Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (2024)

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Processors: Buying Advice, Tips, and News

Best Overall CPUs Best CPUs for Gaming Best Budget CPUs

  • Deep Dive: Understanding Desktop Processors By John Burek

  • 'Alder Lake' and the New Z690 Chipset: Is This Intel's Most Innovative Platform in a Decade? By Michael Justin Allen Sexton

  • 'Raptor Lake' 13th Gen Laptop CPUs Launch By Brian Westover

  • How to Shop for the Right Motherboard By Michael Justin Allen Sexton

  • Apple M2 vs. M1: All You Need to Know About Second-Generation Apple Silicon By Tom Brant

  • The New Threadripper Boards: All the TRX40 Boards You Can Buy By Michael Justin Allen Sexton

Our 9 Top Picks

Best Mainstream CPU (AMD)

Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (7)

3.5

Good

AMD Ryzen 5 7600

$197.97 at Amazon See It

If gameplay on a budget is your main PC use, AMD's Ryzen 5 7600 is a reasonable and affordable CPU choice. With minimal cooling required, it will handle mainstream computing and gaming needs.

Pros

  • Most affordable Ryzen 7000 chip to date

  • Includes stock cooler in the box

  • High-efficiency operation

Cons

  • Close to same street price as higher-binned 7600X

  • Bundled Wraith cooler is a step down from the one with the 7700 and 7900

  • Beat in testing by lower-priced Core i5

Read Our AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Review

Best Mainstream CPU (Intel)

Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (8)

3.5

Good

Intel Core i5-13400F

$172.78 at Amazon See It
$162.99 at Walmart See It

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The Intel Core i5-13400F is a well-priced processor that's a fine fit for a budget gaming PC, but don't expect it to pair well with a high-end graphics card.

Pros

  • High core count for the money

  • Competitive multi-threaded performance

Cons

  • No integrated graphics in "F" version

  • Lackluster single-threaded performance

  • Somewhat loud stock fan

Read Our Intel Core i5-13400F Review

Best Budget CPU (AMD)

Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (9)

4.0

Excellent

AMD Ryzen 7 5700X

$162.99 at Amazon See It
$162.99 at Walmart See It

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With performance rivaling the Ryzen 7 5800X at a lower price, AMD's Ryzen 7 5700X is arguably the best value in the Ryzen 7 5000 series, but it can't quite stand up to Intel's new "Alder Lake" processors.

Pros

  • Strong performance

  • Better value than Ryzen 7 5800X

  • Compatible with most AM4 motherboards

  • 65-watt TDP

Cons

  • Falls behind the more affordable Core i5-12600K

Read Our AMD Ryzen 7 5700X Review

Best Budget CPU (Intel)

Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (10)

3.5

Good

Intel Core i5-10400

$123.59 at Amazon See It
$135.99 at Newegg See It

Upgrading to any "Comet Lake" CPU (and its new platform) has its budget implications, but for a six-core chip with gaming chops, the Core i5-10400 is as good as it gets in Intel's 10th Generation stack.

Pros

  • Decent frame rates for a midrange CPU in gaming runs

  • Low TDP

  • Workable bundled cooler

Cons

  • Slower than comparatively priced AMD options in nearly every CPU-centric test

  • LGA 1200 adoption is mandatory

  • Integrated graphics are there, but still Intel UHD Graphics

Read Our Intel Core i5-10400 Review

Best High-End CPU (AMD)

Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (11)

4.5

Outstanding

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X

$705.00 at Amazon See It
$670.57 at Walmart Check Stock

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AMD's flagship Ryzen 9 9950X has the 16-core muscle to fight Intel's 14th Gen Core i9 CPUs and win. Plus, it's cheaper than AMD's last-gen equivalent, the 7950X.

Pros

  • 16-core design

  • Runs significantly cooler than its 7950X predecessor

  • Marked performance gains

  • Cheaper than last-generation flagship

Cons

  • Power-hungry

  • At launch, a little pricier than the Core i9-14900K

Read Our AMD Ryzen 9 9950X Review

Best High-End CPU (Intel)

Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (12)

3.5

Good

Intel Core i9-14900K

$440.38 at Amazon See It
$599.00 at Newegg See It

Intel's Core i9-14900K processor is essentially the Core i9-13900K with a slight clock boost, but a bit more prone to overheating and throttling. If you can find a 13900K for less money, opt for it, as the 14900K is much the same chip in practice.

