Best ryzen cpu for gaming: The Best CPU for Gaming in 2022 — Top Gaming CPUs for the Money

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X CPU review

Our Verdict

A multi-threading monster of a computational CPU, hitting clock speeds we could only previously get near through serious overclocking. It’s also got an Eco Mode that delivers cool-running performance even in games, though it’s in the frame rate battle where Zen 4 falls down against the current best Intel chips.

For

Monstrous multithreading performance
$100 less than 5950X
Eco mode bangs
5.9GHz?!

Against

Do you need a 16-core CPU?
Struggles in gaming against Alder Lake
Where’s the real X3D gaming chip?
Hot. Or is it?

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The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is the vanguard for a whole new generation of CPUs and GPUs launching in these next few months. But, despite its many advances, a whole new AM5 motherboard platform, and shiny new heatspreader design, this isn’t the best gaming CPU we were hoping for.

I mean, it’s good. And certainly smashes the 16-core Ryzen 9 5950X from the Zen 3 generation, but this Zen 4 chip has a resurgent Intel CPU architecture to deal with in Alder Lake. And that’s getting its own Raptor Lake update in the coming weeks, too.

But we’ve come a long way (baby), and it’s been a steady road from the heady times of 2017, when AMD launched its very first AMD Ryzen processor. Closing the gap on Intel’s performance lead was only part of the puzzle for its burgeoning line of Zen architectured CPUs; consistency was always the watchword. AMD knew then the long-term success of its new processor line, whether in our gaming PCs, laptops, or in datacentres the world over, was down to delivering on its promises generation after generation.

And it’s hard to argue that AMD hasn’t done exactly that in the years since its inception. Each successive CPU generation has built on those initial Zen foundations, confidently pushing the architecture to greater performance levels, and with more expansive specs lists. And it’s done so on a regular cadence, pretty much exactly when and how it said it would.

Delivering on its promises is what’s put AMD in the position it’s in now—threatening Intel on all fronts. And, at a time when Intel has been struggling to deliver what it promised, that’s cemented AMD’s position.

The new Ryzen 9 7950X is an evolution of the Zen 3 design, and is at once a brute of a processor, running at the ragged edge of its thermal constraints, and yet with an impressively elegant design. Even on the outside.

Yeah, I’ll say it, I love that new heatspreader look.

But it’s still not the processor I’d pick up today and there’s a chance it might get savaged out there for being more of a derivative than a revolutionary CPU. There’s no spectacular new tech on display, no vertically bonded cache chips, no extra cores, just a healthy clock speed bump, some finessed microarchitecture, and a new socket.

Zen 4 architecture and Ryzen 9 7950X spec

(Image credit: Future)

What’s inside the Ryzen 9 7950X?

Ryzen 9 7950X spec

(Image credit: Future)

Cores: 16
Threads: 32
Socket: AMD AM5
CCD lithography: TSMC 5nm
CCD die size: 70mm²
CCD transistor count: 6. 5 billion
IOD lithography: TSMC 6nm
IOD die size: 122mm²
IOD transistor count: 3.4 billion
Max boost clock: 5.7GHz
Base clock: 4.5GHz
L2 cache: 16MB
L3 cache: 64MB
Memory support: DDR5-5200 (non-OC)
TDP: 170W
Price: $699

At its most basic level, the Ryzen 9 7950X is a straight 16-core, 32-thread CPU, packing a pair of eight-core compute chiplets together with an I/O die to get all the data into and out of the processor package.

But though Zen 4 is a derivative architecture built from Zen 3 , there are some fundamental differences. Firstly, it’s built on a new process node from its long-time TSMC foundry partner. The eight-core chiplet (CCD) is built on the 5nm lithography while the I/O die (IOD) has shifted to a 6nm node.

The move from 7nm to 5nm may not be huge—though it is certainly delivering a more efficient chip on the whole—but going from the 12nm IOD of Zen 3 to a new 6nm version is. And arguably the biggest changes have actually been made in there at the platform level, rather than in the new Zen 4 CCD.

AMD has made the move to a DDR5 memory controller, and it’s also popped PCIe 5.0 support in there too. That gives you the same fast memory as Intel’s Alder Lake platform, but with a new generation interconnect that will offer huge bandwidth opportunities for future graphics cards and next-gen SSDs. Which won’t be here until November, but hey, the new AM5 platform is ready at least.

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(Image credit: AMD)(Image credit: AMD)

But, for the first time outside of its APU range, AMD is also packing integrated graphics into its chips, into the IOD. This is current-gen GPU technology dropping into all of its Ryzen 7000-series CPUs. Before you get too excited, however, AMD has been at pains to point out this is mostly just to keep the lights on for your monitor without a separate GPU. It’s also there to help sell into the corporate Dell box world Intel has dominated because most companies don’t want discrete graphics cards in their office systems.

It’s too distracting for the workforce. Or something.

Whatever, there are a pair of RDNA 2 compute units in there, which don’t even get to feature in the chip’s reviewer’s guide. It doesn’t even appear on the essential specs list of any of the Ryzen 7000-series processors; it’s that irrelevant outside the corpo world.

Unless your GPU dies, of course, and you need to get your PC up and running whether it can game or not, until you remortgage the kids so you can afford a new RTX 4090 . But it does have one other potentially useful feature: Hybrid Graphics.

It’s basically like a gaming laptop, where most of the time the display is actually connected to the CPU’s integrated graphics, and the beefy discrete GPU only kicks in when a game is played or something else in need of graphics hardware. Yes, you can now plug directly into the motherboard and still game on your powerful graphics card.

As a PC gamer, you probably shouldn’t do that, though, because it does have an impact on the gaming performance of your system. To an impressively negligible extent, I have to admit given what it’s doing. At its very worst I saw a 10% drop at 1080p frame rates, but generally, it was around 3–5% down. That’s not bad, but still not really worth it if you’re chasing the highest frame rate you can squeeze out of your gaming rig.

