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Here are the top 5 best budget gaming CPUs to consider in the market, featuring both Intel and AMD options.
The increase in hardware prices and component shortages has made the budget gaming CPU market more dominant than ever. When choosing the right parts for your gaming PC, getting the correct CPU is one of the most important things.
Multiple CPU releases from both Intel and AMD, and many generations of options to choose from, have stacked up against each other in the budget segment. These are the top 5 best-budget gaming CPUs.
1. Intel Core i5-12600K
SPECIFICATIONS
| Architecture | Alder Lake |
| Core/Thread | 10 Core (6 Performance + 4 Efficient) / 16 Threads (12 Performance + 4 Efficient) |
| Top Boost Frequency | 4.6GHz Performance Cores, 3.3GHz Efficiency Cores |
| Base Frequency | 2.5GHz Performance Cores, 1.8GHz Efficiency Cores |
| Socket | FCLGA1700 |
| TDP(Total Power Draw) | 65W-148W |
| L3 Cache | 20 MB |
The Core i5-12600K is Intel’s 12th Gen Alder Lake CPU, which performs way above its class in gaming performance, with a reasonable price and higher overclock ceiling than the non-K CPUs.
The CPU has 6 performance and 4 efficiency cores that combine power efficiency to perform single-core tasks. The processor outperforms most competitors in the same range and above its budget range in every synthetic single-core benchmark.
Heating is an issue due to its high power draw under load. An AIO can keep the temps stable. The Core i5-12600K is a very capable CPU, and its value and performance are why this processor is the best budget gaming CPU to suggest.
2. AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
SPECIFICATIONS:
| Architecture | Zen 4 |
| Core/Thread | 6 cores/12 Threads |
| Top Boost Frequency | 5.3GHz |
| Base Frequency | 4.7GHz |
| Socket | AM5 |
| TDP(Total Power Draw) | 105W-142W |
| L3 Cache | 32 MB |
The 6-core 12-thread Ryzen 5 7600X from AMD is the go-to CPU released in July 2023. For its price, the performance it provides is considerably good. Built on a 5nm TSMC process, it supports DDR5 RAM clocked at 5,200MHz.
The processor supports PCIe 5.0 and does not bottleneck even with most high-end GPUs. Its solid blend of performance makes it unbeatable at both gaming and productivity. For having a 105W power draw, it still does quite well to run cooler than its Intel counterpart.
The only downside of this CPU is its support for AM5 motherboards, which are currently known for being expensive. Besides that, the Ryzen 5 7600X is a well-rounded processor that can handle gaming while performing well in day-to-day workloads.
3. INTEL Core i5-13400F
SPECIFICATIONS
| Architecture | Raptor Lake |
| Core/Thread | 10 Core (6 Performance + 4 Efficient) / 16 Threads (12 Performance + 4 Efficient) |
| Top Boost Frequency | 4.6GHz Performance Cores, 3.3GHz Efficiency Cores |
| Base Frequency | 2.5GHz Performance Cores, 1.8GHz Efficiency Cores |
| Socket | FCLGA1700 |
| TDP(Total Power Draw) | 65W-148W |
| L3 Cache | 20 MB |
For a gaming CPU, there is no better value than Intel’s Core i5. The 13th-gen Core i5-13400F is the successor to the Core i5-12400, which is the best budget CPU. The processor has the same specifications as its last-gen predecessor with only slight increases in single-core and multi-core performance.
Although it is a newer 13th-gen processor, it performs similarly to the 12th-gen Core i5-12600K. In some benchmarks, the i5-13400F performs worse. With a higher power draw than last year’s chip, it seems to perform worse than it. Ultimately, if you are looking to spend a little less, you can get the Core i5-13400F.
4. INTEL Core i7-12700KF
SPECIFICATIONS
| Architecture | Alder Lake |
| Core/Thread | 12 Core (8 Performance + 4 Efficient) / 20 Threads (16 Performance + 4 Efficient) |
| Top Boost Frequency | 5.0GHz Performance Cores, 3.8GHz Efficiency Cores |
| Base Frequency | 3.6GHz Performance Cores, 2.7GHz Efficiency Cores |
| Socket | FCLGA1700 |
| TDP(Total Power Draw) | 125W-190W |
| L3 Cache | 25 MB |
The Intel Core i7-12700KF is recommended for a future-proof new PC under a budget and for those willing to shell out more money for the CPU. With its impressive single-core performance, it can handle any game and can be overclocked to push out more frames.
For everything else, it’s going to come down to the higher pricing and the power draw. For users who mix productivity with gaming, it will have the best performance advantage over any CPU on the list.
5. AMD Ryzen 5 5600
SPECIFICATIONS
| Architecture | Zen 3 |
| Core/Thread | 6 Core/12 Thread |
| Top Boost Frequency | 4.4GHz |
| Base Frequency | 3.5GHz |
| Socket | AM4 |
| TDP(Total Power Draw) | 65W |
| L3 Cache | 32 MB |
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is a decent gaming budget processor for PC builders. The lack of an integrated graphics card is its only con. It has decent gaming performance, is priced at a very competitive level, and includes a cooler.
Overall, the Ryzen 5 5600 is a good processor for its price. If paired with a budget B550 or X570 motherboard and a quality graphics card, it has the capability of being a great gaming chip with a little bit of overclocking.
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