Pros

  • Fast multi-threaded performance, and field-leading single-core performance

  • 6GHz peak boost clock speed

  • Capable integrated graphics

  • Same launch price as Core i9-13900K

Cons

  • Runs hot under load, at times hitting thermal limit

  • Same design as last year's 13900K, with only minor upticks to base and boost clock

  • Power-hungry

Read Our Intel Core i9-14900K Review

Best Gaming CPU (AMD)

Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (13)

4.0

Excellent

AMD Ryzen 7 9700X

$359.00 at Newegg See It

AMD's Ryzen 7 9700X desktop CPU is better than its 7000-series predecessor, mostly on power consumption and heat generation—it's only slightly faster. A lower list price gives it added AM5 appeal.

Pros

  • Significant improvements to efficiency versus Ryzen 7000 series

  • Excellent operating temperatures, conducive to air cooling

  • Mild performance improvements versus Ryzen 7700X series

  • Reduced TDP suits this chip well for compact desktops

Cons

  • Fewer cores than competing Intel chips

  • Lesser multi-threaded performance than competition

  • No bundled cooler

Read Our AMD Ryzen 7 9700X Review

Best Gaming CPU (Intel)

Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (14)

4.0

Excellent

Intel Core i7-14700K

$352.89 at Amazon See It
$351.49 at Walmart See It

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The Core i7-14700K is the best value of Intel's refreshed "Raptor Lake" CPUs, bringing marked improvements at no extra cost. It's an attractive upgrade for older LGA 1700 systems.

Pros

  • Excellent performance

  • Four more E-cores than predecessor

  • Increased cache

  • No price increase

Cons

  • Power hungry

  • Overheats with 240mm water cooler

Read Our Intel Core i7-14700K Review

Best HEDT Platform CPU (AMD or Intel)

Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (15)

4.5

Outstanding

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

$2,269.99 at Amazon See It
$2,297.00 at Walmart See It

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AMD's 32-core Ryzen Threadripper 7970X delivers superior value for professional users who need supercharged multi-threaded performance and the platform's high lane counts.

Pros

  • Excellent multi-threaded performance

  • 32 cores with 64 threads

  • Faster clock speeds than Threadripper 7980X

  • Solid price-for-performance equation

Cons

  • Runs hot

  • Needs registered RAM

Read Our AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X Review

Latest Processor Top Picks

The Best CPUs for 2024

The Best CPUs for Gaming in 2024

The Best Budget CPUs for 2024

Latest Processor Reviews

Intel Core Ultra 9 285K Review

4.0

AMD Ryzen 9 9900X Review

4.0

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X Review

4.5

Editors' Choice

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X Review

3.0

AMD Ryzen 7 9700X Review

4.0

AMD Ryzen 5 8600G Review

4.0

Editors' Choice

Intel Core i9-14900KS Review

2.5

Intel Core i5-13400F Review

3.5

AMD Ryzen 7 8700G Review

3.5

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X Review

4.5

Editors' Choice

All Reviews

Latest Processor News

Apple Reportedly Ready to Start Mass Production on M4 MacBook Air ByJibin Joseph

TSMC Chip Found in Latest Huawei AI Processor, Sparking Action Against Buyer ByKate Irwin

Nvidia's CEO on Creating the Next Big Thing: Just Get Started ByMichael J. Miller

Arm Ramps Up Qualcomm Legal Battle, Moves to Cancel Licensing Deal ByJibin Joseph

New Quantum Computing Chip Deals Could Aid US, Canadian National Security ByKate Irwin

Qualcomm Moves to Ease Windows on Snapdragon Compatibility Concerns ByRob Pegoraro

Qualcomm Steps Snapdragon 8 Up to Elite Status With Custom Cores and Powerful AI ByEric Zeman

AMD: Next-Gen X3D Chips Slated to Launch Nov. 7 ByMichael Kan

Qualcomm Cancels Windows Mini PC in Blow to Arm Developers ByWill McCurdy

TSMC Under US Investigation Over Chip Sales to Huawei ByKate Irwin

All News

Latest Processor How-Tos

How to Choose the Best Laptop Processor in 2024 ByCharles Jefferies

Related Categories

All Components Graphics Cards Motherboards PC Cases Power Supplies

Popular Processor Brands

AMD Intel

Latest Processor Stories

Apple Reportedly Ready to Start Mass Production on M4 MacBook Air

The entry-level MacBooks will retain the design but get a chipset upgrade.

23 hours ago By Jibin Joseph

Intel Core Ultra 9 285K Review

4.0

Intel's flagship "Arrow Lake" CPU, the Core Ultra 9 285K, delivers reduced power consumption, dedicated AI silicon, and promising platform improvements. The one big question mark: Its performance is superb in some tasks but subpar in others, though this may improve with software updates.

