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Here are the five best mid-range CPUs to play Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater without causing CPU bottlenecks.
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater is a poorly optimized game. The game is hefty on both the CPU and GPU. Below are a few mid-range CPU choices that will not bottleneck your GPU and provide a smooth and consistent frame-time graph.
Also Read: 5 Best Motherboards for AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
1. AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
The Ryzen 5 9600X is one of the fastest 6-core 12-thread AM5 CPUs one could consider. The CPU’s cache, IPC, and clock speeds are spot on for no bottlenecks, even with the RTX 5090. Gamers already with this CPU or looking forward to it as an upgrade option will find its performance very appealing for Metal Gear.
Specifications
- Cores/Threads: 6/12
- Base/Boost Clock: 3.9 GHz / 5.4 GHz
- Cache: 38MB (L2+L3)
- TDP: 65W
2. Intel Core i5-14600K
The Core i5 14600K is one of the most capable mid-range CPUs ever built. The multicore performance it offers at its given price point blows away many. That said, the CPU can easily be paired with the RTX 5090 and yield solid results while playing Metal Gear.
Specifications
- Cores/Threads: 14/20 (6P + 8E)
- Base/Boost Clock: 3.5 GHz / 5.3 GHz
- Cache: 44MB (L2+L3)
- TDP: 125W (up to 181W max)
3. AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
The Ryzen 7 9700X is for gamers who love the 9600X but need a bit more multithreading performance on offer. The CPU is ideal for pairing high-end GPUs, such as the RTX 5090, without issues, and can deliver a rock-solid gaming experience.
Specifications
- Cores/Threads: 8/16
- Base/Boost Clock: 3.8 GHz / 5.5 GHz
- Cache: 40MB (L2+L3)
- TDP: 65W
4. Intel Core Ultra 5 245K
The Ultra 5 245K shares many similarities with the 14600K. Both offer identical multi-threading performance, but the Arrow Lake part (245K) will benefit in gaming only if there is a 200S boost, or heavy manual tuning is performed. Speaking of which, it requires the gamer to rely on DDR5 8000+ speeds, alongside tight timings, to notice faster performance. As a pairing, only when tuned, the 245K can take on the RTX 5090 without bottlenecking it.
Specifications
- Cores/Threads: 14/14 (6P + 8E)
- Base/Boost Clock: 4.2 GHz / 5.7 GHz (P-cores)
- Cache: 38MB (L2+L3)
- TDP: 125W
5. AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
Although Ryzen 7 7700X is from the last generation, it can still provide incredible gaming and multicore performance. The CPU is potent enough to drive GPUs up to an RTX 5080 without breaking a sweat, and play Metal Gear without a bottleneck.
Specifications
- Cores/Threads: 8/16
- Base/Boost Clock: 4.5 GHz / 5.4 GHz
- Cache: 40MB (L2+L3)
- TDP: 105W
Verdict
All of these CPUs will smoothly sail Metal Gear without any issues, and that too with any GPUs paired with them. Users looking for a strictly gaming build should choose the 9600X, as that’s the best at the moment in the mid-range. The 14600K is incredibly compelling, but the platform is obsolete. The 245K is the strongest of the lot, but it is very complicated to utilize its maximum potential.
Also Read: 5 Best Motherboards for AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
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