The best CPUs of 2026 for gaming are the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the more powerful Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which also handles work. For video editing and 3D on a smaller budget, get the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus; in the mid-range, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus; for an affordable gaming build, the Ryzen 5 9600X; and for a PC without a GPU, the Ryzen 5 8600G.
This roundup covers 7 desktop processors on sale in September 2026. For each one you get the specs from the maker’s website, Tom’s Hardware test results and the recommended price. After the list come a table, charts and tips on choosing a CPU for gaming or work, the socket, memory, cooling and integrated graphics.
How we picked
- Current models only. Every processor is listed on the AMD and Intel websites and on sale in September 2026: Ryzen 9000 on the Zen 5 architecture, the Core Ultra 200S Plus chips released in March 2026, and Ryzen 8000G, AMD’s newest desktop APUs sold on their own. The models from the previous version of this article, such as the Core i5-9400, Core i9-9900KS and Ryzen 5 3600X, came out in 2017–2019 and have long been replaced by newer generations.
- Different tasks and budgets. Gaming, multithreaded software, budget builds and PCs without a graphics card. Recommended prices range from $229 to $699.
- Specs from the makers. Cores, clock speeds, cache, TDP, socket, memory, integrated graphics and the boxed cooler come from amd.com and intel.com.
- Independent testing. Performance figures come from the Tom’s Hardware summary tables updated on August 26, 2026: 17 games at 1080p with a GeForce RTX 5090 and multithreaded apps such as Cinebench, Blender and HandBrake.
- Recommended prices. For Intel, the prices on intel.com as of September 29, 2026; for AMD, the prices announced at launch.
We did not test these processors ourselves: the roundup relies on the makers’ data and Tom’s Hardware testing. Store prices differ from recommended ones, and DDR5 memory got much more expensive in 2026; according to Tom’s Hardware, it has made even a budget build costly. So count the cost of the CPU together with the motherboard and memory.
1. AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Best for gamingAMD processor
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
- Cores / threads
- 8 / 16
- Clock speed
- 4.7–5.2 GHz
- L3 cache
- 96 MB (3D V-Cache)
- TDP
- 120 W
- Socket
- AM5, DDR5-5600 memory
- Integrated graphics
- Radeon Graphics, 2 CUs
- Cooler included
- no
Price$479 (AMD suggested price at launch)checked 29 September 2026
For a gaming PC with a powerful graphics card: 97% of the fastest gaming CPU's performance in Tom's Hardware testing.
- One of the two fastest gaming CPUs
- 96 MB of L3 cache
- AM5 socket supported through 2029
- 8 cores: slower than 16-core chips in rendering
- Cooler sold separately
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s key feature is 96 MB of L3 cache, 64 MB of it from second-generation 3D V-Cache, a memory layer beneath the compute die. In games, a large cache helps more than extra cores, so the 8-core 9800X3D scores 97% of the leader in the Tom’s Hardware gaming table. The Core i9-14900K scores 78.2% there, and the Core Ultra 9 285K 71.8%.
The table leader is the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, released on January 29, 2026: the same 8 cores and 96 MB of cache, but a boost clock of up to 5.6 GHz instead of 5.2 GHz. It is only 3% faster and has a higher recommended price, $499 versus $479, so buy whichever is cheaper at your store. There is no cooler in the box, and AMD recommends liquid cooling.
2. AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
For gaming and workAMD processor
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Cores / threads
- 16 / 32
- Clock speed
- 4.3–5.7 GHz
- L3 cache
- 128 MB (3D V-Cache)
- TDP
- 170 W
- Socket
- AM5, DDR5-5600 memory
- Integrated graphics
- Radeon Graphics, 2 CUs
- Cooler included
- no
Price$699 (AMD suggested price at launch)checked 29 September 2026
For people who game and work with video, 3D or code on the same PC.
- Nearly as fast as the Ryzen 7 9800X3D in games
- 16 cores: among the multithreaded leaders
- 128 MB of L3 cache
- 170 W TDP, AMD recommends liquid cooling
- For gaming alone, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is better value
The Ryzen 9 9950X3D combines 16 Zen 5 cores with 128 MB of L3 cache. In games it is barely behind the 9800X3D, 95.7% versus 97% in the Tom’s Hardware table, while in multithreaded apps it is about 1.8 times faster. It is the pick for people who game, edit video, render 3D or compile large projects on one PC.
That versatility has a cost: a 170 W TDP, AMD’s recommendation of liquid cooling and a $699 recommended price at launch. Even more powerful is the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition (April 2026, $899), with 3D V-Cache on both dies, 192 MB of L3 cache and a 200 W TDP. In Tom’s Hardware testing it is about 4% faster than the 9950X3D in multithreaded work and on par in games.
3. Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus
For workIntel processor
Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus
- Cores / threads
- 24 (8P + 16E) / 24
- Clock speed
- 3.7–5.5 GHz
- Cache
- 36 MB L3 + 40 MB L2
- Power
- 125 W, up to 250 W turbo
- Socket
- LGA1851, DDR5-7200 memory
- Integrated graphics
- Intel Graphics, 4 Xe-cores
- NPU
- 13 TOPS
- Cooler included
- no
Price$339–349 (Intel recommended price)checked 29 September 2026
For video editing, 3D and programming: multithreaded performance close to the 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X and Core i9-14900K-level gaming.