$629.99 at Newegg

1 day ago By Michael Justin Allen Sexton

TSMC Chip Found in Latest Huawei AI Processor, Sparking Action Against Buyer

TSMC is investigating how Huawei has obtained its chips after one was found in the Huawei Ascend 910B.

1 day ago By Kate Irwin

Nvidia's CEO on Creating the Next Big Thing: Just Get Started

How do you replicate Nvidia's blockbuster success? At the Gartner Symposium, Jensen Huang talks up the benefits of experimentation and having a long-term perspective.

1 day ago By Michael J. Miller

Arm Ramps Up Qualcomm Legal Battle, Moves to Cancel Licensing Deal

Arm sends Qualcomm a 60-day notice of cancellation for an architectural license agreement that—if executed—could throw the chip and smartphone industries into disarray.

2 days ago By Jibin Joseph

New Quantum Computing Chip Deals Could Aid US, Canadian National Security

North America's semiconductor industry gets a boost as Nord Quantique taps an R&D center to produce custom quantum computing chips in Quebec. But the quantum industry is still trying to solve its biggest technical challenge.

2 days ago By Kate Irwin

Qualcomm Moves to Ease Windows on Snapdragon Compatibility Concerns

At this week's Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm and Microsoft work to stamp out worries about apps or drivers not working on Qualcomm’s Arm-based processors.

2 days ago By Rob Pegoraro

Qualcomm Steps Snapdragon 8 Up to Elite Status With Custom Cores and Powerful AI

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform features custom-designed cores in the CPU, GPU, and NPU to dramatically improve speed, efficiency, and AI for next-generation flagship smartphones.

3 days ago By Eric Zeman

AMD: Next-Gen X3D Chips Slated to Launch Nov. 7

Pricing and specs were not announced, but AMD confirms that its rumored 9000X3D chips for desktops will be landing soon.

4 days ago By Michael Kan

Qualcomm Cancels Windows Mini PC in Blow to Arm Developers

The device 'has not met our usual standards of excellence,' Qualcomm tells developers.

10/19/2024 By Will McCurdy

TSMC Under US Investigation Over Chip Sales to Huawei

The US Commerce department is reportedly examining whether TSMC is selling chips to China-based Huawei. TSMC says it will take action to ensure compliance if needed.

10/18/2024 By Kate Irwin

Chinese Cyber Group: Intel Harms China's National Security With CPU Flaws

A Chinese cybersecurity group accuses Intel of spying on users and acting 'irresponsible' in handling known CPU exploits.

10/16/2024 By Kate Irwin

Rivals Intel and AMD Create Alliance To Defend x86 Architecture

The x86 advisory group from Intel and AMD arrives as the threat of Arm-based computing continues to advance.

10/15/2024 By Michael Kan

AMD 'Strix Point' Hits the Office With Ryzen AI Pro 300 Series Laptop CPUs

The new AMD Ryzen AI Pro 300 series of mobile processors brings increased speed, higher efficiency, and all the latest AI features to business laptops.

10/10/2024 By Brian Westover

Intel Unveils Next-Gen 'Arrow Lake' Desktop CPUs: They're All About Efficiency

Intel's new Core Ultra 200S family follows the power-sipping lead of its "Lunar Lake" mobile chips and brings the chipmaker's AI ambitions to its desktop processors.

10/10/2024 By Rob Pegoraro

Samsung Apologizes for AI 'Crisis' As it Falls Behind Major Rivals

One of the world's largest chipmakers reports troubling financials as it cedes ground to competitors in legacy and advanced technologies.

10/08/2024 By Emily Dreibelbis Forlini

Latest M4 Leak Tips Several Apple MacBook Pro Upgrades

An image posted online reportedly shows a box for the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro, but as with all rumors, take it with a grain of salt.

9/30/2024 By Joe Hindy

Intel Preps Another Patch to Stop Raptor Lake CPU Voltage Bug

The company has completed a 'root cause diagnosis,' which isolated the bug to a vulnerable clock tree circuit in Intel's architecture.

9/26/2024 By Michael Kan

The Best CPUs for 2024

Whether you're upgrading your desktop PC or building a new one, choosing the right processor is the most crucial and complex choice you will make. Let's simplify it! Here's how to make sense of AMD's and Intel's lines, backed by dozens of our deep-dive reviews.

9/20/2024 By John Burek & Michael Justin Allen Sexton

The Best CPUs for Gaming in 2024

Buying the right processor for PC gaming might seem complicated—especially with AMD's multiple Ryzen families and Intel's many Cores and "Lakes." Here's everything you need to know, plus our top picks based on PC Labs' deep-dive CPU reviews.

9/20/2024 By Michael Justin Allen Sexton

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Processor Reviews and Lab Tests (2024)

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