The best processor for gaming in 2020 is almost any option that can unleash the potential of a graphics card. Before starting to assemble a computer, you should take into account the main tasks assigned to the processor, if it is a gaming device, it is better to use the models from the presented review. You can still look at the options from last year, since many of them remain in demand and can reveal the potential of almost any type of video card.
The rating compiled includes the best models of gaming processors that are available from the very beginning of 2020. The niche is occupied by leading companies Intel and AMD, and the latter offers cheaper options, which according to technical data are not inferior to the first manufacturer.
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Rules for choosing a quality processor
When deciding which processor is better for gaming in 2020, it is important to highlight that in such a device one of the most important parameters will be the frequency, which now fluctuates in the range of 3-4 GHz. When overclocked, some devices can increase this indicator, turbo mode is also used, but it is impossible to achieve a strong change.
The second important characteristic will be the power consumption during operation. This indicates the capacity of the PC power supply as well as the cooling system. This characteristic is significantly lower for Intel and, accordingly, higher for AMD.
The speed of work and information processing depends on the number of cores and threads. It helps not only to play heavy games, but also to use different programs and applications for many years to come. Almost all modern processors are sold with 4-8 cores, and models with 2 cores are already outdated and cannot handle many games.
When choosing, you need to focus not only on the capabilities of the processor itself, but also on the budget. The review will present models of both brands, as well as budget options from them, which can be used for 1-2 years for games with medium settings. The main selection principle is reduced to 2 parameters. In the first case, the client buys an inexpensive model in order to replace it in a couple of years with minimal investment or immediately purchase a powerful device for use for about 5 years.
TOP budget models
Choosing the best budget processor for gaming with our review will be quite simple, since there are not so many options as you might think. The model presents the most important information with advantages and disadvantages.
AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
Mid-priced hardware with updated architecture and AM4 socket. This is a 6-core processor, and to be precise, it includes 8 cores, but a couple are blocked. The device processes information in 12 threads. With this option, you can increase the frequency from 3.6 to 4 GHz, and add another 0.1 GHz. The cooling system does its job well.
Pros:
- Optimized energy consumption.
- Performance is not worse than more expensive and older models.
Minuses:
- When idle, the consumption of electricity rises, and there are failures with frequency.
- Insufficient overclocking.
Intel Core i3-7100
Inexpensive device for 2 cores, which will process information in 4 threads.Many games are optimized for such hardware. Electricity consumption is no more than 51 W, the core temperature is no more than 55 degrees, even when overclocked. The processor supports DDR4 2133 and 2400 MHz, has an integrated HD Graphics 630 graphics chip. Suitable for network games, the main audience is office and multimedia PCs.
Pros:
- Integrated graphics chip.
- Availability.
Among the disadvantages is the blocked multiplier.
AMD Ryzen 5 2400G
Inexpensive hardware with 4 cores, suitable for multimedia PCs that will run games from time to time. Using SMT makes it possible to process information on 8 streams. It uses a Radeon Vega 11 as the graphics chip, and it books up to 2GB of RAM for personal needs.
It has enough power to run games with maximum settings and is suitable for solving standard tasks, including video conversion and file archiving. During acceleration, strong heating occurs.
Pros:
- Savings on the purchase of a video card.
- HD games.
Minuses:
- Performance is sometimes lower than Vega 8.
- Heating during operation.
- Using RAM for iron work.
Intel Pentium G4620
2-core processor with a frequency of 3.7 GHz, which is reduced to 0.8 in case of idleness. The chip uses a 3 MB cache and consumes about 50 watts of electricity. A good solution for office PCs and network games.
Pros:
- Video decoding.
- minimal heat generation.
- Up to 50% more productivity.
- Hyper-Threading.
Minuses:
- Overall performance is mediocre.
- There is no graphics core.