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(Image credit: AMD)(Image credit: AMD)

Over in that 5nm CCD, there have been some other changes made. It’s essentially the same core layout as Zen 3, with the same 32MB L3 cache catering to an eight-core complex. To get to its 16-core makeup the Ryzen 9 7950X comes with a pair of those compute dies, each holding eight cores and a total of 64MB of L3 cache. But there’s a doubling of the L2 cache to help reduce overall latency with each core getting its own 1MB L2 «to provide critical data faster,» says AMD’s Mark Papermaster during our introduction to the architecture.

Though this extra cache bump is not in the same league as the recent Ryzen 7 5800X3D , but we’ll come back to the future of 3D V-cache later on. As will AMD itself; there’s a reason there’s no Ryzen 9 7800X in the launch lineup.

«With Zen 3 we increased the execution width,» Papermaster tells us. «And so with Zen 4 it became important for us to work on how we feed the instructions even faster into the machine. And that’s why you see most of the improvements coming from the front end and branch prediction. Really that makes up almost 60% of that IPC gain.»

That’s echoed by AMD architect Mike Clark, the father of Zen, during our deep dive.

«With Zen 4 as slightly a derivative architecture, we knew that with Zen 3 we really increased the execution side, added a couple more execution units. But we knew with Zen 4 we need to be able to feed those things as fast as possible to really get the benefit of the new wider engine that we have.»

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(Image credit: AMD)(Image credit: AMD)

So, it’s the front end of the Zen 4 architecture where AMD has put the most thought in from a core design perspective. And that starts with the branch prediction block, because that’s where a lot of the efficiency and performance of a chip design can be won or lost.

«One of the most inefficient things,» says Clark, «is obviously executing the wrong instructions, and then having to throw that away. So we want to make sure we’re on the right path, as well as getting that right path in the machine as fast as possible»

In microarchitecture terms, it’s basically all about widening the funnel at the top, while also jamming more data down into the integer and floating point execution machine. That’s my dumb way of saying AMD is looking to widen any of the bottlenecks of the Zen 3 design.

The trade-off with increasing the cache, however, is an increase in latency, but that’s something AMD has internalised as part of its design process with Zen 4. The latency has still gone up, but the fact that it can get more instructions running through the processor at any one time, and with the overall performance improvements the architecture then offers, that will offset what it’s calling «a small increase in latency. «

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X performance

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(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)

How does the Ryzen 9 7950X perform?

I mean, it is certainly fast. I did a bit of a double take checking out the numbers when I saw the Cinebench R23 single thread run tipping the odd core up to 5.9GHz. Even stable at 5.8GHz was pretty shocking. It’s not quite that high under all-core load, but 5.4GHz across all 16 cores still makes it one blazing chip.

It’s blazing in another way, too, because damn, does this thing get hot?! Actually, no. It’s okay. AMD says that «At 95 degrees it is not running hot, rather it will intentionally go to this temperature as much as possible under load because the power management system knows that this is the ideal way to squeeze the most performance out of the chip without damaging it.»

Apparently, the Ryzen 7000-series processors are designed to run at this level «24/7 without risk of damage or deterioration.»

But does fast and hot make it the ultimate gaming processor? Not really, not at all in fact. On that score, it will often get outperformed by the eight-core Ryzen 7 7700X which launches alongside it. It is comfortably faster than the previous generation’s Ryzen 9 5950X, which is important, especially as that was priced some $100 higher on release.

It also regularly outpaces the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which was AMD’s most recent play for the fastest gaming CPU crown. But against Intel… well, the Core i9 12900K is still looking like an outstanding gaming processor.

Gaming performance

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(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)

In gaming terms, with the exact same GPU, the same drivers, and the same OS, Intel’s Core i9 12900K keeps itself ahead of this, AMD’s latest chip. The chip it’s been calling «the best for gamers and creators.»

There isn’t a game in our test suite which has the new Zen 4 chip ahead of Intel’s Alder Lake CPU. Which doesn’t make for great reading when you consider that it will soon be replaced by an even speedier Raptor Lake range of processors that could push gaming performance even further ahead of AMD’s chips.

Creator performance

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On the multi-threaded side, however, AMD’s high-speed advantage comes to the fore. Seriously, I’ll take that 95°C temperature if I can have all 16 cores operating at 5.4GHz for the duration. That makes all the difference when it comes to things like rendering and encoding, and AMD’s dominance is clear to see.

In the Blender render test, the Ryzen 9 7950X is over 50% faster than the Core i9 12900K, and over 40% faster than the Zen 3-based Ryzen 9 5950X. That highlights just what a multi-threaded monster the new Zen 4 platform can create, and is really where all those front-end improvements really come to the fore.

It’s the marriage of brute-forcing the clock speed and the elegance of those microarchitecture tweaks that deliver a processor that can be the basis of a powerful home workstation.

I mean, there’s a reason the high-end desktop (HEDT) CPU market is dead; those old Intel Core X chips, and even AMD’s own Threadripper. They don’t appear on the PC roadmap outside of the professional space these days. And that’s because AMD gambled on higher core counts and then again on an innovative chiplet design that has been one of the biggest success stories in modern processor creation.

But you don’t need a Threadripper chip when the new Ryzen 9 7950X rocks up with 16 cores of Zen 4 grunt and will comfortably push each one of them to 5.4GHz for a fraction of its price. There are few bedroom videographers or renderers who wouldn’t be enthusiastic about the performance of this chip and would argue paying another $1,700 for a 24-core Threadripper Pro makes any kind of sense.

The new AM5 platform’s penchant for the number five is demonstrated by the increase in memory bandwidth owing to the support for DDR5 memory. With the new EXPO memory profiles tailored for both DDR5 and AMD’s new platform, we could instantly hit the top frequency with our G. Skill DDR5-6000 kit. That delivers an easy 68% increase in memory bandwidth over the previous Zen 3 generation.

The benefits of the PCIe 5 interface, however, won’t manifest until we get hold of some solid state storage drives maxing out the increased bandwidth when they arrive in November.

It’s interesting to note, though, that while our AMD system is running with 32GB of DDR5-6000, our Intel Alder Lake machine is slumming it with another G.Skill set, but a 32GB kit running at DDR5-5600. And it still offers higher memory bandwidth.

System performance

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But what of efficiency? That was the watchword around the switch to Zen 4 and a 5nm CCD, but the Ryzen 9 7950X has a TDP of 170W and a max socket power of 230W. Even the Ryzen 5 7600X has a high TDP of 105W as opposed to the previous gen at 65W.

