Thinking of setting up your first gaming PC? While it can be all too easy to get carried away with the idea of cutting-edge graphics cards, OLED monitors and customisable keyboards, before you can realistically tackle any of that, you need to start with the absolute core of your machine: the processor. Once you have one of the best CPUs in tow, then you can start putting together your gaming PC properly.
Of course, if you’re not exactly sure what it is you need quite yet then fear not, we’re here to help. For anyone starting completely from scratch, a CPU serves as the brain of a device, facilitating the bulk of everything you see on screen. They’re an essential component of any piece of tech as your phone has one, as does your smartwatch, but it’s in PCs and laptops that CPUs really get put to work.
When it actually comes to choosing a CPU, you’ll want to pay attention to the number of cores included (the higher the count the better the CPU can handle multitasking) as well as the clock speed, which relates directly to gaming performance. If you really want to go all out with triple-A games that require a lot of attention to run well, then you’ll also want a CPU with a good cache size.
If you want to know a bit more detail about CPUs in general, including CPU temperature management and what overclocking is all about, then you can find out exactly that in our larger CPU guide. For those who just want to get straight to buying, you’re in the right place as every option here has been tested by one of our experts and verified for their capabilities.
We’ve also made sure to include a good variety of options, so those tied to a budget or only looking to set up a mid-range gaming PC, are still covered. Once you’ve settled on the right CPU for your rig, it’s worth jumping over to our other rankings for the best graphics cards, the best keyboards and the best gaming monitors.
Best CPU at a glance
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How we test
Learn more about how we test CPUs
We always review multiple CPUs at once to compare data, using consistent components for fair testing where possible.
We use a mix of both synthetic and in-game benchmarks to gauge performance, while also considering additional features and pricing.
We also measure the likes of power consumption and peak temperature under stress to get an idea of performance efficiency
Pros
- Impressive gaming performance
- Versatile across multiple fields
- APO could be a game changer
- No price increase compared to last gen
Cons
- Insane temperatures & power draw
- Far better value CPUs available
- Little difference compared to last gen
Pros
- Price to performance value is solid
- Strong single-core performance
- 3D V-Cache helps in some titles
Cons
- DDR5 RAM support only
- AM5 motherboards are still pricey
- Not quite as potent as Intel offerings
Pros
- Impressive, well-rounded performance
- Hardware upgrade on Intel Core i7-13700K
- Very close to i9 performance, but for less cash
Cons
- Exceedingly hot in certain setups
- Power draw is incredibly high
- RAM compatibility can be tricky
Pros
- Fantastic multi-core performance
- Top class gaming speeds
- Future-proofed with PCIe 5.0 and DDR5
- Great power efficiency
Cons
- Requires a powerful cooling system
- Can find better value gaming CPUs elsewhere
- Worth waiting for Intel Raptor Lake before buying
Pros
- Strong overall gaming performance
- Decent in multi-threaded tasks
- 3D V-cache is still a game changer
- Temps and power draw solid
Cons
- Can’t quite keep up in pro workloads
- Not all games benefit from V-cache
- No support for DDR4
Pros
- Strong performance in game
- Best value processor right now
- Reasonable temps and power draw
- Price remains the same as last gen
Cons
- No major hardware advancement
- Better professional picks elsewhere
- Lacks Intel’s APO tech
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Impressive gaming performance
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Versatile across multiple fields
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APO could be a game changer
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No price increase compared to last gen
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Insane temperatures & power draw
-
Far better value CPUs available
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Little difference compared to last gen
According to our tests, the Intel Core i9-14900K is the most powerful consumer desktop processor you can buy. It excels at both gaming and content creation, making it an excellent all-rounder for any task.
It packs in an astonishing 24 cores, although they are made up of a mix of performance cores and power-efficient cores thanks to Intel’s hybrid design. Nevertheless, this absurd number of cores enables the processor to juggle multiple complex workloads simultaneously, which is especially useful if you’re a professional creator working with animation or 4K video.
