12 Best Budget CPU to Buy in 2023
Looking for a budget CPU for your PC build? You have come to the right place. We have included several options for the best budget CPU you can buy in 2023. This list includes affordable processors from both Intel and AMD, so you will easily find suitable options to upgrade your PC build. Once you buy a CPU from this list, make sure to follow our guide for step-by-step instructions on how to install an AMD or Intel CPU in your PC build.
We will be looking at the best budget CPUs under the $250 price range in this list. We include several CPUs under $150, and even cheaper CPUs under $50 is also part of this list. Ensure that you confirm compatibility with your motherboard by checking the CPU socket, and do this before you decide to buy a CPU. Note that for many CPUs, you might need to update the BIOS as well. With that out of the way, let us check out all the options:
Table of Contents
1. AMD Ryzen 5 7600 – Best Budget AMD CPU
- Manufacturing Process: 5nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 6C / 12T
- Base / Turbo Frequency: 3. 80GHz / 5.10GHz
- TDP (Base): 65W
- Integrated GPU: Yes
- CPU Socket: AM5
- Stock Cooler Included: Yes
The Ryzen 5 7600 is the cheapest AM5 CPU available presently. I’m quite eager to see AMD releasing more affordable CPUs for the AM5 Socket, as many have been waiting. The Ryzen 5 7600 is an excellent budget processor and I would consider it the best budget Ryzen CPU you can buy right now. You get 6 cores and 12 threads, and it’s definitely fast enough for any task you throw at it, whether it be for content creation or gaming.
The performance will be as per modern standards. The multi-core performance is on-par or sometimes stronger than older Ryzen 7 chips (due to each core being stronger), so don’t take the Ryzen 5 branding lightly.
AMD has also added an integrated GPU on the new Ryzen 7000 CPUs, which is a welcome addition. You also get a stock cooler, which you don’t get with the 7600X. This saves additional money, although the overall entry cost for a new Ryzen 7000 PC build is slightly higher. In my opinion, this is the best CPU under $250.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Incredibly fast multi-core & single-core performance | Only compatible with DDR5 Motherboards (AM5 Socket) |
Most affordable AM5 CPU | |
Promised upgrade path to Ryzen 8000 |
Buy from Amazon ($219.99)
2. Intel Core i5-13400 – Best Budget Intel CPU
- Manufacturing Process: 10nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 10C / 16T, 6 P-Cores + 4 E-Cores
- Base/Turbo Frequency: 2.50GHz / 4.60GHz (P-Cores)
- TDP (Base): 65W
- CPU Socket: LGA 1700
- Integrated GPU: Yes (i5-13400), No (i5-13400F)
- Stock Cooler Included: Yes
The Core i5-13400 or i5-13400F are excellent choices for a budget CPU. Due to Intel’s limited upgradability potential, which is usually less than AMD, this CPU sits a notch below its Ryzen competitor. But performance-wise, these are both one of the best processors you can buy in the $200 price range.
The 13th Gen Core i5 CPU is on-par with the Ryzen 5 7600. It will handle all tasks seamlessly, whether it be for content creation or gaming, and the CPU will definitely deliver impressive performance. Also, being a new-gen processor with overall faster cores, it’s better than some older i7s (counting from 11th gen). So you should definitely consider this i5 variant over those options.
This is also the best budget gaming CPU from Intel and comes with many Raptor Lake features such as Intel Thread Director and the hybrid P-Core and E-Core design. If you’re going to use this CPU in a PC that will have a dedicated GPU, then you can buy the i5-13400F, which will save you some money. Otherwise, buy the i5-13400 with an integrated GPU.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Incredibly fast multi-core & single-core performance | Upgrade path includes 13th/12th Gen only |
Compatible with both DDR4 & DDR5 RAM motherboards (LGA 1700 Socket) |
Buy from Amazon ($208.99)
3. AMD Ryzen 7 5700X/ 5800X – Best Multi-Core Budget CPUs
- Manufacturing Process: 7nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 8C / 16T
- Base/Turbo Frequency:
- 3.40GHz / 4.60 GHz for 5700X
- 3.80GHz / 4.70GHz for 5800X
- TDP (Base): 105W
- CPU Socket: AM4
- Integrated GPU: No
- Stock Cooler Included: No
The Ryzen 7 5800X and 5700X offer you the most amount of cores you can get in the budget price range. To put it simply, you get 8-cores and 16-threads with both of these processors, and they offer a ton of performance at quite an attractive price. Comparing the launch MSRP of $449 (5800X), people can now buy the same CPU for close to third the price.
By the way, since this processor doesn’t come with a stock cooler, check out the best CPU coolers you can buy in our linked here. The Ryzen 5 5700X is the best CPU under $200 with its awesome core count.