But the performance per watt of Zen 4 is impressive, especially when it comes to gaming. Measured in Far Cry 6 we’re getting 1.61fps per watt of power, compared with less than 1fps per watt with the old Ryzen 9 5950X. It’s also a lot cooler when you’re talking about consistent gaming workloads.

Sure, under a 100% all-core load the Zen 4 cores are solid at over 95°C, but in games, we measured it at just 65°C.

What’s interesting, however, is that for all the talk of Intel’s desperate power demands making its chips power hungry and inefficient, the Core i9 12900K is both better in terms of performance per watt and thermals.

You can take the shackles off Intel’s chips, and allow them to use all the power in your motherboard’s BIOS, but if you stick to Intel’s own specifications they won’t stretch to the same levels. Okay, it will still top the 200W point when thrashing through Cinebench R23, but in games, you’re looking at 81W and 50°C—lower than this 5nm Ryzen chip.

Eco Mode performance

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PC Gamer test rig

AMD
Motherboard: ASRock X670E Taichi
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo DDR5-6000 CL30 2x 16GB

Intel
Motherboard: Asus ROG Z690 Hero
Memory: G. Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-5600 CL36 2x 16GB

Graphics card: Nvidia RTX 3080 10GB
Storage: 1TB WD Black SN850
Cooler: Corsair h200i RGB
PSU: NZXT 850W
Chassis: DimasTech Mini V2

Even in Eco Mode, the Ryzen 9 7950X can’t bring its performance per watt up to the levels of the Alder Lake chip. But Eco Mode is still one of the biggest wins for the new Zen 4 cores. The performance boost going from 7nm to 5nm is at its greatest at the 65W level, and that is highlighted by just how much faster the Zen 4 chip is, even locked to 65W, compared with the Ryzen 9 5950X.

In Eco Mode, it will also still beat the Core i9 12900K in creative applications, too.

Honestly, if I’m running a Zen 4 chip in my rig, I’m going to be setting it to Eco Mode all the time. You don’t need the extra multi-threading performance for most of the time you use your PC, and when you do, just swap it out of Eco Mode and let those cores fly. You barely lose any performance while gaming—especially not at the 1440p or 4K resolutions—and the lower temps will make for a quieter rig, too.

Admittedly at the moment that’s not so easy. In the pre-release BIOSes you have to dig around in the AMD Overclocking settings to manually set PPT limits, etc. but AMD is promising to make it a more accessible feature on your Windows desktop after launch.

I hope it does, because Eco Mode is one of the things which sets the Zen chips apart, and it’s better than ever.

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X analysis

(Image credit: Future)

How does the Ryzen 9 7950X stack up?

Where does the new Zen 4 flagship chip stand in the CPU market? Today, it’s the best chip for creators, and maybe even the best chip for creators who also game. But it’s certainly not the best gaming CPU.

This $700 16-core processor, despite its heady 5.8GHz clock speed, still falls behind Intel’s slightly cheaper Core i9 12900K when it comes to raw frame rates. And you can still get the GPU-less KF version of that Alder Lake CPU for much less than that. Though given that Raptor Lake is on its way very soon I’d not recommend that purchase right now, either.

But the multicore performance is pretty staggering. If you want to throw a ton of complex computational tasks at a client platform, say for video rendering or encoding, then there is nothing out there in this price bracket that can come close to the processing prowess of AMD’s new Zen 4 top chip.

Its last-gen flagship suddenly looks very old indeed.

That’s true even if you limit the Ryzen 9 7950X to just 65W. I think Eco Mode is the thing that has impressed me most about the new architecture, showing just how efficient it can be. Unfortunately, to be competitive with Intel’s Alder Lake, AMD has had to go all out on the power and thermals by default to give its Zen 4 cores enough headroom to perform at their best.

And the raw clock speed numbers are spectacular, too. I mean, hitting 5.8GHz stock, out of the box is something I don’t think many of us were really expecting.

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(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)

I’ve been testing the eight-core Ryzen 7 7700X alongside this 16-core chip, and that is a performance gaming chip that will sometimes even beat the Ryzen 9 7950X. But it, too, is shy of the Alder Lake competition in raw frame rates, though can at least match it in terms of performance per watt.

Though if we’re talking about AMD gaming CPUs, there is a big, flappy-eared grey mammal in the room. There’s no Ryzen 7 7800X in the launch lineup, and that feels like a gap tailor-made for a cached-out X3D chip, along the lines of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, to pop into. With a vast chunk of extra L3 cache to play with, the 3D V-cache design is made for gaming, and that should be AMD’s real play for the best gaming CPU. Though when that launches, we still don’t know.

AMD has been very cagey about its plans, initially suggesting it would be released this year and now we’re not so sure. Joe Macri told us that «we’re not trying to dribble things out to you, the cycle time of running stuff through the fab just takes longer when you want to take two pieces of silicon and literally fuse them together at the molecular level.»

Until it’s got those big cache chips bonded onto the CPU we’re going to have to wait and see what extra gaming impact the expanded L3 cache can have alongside a Zen 4 core.

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X verdict

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(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Ryzen 9 7950X?

I feel quite positive about AMD’s top Zen 4 processor, which is maybe a little strange given that it’s more evolution than revolution and doesn’t quite have the standout performance leaps that characterised the previous generations of Zen chips.

But I think we’ve probably been spoiled by AMD in recent times.

The Ryzen 9 7950X is still a big generational jump over the Ryzen 9 5950X, but it hasn’t managed a convincing showing against its main Intel rival. That’s especially true in gaming, and while the multi-threaded performance is pretty spectacular, we’re in a position where we know Intel’s bumping that up with its incoming Raptor Lake chips and that could entirely negate the improvements AMD has managed to muster for Zen 4.

Inevitably then you will likely see a lot made about it being a disappointing release. But, to me, it feels like a confident, consistent release. You could argue it’s maybe not super ambitious, but AMD has got where it is today by always delivering on its Zen promises, and yet again Dr. Su’s gang has absolutely done that.

