10 Best Processors For Gaming in 2020 at Every Budget

June 5, 2020

Looking for a feasible gaming rig can be a tiresome task if you are a hardcore gamer. After all, playing some really high-end games requires a compatible rig with the latest technology. Processors, or CPUs are an important requirement without which gaming would seldom be entertaining. Now, there are hundreds of processors on the market meant for gaming action and all claim to be truly worth their price tag. But, how would you know which one fits your bill and suits the kind of games that you play? By going through our review of the best processors for gaming, of course!

Carefully assembled from the depths of the Internet, our lineup of the best processors for gaming 2020 will cater to gamers of all hues who have varying budgets. So, are you all set to find out the best processors for gaming? Without further ado, let the games begin.

10 Best Processors For Gaming 2020 At every Budget (Reviewed)

1) AMD RYZEN 7 1700 (Best Overall)

After a few years of wait, AMD has introduced a high-end processor with a whole new “Zen” architecture. Known as Ryzen 7 1700, this processor surely is enticing enough to lure in avid gamers on a tight budget.

This AMD flagship processor comes loaded with multi-threaded eight cores, which lend it the firepower to sustain some heavy-duty multitasking. So, games ranging from GTA-5 to Forza Motorsport 7 can be played easily whilst tackling the load of a high-end video editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro running in the background. Heck, it can even handle a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) like FL Studio 12 seamlessly.

Coming onto the speed, it is fast enough for playing lag-free games for hours on end. A respectable base clock speed of 3.0GHz and a turbo clock speed of 3.7GHz just need a bit of overclocking and you can play any visually demanding game with ease and grace. Also, overclocking this chipset doesn’t emit any droning noise as well.

If you are on a budget, this processor fits the bill quite easily. There are some nifty inbuilt features that offer an unhindered and smooth gaming experience. We are talking about an efficient cooler called Wraith Spire and Sense MI technology, where the CPU controls the speed of the clock in real-time.

However, one downside to this processor is its power consumption, which could have been slightly improved. That being said, the Ryzen 7 1700 still retains its charm as a robust multitasking beast since it’s a multi-threaded chipset that can operate multiple applications at a time.

Bottom Line Best processor for gamers on a tight budget.

Pros

8 core,16 threads
Very Affordable
Cooler and Sense MI technology
20 MB Cache Memory
Can be Overclocked
Good for Multitasking

Cons

Power hogger

2) Intel Core i7-7700K (Fastest Gaming processor)

Intel has touted its 7th Gen Core i7-7700K as one of the fastest gaming processors in the industry right now. And, that’s what makes it a compelling choice for not only high-end gaming action, but also for music production as well as extensive video editing albeit one at a time.

With a formidable stock speed of 4.2GHz and an equally impressive turbo boost speed of 4.5GHz, playing some of the most demanding video games ranging from World of Warcraft, Civilization 6, to Battlefield 4 becomes a walk in the park with this solid quad core processor.

We figured this top-tier Intel CPU keeps the power consumption to a bare minimum without making any grinding noise. Moreover, compared with its closest competitor, AMD’s Ryzen 7 1700, its power consumption is relatively less.

Also, this processor doesn’t disappoint when it comes to overclocking. For instance, we discerned it quickly reaches swift speeds on high-end games such as Mass Effect: Andromeda and Outlast 2.

Despite a slightly expensive price tag that could play spoilsport for some gamers, the Core i7-7700K is one of the best processors for gaming from Intel till date. It delivers on various benchmarks that definitely make it worthy of high-octane gaming action.

Bottom Line One of the best processors for gaming in the world right now.

Pros

Good stock and turbo speed
Remarkable overclocking
Less Power consumption
Supports High-definition Resolutions
High-end gaming compatible
Good for Multitasking

Cons

Not suitable for multitasking
Relatively expensive

3) Intel Core i7-6700K (Best Mid-Range deal)

Intel aims to bridge the gap between fast chipsets and a professional gamer’s needs by touting the Core i7-6700K as one of the best processors for gaming in the mid-price level range. For starters, it supports both DDR3L and DDR4 RAM and can be snug in an old as well as new motherboard.

On the performance front, the Core i7-6700K is impressive. Gamers would surely find it enticing to indulge in brilliant 4K resolution gameplays in games such as Fallout 4.

At the same time, this Intel processor doesn’t leave professionals (people into graphic designing, music production, etc.) in the lurch as well since it can tackle some serious overclocking load efficiently.

Speaking of overclocking, we managed to derive an optimal speed of 4.8GHz which is pretty awesome. Further, this CPU can withstand graphics-laden, demanding games like Ashes of Singularity quite easily. Moreover, a base clock speed of 4.2GHz wasn’t disappointing either. You would be delighted to know that the turbo boost speed can also be bumped to an impressive 4.4GHz.

Coming to the downsides, a somewhat expensive price tag of the Core i7-6700K is a buzzkill for an otherwise decent processor with a surprisingly good fps rate. We are saying this because we got a solid 122 fps whilst playing Fallout 4 as well as an impressive 52 fps in Shadow of Mordor. Also, while the Core i7-6700K remains steadfast on the performance front, it is a power hogger with a staggering 140W consumption.