This is one of the best budget CPU options if your preference is a processor that would benefit workloads such as content creation since the higher multi-core performance will definitely come under use. Gaming is also great on these CPUs. Also, since this CPU is supported on the AM4 socket, if you have an older AMD motherboard such as B450 or B350 you can easily upgrade to this processor as long as the VRMs on your motherboard are sufficient for it.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Strong multi-core & single-core performance, with high core count | Part of the older generation hence limited upgradability potential |
Compatible with a wide range of AM4 motherboards |
Buy from Amazon: Ryzen 7 5800X ($159. 00)
Buy from Amazon: Ryzen 7 5700X ($129.00)
4. AMD Ryzen 5 5600/ 5600X – Best Value AMD CPU
- Manufacturing Process: 7nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 6C / 12T
- Base/Turbo Frequency:
- 3.70GHz / 4.60 GHz (5600X)
- 3.50 GHz / 4.40 GHz (5600)
- TDP (Base): 65W
- CPU Socket: AM4
- Integrated GPU: No
- Stock Cooler Included: No
The Ryzen 5 5600X (and the 5600) are definitely the best value for money budget CPUs you can buy. They both feature a 6-core and 12-threaded design, which is quite well-balanced. These have also gotten a significant price drop from their original MSRP of $299 (5600X), and hence, offer excellent value. One disadvantage of this CPU is that it doesn’t have integrated graphics, which adds additional cost if you didn’t intend on getting a discrete graphics card.
If you were looking for a cheap AM4 AMD CPU, this might not be the cheapest (look at the #10 option for a super affordable one), but it’s worth paying the premium to get the Zen 3 cores. These CPUs offer enough performance for a variety of tasks, whether it be for creative applications or gaming use cases. It’s clearly the best cheap CPU for gaming.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Strong single-core performance, decent at multi-core | Part of the older generation hence limited upgradability potential |
Compatible with a wide range of AM4 motherboards |
Buy from Amazon: Ryzen 5 5600X ($149.99)
Buy from Amazon: Ryzen 5 5600 ($110.00)
5. Intel Core i5 12400- Best Value Intel CPU
- Manufacturing Process: 10nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 6C / 12 T
- Base/Turbo Frequency: 2. 50GHz / 4.40GHz
- TDP (Base): 65W
- CPU Socket: LGA 1700
- Integrated GPU: Yes (i5-12400), No (i5-12400F)
- Stock Cooler Included: Yes
The Core i5-12400 & 12400F are essentially direct competitors to AMD’s Ryzen 5 CPUs we were discussing in the last pick. You get 6 cores and 12 threads here as well, and the architecture definitely packs enough punch in every core making this CPU a reliable option to consider buying in 2023. If you prefer Team Blue, this is the best value budget CPU you can get from Intel. You can easily consider this CPU for your mid-range PC and get decent performance in the Adobe creative suite, or in gaming.
To be honest, I say mid-range because of the price and the fact that better processors have come out. But this CPU is strong even in 2023, and a well-balanced option to buy for many users. Before you buy it though, ensure you select the i5-12400 if you are not going to have a discrete GPU. But if you will have a dedicated video card on your PC, you can consider the i5-12400F instead.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Strong multi-core & single-core performance | Upgrade path includes 13th/12th Gen only |
Compatible with DDR4 & DDR5 RAM motherboards |
Buy from Amazon: Core i5-12400 ($174.99)
Buy from Amazon: Core i5-12400F ($149.99)
6. Intel Core i3 13100 – Cheapest Raptor Lake CPU
- Manufacturing Process: 10nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 4C / 8T
- Base/Turbo Frequency: 3.40 GHz/ 4.50GHz
- TDP (Base): 60W
- CPU Socket: LGA 1700
- Integrated GPU: Yes (i3-13100), No (i3-13100F)
- Stock Cooler Included: Yes
The Core i3-13100 & 13100F are the cheapest Intel CPUs you can buy that are part of the Raptor Lake lineup. Now that we are in the i3 territory, multi-core performance is not that substantial – but you could still get away with using it for some light content creation workloads. For gaming, performance is still quite satisfactory as they don’t really take advantage of multi-cores.
