Best gaming processors in 2020

When it comes to the issue of high-quality computer assembly, the first thing people think about is choosing a video card and a central processor that are suitable for the budget and the required technical characteristics. And for good reason: these two devices are responsible for supporting and optimizing certain technologies, and they interact with each other in direct proportion.

What do you need to know when choosing a gaming processor?

In 2006, the first quad-core processor was released. For more than a decade, technology has advanced far ahead, and now the computer components industry offers a wide variety of processors at a variety of price points.

The most important characteristics of the microcontroller are

• clock purity or clock signal;
• performance;
• processor architecture;
• the amount of energy consumed.

However, the first point to select a gaming processor is the processor-dependent system.

Processor dependence of the computer system

This parameter is almost the most important when choosing a component.

This can be detected very simply, but it should be understood that there is no single scheme for determining this parameter. Everything comes from a specific computer game or application, and in any case, the microcontroller performs several functions:

• physical calculations;
• optimization of lighting;
• organization of well-coordinated execution of incoming commands.

If the performance of the video adapter completely depends on the technical characteristics, then the system is processor dependent.

Clock frequency

It is on this characteristic that the consistency of operations coming from digital circuits in the computer system depends.

Since the 1980s, the clock signal of game processors has not changed. That is why in modern times this parameter ranges from 2.5 to 4 GHz for all microcontrollers. Anything that deviates from this range up or down is either too cheap and unsuitable for a gaming computer, or designed for computer overclocking, that is, for activities aimed at increasing the frequency of personal computer components.

For example, processors with a frequency of 2.7 and 3.2 GHz (Intel Core i5-6400 and Intel Core i5-6500, respectively) differ only in the value of the clock signal, and their technical characteristics remain absolutely the same.

Do not be upset if you want to get both computer overclocking and a gaming processor at a reasonable price.
Most modern processors, such as microcontrollers from AMD and Intel, have built-in automatic overclocking of the computer system. In this case, the device will be labeled Turbo Core and Turbo Boost, respectively.
The principle of operation of such processors is simple: during their operation, they increase their clock signal by several hundred MHz.This is enough for a gaming computer.

Performance

Performance is the speed at which something is done on a computer. This parameter is different for different game processors.

If you focus on this characteristic, then you should not take into account only the numerical value of performance. There is a special expression "Myth of megahertz" (in some editions there is a "Myth of gigahertz"). It denotes a common misconception that microcontrollers with a high clock signal always have better performance than processors with a lower clock frequency and, as a result, lower performance.

Comparison of processor performance is possible only with the same architecture of microcontrollers (more on this in the next paragraph).

This misconception is illustrated by an example of comparing Intel Pentium 4 and Intel Pentium III processors. The latter, despite a lower clock speed than its successor, has higher performance in most tasks.

Processor architecture

This term is currently not unambiguous. The general term implies a quantitative component of the organization of a computer.

There are two interpretations of this term.

• Compatibility with any set of commands, their structure and way of execution (from the point of view of the programmer).
• The internal organization of a certain line of processors (in terms of computer components).

Despite the vagueness of the concept, this parameter is one of the main ones when choosing a gaming processor.

The amount of energy consumed

This is also an equally important characteristic when choosing a microcontroller.

The amount of power consumed by a processor is often confused with TDP (Thermal Design Power). TDP is the power required to cool the computer.

Remember that both power consumption and TDP are not true specifications. They are as close as possible to the real ones, but there may be deviations in both more and less watts consumed. Indeed, in the device of the computer system, not only a microcontroller functions, but also a video adapter, a sound card, and so on.

Microcontrollers that have proven themselves well for a gaming computer.

Intel Core i7 - 7700K.

It's hard to find flaws in this processor. This is the very best of the latest generation Intel Kaby Lake.

The microcontroller is supplied in a color box with marking and key features of the product.

There are two types of delivery: with a cooling system and without it. The technical characteristics of the processors themselves do not differ in the two versions. There are 4 powerful cores inside a small iron plate. The maximum clock speed of the processor is 4.2 GHz with a dedicated program from Intel (Intel Turbo Boost 2.0). It can be increased to 4.4 GHz when overclocking the computer. When you turn on the power saving mode, the frequency drops to 800 MHz.

Supports dual-channel mode of using RAM with a maximum support of 64 GB of memory.

The maximum temperature that the processor can reach during overclocking and maximum load is 100 ° C.

As in all older Intel models, there is Intel Hyper-Threading technology, which allows 4 cores to process 8 information streams. The processor works well with almost any video card and will not slow down for another five years. Therefore, paired with a good video adapter, it produces the maximum number of FPS at maximum settings. Also, the processor is great for online broadcasting and creating videos.