Bottom Line Best processor for gaming with a killer turbo boost.

Pros

Great for Overclocking
Good Turbo boost (4.4 GHz)
Supports both DDR3L and DDR4 RAM
Suitable for Multitasking

Cons

Slightly expensive
Consumes a lot of power

4) AMD RYZEN 5 1600X (Best for live-streaming)

Keeping in mind the aspirations of gaming fanatics, Ryzen 5 1600X has been introduced by AMD as one of the best processors for gaming on the market. It is a six-core processor that can parallelly operate 12 threads, thus making it suitable for seamless multitasking endeavours.

The Ryzen 5 1600X features hyper-threaded six cores that ensure playing heavy graphics games such as Call Of Duty- World War II and Battlefield 4 becomes a doable affair. You can also livestream your gameplays on Twitch while doing some high-end video editing on the side.

Moreover, thanks to a zen architectural design, it can be integrated with any modern motherboard with DDR4 RAM. Also, some nifty features such as 16MB cache memory and AMD’s flagship Stealth cooler make it a steal in the mid-price range.

However, the Ryzen 5 1600X doesn’t come bundled with a fan/heat sink which would have been beneficial for playing high-end games such as Ashes of the Singularity. Another downside is a base clock speed of 3.6GHz and a turbo boost speed of 4GHz, which means the Ryzen 5 1600 X’s throughput lags at least 10% more than Intel’s i5-7600 (more on that below).

Bottom Line One of the best processors for gaming fans pursuing live-streaming.

Pros

Six-core processor
Multi-threaded cores for Multitasking
16MB cache memory
Stealth Cooler

Cons

Relatively low speed
No Heat sink

5) Intel Core i5-7600K (Best Budget)

For those of you anxiously looking for a pocket-friendly gaming based processor, Intel’s Core I5-7600K is a lucrative option. For starters, it is the latest Kaby Lake-based processor and supports DDR4 RAM as well.

Here are our first impressions. The Core I5-7600K is about 8% faster than its predecessors, so you won’t face any lags whilst playing games such as Fallout 4, and thus enjoy immersive real-time graphics complemented by a sweet surround sound experience.

Considering the modest price, we were actually impressed with its base clock speed that came around 3.8GHz. It is a reasonably priced deal given its capabilities in terms of clock speed. We’d reckon this processor is an apt fit for games such as Doom and Witcher 3 which are compatible with DDR4 RAM.

Moreover, the Core I5-7600K doesn’t make a long droning noise when overclocked and mellows down rather quickly. In fact, it also draws less power when graphically demanding processes are not running in the background.

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However, we feel carrying out multitasking operations is one area where this processor could have done more. Also, overclocking is not its strong point. In our tryouts, it could only reach an overclocked speed of 4.2 GHz before maxing out.

Bottom Line Best budget gaming processor.

Pros

Great Speed
Very Affordable
Power Efficient
Can play graphics-heavy games

Cons

Only Four cores
Not suitable for overclocking

6) AMD RYZEN 7 1800X (Best Multitasker)

Perhaps the costliest contender on our list of the best processors for gaming, the RYZEN 7 1800X is a true gameplay companion. It comes armed with a 3.6 GHz stock clock speed and a turbo speed of 4GHz.

At first glance, you will notice that it boasts a solid eight cores that are multi-threaded and fully loaded for heavy-duty multitasking ranging from playing intensive games like Ashes of the Singularity to doing some slick HD video editing, as well as rendering audio tracks on demandingDAWs like Pro Tools, FL Studio 12, et al.

We took this CPU for a spin whilst playing Witcher 3, and it returned an impressive 62 fps (better than Intel’s Core i7-7700K). This processor can even tackle games like Civilization 6, wherein you can bring your gameplays to life in a breathtaking 1440p resolution.

That being said, the RYZEN 7 1800X is a steeply priced processor so everyone won’t be able to afford it. Further, one disadvantage is that it doesn’t boast a cooler unit, hence your computer might heat up a bit whilst playing intensive games at a stretch. That being said, this CPU is meant for gamers seeking an immersive experience and for whom price is not a constraint.

Bottom Line Best processor for hardcore gamers who like multitasking.

Pros

Octa Core, 16 threads
Great Speed, 4GHz turbo
Suitable for Multitasking
Good fps, supports 1440p resolution

Cons

Quite Expensive
No cooler unit

7) Intel Celeron G3950 (Most Affordable)

For those of you who don’t want to splurge on an expensive processor, Intel’s Celeron G3950 comes to the fore as a lucrative option. It is a handy gear apt for low-end gaming, while also being compatible with a modern motherboard.

We must admit, despite being perhaps the cheapest chipset on our review of the best processors for gaming, the output was terrific for low-end games. The Celeron G3950 might be a single thread processor (it can operate only one application at a time), but we were able to play games such as League of legends at an impressive frame rate of over 60fps. Interestingly, the temperature also peaked at a modest 37°C.

But, as expected the output in high-end games such as Battlefield 4 flickered since the demand for larger fps/ large resolutions is high. Also, gamers must part with multitasking with this CPU even if that means avoiding simultaneously recording gameplays on Twitch. The reason being, Celeron G3950 is not cut out for supporting extensive operations.

