24 cores, then a high-end desktop CPU could be the way to go. Intel does have HEDT CPUs, including the i9-10980XE, but it is outdated. Instead, getting the AMD Ryzen 7000 Threadripper would be the way to go. The Threadripper range offers from 24 to 96 cores, with support for double this in threads. Clock speeds can run as high as 5.1GHz, so if you have software that can take advantage of this many cores, you should give that some thought.
Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to run the games you want because your system can’t keep up. Whenever you decide to upgrade your PC, it’s always wise to start with the processor. With so many options on the market, gamers now have more choice than ever.
