The Best CPUs (2023 Reviews)

Back in 2019, if you asked any tech enthusiasts, tech reviewers, or PC aficionados about a CPU suggestion, they would promptly recommend a Ryzen processor.

Fortunately, things have changed over the past few years, and Intel is finally competitive again in all facets. So, whether we’re talking about gaming, productivity, or just running basic computer tasks, Intel delivers.

However, both companies offer excellent CPU options, so the AMD vs. Intel CPU battle continues.

To help you get the right cpu, this guide will tell you about the best CPUs in all categories.

Let’s begin now!

Best Gaming Performance CPUs

First off, let’s have a look at the most thrilling category – the best high-end gaming processors available.

In this category, expect improved FPS but hefty prices too. So, if you are looking for cost-effective solutions, we recommend heading to our budget selections below.

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D is now the swiftest gaming CPU in the world, surpassing the i9-13900K and the Ryzen 9 7950X.

This CPU is virtually identical to the Ryzen 9 7950X with a minor change to the clock speeds and TDP, but a huge change to the L3 Cache, thanks to AMD’s 3D V-Cache Technology.

The 7950X3D has 128MB of L3 cache (double that of the 7950X), base clocks reduced to 4.2 GHz (from 4.5 GHz), boost clocks are still at 5.7 GHz but only on the cores without 3D stacked L3 Cache.

But, that supplementary L3 cache is what helps the 7950X3D’s gaming performance edge over Intel’s flagship or any other CPU.

Multi-threaded performance is marginally lower than the Ryzen 9 7950X due to reduced boost clock speeds on some cores. However, the X3D CPU has a lower TDP (120W vs 170W), which is a significant advantage.

Finally, pricing. The Ryzen 9 7950X3D’s MSRP is $699, while both the i9-13900K and Ryzen 9 7950X is priced around the $580 mark. So, a $110 price premium for 5-6% performance boost may not be cost-effective.

But, if you want the absolute swiftest gaming CPU in the world, this R9 is the way to go!

Intel’s new flagship, the i9-13900K is the second swiftest gaming CPU, falling behind the Ryzen 9 7950X by about 5-6%.

The i9 had a significant advantage over AMD’s flagship CPU because of the huge gap in pricing and a slight edge in gaming performance.

However, the Ryzen 9 7950X’s price was officially reduced to around $580 (varying), while the i9-13900K ranges between $570 to $590.

This next-gen i9 comes with eight more (Effective) cores with a total of 32 threads compared to just 24 threads on the i9-12900K.

With 8 cores boosting at 5.8 GHz, a TDP of 125W (300W peak), 68MB L2+L3 Cache, and DDR5, the i9-13900K delivers exceptional gaming performance.

Those extra efficient cores also help the new i9 perform nearly as fast as the Ryzen 9 7950X and occasionally even quicker.

A significant advantage over the Ryzen 7000 generation is that you can pair this CPU with a DDR4 motherboard and RAM, which can be quite cheaper.

Although if you want to get the most out of your Intel flagship CPU, you will need to go with high-end DDR5 RAM (around 6000+MHz.)

The Ryzen 9 7950X is AMD’s flagship processor, and it is one of the quickest CPUs in the world, at present.

While it delivers exceptional performance in gaming, the i9-13900K is slightly quicker for (almost) the same price.

The Ryzen 9 7950X has 16 cores, and 32 threads, which boost to 5.7GHz, 64MB L3 cache, and maximum power usage at about 250W. So, a little more power efficient than the i9.

The abundance of threads easily handle any rendering, image processing, coding, etc. In addition, the high L3 cache and boost clock speeds provide elevated FPS in gaming.

At the original $699 MSRP, it was challenging to recommend, but now with a $580 price tag, it’s a much more enticing offer. But, keep in mind that Ryzen 7 7700X and i7-13700K can be as fast as the Ryzen 9 in games while costing significantly less.

The Ryzen 9 7900X3D has the identical role as the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, it just has fewer cores.

It is enhanced with more L3 cache compared to the Ryzen 9 7900X which leads to improved gaming performance and reduced power consumption.

Performance-wise, it is tied to the i9-13900K, so it is roughly 5% slower than the AMD flagship.

The Ryzen 9 7900X3D is priced at $599, so about $20-30 more costly than the i9, but still $100 less expensive than the Ryzen 9 7950X3D.

If you want an AMD top-tier CPU specifically for gaming, the Ryzen 9 7900X3D is a superior choice compared to its pricier sibling.

Value High-End Performance CPUs

This category is for premium processors that offer a substantially better value than the flagship CPUs we previously mentioned.

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is AMD’s latest and possibly one of the final CPUs introduced for AM4 motherboards. It may be the last, but it’s not the least.

It is one of the fastest gaming CPUs in the world at a very competitive price.

The i9-13900K, and Ryzen 7 7700X might be swifter, but the 5800X3D is more economical, can be paired with an inexpensive AM4 platform, and it doesn’t even need fast RAM to run at its full potential.