Our gaming benchmark tests also saw it consistently beat the competition. It’s admittedly not too much more powerful than the preceding Intel Core i9-13900K since they’re based on the same architecture, but the i9-14900K shares the exact same price point, making it great value for money.
The Intel Core i9-14900K certainly isn’t perfect, as our tests show it to have a high temperature and power draw under stress. But if you’re happy to invest in a top-notch cooler and PSU, then you’ll be treated to the absolute best performance you can get from a consumer CPU.
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Price to performance value is solid
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Strong single-core performance
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3D V-Cache helps in some titles
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DDR5 RAM support only
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AM5 motherboards are still pricey
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Not quite as potent as Intel offerings
More than anything the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D proves that you don’t need to spend a ton of money to get a great performing CPU for gaming. With a starting price tag of £439/$449 but available regularly for a rate that far undermines that if you do a bit of bargain hunting beforehand, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is perfect for high-end gamers on a budget.
Even though the 7800 technically sits at the entry level portion of the X3D family of CPUs, we were pleasantly surprised to find that it performed at a much better level than expected. In fact, it actually has a fair amount in common with the Ryzen 7 7700X when talking about performance.
When it came to our synthetic tests, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D was able to score 3,656 points in PCMark 10, a solid 14,791 in Geekbench and an impressive 17,938 in Cinebench R23, multi-core mode.
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Impressive, well-rounded performance
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Hardware upgrade on Intel Core i7-13700K
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Very close to i9 performance, but for less cash
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Exceedingly hot in certain setups
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Power draw is incredibly high
-
RAM compatibility can be tricky
Unless you’re absolutely made of money, the chances are that your gaming PC also gets used for work and productivity during the day. With that in mind, it helps to have a well-rounded CPU that can handle both types of tasks with ease, which is exactly where the Intel Core i7-14700K comes in.
For starters, the CPU’s hardware is somewhat uncommon compared to what you’d usually find in Intel’s 14th generation chipsets. Inside you’ll find 12 Gracemont efficient-cores, each with a single thread, alongside eight Raptor Cove performance-cores, complete with hyperthreading.
What this leads to is a performance output that is so close to the more expensive Intel Core i9-14900K alternative that it makes the $180 price difference between them seem quite unnecessary unless you want the absolute best. For example, we recorded an impressively high single-core performance in both Cinebench and Geekbench, reaching 2,039 and 2,836 respectively.
The one key downside to bear in mind is that this CPU can run quite hot when pushing it to its very limits, and it managed to reach 100C several times during our stress tests, so you’ll definitely want to pair it with a sufficient CPU cooler.
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Fantastic multi-core performance
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Top class gaming speeds
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Future-proofed with PCIe 5.0 and DDR5
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Great power efficiency
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Requires a powerful cooling system
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Can find better value gaming CPUs elsewhere
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Worth waiting for Intel Raptor Lake before buying
The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X is our top recommended processor from AMD. It’s not the fastest option, beaten by the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, but we believe it represents the best balance of performance and affordability. The Ryzen 7000 Series runs on AMD’s new Zen 4 architecture that not only brings a performance boost, but also support for DDR5 and PCIe 5.0, enabling you to upgrade to the latest and greatest RAM and SSDs.
AMD claims the Ryzen 9 7900X has a max boost clock speed of 5.6GHz. The only part that seemingly hasn’t been upgraded is the amount of cores and threads from the previous gen – there’s still 12 cores and 24 threads.
Those specs didn’t seem to hold back multi-core performance though. In Cinebench R23, a program which simulates CPU-heavy and intensive tasks such as rendering, AMD’s latest flagship chip managed to beat off Intel’s older generation Alder Lake chip (the i9-12900K) by some margin. The AMD chip has since been taken over by the Intel Core i9-14900K in terms of performance, but the Ryzen 9 7900X consumes considerably less power under stress, making it the more efficient option.
