How to Choose a Best Gaming Processor?

Getting a new gaming PC is exciting. Whether you're building one yourself or buying one of the best gaming PCs, there's plenty to think about. And at the very heart of it is the processor that you get.

The processor is the beating heart of any computer, and getting it right is crucial. If you make a wrong choice for your own requirements, your entire experience will be affected. There is a lot to think about in getting the best processor other than whether you are going to choose Intel or AMD.

Wizards are complex animals, but there are a few key aspects to consider that will make the buying process a little easier.

How to choose a game processor for your PC

The obvious thing is to set your budget, and you should do just that. Don't spend more than you're happy with, because AMD Ryzen 9 may look great but it's also expensive, and spending more than you want is always a bad idea.

But instead of focusing on the budget, we'll outline some other key considerations you should consider when choosing a gaming processor. The processor can affect many aspects of games, including frame rates, scalable display elements, and more. Here's how to make sure you get the one that works best for you.

1. Decide what you want to do with your computer

When you're choosing a gaming PC, it's easy to get carried away. But before you choose any processor, you need to be clear about what exactly you want out of your gaming PC.

If you're going to focus on gaming and a few other things, you'll look for a different processor if you also want to stream at the same time. If your computer is to be used for professional work, content creation, or any other intensive tasks.

Why is this so important? Because overestimation is one thing, but underestimation would be worse.

2. Understand how many cores you need

This is where the previous step begins to become important. All modern Intel and AMD CPUs have multiple cores, ranging from 4 to 16 before they start hitting the workstation area. Games don't, believe it or not, need a massive amount of cores to produce good performance. Even with a quad-core processor, you can have a decent time.

That's where the core count comes into play if you plan on doing processor-intensive tasks outside of gaming. If you're playing and streaming from the same PC, for example, you'll need more cores to take on the extra load.

This is where AMD Ryzen processors have become popular in recent times, offering eight-core and even 16-core processors at a fairly attractive price. The extra headspace allows for gaming and live streaming on the same PC with minimal impact on both.

3. Clock speed and overclocking

In general, to choose a gaming processor the higher the clock speed the better. It's less important in modern processors as clock speeds are improved today compared to years past, but there's still something to keep in mind. If the clock speed is a bit higher within your budget, then you should try to get it.

As a byproduct, consider if you're looking to plunge into a spot of overclocking. If you're buying an AMD Ryzen processor, you're all set, all unlocked and you can tweak to your heart's content.

If you're interested in overclocking your Intel processor, you'll want to make sure you purchase the "K" variant. The model number will be marked with "K" at the end to indicate that it is unlocked for overclocking, for example, Intel Core i9-11900K.

4. Integrated graphics or not?

Not all processors come with integrated graphics, and if you buy one and don't have a dedicated graphics card handy, you won't even be able to see Windows 10 on your screen. In particular, this applies to AMD Ryzen processors that are not designated with the letter “G” in their model number, and Intel processors with the letter “F”.

If you are into PC gaming, one of the best graphics cards today is probably on your shopping list. But if you don't have it right away, or you're building an economical machine without one, you'll need a processor with an integrated GPU to be able to use your computer.

It is also possible to get good gaming performance on some of today's latest integrated graphics. Of particular note is AMD's APU suite, which is a combination of a Ryzen processor and Radeon GPU on the same chip. Depending on the game, even a powerful 60 FPS experience is at hand.

5. Read reviews and benchmarks

When choosing a new processor, it can really be worth taking the time to check out the latest reviews and benchmarks. Although reviewers will often not have the same system specs as your target, they will all do one important thing: push the processor to its absolute limits.

A good review will help you understand performance, power draw, thermal performance and how good they are in single-core and multi-core tasks. You'll also get an idea of gaming performance, so it can help reinforce your preferences or help you reshape them toward something else. But it's a good idea to know what you want from the therapist before looking for feedback, to make sure you're not drawn to something you don't need.

Summary

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing a game processor. Everyone's needs are different from the next, but making a decision doesn't have to be difficult.

As long as you know what kind of gaming PC you're shooting for and what you want to be able to do with it, the rest will fall into place. Determine your budget before you begin the process, then see what Intel and AMD have best to offer.