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However, there’s a silver lining to this processor as well. That is, it consumes a lot less electricity. During sporadic tests we figured it only drew a meagre 66W from the mains when it peaked. Also, another resourceful quality of the Celeron G3950 is that it is backed by a cooler unit for keeping the CPU temperature at bay and avoiding overheating.

Bottom Line Best deal for gamers looking for a super affordable processor.

Pros

Best for low-end games
Very Affordable
Less electricity consumption
Comes with a Cooler

Cons

Not fast
Doesn’t support games with high fps and large resolutions

8) Intel Core i3-7350K (Best for Overclocking)

If you are an overclocking enthusiast who likes to test the limits of their processor with some high-octane gaming at a pocket-friendly pricing, then Intel’s Dual Core chip, i3-7350 might the right pick for you.

When it comes to sheer speed and running a single application at a time, this Intel processor is a notch above than most AMD processors. At 4.2 GHz, it has one of the fastest stock clock speeds in the chipset game. Although there is no provision for turbo boost. Which is why, as soon multitasking comes into play, the speed drops down drastically.

Still, the the CORE i3-7350K’s overclocking can reach an impressive speed of 5GHz sans compromising on FPS and resolution. We took it for a spin whilst running Witcher 3 at 51 FPS, and felt it promises a decent gaming action on desktops.

However, there is one limitation: The core i3-7350K isn’t compatible with most Intel motherboards. Eventually, users might end up buying an expensive Intel motherboard to get their gaming rig up and running.

Bottom Line A very feasible CPU exclusively for overclocking fans.

Pros

Fast base clock speed (4.2GHz)
Very Pocket-Friendly
Good Overclocking (up to 5GHz)
Consumes Less Power

Cons

Cannot do multitasking
Not compatible with most motherboards

9) AMD RYZEN 5 1500X (Best deal for the buck)

AMD crops up a surprise for hardcore gamers with a low-priced chipset, RYZEN 5 1500X, but does it get the job done on games like Witcher 3? We find out.

It comes packed with a modest base clock speed of 3.5 GHz and a turbo boost speed of 3.7 GHz. Whilst playing Ashes of the Singularity, we could derive a decent score of 48 fps. We further tested its potential, this time in Battlefield 1. Here too, it showed a rather impressive 83 fps at par with some of its pricey Intel counterparts.

Like most AMD processors, the RYZEN 5 1500X too delivers optimal results with multitasking. However, while carrying out exhaustive tasks, it fails to score viz. processor speed and it is not up to the mark in the overclocking department as well. Hence, playing intensive games such as Battlefield 4 could be a downright lagging affair midway through the game.

Moreover, at 98W, the electricity consumption of the RYZEN 5 1500X is another area of concern. However, if you are searching for a affordable gaming processor that is better at delivering higher fps, we reckon giving this processor a shot.

Bottom Line One of the most affordable quad core processors with decent fps.

Pros

Quad core, with eight threads
Super affordable
Higher FPS (best all-around)
Good for multitasking

Cons

Not quite fast
Lags when overclocked
Consumes more power

10) Intel Core i7-5820K (Best for Recording Gameplays)

Rounding off our list of the best processors for gaming 2020 is Intel’s i7-5820K chipset which comes loaded with a decent base clock speed of 3.3GHz and a turbo boost speed of up to 3.6GHz.

To check if the i7-5820K is legit good for overclocking, we did a little test. The results? We were able to play games such as Dark Souls 3 and No Man’s Sky in 1440p resolution with a decent fps rate. Also, multitasking with this CPU is also possible. You can do rendering of projects in DAWs, video editing software and also carry out extensive graphic designing.

However, one major downside to this chipset is that it is compatible with only DDR4 RAM and limited motherboards. Which means, if you own an older generation motherboard with DDR3L RAM slots, you might as well have to upgrade your gaming rig. Also, it doesn’t have a coolant/cooling system.

Nevertheless, avid gamers won’t be disappointed with the Core i7-5820K chipset since its six cores enable plenty of multitasking options. Budding gaming vloggers can make the most of it by simultaneously playing and live streaming their gameplays.

Bottom Line Best six-core processor for recording gameplays.

Pros

Six cores, fast speed
Can be overclocked
Good FPS
Multitasking

Cons

Only supports limited motherboards
Overheating

Conclusion: Best Processors for Gaming 2020

If money is not a constraint and you want to play the best visually appealing and high-end games out there, Intel Core i7 7700K and AMD RYZEN 7 1800X are some of the best processors for gaming in the world.

For multitasking fans who want to run as many heavy-duty applications as possible besides their favourite game, AMD’s Ryzen 7 1700 is one of the best processors for gaming.

If you are a fan of immersive gameplays at great resolutions and terrific turbo speeds, check out Intel Core i5-7600K.

If you are seeking a very affordable processor that can support your low-end gaming needs easily, the Intel CELERON G3950 is one of the best processors for gaming in the world.

Lastly, check out Intel Core i7-6700K, if you want to get a solid fps rate in your gameplays and your budget is not fixed.