The Ryzen 9 7950X is the fastest, hottest, most power-hungry Zen chip yet, but though it’s not the gaming champ it is still the best all-round AMD CPU.

Read our review policy

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

Dave has been gaming since the days of Zaxxon and Lady Bug on the Colecovision, and code books for the Commodore Vic 20 (Death Race 2000!). He built his first gaming PC at the tender age of 16, and finally finished bug-fixing the Cyrix-based system around a year later. When he dropped it out of the window. He first started writing for Official PlayStation Magazine and Xbox World many decades ago, then moved onto PC Format full-time, then PC Gamer, TechRadar, and T3 among others. Now he’s back, writing about the nightmarish graphics card market, CPUs with more cores than sense, gaming laptops hotter than the sun, and SSDs more capacious than a Cybertruck.

The 8 Best AMD Processors for Gaming in 2022

Key Points

When choosing the best AMD processor, there are several factors to consider, including price, performance, motherboard capability, and future-proofing.
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X was voted the best overall AMD Processor.
If budget is not a concern, AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX may be for you.

When it comes to the best CPU for gaming, it’s all about making sure you have the best performance possible for your budget. You also want to balance gaming performance alongside your regular computer needs.

Your central processing unit (CPU) isn’t just an integral piece of any computer. It’s often the integral piece, as it integrates with system memory and your hard drive.

AMD has come a long way in recent years and has not only caught up to Intel for the best processors but also surpassed them in some ways. That’s great news for gamers looking for alternatives to Intel but also for those knowing they want to be future-proofed against games that are not yet announced (or even developed).

For gamers of all types, here are our choices for the best AMD processors for gaming:

Best Overall: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
Best for Integrated Graphics: AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
Best 12-Core: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Best for 3D Stacking: AMD Ryzen 5800X3D
Best Middle Ground: AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Best Intel Alternative: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Best High-End: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
Best for Emptying Your Wallet: AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Sale

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-core, 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler

AMD’s fastest 6 core processor for mainstream desktop, with 12 processing threads
Can deliver elite 100 plus FPS performance in the world’s most popular games
Bundled with the quiet, capable AMD Wraith Stealth cooler. System Memory Type: DDR4
4.6 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 35 MB of cache, DDR-3200 support
For the advanced Socket AM4 platform, can support PCIe 4.0 on X570 and B550 motherboards

Built with AMD’s Zen 3 CPU architecture, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X introduces the best balance of power in AMD’s processor lineup, making it the top choice overall for gaming.

As AMD’s fastest 6-core processor, it adds 12 processing threads making it ideal for delivering over 100 plus frames per second while playing some of the world’s most popular games.

Best of all, it comes with its own AMD Wraith Stealth cooler, which is ideal for keeping things cool while you’re on a gaming hot streak. The Ryzen 5 5600X can hit a max boost clock of 4.6GHz while overclocked, which adds to the idea that you have plenty of power available. You’ll also have 32MB of L3 cache at your disposal and support for PCIe 4.0, which delivers higher overall transfer rates than the previous generation AMD processors.

Even without integrated graphics, for its roughly $200 price point, there are few CPUs on the market that can offer the same benchmark performance.

You can find it on Amazon here.

Sale

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G 6-Core 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Radeon Graphics

Features best-in-class graphics performance in a desktop processor for smooth 1080p gaming, no graphics card required
6 Cores and 12 processing threads, bundled with the AMD Wraith Stealth cooler
4.4 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 19 MB cache, DDR4-3200 support
For the advanced Socket AM4 platform

While many gamers will want to separate out their CPU and graphics card, that’s not true for everyone. For those that want a standout AMD processor with an integrated graphics card, look no further than the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G.

For light gaming, you won’t find a better value with its 6 cores and 12 threads running at a base clock of 3. 9GHz. And, if you want to max out performance, set up your overclock and hit a max boost of 4.4Ghz for getting the absolute most out of the Ryzen 5 5600G.

All of AMD’s 5600G CPU power combines with 7 Radeon graphics cores for excellent 1080p gaming performance. That you can spend around $150 for this card, get integrated graphics, and a Wraith Stealth Cooler to keep things cool at 65W of power is a huge win for basic gaming.

Should you ever want to customize the Ryzen 5 5600G’s performance, the included Ryzen Master software allows you to tweak your settings for a fully customized experience.

Get it on Amazon here.

Sale

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-core, 24-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor

The world’s best gaming desktop processor, with 12 cores and 24 processing threads
Can deliver elite 100-plus FPS performance in the world’s most popular games
Cooler not included, high-performance cooler recommended. Max Temperature- 90°C
4.8 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 70 MB of cache, DDR-3200 support
For the advanced Socket AM4 platform, can support PCIe 4.0 on X570 and B550 motherboards

Yes, it’s true that 12 cores are probably a few too many for many of today’s PC games, but it’s definitely future-proof. It’s also perfect for anyone who wants to game and stream simultaneously as the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X will ensure you can do both at once without skipping a frame.

Assuming you are willing to throw down for the $400 price tag, the Ryzen 9 5900X handles 100 plus frames per second with absolute ease.

Featuring 12 Zen 3 cores and 24 threads, even editing your footage after your hot streak ends on the 5900X is so strong that it’s no match for this CPU. That’s even true when compared to Intel’s latest Core i9 processors, which are on par or even performing slightly slower than the 5900X.

Owners of any Zen 4 motherboard are likely already compatible with the 5900X, which can be a huge benefit with any upgrade costs.

You can get it on Amazon here.

Sale

AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800X3D 8-core, 16-Thread Desktop Processor with AMD 3D V-Cache™ Technology

The world’s fastest gaming desktop processor and first gaming processor with 3D stacking technology
8 Cores and 16 processing threads with AMD 3D V-Cache technology
4.5 GHz Max Boost, 100 MB cache, DDR4-3200 support
For the advanced Socket AM4 platform, can support PCIe 4.0 on X570 and B550 motherboards
Cooler not included, high-performance cooler recommended

An engineering effort the AMD team can be proud of, the Ryzen 5800X3D is one of the best AMD processors on the market today.