So, for many people, the performance won’t be too far behind when compared to an i5. You get 4 cores and 8 threads, and at some point in the past i3s did not feature these many cores. It’s definitely awesome to see that you can get a quad-core CPU that is hyper-threaded as well in the form of an i3. I remember my first desktop CPU which was an i3-6100, and it only had 2 cores and 4 threads.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Strong single-core performance | Upgrade path includes 13th/12th Gen only |
Compatible with DDR4 & DDR5 RAM motherboards |
Buy from Amazon: Core i3-13100 ($139.99)
Buy from Amazon: Core i3-13100F ($110. 99)
7. Ryzen 7 5700G & Ryzen 5 5600G
- Manufacturing Process: 7nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count:
- 8C / 16T (5700G)
- 6C / 12T (5600G)
- Base/Turbo Frequency:
- 3.80 GHz / 4.60 GHz (5700G)
- 3.90 GHz / 4.40 GHz (5600G)
- TDP (Base): 65W
- CPU Socket: AM4
- Integrated GPU: Yes (7 cores in 5600G, 8 cores in 5700G)
- Stock Cooler Included: Yes
The Ryzen 7 5700G & Ryzen 5 5600G are APUs – these are specialized processors that also focus on offering you a decent bit of graphical horsepower in addition to the CPU power. You can read all about CPU vs APU here. Depending on whether you get a Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7, you will get a hexa-core or octa-core CPU, respectively. Performance for multi-core heavy workloads such as content creation will benefit from the 5700G, but get the 5600G if that’s not a major priority.
The onboard Radeon graphics are also slightly better on the Ryzen 7 APU, and both of them are overall capable performers for mid-range PCs. Buy it for its special use-case: you won’t need dedicated graphics as this has in-built Radeon graphics which perform than most other iGPUs of other best budget CPU options.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Decent multi-core & single-core performance, on-board GPU better than most iGPUs | Part of the older generation hence limited upgradability potential |
Compatible with a wide range of AM4 motherboards | Lower overall performance compared to non-APU proccessors |
Buy from Amazon: Ryzen 5 5600G ($121.80)
Buy from Amazon: Ryzen 7 5700G ($169.29)
8. Intel Core i3-12100 – Best Affordable Modern CPU
- Manufacturing Process: 10nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 4C / 8T
- Base/Turbo Frequency: 3. 30 GHz / 4.30 GHz
- TDP (Base): 65W
- CPU Socket: LGA 1700
- Integrated GPU: Yes (i3-12100), No (i3-13100F)
- Stock Cooler Included: Yes
Intel’s Core i3-12100 & i3-12100F are both excellent choices for a cheap CPU in 2023. These are best affordable CPUs you can buy to slot into the LGA 1700 socket and are suitable for a budget to mid-range PC. This processor is quite strong for general tasks & also gaming at 1080p – it actually won’t bottleneck much with a GPU like the RTX 3050. Light use in content creation workloads works fine on this CPU.
Being Core i3s, they don’t offer a lot of multi-core performance under the hood but it’s still quite decent for the price you pay — you get 4 cores and 8 threads, and this was not common in the i3 CPUs at some point in the past. But presently, Intel has been offering 4-cores in their i3 models for multiple generations.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Strong single-core performance | Upgrade path includes 13th/12th Gen only |
Compatible with DDR4 & DDR5 RAM motherboards |
Buy from Amazon: Core i3-12100 ($114. 99)
Buy from Amazon: Core i3-12100F ($89.99)
9. AMD Ryzen 5 5500 – Best CPU Under $100
- Manufacturing Process: 10nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 6C / 12T, 6 P-Cores + 4 E-Cores
- Base/Turbo Frequency: 3.60GHz / 4.20GHz
- TDP (Base): 65W
- CPU Socket: AM4
- Integrated GPU: No
- Stock Cooler Included: Yes
AMD’s Ryzen 5500 is in an awkward position because while it’s part of the 5000-series lineup the performance is more in line with the 3000-series (like the Ryzen 5 3600). It’s also marginally slower than the Intel Core i3 option listed above. It’s still a decent CPU to buy for the price; powered by 6 cores and 12 threads.
Ryzen 5500 will perform decently with games or content creation software, but expect nothing special. Moreover, being an AM4 CPU, you can update the BIOS of an older generation motherboard such as B350/B450 and use this processor on it.
The only drawback — you also don’t get integrated graphics with this CPU. So if you are looking for a budget CPU that will also save you the cost of adding a GPU, keep reading below. Still, as I said it’s a decent CPU to buy for the price and one of the best budget CPUs under $100. There’s also the Ryzen 5 4600G available under $100, but it’s better to spend the extra few bucks and buy the 5600G we have suggested in the list above.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Decent multi-core & single-core performance for the price | Part of the older generation hence limited upgradability potential |
Compatible with a wide range of AM4 motherboards | Performance is below i3 12th Gen but still decent |
Buy from Amazon ($89.99)
10. AMD Ryzen 3 4100 – Cheapest AM4 CPU
- Manufacturing Process: 10nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 4C / 8T
- Base/Turbo Frequency: 3. 80GHz / 4.00GHz
- TDP (Base): 65W
- CPU Socket: AM4
- Integrated GPU: No
- Stock Cooler Included: Yes
The Ryzen 3 4100 is the cheapest AM4 CPU you can buy in 2023. Technically, the most affordable one would be the Ryzen 3 3100 or Athlon 3000G CPU, but there aren’t sufficient stocks for these variants – not much has been revealed as to why. You get 4 cores and 8 threads with this CPU, and it’s quite decent for general tasks as well as light gaming.
