Best CPU for Gaming in 2022: The 10 Best Processors (Any Budget)

We rated, reviewed, & compared 10 of the best CPUs for gaming across various budgets. These top processors are perfect for gamers or anyone else looking for a solid desktop CPU.

The processor is at the center of everything on your computer. It is the “brains” of the operation. And, in order to build a solid gaming computer for 2022 and beyond, you’re going to need a quality CPU. While some games (like first-person shooters) are heavily dependent on your graphics card, other games (like RTS’ and MMORPGs) have many more calculations that need to be carried out and therefore utilize your processor more. This should factor into your decision when looking for the best gaming CPU for your build.

Another thing you’ll need to take into account is the total budget you’ve set for your build. You obviously don’t want to spend $300 on a processor if you’re building a $700 gaming PC because you wouldn’t have very much money left over for other parts. And, likewise, putting a $100 processor in a high-end $1,000 gaming PC probably isn’t a good use of your budget as well.

In this post, we will take a look at the best processors for gaming.

What is the Best CPU for Gaming?

Right now, the Intel Core i9-12900K is the best overall option for gamers if money is of no consideration. However, there are plenty of processor options out there that might make more sense for you if you don’t have the huge budget necessary to buy a 12900K. Check them out below.

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, our favorite option for gaming-only performance, our choice for a value-packed overclockable CPU, the best budget processor, and the best ultra-cheap entry-level CPU.

		NAME	SPECS	RATING
TOP PICK		Intel Core i9-12900K	8+8-Cores 24-Threads 3.2GHz Base Unlocked	9.7/10	Check Price Read Review »
GAMING		Intel Core i7-12700K	8+4 Cores 20-Threads 3.6GHz Base Unlocked	9.6/10	Check Price Read Review »
VALUE		Intel Core i5-11400F	6-Core CPU 12-Threads 2.6GHz Base Locked	8.9/10	Check Price Read Review »
BUDGET		Intel Core i3-10100f	4-Core CPU 8-Threads 3.6GHz Base Locked	8.6/10	Check Price Read Review »
APU		AMD Ryzen 3 3200G	4-Core CPU 4-Threads 3.6GHz Base Unlocked	8.3/10	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.

With the release of their new Alder Lake CPUs, Intel has seemingly regained the flagship CPU performance crown from AMD. Early benchmarks show the i9-12900K edging out the Ryzen 9 5950X in both multi-threaded performance and gaming performance.

And, while the 5950X is ~$150 less expensive, if you’re type that has to have the biggest and the best, what’s an extra $150 on a near-$1,000 processor anyways?

The reality, though, is that you can’t go wrong with either of these high-end CPUs. So, if you’re an AMD fanboi and you can’t stomach the idea of choosing an Intel processor over an AMD chip, we won’t hold it against you. And, for the vast majority of use-cases, there won’t be too much of a noticeable difference between these two CPUs anyways.

While Intel’s i9-12900K and AMD’s Ryzen 9 5950X have really moved the bar in terms of what a high-end consumer-level processor can bring to the table, the truth is that, for purely gaming purposes, the much cheaper Intel Core i7-12700K is probably the better option.

Since the i7-12700K offers better single core performance, it actually benchmarks better in most games than the beefier Ryzen 9 5950X. The 12700K comes in at over $200 cheaper than the 5950X and over $300 cheapr than the 12900K.

Of course, the same case could be made for the Intel Core i5-12600K over the 12700K, as well. And, really, if your main goal is in-game performance, and you want to spend as little as possible, it would make sense to choose the cheaper i5-12600K.

But, the bottom line is that they are all great CPU options. If you have a huge budget, you’ll want to consider the 12900K or the 5950X. If you have a decent-sized budget and you want some extra multi-threaded performance, the 12700K is a good choice. Or, if you want to save even more money without sacrificing too much in-game performance, the i5-12600K would work well, too.

Just make sure, though, that if you are planning on getting the i7-12700K and you want to keep it cool that you pair it with a high-end air cooler or AIO cooler.

Typically, there are a handful of great gaming processor options in the sub-$200 price range. Usually, the locked Intel Core i5 and the Ryzen 5 non-X processors are the best options for value gamers. However, with widespread global supply chain issues, the market for processors (and all PC hardware) has seen higher prices than ever before.

So, while in the past we may have given the “value” award to a Ryzen 5 CPU, as of right now, the i5-11400F gets the nod simply because it still maintains a fairly palatable pricetag.

At just a little over $200, the i5-11400F comes in at nearly $100 cheaper than AMD’s Ryzen 5 5600X. Granted, the 5600X is probably the better overall processor. However, for pure gaming purposes, the i5-11400F will perform similiarly (or even better) because of its excellent single core performance.

The i5-11400F isn’t a perfect processor, though, and as a locked CPU, it cannot be overclocked. Still, for just a little over $200, it will provide ideal in-game performance assuming you have an adequate GPU for the resolution you are playing at (and, of course, finding an adequate graphics card at the moment is a whole other issue.)

Overall, though, for right now, the i5-11400F is probably the best priced mid-range CPU and it is the perfect option for anyone who is looking for excellent gaming purposes at a fair price.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly gaming processor that will allow you to build a 1080P gaming PC, the Intel Core i3-10100F is an option worth considering. With four cores and eight threads, the i3-10100F will have no problems running any game you throw at it.

And, with a pricetag of just under $95, it will allow gamers with extreme budgets to fit in a decent graphics card into their build.

For instance, in our $500 gaming PC build, we were able to fit an Intel Core i3-10100F and a GTX 1650 GPU (under normal market circumstances) into the part list. That combination will be more than powerful enough to run most games on a 1080P monitor on at least medium settings.