AMD Ryzen 3 2200G
A device that integrates a CPU and a GPU is recommended for office PCs. It can handle many modern games, but for demanding entertainment, you need to cut the graphics to low values.
pros:
- Productive graphics core.
- Low energy consumption.
The main drawback is the inability to play many games in full mode.
Best AMD Gaming Processors (AMD)
AMD manufacturer has always offered its customers affordable computer elements. Below are the best processors from this brand for 2020.
AMD Ryzen 7 1800X
Hardware for 8 cores with support for SMT and FPU for all cores with 16 MB cache. The device includes a pair of 4-core CPUs that are exchanged through the Infinity Fabric interface.
Intelligent power automatically equalizes the voltage, during operation, the frequency increases to 3.7 GHz, and in case of idle time it decreases to 2.2, in turbo mode it can increase to 4 GHz. Can only be combined with DDR4 2666 and 2400 MHz.
pros:
- Excellent working frequency.
- Multithreading.
Minuses:
- Not all RAM models support high frequency mode.
- Inability to work with DDR3.
- Overclocking over 400 MHz may cause problems.
- Performance is reduced under Windows 10.
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
CPU for 6 cores with the ability to process 12 threads at a time. Includes a standard 95 W thermal package for such devices. It comes with an excellent cooler that does its job completely, even when overclocked to 4.2 GHz, but this can cause errors and other failures. Operates with RAM frequencies up to 2933 MHz.
The pluses include excellent cooling provided by a powerful cooler.
Minuses:
- Under heavy load, it starts to hang.
- Operates at 3400 MHz.
- When overclocked, the performance hardly improves.
Intel gaming processors rating
It is very rare to buy the best Intel processors inexpensively, since the manufacturer almost always makes products higher in cost than AMD. The overview below shows game options that will remain relevant for another 3-5 years.
Intel Core i7-7820X
CPU with Intel X299 chip and 112W thermal pack that boosts potential through overclocking. The 4-core device operates on 8 threads with a frequency of 4.2 GHz, after improvements, it can normally function at 5.2 GHz. The processor is compatible with DDR4 2400 and DDR3. It lacks an integrated graphics core, as well as high performance in single-threaded mode.Recommended for low-cost gaming PCs.
pros:
- Good value.
- Ample overclocking options.
Minuses:
- Insufficient cooling after overclocking.
- There is no practicality, because for work it is powerful, for games it is weak.
Intel Core I5-7600K
Iron for 4 cores with 6 MB of cache, information processing is performed only in 4 threads. When using the turbo mode, the clock frequency will be 4 GHz, loads on different streams can increase the value by 200 MHz, and in case of idle time, it decreases to 800 MHz. After overclocking the properties, it can work for a long time under loads with a value of 4.7 GHz and only with a significant increase in voltage does the system overheat. A good option for gamers, allowing you to squeeze everything out of the processor and make a replacement in 2-3 years for more modern models.
pros:
- Efficient energy consumption.
- High clock speed.
- Excellent cooling.
The main drawback is rapid wear.
Intel Core i7-8086K
It was released for the anniversary of the x86 architecture and in comparison with the 8700K model, it retained a thermal package of 95 W, but the frequency increased. Due to this, normal overclocking is possible, but it is not long and only for single-threaded tasks. The base frequency is 4.3 GHz, and in turbo mode it rises to 5. This is a limited series of processors, so you need to have time to buy hardware, because in games it showed its best side.
pros:
- Limited line.
- High frequency rates.
- 14 nm process technology.
Minuses:
- The cost is too high.
- An analogue of the overclocked model 8700K, but more expensive.
The presented review contains the most popular of the best gaming processors in different price categories, which will remain relevant for several more years. All variants can produce a sufficient number of frames when working with different games. The buyer only needs to understand what kind of device will meet the needs and focus on financial capabilities. AMD offers equipment with identical performance as Intel, but the cost is significantly lower. For an objective picture and an accurate understanding, it is important to look at the benchmarks and performance on the example of games.