It’s a good entry-level processor and will deliver satisfying performance for the price. Pairing this with a decent low-cost dedicated GPU (no integrated graphics onboard) will make for an excellent budget PCs. Although, it is important to note that performance is marginally worse compared to a 12th-Gen Core i3. Still, it’s one of the best budget CPU once we factor in the price.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Decent performance for the price | Part of the older generation hence limited upgradability potential |
Compatible with a wide range of AM4 motherboards |
Buy from Amazon: ($64. 99)
11. Intel Pentium Gold G7400 – Cheapest LGA 1700 CPU
- Manufacturing Process: 10nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 2C / 4T
- Base Frequency: 3.70 GHz (no turbo boost)
- TDP (Base): 46W
- CPU Socket: LGA 1700
- Integrated GPU: Yes
- Stock Cooler Included: Yes
The Pentium Gold G7400 is an incredibly cheap CPU from Intel you can buy for an entry-level PC, mostly suited for general use tasks such as web browsing, light gaming with older titles, and multimedia consumption. Under the hood, it is a dual-core CPU with four threads and to be honest that’s quite abysmal to have in 2023 considering even the Core i3s have quad-cores.
Still, you get a reliable CPU for the price, that consumes very little power and has an integrated GPU too. It’s absolutely fine to get this CPU if your use-cases don’t involve anything specific such as editing or gaming, but if you wanted to do so it can be done on a basic level. I would advise against getting an Intel Celeron 12th Gen CPU, since the Pentium is one class better and costs extremely similar.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Decent for entry-level PCs, intended for basic tasks | Only a dual core CPU |
Low cost, cheapest LGA 1700 CPU to buy | |
Good upgrade path to 12th/13th Gen CPUs |
Buy from BestBuy: ($89.99)
12. Intel Celeron G5905 & G5900 – Cheapest CPU Overall
- Manufacturing Process: 14nm
- Core (C) / Thread (T) Count: 2C/2T
- Base Frequency: 3.50GHz (G5905), 3.40GHz (G5900) [no turbo boost]
- TDP (Base): 58W
- CPU Socket: LGA 1200
- Integrated GPU: Yes
- Stock Cooler Included: Yes
The Intel Celeron G5905 & G5900 processors are one of the cheapest CPUs you can buy, with a somewhat modern architecture (as close as it can get). While the 12th Gen Celeron processors also exist, they are available at an unreasonable price currently and if that changes, we’ll update this list accordingly. This is a 10th-Gen CPU, so you’ll need to get an older motherboard for it.
You get a dual-core CPU that isn’t hyper-threaded either, so it’s just these two cores. Obviously, these options are the bottom of the barrel when it comes to CPU performance but it works quite well for tasks such as web browsing, multimedia consumption, and extremely light games. So, if you want to build a basic PC, this budget CPU is quite suitable and often sells for about $30.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Decent for entry-level PCs, intended for basic tasks | Only a dual core CPU, not hyperthreaded either |
One of the cheapest CPUs | Belongs to Intel 10th generation family, which is somewhat old in 2023 |
Buy from Amazon: Celeron G5905 ($49. 99)
Buy from Amazon: Celeron G5900 ($39.99)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which CPU is best for everyday use?
An Intel Core i3 or Ryzen APU (such as the 5600G) are the best everyday-use CPUs. On a budget, Intel Pentium Gold is quite decent too. The overall performance and features support on new processors is much better, so it’s not very advisable to go for older i7 or i5 CPUs for everyday use.
Is Ryzen 5 better than Intel i5?
AMD Ryzen 5 & Intel Core i5 are on-par with each other, and both offer similar performance levels. In order to judge which processor is better, the user must look at the multi-core & single-core benchmarks of the CPUs.
Which CPU is slowest to fastest?
The Intel Celeron & AMD Athlon CPUs are the slowest, and Intel’s Core i9 & AMD Ryzen 9 are the fastest CPUs.
What is the best budget CPU for gaming in 2023?
Intel’s Core i5 and AMD’s Ryzen 5 CPUs are the best budget gaming CPUs available – try to get the latest models, and you won’t have any bottleneck issues with GPUs up to the RTX 4070 Ti.
Which is the best CPU in low price?