If you’d prefer an AMD alternative, you could opt for the Ryzen 3 3100. However, the 3100 is currently much more expensive. So, for now, we’ve chosen the i3-10100F as our top budget gaming processor.

If you’re working with an extremely tight budget and you don’t have enough to fit a decent processor and graphics card combination into your build, you could always opt for AMD’s Ryzen 3 3200G APU.

The 3200G combines both a solid CPU and GPU onto one chip, allowing you to forego the cost of a dedicated graphics card. And, while the performance of the 3200G won’t match any of the options listed above in terms of CPU power, it will at least be able to hold you over until you have the money to upgrade.

The 3200G is strong enough to run most of today’s top games on at least lower settings. In fact, with a budget of just $300, you can build an entry-level gaming PC with a Ryzen 3 3200G that will allow you to run games like Rocket League and League of Legends with no problems.

So, even if you don’t have a lot of money to spend, the 3200G gives you the option to build an entry-level gaming system now.

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is a nice option for gamers who have a huge budget and have the need for a processor that can handle multi-threaded applications as well.

The 5950X comes with a whopping 16-cores and 32-threads, a 3.4GHz base clock, and a 4.9GHz boost clock.

Of course, the i7-12700K and i9-12900K are no slouches in multi-threaded applications as well. And, really, all three of these processors will serve well for gaming and CPU-heavy tasks.

So, really, while there are small performance differences between these three options in gaming , if you have the budget, you can’t go wrong with any of them.

However, early benchmarks show that the i9-12900K edges the 5950X in both multi-threaded work and gaming performance. The 12900K is ~$150 more expensive, though, and the real-world performance difference isn’t so big to where that $150 price difference gains you a whole lot.

So, if you don’t mind sacrificing a small amount of performance to save some money, the Ryzen 9 5950X is still an incredible CPU.

If you do have an enormous budget and you want serious multi-threaded performance, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper lineup is worth checking out. Of the newest Threadripper options, we like the 3960X simply because it comes in at the lowest pricetag.

The $3,600 pricetag on the 3990X is far too high for 99.9% of the population and the $2,000 pricetag on the 3970X isn’t much better. And, while the 3960X still comes in at ~$1,300, it is at least manageable to fit into a $3,000-$4,000 PC budget.

Ultimately, if you’re looking to build a PC for mostly gaming, you could opt for a much less expensive option and still get incredible performance (both in-game and in CPU-heavy tasks).

For those that are looking for a slightly less expensive option than the Intel Core i7-12700K, or if you’re looking for better multi-threaded performance, the Ryzen 7 5800X is a great option.

At just under $400 it comes in at about the same price as the Intel Core i7-12700K. And, while the 12700K will provide a bit more in-game performane, the 5800X is strong enough to handle any in-game scenario.

So, if you’d prefer to choose an option that will perform well in gaming and give you a bump in performance in multi-threaded applications as well, the 5800X is worth considering.

Another solid CPU option if you’re looking in the ~$150 to $200 price range is the Intel Core i5-10400F. The Intel Core i5-10400F’s direct AMD competitor is the Ryzen 5 3600. And, while the i5-10400F is a couple of generations old, with the current state of the market, it is probably the best CPU currently availble for under $200.

Both processors will work well for gaming and in multi-threaded applications. However, we like the Ryzen 5 3600 a bit more because of its ability to be overclocked (the 10400F is locked and, thus, cannot be overclocked), and the better CPU cooler it comes with.

The i5-10400F is a a lot cheaper right now, though, and if you don’t plan on overclocking and you don’t mind using the ugly Intel stock cooler for the time being, it’s a decent option. Ultimately, both processors will perform similarly in terms of in-game performance.

Another budget-oriented CPU option for gamers is AMD’s Ryzen 3 3100. Like the Intel Core i3-10100F, the Ryzen 3 3100 is perfect for gamers who are working with a tight budget.

When combined with a budget graphics card, the Ryzen 3 3100 is capable of delivering excellent performance on a 1080P monitor

And, unlike the Intel Core i3-10100F, the Ryzen 3 3100 can be overclocked.

The one downfall of the Ryzen 3 3100, though, is that, at the time of updating this post, it is significantly more expensive than the i3-10100F. If you can find it for a more reasonable price, it is perhaps a better option than the i3-10100F. Either option are great for their price range, though.

Which CPU is Best for You?

There are a ton of different CPU options on the market right now. The best option for your needs will depend on how much you have to spend.

I based the above list off of what I believed were the best options in terms of overall performance and value. And, because I mainly looked at price-to-performance, I left some CPUs completely off of the list.

Ultimately, though, if you’re in the market for a new gaming computer and you are planning on buying a new system, or if you are just looking for an upgrade for your current system, and if you have questions about choosing a processor, please post them below.

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.

What is the Fastest CPU for Gaming?

As of right now, the fastest CPU for gaming is the Intel Core i9-12900K.

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, Intel’s newest 12th generation processors currently offer the best performance for gamers, but AMD’s Zen 3 lineup is still worth considering. And, with new AMD Ryzen CPUs set to release in the near future, the answer of whether AMD or Intel is the better option for gamers will likely change again.

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 ~$600 i9-12900K currently offer the pinnacle in CPU performance for gamers. However, a ~$100 option like the older Intel Core i3-10100f are excellent options for budget-oriented gamers who need a decent CPU.

More CPU-Related Guides

• AMD Ryzen 7 vs Intel Core i7: Which is Better for Gaming?
• AMD Ryzen 5 vs Intel Core i5: Which is Better for Gaming?
• Intel Core i3 vs i5 vs i7 vs i9: Which CPU is Best for You?