If you are looking to buy a new gaming PC, the central processing unit (CPU) and the graphics processing unit (GPU) are going to be the two most important components. It’s true that GPUs or dedicated graphics cards are more important when it comes to games, but the CPU plays a big role as well. For example, if you end up pairing a powerful graphics card with a comparatively weak processor, the GPU will throttle, and it will never be able to perform as well as it should.
Besides, mid to high-end CPUs come with their own integrated GPUs that are becoming more capable with each release. They are still a far cry from what discreet graphics cards are capable of, but the latest iGPUs are getting very close to matching the performance of low-end or older, discreet graphics cards. On that note, let’s get to know the best gaming CPUs of the year so far.
Intel Core i5-12400: Excellent for Mid-Range Rigs
The 12th Gen Alder Lake CPU provides amazing value to gamers and power users alike. The hexacore CPU boasts a dozen threads and turbo clock speeds between 2.5GHz – 4.4GHz. The affordable Intel SoC comes with a built-in Intel UHD 730 and supports DDR5 RAM (up to 4,800MHz). You can pair it with any NVIDIA or AMD graphics card without having to worry about the CPU throttling the card’s in-game performance. However, QHD/QHD+ should be the upper limit of your gaming resolutions with an Intel Core i5-12400 gaming PC.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D: The Best Value for Money Gaming CPU
There is nothing Intel has within the same price range that can compete with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D. It runs circles around the similarly priced Intel Core-i7 12700K. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is closer in its CPU performance benchmarks to the Intel Core-i9 12900K, which is 40% – 44% more expensive than the Ryzen chip.
The entire AMD Ryzen 7 58xx series is quite amazing, especially when you consider how powerful the laptop variants are in comparison to the contemporary Intel Core-i7 mobile (laptop) chips. If you are looking for options, this Lenovo Ryzen 7 gaming PC line-up includes both desktops and laptops with AMD’s desktop and laptop gaming CPUs.
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X: The Best
One may argue that the Intel Core-i9 12900K is better, but both CPUs are at the top of the food chain. However, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is still a better option for gaming and creative work. The following benchmark scores should paint a better picture:
CodeBench R23 (Higher = Winner)
- Ryzen 9 5950X single core & multi core: 1,629 & 28,517.
- Intel Core-i9 12900K single core & multi core: 2,112 & 28,313.
Corona 1.3 (Lower = Winner)
- Ryzen 9 5950X completes the benchmark in 49 seconds.
- Intel Core-i9 12900K completes the benchmark in 56 seconds.
CPU-Z (Higher = Winner)
- Ryzen 9 5950X single core & multi core: 648 & 11,906.
- Intel Core-i9 12900K single core & multi core: 869 & 11,977.
7-Zip (Higher = Winner)
- Ryzen 9 5950X single core & multi core: 78 & 2,287.
- Intel Core-i9 12900K single core & multi core: 97 & 1,586.
As we can see, the performance is neck and neck here, with both Intel and AMD chips winning and losing some rounds. So, why is the Ryzen chip a better CPU? Despite there being no difference either way while gaming, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is at least 25% cheaper than the Intel Core-i9 12900K!