As one of the fastest gaming CPUs on the market, the 5800X3D is led by its 3D technology, which adds an eye-popping 96MB of L3 cache. That’s good enough to perform better than the almost twice as expensive Intel Alder Lake Core i9-12900K CPU. Everything with the Ryzen 5800X3D centers around AMD’s 3D-stacked SRAM all while maintaining a low-power chip that won’t be quick to overheat.

You’ll really see the strength of the 5800X3D with 1080p gaming where you can save almost 30% over the price of competitive Intel options while seeing, at minimum, 9 to 10% more performance.

Beyond its incredible 3D stacking performance, you also receive 8 cores, 16 threads, and max boost performance with overclocking of 4.5GHz. The only real downside to the Ryzen 5800X3D is that it doesn’t come with AMD’s Wraith Stealth cooler so you have to provide your own high-performance cooler for optimal CPU health over the long term.

You can find it on Amazon here.

Sale

AMD Ryzen 7 5700G 8-Core, 16-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Radeon Graphics

Play some of the most popular games at 1080p with the fastest processor graphics in the world, no graphics card required
8 Cores and 16 processing threads, bundled with the AMD Wraith Stealth cooler
4. 6 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 20 MB cache, DDR4-3200 support
For the advanced Socket AM4 platform. Maximum Operating Temperature (Tjmax)-95°C

Sitting squarely in the middle of AMD’s Ryzen lineup is the AMD Ryzen 7 5700G, which is among its best chips without needing a graphics card.

Adding a little more CPU and GPU power over the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G, you get a total of 8 Radeon graphics cores over the 5600G’s 7. Additionally, the 5700G graphics cores run at 2,000Mhz, whereas the 5600G runs at 1,900MHz. That little bit of extra power is going to be helpful to get as much 1080p gaming power as you can before needing a dedicated graphics card.

Beyond integrated graphics, the 5700G also adds 8 cores and 16 threads, all while keeping things cool at 65 watts with its Wraith Stealth cooler.

A max boost of 4.6GHz (with overclocking) is more than enough power to justify the Ryzen 7 5700G’s $250 price tag. That’s especially true when you throw in 20MB of L3 cache and DDR4-3200 support.

Get yours on Amazon here.

Sale

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 8-core, 16-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor

AMD’s fastest 8 core processor for mainstream desktop, with 16 procesing threads. OS Support-Windows 10 64-Bit Edition
Can deliver elite 100-plus FPS performance in the world’s most popular games
Cooler not included, high-performance cooler recommended
4.7 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 36 MB of cache, DDR-3200 support
For the advanced Socket AM4 platform, can support PCIe 4.0 on X570 and B550 motherboards

While every AMD processor on this list qualifies as a strong Intel alternative, the best among equally great processors is the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X.

Pitted against Intel’s 10th generation CPUs, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X will come out on top thanks to the Zen 3 architecture in the 5800X. Multithreaded performance is a true highlight for the price just as much as it is for single-core performance.

At the time of its release in November 2020, the 5800X was AMD’s fastest 8-core processor with 16 processing threads. Delivering a 4.7GHz max boost with overclocking, the 36MB of cache ensures that 1080p gaming is handled with ease.

PCIe 4.0 support is enabled through the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, though it lacks a dedicated cooler, so you must provide one on your own. Compatibility with any AMD 500 series motherboard is as easy as a simple BIOS update.

Find it on Amazon here.

Sale

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 16-core, 32-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor

The best processor for gamers meets the best processor for creators, with 16 cores and 32 processing threads
Can deliver elite 100 plus FPS performance in the world’s most popular games
Cooler not included, liquid cooler recommended
4.9 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 72 MB of cache, DDR-3200 support
For the advanced Socket AM4 platform, can support PCIe 4. 0 on X570 and B550 motherboards

Rest assured that even with a $550 price tag for the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, it’s worth every single penny. You can throw just about any game you want and the 5950X’s 16 cores and 32 processing threads are ready to deliver.

Offering a max boost of 4.9GHz with overclocking plus 72MB of L3 cache, 100 plus frames per second at 1080p for most games should be no problem.

Both its single-core and multi-core performance are among the best in class, and that’s true well beyond gaming. You’ll be thrilled with its performance should you ever want to try your hand at video rendering for uploading well-edited clips of your Call of Duty gaming matches.

The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is compatible with any AMD 500 series motherboard with a quick BIOS update.

If the 5950X has one downside, it’s that it doesn’t come with a cooler from AMD, so providing your own is a must.

You can get it on Amazon here.

AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ PRO 5975WX, 32-core, 64-Thread Desktop Processor

Features 32 cores for demanding professional software applications with support for high memory capacity and 128 PCIe 4. 0 lanes
32 Cores and 64 processing threads, based on AMD «Zen 3» architecture
4.5 GHz Max Boost, 144 MB cache, DDR4-3200 support
For the advanced Socket WRX80 platform

When you are ready to break open the piggy bank or skip a couple of mortgage payments, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX is ready for you. With a price tag over $3,000, this is absolutely a CPU for gaming enthusiasts who want the absolute best AMD has to offer.

Well, there’s still the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX, which costs a little over $9,000 so the Threadripper PRO 5975WX is actually the second best AMD can offer.

For the ridiculous price tag, you get a monster 32 cores of performance and 64 processing threads all based on the AMD Zen 3 architecture. Combined with a 4.5GHz max boost and 144MB of cache, you should be able to handle 1080p gaming and even 4K with a high level of frames per second.

Unless you have computing needs that go well beyond gaming, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX is likely overkill for most gaming titles. There’s a point of diminishing return here where the higher core count can eventually negatively impact single-core performance and lead to fewer frame rates with some games.

You can find it on Amazon here.

How to Pick the Best AMD Processor for Gaming in 2022

Picking the right AMD gaming processor is definitely not an easy decision. The fact that there are a few really great options makes it more difficult than choosing between AMD and Intel alone. For most buyers, you should consider a few factors.

Price
Performance
Future-Proofing

Your processor is integral to your computer’s performance, which is key for immersive gameplay.

Price

When you are picking an AMD processor, price is definitely a factor. You can get as low as $150 dollars and as high as $580. Of course, this excludes the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX, which is a ridiculous $3,200. If you spend less on a processor, you might be able to buy more hardware for your PC build, including a better graphics card and accessories like LED lights.