The best CPU available at a low price for mixed usage (gaming, everyday tasks) would be the Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 models. But if you want the cheapest CPU, look for the Intel Celeron & Pentium processors.
Which is the cheapest processor with 6 cores?
The Ryzen 5 4500 and 5500 CPUs are currently one of the cheapest processors with 6 cores, but the cores themselves are not very strong. A highly recommended modern CPU called the Ryzen 5 7600 is based on the latest architecture and costs under $250.
Best budget CPU in 2023
If you’re looking for the best budget CPU, we’ve got you covered right here with our top picks.
Having a good CPU is vital for the performance of your computer. This is especially true when it comes to gaming. There’s no point in having the best GPU for 1440p if your processor is just going to bottleneck its power.
Best budget CPU at a glance
Core count
Thread count
8
CPU speed
4.3 GHz
TDP
60W
How We Review
Cores
6
Threads
12
Base speed
3.6GHz
Boost speed
4.6GHz
Cache
32
TDP
95W
How We Review
Cores
10
Threads
16
Base speed
2.5 GHz
Boost speed
4.6 GHz
Cache
20MB
TDP
65 W
How We Review
Cores
10
Threads
16
Base Clock
3.7GHz
Boost Clock
4.9GHz
Cache
20MB
TDP
125W
How We Review
As will all gaming tech, there is a balancing act between price and performance here. However, when it comes to CPUs, you don’t have to necessarily break the bank to get the performance level you want. All the CPUs you’ll see here perform well in high-end games and can unlock the full potential of your PC.
While you won’t see any of the fancy 3D cache technology you get with the buy Ryzen 7 7800X3D, or the sheer speeds of the best CPU for gaming, you can still expect impressive boost clocks, thread counts and cache sizes.
Before we start here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for your CPU. The first is that all the chips here are either Intel or Ryzen. This is no coincidence. These two companies lead the way for budget CPUs, especially ones for gaming.
Another thing to keep in mind is which specs are the more useful for gaming performance. For example, clock speed beats core count, as gaming is not often multi-core dependent.
We’ve broken down our picks into separate categories and given a detailed description of each one. This means you’ll get an overview of each. As a result, you should be able to make an informed decision on which one you want to go for.
Let’s get into our picks.
Best budget CPU under $150 – Intel Core i3-12100F
Core count
4
Thread count
8
CPU speed
4. 3 GHz
TDP
60W
How We Review
Pros
-
Good clock speed -
Very energy efficient
Cons
-
Low core count
This CPU from Intel packs in a staggering amount of performance considering its low price. For under $150, you get impressive single-core performance and a mighty 4.3GHz clock speed. This knocks many of the other CPUs in this price range out of the water.
The under $200 price category is the one that is arguably the most overlooked so it’s great to see the big players in chip design paying it some proper attention.
For this price there are, of course, some sacrifices made, the core frequency is not able to be over-clocked for example. On top of this, the low core count reduces the chip’s performance in multi-core activity.
This is a chip focused on gaming, however, and it certainly performs well here. It has also got great compatibility with DDR4 and DDR5 memory, as well as multiple panes for both PCle 5. 0 and 4.0. All of this is achieved while being offered for a very reasonable price.
Best overall budget CPU – AMD Ryzen 5 5600x
Cores
6
Threads
12
Base speed
3.6GHz
Boost speed
4.6GHz
Cache
32
TDP
95W
How We Review
Pros
-
Great value -
Large cache
Cons
-
Lower core count
The Ryzen 5 5600X would be our number one recommendation for anyone looking for a budget CPU. Despite being priced extremely reasonably, the performance this thing provides is absolutely mind-blowing.
Combining a base clock frequency of 3.7 GHz with 6 cores, the chip also benefits from a few other standout features. That speed can boost up to 4.6 GHz as and when the operating system requires it; this will mean far fewer bottlenecks in your gaming sessions.
As well as this, the 5600X has AMD’s Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) technology, which effectively allows each of the 6 on-board cores to process two tasks at once. Just about every modern AAA title is able to take advantage of this kind of processing, providing even more capacity for smooth performance.
As if that wasn’t enough, an unlocked multiplier means that you can (so long as you provide adequate cooling) overclock the 5600x for even better results. If this isn’t something you’ve done before, we’d advise you to do your research first.
The 5600x is limited to DDR4 memory and PCIe 4.0 devices. If you compare DDR4 vs DDR5 for gaming DDR5 is undeniably superior. However, as those are still fairly modern tech standards – and providing you equip your gaming rig with a suitable GPU – you’ll still be able to tear through modern AAA titles for some time to come.