The Intel Core i7-7700K is a hard to find fault with. It is worth noting that if 6th generation processors are available, you should not rush to change it to Intel Core i7-7700K, because the performance gain between the two processors is not at all great (only 2% in games).

The performance is high and some features draw attention to this processor.

Game tests.

Before testing processors in games, you should know that, first of all, everything depends on the video card.The processor may not be fully loaded, or the difference between processors with a price difference of 10 thousand may be as little as 10 frames per second. It is worth saying that the maximum number of frames per second that a person sees is 24, that is, you cannot see the difference between 60 and 100 frames.

Testing conducted with GeForce GTX 1080 8192MB and 2X with 8GB DDR4 RAM.

Examples of how modern games work with this processor are given.

• Battlefield 1 at maximum settings with volumetric lighting in FullHD resolution goes with 152-190 frames per second, and when overclocked, it turns out 166-207 FPS.
• Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare at the same resolution and maximum settings works great with 104-125 frames per second without overclocking, the same number of FPS is maintained when overclocking the computer.
• In the game Mafia 3, without changing the resolutions at medium settings (that is, low anti-aliasing quality, medium quality reflections, etc.), the assembly produces 65-76 frames per second.
• In the game Watch_Dogs 2 at maximum settings, 106-120 frames per second are obtained without problems.

Specifications:

• number of cores: 4;
• number of threads: 8;
• cache size L2 (L3): 1024 KB (8192 KB);
• processor family: Intel Kaby Lake;
• process technology (nm): 14;
• frequency without overclocking: 4200 MHz;
• RAM support: DDR4-2133 / 2400, DDR3L-1333/1600;
• Maximum number of gigabytes of supported RAM: 64.

Processor review - in the video:

• high performance.

• high price;
• the performance gain is not overly noticeable compared to previous models.

Average price: 20,000 rubles.

AMD Ryzen 7 1700X.

The latest processor from AMD that made Intel think about producing something new. Some of the processors come with their own cooling systems, which differ from their counterparts in a positive way along with Intel processors. Such microcontrollers are made of better quality and are distinguished by their noiselessness.

The AMD Ryzen 7 1700X is a simplified version of the 1800x with lower clock speeds, but the same 8 cores and 16 data streams. Therefore, if you overclock your computer a little, it will catch up and surpass its predecessor in performance. In terms of price / performance, this is the best Ryzen 7 AMD has introduced. The maximum frequency that can be reached during overclocking is 4.1 GHz. Gaming performance can't keep Ryzen 7 running at full power.

This means that no matter how advanced the technology in gaming, the processor will more than handle the workload for the next couple of years. Supports DDR4 RAM - up to 64 gigabytes. The number of cores has a good effect on the work, therefore it will work well for work.

Game tests.

Tested Ryzen 7 1700X with a GeForce 1080 graphics card and 16GB DDR4 RAM and FullHD resolution.

• At maximum settings in Watch_Dogs 2, an average of 100 frames per second is obtained, but there are both excess and decrease relative to the average value.
• In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, about the same result comes out, amounting to 100 frames per second.
• GTA V and Battlefield 1 also run smoothly at max settings at over 100 frames per second.

It should be noted that with the same good video card as in the test mode, you can play in 4K resolution with a stable 60 frames per second. The processor is enough with the rest, and in no game it will not be loaded by more than 90%.

Specifications:

• number of cores: 8;
• number of threads: 16;
• L2 cache (L3): 4096 KB (16384 KB);
• processor family: Ryzen 7;
• process technology (nm): 14 nm;
• frequency without overclocking: 3400 MHz;
• RAM support: DDR4;
• Maximum number of gigabytes of supported RAM: 64.

Architecture overview and processor test results - in the video:

• excellent price-performance ratio;
• when overclocked, it catches up with the processor, the price of which is 8 thousand more.

• the new Ryzen system is not yet trusted by everyone;
• high price.

Average price: 23,000 rubles.

Intel Core i5-7600k.

A mid-range model from Intel's latest generation of Kaby Lake.

An excellent choice if you need to change the i5, bought 3-4 years ago, for something, or when assembling a new system with components of the middle price range.

It has 4 cores and differs from the older Core i7 only in the absence of Hyper-Threading (the absence of two information streams for each core in the processor).

This model is the oldest in the i5 7xxx line. Its main advantage is the unlocked multiplier (this is indicated by the “x” in the name), which allows you to increase the processor clock speeds and regulate the heat dissipation.

Standard frequencies range from 3.5 to 3.8 GHz. There is support for DDR4 RAM. Despite the fact that the i5 is a representative of the middle class, it copes well with its tasks in interaction with the highest performing graphics cards, and also works well with all applications and computer games.

Testing in games.

Testing was carried out in a similar manner on an Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics card and 16GB of DDR4 RAM in FullHD resolution.