On the other hand, spending a little more, like on the AMD Ryzen 7 5700G, will help keep you future-proofed and only set you back $250. On the other hand, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X will set you back another $130 ($379 total), but you’ll be future-proofed against games that have not yet been announced.

Performance

Price and performance really go hand in hand, so it’s easy to lump these two together. However, performance can vary with price, as you might want to look beyond gaming as well. The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X will set you back $550, but it’s also an investment if you want to get into video editing or Twitch streaming.

Things get a little trickier when you look at AMD processors like the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, which is one of their best values. What you don’t get here is a cooler, so you need to provide your own, which is where price and performance really go hand-in-hand. If you can get on board with adding your own cooler, you will get one of AMD’s fastest 8-core processor CPUs.

Future-Proofing

It’s hard to say with any level of certainty that every processor on this list is future-proofed. Given that they are all less than two years old does make it feel like you should be able to get plenty of time out of them.

However, gaming needs change fast, so you want to consider future performance when buying. This is another scenario where prices come into play as the more you spend, the more performance you receive today, and the more future-proof you are in for tomorrow.

What to Know Before Buying the Best AMD Processor for Gaming in 2022

There is one big thing that you need to know before buying any AMD processor for gaming in 2022, and that is motherboard compatibility. AMD makes it a point to say that most of the cards on this list are compatible with the AMD 500 series motherboard. However, not everyone has that motherboard in use or plans to buy one, so it’s critical to make sure any processor you buy is compatible.

For example, if you have a B450, B550, or X570 motherboard, it’s compatible with the Ryzen 5 5600 series but not compatible with similarly priced Intel 12th generation CPUs. Finding out what is compatible is relatively easy, so researching shouldn’t take more than a few minutes, but it’s important that you do so before adding any of these AMD CPUs to your Amazon shopping cart.

Using the Best AMD Processor for Gaming in 2022: What It’s Like

We had the good fortune of being able to test all of these processors out over the course of a month, with the exception of the Threadripper. Overall, we found that our expectations for each were pretty well matched to what was said about all of them online prior to testing.

We experimented with games like Fortnite, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Minecraft, Forza Horizon 5, Far Cry 6, and Red Dead Redemption 2. Some of these titles were played from our own collection, where games like Microsoft Flight Simulator and Forza Horizon 5 were from Xbox GamePass.

Between these games, we saw frame rates hold fast to our expectations, with only a few drops to 60 frames per second without overclocking. With overclocking, we did see many of these titles exceed the promised 100-plus frames per second AMD claims. That’s not to say they didn’t heat up the respective hardware they were playing on, but they did match expectations.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, choosing the best AMD processor for gaming in 2022 is tough, but the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is the best bang for your buck. Unsurprisingly, spend more, and you get better performance, and spend less, and you see why the 5600X is a popular choice.

It’s an easy recommendation, and with a sub $200 price tag, it’s not going to ask you to stop paying your mortgage like the Threadripper.

NEXT UP…

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Last update on 2022-12-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The 8 Best AMD Processors for Gaming in 2022 FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is the best AMD gaming processor?

After around two months of testing, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X won out as the best AMD processor for gaming in 2022. Its price to performance ratio made it an easy choice.

What is a CPU for gaming?

A CPU is shorthand for a central processing unit and it’s the system that acts as the brain of your computer. That might mean helping to cool things down or know when to devote more RAM to a task.

Are there alternative CPUs other than AMD worth considering?

Yes, Intel makes competitive processors to AMD and has long been thought to have been the industry leader as far as best-in-class gaming processors. However, in the last few years, AMD has caught up in terms of performance.

What motherboard is right for my AMD processor?

Computer users that have the AMD 500 series, X470, X570, B450 and B550 are likely all in a good place with all of the AMD processors on this list.

Is overclocking an AMD processor bad?

Unless it’s absolutely necessary, overclocking offers more risks than rewards. There is no question that overclocking can lead to slightly better gaming performance. The downside is that it makes your computer run hotter, which can lead to damage in the long run.

Top 7 best gaming processors in 2023

Table of contents

What is the best gaming processor to buy in 2023?
- Best Intel Gaming Processor: Intel Core i5-12600K
- Best AMD Gaming Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
- Best High Performance Gaming Processor: Intel Core i9-12900K
- Best Streamer Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 7009 9006
- Best budget processor for gaming: Intel Core i5-12400
- Best processor for gaming with integrated graphics: AMD Ryzen 5600G
- Processors for games, which one to choose?

We already have an extensive selection of the best CPUs on the market, detailing the different processor options for different categories and workloads.

However, we think gaming processors deserve a separate review in their own right. Things are more exciting than ever for gamers now, with serious contenders from both AMD and Intel.

Gaming is one of the most popular reasons for a good PC build. But getting the best result doesn’t just mean getting the most expensive, highest-performing parts you can find. nine0004

Games require less CPU power than you might think, so buying a mid-range processor is a better buy in most cases.

Best Intel Processor for Gaming: Intel Core i5-12600K

12th generation Intel Alder Lake processors come with a powerful combination of high performance and competitive pricing.

Recently, Intel has been under pressure from AMD and is trying to assert itself by invading traditional Ryzen territory. nine0004

13th generation Intel processors until they arrive and the Intel Core i5-12600K remains the best all-round processor for gaming.

The

Core i5-12600K is a 10-core, 16-thread hybrid processor. The new heterogeneous design means that high-priority tasks are handled by the P (performance) cores, while background and multi-threaded workloads are handled by the E (efficient) cores.

This allows the Core i5-12600K to excel in several benchmarks and various workloads, and its eventual successor to the Core i5-13600K will be built on top of it. nine0004

The Intel Core i5-12600K’s price tag also makes it extremely attractive without a significant price increase.

It goes hand in hand with the six-core, twelve-thread Ryzen 5 5600X processor and represents the lowest entry point for gamers into the 12th generation Intel Alder Lake family.

The

12600K offers six multi-threaded P-cores that run at 3.7/4.9GHz. It also has four E-cores running at 2.8/3.6GHz and a total of 16 threads. We are also considering 20MB L3 cache and 9.5 MB L2 cache.