To sum it up, this chip really does have the perfect price to performance ratio. It can still keep up with titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2 at 1080P, and will provide all of the overhead needed to perform non-gaming tasks as well.
Best budget CPU for gaming – Intel Core i5-13400
Cores
10
Threads
16
Base speed
2. 5 GHz
Boost speed
4.6 GHz
Cache
20MB
TDP
65 W
How We Review
Pros
-
Brilliant performance -
High boost speeds
Cons
-
Power hungry
If budget is your primary concern, and you need to buy a CPU right now, the i5-13400 is still a wonderful option which will provide the kind of performance you need during intense gaming sessions.
While the clock speed of 2.5 GHz might sound fairly modest, the fact of the matter is that the 10 cores provided – as well as the ability to boost to 4.6 GHz while under load – should provide more than enough juice for any gamer on a budget.
Another feature that will make a significant difference to your gaming experience is Intel’s patented Hyper-Threading technology, which – like AMD’s Simultaneous Multithreading – will allow all of the 10 cores to work with two threads at a time, and this will reduce stutters or lag.
In terms of pushing its boundaries, the i5-13400 does not have an unlocked multiplier and so you won’t be able to do a lot of meaningful overclocking with it.
On the bright side, it does have full compatibility with the DDR4, DDR5, and PCIe 5.0, which brings with it a tonne of benefits vs PCIe 4.0 . This means that you’ll be able to continue buying the newer GPUs which come onto the market in the next few years, while also pairing them with the fastest memory available.
The chip only draws a TDP of 65w, which is fairly typical for a processor with this kind of performance. And, if you’re on a really tight budget, the fact that it comes with Intel’s UHD 770 integrated graphics processor will still allow you to run games even if you can’t currently afford a dedicated GPU.
We really like the i5-13400; it combines really great performance with up-to-date compatibility and a price tag that’s totally fair for all the benefits you’ll be receiving. This isn’t just a budget processor, but one that’s going to still provide excellent gaming experiences for some time to come.
Best budget CPU for streaming – Intel Core i5-12600K
Cores
10
Threads
16
Base Clock
3.7GHz
Boost Clock
4.9GHz
Cache
20MB
TDP
125W
How We Review
Pros
-
Great price -
Good boost speeds
Cons
-
Power hungry
Game streaming can be quite a resource-heavy task, especially when it’s being performed by the same processor handling heavy AAA titles like Elden Ring or Destiny 2. However, even on a budget, the i5-12600K from Intel should provide enough horsepower to allow you to entertain your fans without any issue.
The core specs of the i5-12600K are actually quite impressive for a processor in this price range; with 10 cores (which can effectively be doubled thanks to Intel’s Hyper-Threading technology) and a base clock speed of 3.7 GHz, there’s going to be enough overhead here to play eSports titles while streaming.
When you start to load up more demanding games, though, the chip’s ability to boost up to 4.9 GHz will allow you to avoid stutter or lag, even if you’re also broadcasting your webcam during gameplay.
As this is one of Intel’s ‘K’ series chips, the i5-12600K arrives with an unlocked multiplier, allowing you to draw out even more performance by adjusting the core frequency. If you intend on doing this, though, you’d better make sure you have decent cooling in your rig.
In fact, we’d probably recommend good cooling from the get-go, as this chip draws a TDP of 125W! However, for the horsepower this thing provides, we feel that it’s a fair compromise.
In terms of its compatibility, the DDR4, DDR5, and PCIe 4.0 standards are all supported here. This means that, as time goes by and your budget increases, you’ll still be able to pick up a cutting-edge GPU (as well as fast memory) without having to put together a brand new streaming PC.
All in all, this is a really well-priced CPU, and one that we feel provides all of the bells and whistles necessary for a fantastic streaming experience. It might not be the greatest option on the market, but it will allow you to enjoy some great performance while you continue growing your audience (and your savings!).
Frequently asked questions
The language around CPUs can be over technical, to say the least. Because of this, there are af ew questions that we see coming up time and time again. We’ve answered a few of them here.
Is it okay to use 100% of your CPU?
It is totally safe for your CPU to use be at 100%, though it will impact performance.
How many cores do you need for gaming?
6 cores are considered a core count suitable for entry-level gaming, though performance will improve with more cores.
Can you overclock Intel CPUs?
Not all Intel CPUs are able to be overclocked. It is best to check the one you are thinking of going for individually but as a rule of thumb, if it ends in a ‘K’ or ‘X’ it can be overclocked.