• In GTA V, at maximum settings, 80 frames per second are consistently obtained.
• In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the number of frames per second is close to the older model Core i7 and is equal to 95 frames per second with the same settings.
• Battlefield 1 at maximum settings runs great at 80-90 frames per second.

This is where the tests can be completed, as you can see that in all games it turns out only 10-15 frames less than the older model of the same series, Core i7-7700K.

Specifications:

• number of cores: 4;
• number of threads: 4;
• cache size L2 (L3): 1024 Kb (6144 Kb)
• processor family: Kaby Lake;
• process technology (nm): 14;
• frequency without overclocking: 3800 MHz;
• RAM support: DDR4-2133 / 2400, DDR3L-1333/1600;
• maximum number of gigabytes of supported RAM: 64.

Video review and testing of the processor:

• excellent performance at a fairly low price.

• not detected.

Average price: 16,000 rubles.

AMD Ryzen 5 1600.

This is a representative of the middle price segment of Ryzen 5 processors. The fifth line includes two 4-core and two 6-core processors. All of them have two streams of information for each core.

The processor package is of high quality, therefore, there is no need to worry about the safety during transportation of the device. There is a version of the microcontroller with and without cooling system. The maximum processor clock speed is 3.6 GHz. At the same time, the compact cooling system quietly allows you to keep the temperature below 60 °.

In terms of performance in games, the processor can be compared with the Intel Core i5 7600, but in performance in working applications, Ryzen goes far ahead, overtaking the 7600k by 20%.

This means that with a difference of 3000 rubles, the R5 1600 will cope with photo and video processing and broadcasting much better than the more expensive Intel processor.

Thus, an excellent processor is obtained, which is suitable both for the gaming assembly of a personal computer, and for people who need the power of programs in the field of professional activity.

This microcontroller is perfect for broadcasting Dota 2, CS: GO or Hearthstone.

Testing in games.

Testing with the same settings as with an Intel Core i5 processor (Nvidia GTX 1080 video adapter, 16 gigabytes of DDR4 RAM and FullHD resolution) showed that at a lower price the same number of frames per second comes out with a difference of 2%, then in one, then the other way. The approximate number of frames is always between 70 and 100.

At the same time, if you launch broadcasts on the electronic platforms twitch or youtube simultaneously with the game, then this processor boldly breaks ahead against the background of competitors in its price category.

When testing the video creation mode, this microcontroller also shows excellent results.

Specifications:

• number of cores: 6;
• number of threads: 12;
• L2 cache size (L3): 3072 KB (16384 KB);
• processor family: Ryzen 5;
• process technology (nm): 14 nm;
• frequency without overclocking: 3200 MHz;
• RAM support: DDR4;
• maximum number of gigabytes of supported RAM: 64.

Video review of a 6-core processor:

• performance is many times higher than processors in the same price category;
• low price.

• not found.

Average price: 12,000 rubles.

AMD Ryzen 5 1400.

This is the cheapest Ryzen 5 processor.

It contains 4 cores and 8 information streams. Only Intel Core i3-7350k, which has only two cores and four streams of information, can become a direct competitor in price.

The package bundle is the same as the rest of Ryzen, that is, a processor is supplied depending on the product version and a cooling system of its own production.

The maximum processor frequency is 3.2 GHz, and in power saving mode it drops to 1.55 GHz. In this case, the microcontroller does not heat up. The maximum allowed processor temperature is 115 degrees. With a good video card, the processor performs well in games, giving out a stable FPS. It can also be overclocked to higher clock speeds.

All these factors make this processor the best option for a budget build.

Testing in games.

A processor priced at Intel Core i3 shows itself in games at the level of Core i5 and more.

Stable 50-60 frames per second at maximum settings in all games, and when the settings are lowered to medium or minimum, the number of frames per second increases.

Thus, you can get a good processor for a not very high price, and invest the saved money in a decent video card.

The processor copes with everyday tasks perfectly.

Specifications:

• number of cores: 4;
• number of threads: 8;
• L2 cache (L3): 2048 Kb (8192 Kb);
• processor family: Ryzen 5;
• process technology (nm): 14 nm;
• frequency without overclocking: 3200 MHz;
• RAM support: DDR4;
• maximum number of gigabytes of supported RAM: 64.

• decent price-performance ratio;
• the processor does not heat up under increased load;
• the ability to overclock the microcontroller to higher clock frequencies.

• the model is no longer available in all hardware stores and computer accessories.

Average price: 9,000 rubles.

Video comparison of the 5 1400 processor with the Intel i5 7400:

Which gaming processor should you choose?

There is no microcontroller that fits every computer system. The aforementioned game processors have proven themselves well in the market, and, according to user reviews, provide a decent level of performance for a personal computer. Nevertheless, the choice of this important component should be approached with special care, carefully comparing the desired models of game processors.