In terms of performance, Intel has certainly regained the lead with the 12th generation. The competing AMD chip consumes less power, but the new Intel 7 processor reduces power consumption by a third compared to its predecessor.

The

Intel Core i5-12600K is a good choice as it performs about 40% faster in multi-threaded applications than the Ryzen 5 5600X processor. It can even compete with the Ryzen 7 5700X and look good. nine0004

Enthusiast gamers can also boost the performance of the 12600K by overclocking on supported platforms.

It works best with Windows 11 as it is the only operating system to support the new Intel Thread Director technology.

New Alder Lake processors provide a significant performance boost with DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0 interface. You can opt for DDR4 memory with the Core i5-12600K, but with that, you’ll be leaving most of the performance idle. nine0002

Best AMD Processor for Gaming: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X

There was a time when when buying a processor we chose AMD for multi-core, multi-thread performance and Intel for single-core performance. The latter helped Intel take the lead in pure gaming, but fell behind Ryzen in everything else.

But now everything has changed. Where Intel has hybrid design processors with high core counts, AMD has retained a more traditional design and impressive single-core performance. nine0004
The

Ryzen 5 7600X is now also AMD’s entry-level model, at least for now. There is currently no Ryzen 3, and for gamers, Ryzen 7 or Ryzen 9 is overkill.

6 cores, 12 threads, only now for the first time, also integrated graphics. The base clock is 4.7GHz and the boost clock is 5.3GHz, and like all Ryzen chips, it’s also unlocked if you want to tinker.

As you’d expect, it outperforms the Intel Core i5-12600K in games, thanks in no small part to better single-core performance. nine0004

Things become less clear when you switch to multi-core, but this is partly due to Intel’s hybrid design and high core count. But the Ryzen 5 is a solid all-rounder.

In tasks like coding and software like Blender, the Ryzen 5 7600X is ahead. But with all that performance comes the side effect of a little heat, up to 95°C actually, so good cooling is very important when building.

AMD’s 7000 series is the first new socket in several years to switch to AM5. With it, you’ll only be able to use DDR5 RAM, which, while unlocking some serious performance, also increases your overall budget. nine0004

It also supports PCIe 5.0, which is currently limited but will become available in the not too distant future. AMD has a history of supporting its platforms for the long haul, so while it needs a whole new system right now, you’ll be covered for many years to come.

Best High Performance Gaming Processor: Intel Core i9-12900K

The unlocked Intel Core i5-12600K is a fantastic value all-rounder, but the Core i9-12900K is simply the best in Intel’s lineup right now. nine0004

This is Intel’s most powerful high-performance mainstream processor to date. However, its successor, the Core i9-13900K, is on its way.

The

Intel Core i9-12900K embodies all of Intel’s efforts to deliver the most revolutionary architectural shift in a decade, the combination of P-cores and E-cores.

The Golden Cove architecture powers the P cores while the E cores come with the Gracemont architecture. Both of them work together to deliver impressive IPC improvements. nine0004

The

Core i9-12900K is based on the Intel 7 process technology and has 16 cores and 24 threads. We consider eight P-cores that support hyperthreading, as well as eight single-threaded E-cores, for a total of 24 threads. P-cores have a base frequency of 3.2 GHz and a peak frequency of 5.2 GHz thanks to the Intel Turbo Boost Max 3.0 feature.

Intel says the 12900K comes with 125W rated processor power (PBP) and 241W maximum Turbo Power (MTP). The values are higher because Intel also changed the default boost duration for all K-series chips from 56 seconds with Rocket Lake to unlimited. This means that 12900K will run on MTP 241W when under load.

The

Intel Core i9-12900K is currently the best high performance processor you can buy right now. It beat out the Ryzen 9 5950X to become the new performance champion.

Best for streamers: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

The latest and most powerful AMD Ryzen processor will set streamers on their toes. One of the strengths of Ryzen processors since their introduction to the market has been their incredible multi-threaded performance, which is important for heavy workloads. nine0004
The

Intel took a different path with its hybrid design, but AMD is still taking a more traditional approach and the Ryzen 9 7950X is 16 cores and 32 threads of massive power.

Gamers might be better off spending their money as 16 cores is overkill, but the 7950X is for those who want to game and stream, render high-definition video, those who use programs like Blender or Unreal Engine.

The

Ryzen 9 7950X is one of AMD’s first Zen 4 chips, AM5, with a new socket for the first time in years. Thus, you will need to update everything in your installation. It only supports DDR5, you will also need a new motherboard. nine0004

It’s built to support PCIe 5.0, although there are admittedly limited use cases for this right now, but you can migrate your existing PCIe 4.0 drives.

In our testing, the Ryzen 9 7950X is impressive. It outperforms the Intel Core i9-12900K in almost every test, even single-core performance. Temperatures can get a little high, but don’t exceed the 95°C AMD has previously stated.

In normal mode, it will run smoothly at 40C under an AIO cooler, and you can lower it even further with some serious liquid cooling. However, it’s still a bit heavier than competing Intel processors and we haven’t seen a Core i9 yet.13th generation on the test bench.

Ultimately, AMD has made a pretty significant upgrade to the Ryzen family, and its flagship model will be popular with gamers and content creators alike.

Best Budget CPU for Gaming: Intel Core i5-12400

We recommend the Intel Core i5-12600K, but we think there’s another one worth checking out in the budget segment. It’s an Intel Core i5-12400 and we think it’s the best budget processor right now when it comes to gaming. nine0004

In terms of specifications, the Intel Core i5-12400 has a base frequency of 2. 5GHz and a maximum turbo frequency of 4.4GHz. We’re looking at six cores and twelve threads for this chip and 18MB of L3 cache.

This chip, unlike high performance Alder Lake components, comes with only six performance cores and no efficiency cores.

The lack of efficient cores means it’s not a hybrid chip, but it still uses the Golden Cove architecture inside its high performance cores. And it’s perfect for gamers because it means you’ll get better single-core performance. nine0004

In terms of performance, it is on par with many other higher-end chips on the market for gaming.

It offers excellent single-core performance and relatively commendable multi-threaded performance, delivering impressive gaming results.

