Best of · CPUs
Best cpus for gaming
The cpus that score highest on the Versus leaderboard with the criteria that matter for gaming.
Gaming CPUs benefit most from large L3 cache, high single-core clocks, and platform support for fast memory. The AMD Ryzen X3D family stacks an extra L3 die for measurable frame-rate gains in cache-bound titles. Intel Core Ultra chips compete at high clocks in lightly threaded titles. The picks below lead the CPU leaderboard on the specs that drive game performance.
What to look for
- AMD X3D variant or Intel Core Ultra K-series
- 5+ GHz boost clock
- 8+ cores for current and next-gen titles
- AM5 or LGA1851 platform support
Top 10 picks
100Points
AMD
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
From £536
98Points
AMD
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
From £368
97Points
AMD
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X Tray
From £524
96Points
AMD
AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 7995WX
From £9,350
94Points
Intel
CORE I9-14900K 3.20GHZ SKTLGA1700 36.00MB CACHE BOXED
From £441
94Points
Intel
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
From £490
92Points
AMD
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
From £320
91Points
Intel
Intel 24 Core i9 14900KF Raptor Lake Refresh CPU/Processor
From £396
91Points
Intel
Intel Core i7-13700K
From £442
88Points
Intel
Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
From £270