In testing, the Ryzen 9 7900X offered outstanding performance for both gaming and intense creative workloads. If you want even more speed, then AMD also offers the Ryzen 9 7950X which packs more cores, while the Intel Core i9-14900K tops the charts for all of our benchmark tests.
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Strong overall gaming performance
-
Decent in multi-threaded tasks
-
3D V-cache is still a game changer
-
Temps and power draw solid
-
Can’t quite keep up in pro workloads
-
Not all games benefit from V-cache
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No support for DDR4
If you’re loyal to AMD and want the most powerful chip that the company has to offer, then look no further than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D. This takes the excellent performance power of the preceding AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, and then boosts it with the clever AMD 3D V-Cache technology that further boosts performance for supported applications and games.
In general, the Intel Core i9-14900K saw a faster performance than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D in our benchmark tests. This was the case for both content creations and gaming workloads, although it fared better for the latter scenario thanks to its excellent single-core performance and 5.7GHz max clock speed.
Select games will also be given a great performance boost by the AMD 3D V-Cache technology, potentially even leapfrogging its Intel rival. But this is very dependent on the game, and there’s no easy way to know which games will benefit beforehand.
Arguably the Ryzen’s biggest trump card is its superb power efficiency, as our tests showed that it drew far less power than the Intel Core i9-14900K. It also impressed in terms of thermal performance, remaining relatively cool under stress. The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X arguably offers better value, but if you want the fastest possible AMD chip, this is it.
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Strong performance in game
-
Best value processor right now
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Reasonable temps and power draw
-
Price remains the same as last gen
-
No major hardware advancement
-
Better professional picks elsewhere
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Lacks Intel’s APO tech
The Intel Core i5-14600K offers remarkable value for money, even outperforming more expensive desktop processors such as the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X.
Its single-core performance is especially impressive, with our benchmark results showing it to excel at gaming. This is no one-trick pony either, with its 14 cores and 20 threads ensuring a great performance for multi-threaded workloads such as 3D animation and editing 4K video. It’s still far behind the Intel Core i9-14900K in this regard, but it’s in a league of its own at its price point.
The Intel Core i5-14600K also offers support for DDR5 and PCIe 5.0, which means you’ll be able to team this processor up with the latest and greatest RAM and SSDs to drive up the overall performance ceiling of your PC.
So if you’re looking for a versatile desktop processor that can handle both content creation and gaming at high speeds, but without spending a huge chunk of your savings, then the Intel Core i5-14600K is the current best option.
Test Data
| Intel Core i9-14900K | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | Intel Core i7-14700K | AMD Ryzen 9 7900X | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D | Intel Core i5-14600K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCMark 10 | 13943 | 13656 | 13840 | 10865 | 14030 | 13675 |
| Cinebench R23 multi core | 36464 | 17938 | 31928 | 27528 | 32789 | 23067 |
| Cinebench R23 single core | 2214 | 1765 | 2039 | – | 1863 | 1959 |
| Geekbench 5 single core | – | – | – | 2180 | – | – |
| Geekbench 5 multi core | – | – | – | 18613 | – | – |