It easily outperforms many previous generation chips, including the wonderful 11th generation product, the Core i9-11900K. The 11900K performs better in multi-core tasks, but the budget part of Alder Lake easily beats it in other tests. nine0004

The

Core i5-12400 is also very forgiving when it comes to power consumption and thermal performance. Even a decent air cooler is enough to keep this chip cool.

In fact, Intel’s own Laminar CPU coolers that are included in the package should be enough to control the temperature of this chip.

This makes it a solid proposition for buyers on a budget who want to save as much money as possible on their new build. nine0004

We recommend pairing the Core i5-12400 with a motherboard based on the B660 chipset for maximum bang for your buck. There are many budget B660 motherboards that support DDR4 memory.

You’ll also be able to take advantage of all the fast PCIe 4.0 SSDs on this board, so it’s a great choice even for those on a budget.

The

Core i5-12400 is not a «K» series chip, but you can still overclock it thanks to base clock overclocking (BCLK OC) support. At the same time, 12400 works fine at standard settings and we do not recommend overclocking it. nine0004

Best Processor for Gaming with Integrated Graphics: AMD Ryzen 5600G

AMD Ryzen

APUs have integrated GPUs and use system memory to deliver impressive gaming performance.

The

AMD has a solid lineup of APUs in the 5000 series market. The Ryzen 7 5700G is a slightly more powerful APU, but we think the Ryzen 5 5600G deserves a place in your PC.

The Ryzen 7 5700G hype quickly fades once you get your hands on the Ryzen 5 5600G, which is about 96% of its 5700G performance, but for less money.

The

Ryzen 5 5600G has six cores and twelve threads and is part of the first of AMD’s 7nm Cezanne desktop APUs.

The

Cezanne APUs ship with Zen 3 execution cores paired with the Radeon Vega graphics engine. Ryzen 5 5600G comes with 3.7GHz base clock and 4.4GHz base clock, 16MB L3 cache and seven Radeon RX Vega CUs running at 1.9GHz.

We’re also looking at a configurable TDP that ranges from 45W to 65W, although you can expect it to run mostly at a TDP of 65W under load. Like the Zen 3 processor, the Ryzen 5 5600G uses a DDR4-3200 interface instead of DDR4-2933.

This will further improve overall iGPU gaming performance. Adding an iGPU means you’re sacrificing a bit of peak CPU frequency. And you must remember that you will lose some of the total system memory capacity due to Vega graphics. nine0004

At the same time, the Ryzen 5 5600G is currently the leader among processors with an integrated graphics core, especially in its price category.

It’s capable of running most of the new games on the market, although you might have to lower your expectations when it comes to overall graphical fidelity.

We’d recommend a discrete GPU over an APU for serious gaming, but entry-level gamers will find more value in the integrated graphics. It is also an ideal CPU choice for small PCs or home entertainment PCs. nine0004

You can always upgrade to the more expensive Ryzen 7 5700G for a better overall experience if you plan to buy a discrete GPU later on. But for others, we think the Ryzen 5 5600G comes close in performance to the 5700G at a much more affordable price.

Processors for games, which one to choose?

The processor is one of those core build components that you might not want to update often. Your graphics card will play a huge role in deciding what games you can and cannot play on your PC, but the CPU is just as important. nine0004

We’re also in a constant process of releasing and updating processors, so it’s a little hard to say definitively whether you should choose Intel or AMD.

On the one hand, you can buy an Intel Core i5-12600K and build a great gaming PC. But it’s also not entirely fair to compare it to AMD’s Ryzen 7000 series. Intel’s response to this series should be out soon, so we’ll have a clearer picture then.

90,000 GamersNexus Best and Worst CPUs of 2020 — Hardware on DTF

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GamersNexus youtube channel’s annual awards video released today.

4562
views

self video

Best Overall — Ryzen 5 5600x

Like last year’s award winner, the Ryzen 5 3600, this processor delivers excellent and balanced performance on all fronts, both in gaming and workloads. nine0004

The only drawback is the increased price, compared to the Ryzen 5 3600, up to $300.

Best SMB & Hobbyist — Ryzen 9 5950x

According to the video, this is an excellent processor for those who want to combine work (compiling code, rendering, etc.) and the ability to play games without problems, but for some reason do not want to use Threadripper processors.

Best Gaming — Ryzen 5 5600x and Ryzen 3 3300x

This year, Intel’s undisputed leadership in this category ended, and at the same time two processors from AMD received this award. Even the lower price for the i5-10600k ($275 vs. $300 for AMD’s solution) didn’t help Intel, because you still have to factor in the cost of the motherboard.

As for the 3300x, thanks to the successful layout of the CCX, this budget processor ($120 at the time of release) can compete in performance with older brothers. The disadvantage is the fact that at the moment it is almost impossible to buy. nine0004

Best CPU for Read Dead Redemption 2 at 1080p medium settings and using DX12 API — Intel i9-10900k

This is a new nomination, and it is rightfully awarded to a wonderful processor from Intel, which in these specific conditions outperforms its competitors.

Most Well-Rounded — Ryzen 9 5900x

nine0003 With an MSRP of $500, this processor is great for gaming, rendering, and streaming video content.

Most Fun to Overclock — Intel i9-10900k

Even though AMD’s new line of processors outperforms Intel, that doesn’t make them bad processors, it just makes them less competitive in the marketplace. These are still excellent gaming processors, which are also very interesting to “overclock”. In addition, the video mentions unique features for overclocking Intel processors that AMD does not have. nine0004

Best High-End Workstation CPU — Threadripper 3970x & 3990x

In anticipation of new versions of this line of processors, the winners of this category have not changed. As in the past year, these are top-end Threadripper processors that easily outperform competitors in workload conditions.

Biggest Disappointment (biggest disappointment) — Intel i5-10400 and «XT» versions of AMD 9 processors0004
The

Intel i5-10400 could be the best in the budget (under $200) gaming processor category, but the manufacturer decided otherwise. It not only limited the memory speed to 2666 MHz on non-Z platforms. Restrictions also affected overclocking on expensive Z-platforms, which completely eliminates its advantages.

As regards the XT versions of 3000 processors from AMD, they are called just a greedy attempt to raise the average price of their products.