This processor is so potent for games because of its 96MB of L3 cache, which was achieved with AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology. That’s three times more than the original 5800X.

Even with a 4.5 GHz clock speed (200MHz slower than the 5800X), it still performs exceptionally well in-game.

The i7-13700K is Intel’s second-fastest processor and can readily be compared with the 13900K or the 7950X with its gaming performance. So much power for a price of $450 is definitely an enticing offer.

With eight performance cores boosting up to 5.4 GHz, eight efficiency cores boosting up to 3.8 GHz for a total of 20 threads, 30MB of L3 cache, and a TDP of 125W ensures improved FPS in any game.

The 13700K won’t have any issue handling productivity tasks either with 24 threads in the CPU die. It’s especially impressive if you compare it with the 8-core Ryzen 7 7700X.

If you want to get the most out of this i7, go with the pricier DDR5 build. However, if you want to get the best value, you can sacrifice a minimal decline in performance and go with DDR4 RAM + motherboard combo.

Overall, the Intel Core i7-13700K offers the peak value for superior performance.

While the Ryzen 7 7700X is an exceptional CPU, the Ryzen 7 7700 is simply superior in every aspect, which is why it is the best value CPU for high-end (gaming) performance.

For just $329, this CPU delivers gaming performance that is analogous to the $450 i7-13700K.

Not only is it cheaper than the i7 and 7700X, but it’s also significantly more efficient rated at just 65W TDP.

Naturally, you need to consider the elevated costs of DDR5 and AM5 motherboards, but it still turns out less expensive than an i7 or i9.

However, if you wish to maximize the potential of a first-rate GPU, such as the RTX 4090, the Ryzen 7 7700 is a superb option!

Overall Best CPUs

Most gamers are always looking to get the best performance out of their money. This category is focused on CPUs that are great in all aspects for a fair price.

The Intel Core i5-13600K is currently the overall best CPU. A price point of $330, superb performance in gaming, and productivity tasks. What else can you ask for?

If you’re looking for a purely gaming processor, the Ryzen 5 7600 is the better choice since it is almost $100 cheaper even with the more expensive AM5 motherboards and DDR5 RAM.

However, when it comes to productivity, this 14-core i5 outshines the 6-core 7600 at productivity workloads. It’s even speedier than the 8-core 7700/X.

Overall, the i5-13600K is an excellent choice for a CPU. We heavily recommend it!

Watch out for the i5-13600 non-K. It’s $80 less costly and has a lower TDP.

AMD’s Ryzen 5 7600 is undoubtedly one of the greatest value CPUs for gaming. For just $230, its gaming performance is comparable to the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, and it’s quicker than the i5-13600K.

Even if you compare it to CPU beasts like the i9-13900K or Ryzen 9 7950X, in games, it’s merely about 5% to 10% slower.

In addition, the Ryzen 5 7600 has a TDP of 65W, which makes it a highly efficient processor.

However, the 7600 is a 6-core processor, so productivity performance is noticeably slower than the i5-13600k.

Budget CPUs

Thanks to AMD’s and Intel’s innovation over these past couple of years, even economical CPUs are quite rapid in gaming nowadays.

Here are our top budget CPU picks!

While the Ryzen 5 5600X was AMD’s best CPU, it was quickly overshadowed after the release of the Ryzen 5 5600. This non-X version is considerably cheaper while delivering the same performance.

Originally had a $200 MSRP, but its price is usually around the $150 mark, which is why it is AMD’s primary-value processor.

Overall, AMD’s CPU hits the sweet spot in all aspects. It delivers top-tier-like performance in games, is sufficient for productivity tasks, and has remarkable power efficiency; you won’t see this CPU pull any more than 70W from the PSU.

The Intel Core i5-12400 is the CPU that delivers one of the best price-per-performance on the market right now. Initially, the i5 was less expensive than the Ryzen 5 5600.

However, AMD’s price reduction brought the Ryzen down to $160 or lower, while the i5-12400 remains roughly $180.

It’s just approximately 5-6% less rapid than the Ryzen equivalent, yet it’s still a remarkable CPU.

Outstanding performance, 12 threads, low power draw, and the ability to overclock make for an ideal CPU option. Some i5-12400 users managed to overclock it up to 5.0 GHz, leading to a 20-30% performance uplift.

The 13th-Gen alternative, the i5-13400F, provides only a slight improvement in performance while costing considerably more, so the

Even though the Intel Core i3-12100F has only 4 cores and 8 threads, the performance is not hindered. On the contrary, these cores are so powerful the i3 delivers performance comparable to the i5-10600K for an MSRP of just $120.

It also outperforms the Ryzen 3700X and the previous cost-effective champion, the Ryzen 5 3600X.

Pair this CPU with a cheaper motherboard and DDR4 kit, and you’ll have yourself a solid gaming system for less than $300. Heavily recommended!

Upcoming CPUs

Supposedly, Intel will be releasing a Raptor Lake Refresh at the end of 2023, so keep your eyes open for that. There are also rumors that the upcoming Ryzen 8000 Series may also release in Q4 of 2023.