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Processor AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (16/32 cores, 5.7GHz, PCIe5.0, AMD Radeon Graphics, L3=64MB, AM5), BOX (when paid by SBP) 37 648₽Wildberries discounts
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Processor AMD Ryzen 5 5600 OEM (+ 4200 bonus refund) 12 360₽ Free shipping take into account cashback candy wrappers in 4200), on
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Intel Core i3 10100F OEM + 2004 bonus 5 725₽ Free delivery 0₽SberMegaMarket discounts
Hello everyone. In general, a percentage for an initial budget gaming assembly or an office worker with a video plug. The price is normal, but a refund of 2000 rubles allows you to take RAM or something in the future)
LGA 2011-3 set Motherboard + processor + RAM (Atermiter X99, Xeon E5 2640 V3 — DDR4 16 GB (2 pcs. 8 GB) 2133 MHz 5 387₽6 200₽(-13%) Free shipping 0₽OZON discounts
Minimum price for assembly on LGA 2011-3 Motherboard — X99 Processor — Xeon E5 2640 V3 (8 cores / 16 threads, 3.4 GHz in turbo boost with the ability to unlock) RAM — DDR4 16 GB (2 pcs. 8 GB) …
Processor Intel core i3 12100f OEM (by ozone card, from abroad) 6 489₽7 390₽(-12%) OZON discounts
pepper. A good processor for 6489r on an ozone card, without a graphics core, just a good fit for the bus …
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 16 367₽ Free shipping 0₽AliExpress discounts
The processor needs no introduction. You need to get a coupon from the seller.
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Processor Intel Core i7 13700K OEM 40 919₽ Free shipping 0₽SberMegaMarket discount
retail stores — you get a pretty impressive amount …
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Number of cores 6 Number of threads 12 Max Turbo clock speed 4. 40 GHz Base core clock Performance-core 2.50 GHz Cache 18 MB Intel® Smart Cache Shared
Processor Intel Core i7-12700F OEM 22 092₽24 547₽(-10%)Yandex Market discount
Processor for a good price. The price is available when using the Best10 coupon and % of alpha or tinkoff. Tinkoff 15% = 18700 (Check availability at your place) Tinkoff 10% = 19882 (Check at your place…
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Intel Core i5 12490F BOX without cooler (price by ozon card, from abroad) 12 197₽15 990₽(-24%) Free shipping 0₽OZON discount
There was no lower price for this percentage on pepper, a little stronger than usual 12400f
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[Moscow time and possibly other cities] Processor Intel Core-i5 13400F OEM 15 613₽ Free shipping 0₽Yandex Market discounts
Now we forgot about the buggy sale, ok? Outside of it, this is the lowest price for the i5-13400F with delivery not from abroad. Previously, I almost didn’t notice NICS at NAM — now, apparently, they decided to dump …
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Intel Core i3-12100f (12MB Cache, up to 4.30GHz, LGA1700) ₹6,595 Free Shipping 0₽AliExpress discounts
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[ Stavropol] Intel Core i3-9100T 3 193₽5 999₽(-47%)Yandex Market discount
Seems like a good price. CPU Intel Core i3-9100T Coffee Lake OEM {Socket 1151v2 3100MHz 6Mb TDP-35W OEM) (CM8068403377425)}
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AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6 Core 12 Thread 5 393₽ Free Shipping 0₽AliExpress Discounts
65W PCIe4.0 x1 6, 4200MHz, L3=32MB, SZCPU Store
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Intel Core i5 13400 OEM, LGA 1700, UHD 730 (with Ozone card, from abroad) 15 157₽ Free shipping 0₽OZON discount 9Free shipping 0₽AliExpress discounts
Spread out 2 days ago, but there the price is 6300, do not forget the promic from the seller, add something for 270r, for example, thermal paste, and we get the price even cheaper)
Processor AMD Ryzen 5 5600G OEM, AM4 (according to Ozon map) 8 399₽OZON discounts
If you need a normal percentage with a built-in, then this is a good choice. Cheaper than alik, and delivery time is comparable. Price including ozone card and seller’s coupon. Reviews enough
Processor AMD Ryzen 9 3900 12-core 24-thread 10 679₽ Free shipping 0₽AliExpress discounts
TDP — 65W, PCIe 4.0, 4300 MHz, 65MB L3 9000 8
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X 11 791₽ Free shipping 0₽AliExpress discounts
The seller is excellent! Don’t Forget to Grab the Upd Coupon: Price Up a Little, But Still a Good Deal
AMD Releases $99 Budget Processors and Revolutionary Ryzen 7 5800X3D with 96MB Cache / Sudo Null IT News including for the budget market at a price of 99 dollars. All these chips will be available from April 4, 2022. The list of processors and recommended prices is under the cut.
Here’s what AMD’s desktop processor lineup will now look like, sorted by recommended price (MSRP), starting with the lowest. New models are highlighted in bold.