| Geekbench 6 single core | 3123 | 2760 | 2836 | – | 2772 | 2821 |
| Geekbench 6 multi core | 22366 | 14791 | 18420 | – | 17721 | 17563 |
| Power consumption | – | – | – | 216 W | – | – |
| Peak temperature | 98 °C | 91 °C | 93 °C | 95.5 °C | 89 °C | 93 °C |
| Borderlands 3 frame rate (4K) | – | – | – | 29.7 fps | – | – |
| Borderlands 3 frame rate (Quad HD) | – | – | – | 59.63 | – | – |
| Borderlands 3 frame rate (Full HD) | – | – | – | 81.19 | – | – |
| Horizon Zero Dawn frame rate (4K) | – | – | -1 fps | 48 fps | – | – |
| Horizon Zero Dawn frame rate (Quad HD) | – | – | – | 77 fps | – | – |
| Horizon Zero Dawn frame rate (Full HD) | – | 216 fps | 221 fps | 94 fps | – | – |
| Dirt Rally (4K) | – | – | – | 65.24 fps | – | – |
| Dirt Rally (Quad HD) | – | – | – | 106.45 fps | – | – |
| Dirt Rally (Full HD) | – | – | 336 fps | 157.88 fps | – | – |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (4K) | – | – | – | – | -2 fps | – |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (Full HD + RT) | 220 fps | 208 fps | 216 fps | – | 211 fps | 222 fps |
| F1 22 (Full HD) | 165 fps | 148 fps | 163 fps | – | 150 fps | 162 fps |
| Total War: Warhammer 3 (Full HD) | 195 fps | 197 fps | 193 fps | – | 196 fps | 201 fps |
| Power consumption (idle) | 175.3 W | 128.5 W | 172.3 W | – | 127.1 W | 141.3 W |
| Power consumption (under stress) | 622.1 W | 465.3 W | 616.5 W | – | 439.5 W | 517.6 W |
| Idle temperature | 43 °C | 51 °C | 39 °C | – | 53 °C | 43 °C |
Full Specs
| Intel Core i9-14900K Review | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Review | Intel Core i7-14700K Review | AMD Ryzen 9 7900X Review | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D Review | Intel Core i5-14600K Review | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK RRP | £580 | – | £400 | £579.99 | £699 | £310 |
| USA RRP | $590 | $449 | $418 | $549 | $699 | $330 |
| EU RRP | – | – | – | €669.00 | – | – |
| AUD RRP | – | – | – | AU$590 | – | – |
| Manufacturer | Intel | AMD | Intel | AMD | AMD | Intel |
| Size (Dimensions) | x x INCHES | x x INCHES | x x INCHES | x x MM | x x INCHES | x x INCHES |
| ASIN | B0CHBJGFBC | B0BTZB7F88 | B0CGJ41C9W | B0BBJ59WJ4 | B0BTRH9MNS | B0CHBGVFHP |
| Release Date | 2023 | 2023 | 2024 | 2022 | 2021 | 2023 |
| First Reviewed Date | 21/11/2023 | 20/02/2024 | 18/02/2024 | – | 21/11/2023 | 21/11/2023 |
| Model Number | BX8071514900K | – | Intel Core i7 | – | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D | BX8071514600K |
| Power Consumption | – | – | – | 216 W | – | – |
| Boosted Clock Speed | 6 GHz | 5.0 GHz | 5.6 GHz | 5.6 GHz | 5.7 GHz | 5.3 GHz |
| Architecture | 14th Gen Intel Core (Raptor Lake) | Zen 4 | Raptor Lake | Zen 4 | Zen 4 | 14th Gen Intel Core (Raptor Lake) |
| Base Clock Speed | 3.2 GHz | 4.2 GHz | 3.4 GHz | 4.7 GHz | 3.2 GHz | 3.5 GHz |
| Number of Cores | 24 | 8 | 20 | 12 | 16 | 14 |
| Number of Threads | 32 | 16 | 28 | 24 | 32 | 20 |
| Motherboard Chipset | 600 / 700 Series | X670 | Z690 / Z790 | X570 | 600 Series | 600 / 700 Series |
| Manufactoring Process | 7 nm | 5 nm | 3 nm | 5 nm | 5 nm | 7 nm |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | AMD Radeon Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | AMD Radeon Graphics | AMD Radeon Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 770 |
We recommend having at least 8GB of RAM for general tasks, but if you’re looking to play games or edit video etc, then we suggest upping that to 16GB of RAM and beyond.
It really depends on your workload. Having high frequency speeds is obviously very important, especially for intensive tasks such as gaming and content creation. But it’s also important to have multiple cores to improve the efficiency of multi-tasking, especially when using apps such as Adobe Premiere Pro.
Yes, a more powerful CPU can have a positive impact on your FPS when gaming, but a GPU will be more influential here.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
