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5 Best Low-End CPUs For Borderlands 4

By / Borderlands 4, Tech / September 12, 2025

These are the 5 low-end CPUs to play Borderlands 4 on your PC, while avoiding being CPU-bound with your GPU.

5 Best Low-End CPUs For Borderlands 4
An image showing two CPUs (Image via Intel)

Borderlands 4 is incredibly taxing on modern hardware. For some reason, the game is heavily CPU-bound and favors high-core-count CPUs to function optimally. Going low-end or budget CPUs, thanks to the prices, the CPUs below that once ruled the mid-range territory are now affordable and are a must if you are upgrading or planning to buy a new CPU for Borderlands 4.

Read More: Borderlands 4 Crashing on PC With Black Screen: Possible Fixes Explored

1. Intel Core i5-12600KF

An image showing the 12600KF CPU (Image via Intel)
An image showing the 12600KF CPU (Image via Intel)

The 12600KF is the fastest and most recommended choice to go for. It once ruled the mid-range segment and gave Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 a run for their money. Unlike higher-end 13th and 14th-gen Raptor Lake CPUs, which have faced degradation concerns, the 12600KF runs rock-stable out of the box. The 6P and 4E core configuration, along with higher clock speed and power budget, is beneficial in Borderlands 4.

Specifications

  • Cores/Threads: 10/16 (6P + 4E)
  • Base/Boost Clock: 3.7 GHz / 4.9 GHz (P-cores); 2.8 GHz / 3.6 GHz (E-cores)
  • Cache: 29.5MB (L2+L3)
  • TDP: 125W (up to 181W max)
  • Price: $109 (Micro Center)

2. Intel Core i5-14400F

An image showing the 14400F processor (Image via Intel)
An image showing the 14400F processor (Image via Intel)

Next up is the 14400F, which performs nearly the same as the 12600KF. It’s a Raptor Lake refresh chip, but deep inside, it’s an Alderlake refresh. The cache and core configuration should confirm this to you. On the flip side, the clock speed is lower due to a lower power budget, and since this is a locked CPU. If you are looking to get a newer CPU, get this one. It should provide a seamless experience. 

Specifications

  • Cores/Threads: 10/16 (6P + 4E)
  • Base/Boost Clock: 2.5 GHz / 4.7 GHz (P-cores); 1.8 GHz / 3.5 GHz (E-cores)
  • Cache: 29.5MB (L2+L3)
  • TDP: 65W (up to 148W max)
  • Price: $135 (Newegg)

3. AMD Ryzen 5 5600

An image showing the Ryzen 5 5600 (Image via AMD)
An image showing the Ryzen 5 5600 (Image via AMD)

From here onwards, if you are very low on budget, then the Ryzen 5 5600 on the AM4 platform will be a good choice. At the beginning of the game, after the shader compilation ends, you can still expect very high CPU usage in the game. This is because the game continues to optimize itself as per your hardware configuration. Once that is done, the CPU usage will drop to 45-50% depending on your GPU power. We provided an estimate, pairing a 3060/4060 tier GPU. That said, you can go with this one; it’s a lot faster than the recommended 2700X and 9700K.

Specifications

  • Cores/Threads: 6/12
  • Base/Boost Clock: 3.5 GHz / 4.4 GHz
  • Cache: 35MB (L2+L3)
  • TDP: 65W
  • Price: $99 (Newegg)

4. Intel Core i5-12400F

An image showing the 12400F (Image via Intel)
An image showing the 12400F (Image via Intel)

If you prefer Intel, then the 12400F is a worthy alternative. CPU-wise, you can expect the same thing we mentioned in the Ryzen 5 5600. It’s more or less identical between the two in Borderlands 4. Whichever you want to go with, you may. As for the price, you can find it way cheaper at the local store, under $100.

Specifications

  • Cores/Threads: 6/12
  • Base/Boost Clock: 2.5 GHz / 4.4 GHz
  • Cache: 25.5MB (L2+L3)
  • TDP: 65W (up to 117W max)
  • Price: $116 (Newegg)

5. Intel Core i3-14100F

An image showing the 14100F processor (Image via Amazon)
An image showing the 14100F processor (Image via Intel)

On the absolute low-end, the 14100F takes the crown. You will be CPU-bound at the beginning of the game, but eventually, it will drop to around 75-80% usage. It’s still very high, but if you cap your FPS to 60 or use Frame Generation, you can get around easily. 

It’s only recommended if your budget is extremely tight; otherwise, stepping up to a 12400F/5600 is worth it. 14100F is faster on single-core than the recommended 2700X, but it lacks core count and multi-threaded performance, which becomes problematic when too many mobs show up.

Specifications

  • Cores/Threads: 4/8
  • Base/Boost Clock: 3.5 GHz / 4.7 GHz
  • Cache: 17MB (L2+L3)
  • TDP: 58W (up to 110W max)
  • Price: $86 (Newegg)

Verdict

The CPUs we mentioned here are very capable and will easily get you through Borderlands 4. Remember, you need a very beefy cooler paired with these, as during the shader compilation, the CPU usage is very high, and it literally maxes out the TDP. Without proper cooling, you’ll face thermal throttling, crashes, or shortened lifespan. That said, the 12600KF is the fastest and gets our strong recommendation. The prices stated here are accurate as of September 12, 2025, and are subject to change without notice.

Read More: Borderlands 4: Best Settings To Play at 1080p

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