CPU (new models highlighted) | MSRP | Architecture | cores/threads | Frequency (base/turbo) | Shared cache (L2+L3) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ryzen 3 4100 | $99 | Zen 2 | 4c/8t | 3. 8/4.0 GHz | 6MB |
Ryzen 3 3100 | $99 | Zen 2 | 4c/8t | 3.6/3.9 GHz | 17MB |
Ryzen 5 4500 | $129 | Zen 2 | 6c/12t | 3.6/4.1 GHz | 11 MB |
Ryzen 5 4600G | $154 | Zen 2 | 6c/12t | 3.7/4.2 GHz | 11 MB |
Ryzen 5 5600G | $259 | Zen 3 | 6c/12t | 3.9/4.4 GHz | 19 MB |
Ryzen 5 5500 | $159 | Zen 3 | 6c/12t | 3.6/4.2 GHz | 19 MB |
Ryzen 5 5600 | $199 | Zen 3 | 6c/12t | 3.5/4.4 GHz | 35 MB |
Ryzen 5 3600 | $199 | Zen 2 | 6c/12t | 3. 6/4.2 GHz | 35 MB |
Ryzen 5 5600X | $299 | Zen 3 | 6c/12t | 3.7/4.6 GHz | 35 MB |
Ryzen 7 5700X | $299 | Zen 3 | 8c/16t | 3.4/4.6 GHz | 36 MB |
Ryzen 7 5800X | $350 | Zen 3 | 8c/16t | 3.8/4.7 GHz | 36 MB |
Interestingly, the Ryzen 5000 family and Zen 3 architecture did not initially include budget processors. AMD introduced them at the end of 2020, and there was nothing cheaper than $300 at all.
If you were looking for something more modest, processors like the Ryzen 3600, 3300X and 3100 were your best bet. But these models were in terrible short supply for many months, they were hard to find, and you had to overpay. It got to the point that a competitor in the face of Intel pulled up with its 12th generation processors in the sub-$200 segment, such as the Core i3-12100 and Core i5-12400.
AMD is now taking back the lead in this market. True, in order to reduce costs, the company has simplified budget chips as much as possible: they are designed on the older Zen 2 core and are equipped with a small cache: only from 6 to 11 MB. The Ryzen 4100 and 4500 are the first processors in the 4000 series without integrated graphics. According to some analysts, AMD’s return to the ultra-budget market is probably due to the actions of a competitor.
The six new processors range from $99 to $299 and should be a great option for building new budget machines or upgrading old ones. By the way, there is one more good news about the upgrade — they can be included in old motherboards with X370, B350 and A320 chipsets of the 2017 model.
New processors released for the same socket AM4. But initially it was assumed that the Ryzen 5000 would only be compatible with 500-series motherboards, as shown by the following slide from the official presentation:0008
When this news was taken very badly, AMD quickly bounced back and promised that Ryzen 4000 support would continue on the B450 and X470 motherboards. And now there is some good news: after updating the BIOS to version AGESA 1.2.0.7, old motherboards will be able to have all new processors, including both budget and the most expensive ones.
It’s important to understand that the BIOS update on some motherboards adds support for Zen 3, but removes support for older pre-Ryzen Athlon processors. For example, see ASRock X370 Pro4 manual. Apparently, 16 MB BIOS memory chips are no longer enough to store the firmware of absolutely all AM4 processors.
It should be noted that old motherboards do not support all the functionality of new processors. For example, they do not support the latest versions of the USB protocol and the PCI Express 4.0 bus for modern GPUs and SSDs, so peripherals will not be able to use their maximum capabilities.
Also, older boards may have trouble pushing extreme CPU clock speeds, as newer boards have new Voltage Regulator Modules (VRMs) for this purpose, and power lines are more optimized for power-hungry CPUs with more cores.
On the other hand, new generation 4- or 6-core chips will fit into older motherboards just fine, at least in terms of power.
In addition to six new models in the 4000 and 5000 lines, AMD announced the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, the first processor to feature 3D V-Cache stacking transistor technology.
As you might expect, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D stands out among all AMD processors with a huge amount of L3 cache: here it is 96 MB. Previously, in the top AMD desktop processors, the cache size did not exceed 64 MB.
Other specs to be expected: 8 cores, 15 threads, clock speed 3.4/4.5 GHz, TDP 105W.
Announced release date: April 20, 2022, MSRP: $449.
3D V-Cache is an innovative layered L3 cache stacking technology on TSMC’s pipeline that allows multiple times the amount of cache in the same area. For the first time, AMD has used 3D V-Cache in the next generation EPIC Milan-X server processors. For example, in the past, each chiplet with 8 cores contained 32 MB of L3 cache, with an area of 6 × 6 mm.