- First place in Tom's Hardware single-threaded tests
- Multithreaded speed close to the Ryzen 9 9950X
- Faster and cheaper than the Core Ultra 9 285K
- Up to 250 W under load
- No new CPUs announced for LGA1851
The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus tops the refreshed Core Ultra 200S Plus series, which went on sale on March 26, 2026. It has 24 cores (8 performance and 16 efficient), a boost clock of up to 5.5 GHz and DDR5-7200 support. It scores 91.9% in the Tom’s Hardware multithreaded table, close to the 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X at 93%, and ranks first in the single-threaded one.
In games the 270K Plus is on par with the Core i9-14900K (77.5% versus 78.2%) and faster than the previous flagship, the Core Ultra 9 285K, whose Intel recommended price is $589–599. Intel Binary Optimization Tool speeds up some games, by 8% on average according to Tom’s Hardware, but only a few games support it so far.
The downsides are up to 250 W under load and the LGA1851 platform: Intel canceled the higher-end Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and has not announced any other processors for this socket.
4. Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
Best valueIntel processor
Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
- Cores / threads
- 18 (6P + 12E) / 18
- Clock speed
- 4.2–5.3 GHz
- Cache
- 30 MB L3 + 30 MB L2
- Power
- 125 W, up to 159 W turbo
- Socket
- LGA1851, DDR5-7200 memory
- Integrated graphics
- Intel Graphics, 4 Xe-cores
- NPU
- 13 TOPS
- Cooler included
- no
Price$219–229 (Intel recommended price)checked 29 September 2026
For a mid-range gaming and work PC: on par with the Ryzen 5 9600X in games and about 1.8 times faster in multithreaded work.
- 18 cores at a mid-range price
- On par with the Ryzen 5 9600X in games
- Easy to cool: up to 159 W
- Needs an Intel 800 series board and DDR5
- No new CPUs announced for LGA1851
The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is the entry model of the 200S Plus series: 18 cores (6 performance, 12 efficient) and up to 5.3 GHz. In the Tom’s Hardware tables it matches the Ryzen 5 9600X in games (73.3% versus 72.6%) and is about 1.8 times faster in multithreaded work (68.2% versus 38.2%). Its predecessor, the Core Ultra 5 245K, scores 67.1% and 53.6% in the same tests.
Maximum power is 159 W, and Tom’s Hardware notes that the chip is easy to cool. Intel’s recommended price has risen from $199 at launch to $219–229, and the 250KF Plus version without integrated graphics costs $204–214. The processor works in the same Intel 800 series motherboards as the 270K Plus.
5. AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
EfficientAMD processor
AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
- Cores / threads
- 8 / 16
- Clock speed
- 3.8–5.5 GHz
- L3 cache
- 32 MB
- TDP
- 65 W
- Socket
- AM5, DDR5-5600 memory
- Integrated graphics
- Radeon Graphics, 2 CUs
- Cooler included
- no
Price$359 (AMD suggested price at launch)checked 29 September 2026
For a quiet gaming PC: 8 cores at a 65 W TDP and an upgrade path within AM5.
- 65 W TDP, an air cooler is enough
- On par with the Core i9-14900K in games
- AVX-512 support
- Slower than the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus in multithreading
- Cooler sold separately
The Ryzen 7 9700X has 8 Zen 5 cores, a boost clock of up to 5.5 GHz and a TDP of just 65 W: AMD recommends a quality air cooler for it rather than liquid cooling. According to Tom’s Hardware, it roughly matches the Core i9-14900K in games, while the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is 2.4% faster.
In multithreaded apps the 9700X is clearly behind Intel: 45.4% in the Tom’s Hardware table versus 68.2% for the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. The 105 W mode that AMD added to the BIOS closes part of the gap, raising the result to 51.2%. On the other hand, AM5 lets you install a faster Ryzen later without replacing the motherboard, and AMD promises to support the socket through 2029.
6. AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
Budget pickAMD processor
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- Cores / threads
- 6 / 12
- Clock speed
- 3.9–5.4 GHz
- L3 cache
- 32 MB
- TDP
- 65 W
- Socket
- AM5, DDR5-5600 memory
- Integrated graphics
- Radeon Graphics, 2 CUs
- Cooler included
- no (the Ryzen 5 9600 comes with a Wraith Stealth)
Price$279 (AMD suggested price at launch)checked 29 September 2026
For an affordable AM5 gaming PC that you can later upgrade with a 3D V-Cache processor without replacing the motherboard.
- On par with the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus in games
- 65 W TDP
- Upgrade path within AM5
- 6 cores: weak multithreading
- DDR5 memory is expensive in 2026
The Ryzen 5 9600X offers 6 Zen 5 cores, up to 5.4 GHz, 32 MB of L3 cache and a 65 W TDP. Tom’s Hardware puts it on par with the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus in games (72.6% versus 73.3%), but six cores fall short for work: 38.2% in multithreading. It suits a budget AM5 gaming build that can later take a 3D V-Cache chip on the same board.
The Ryzen 5 9600 has the same 6 Zen 5 cores, a boost clock of up to 5.2 GHz and a Wraith Stealth cooler in the box, which is handy if you don’t want to buy cooling separately.
If you want maximum FPS in a budget build, look at the previous-generation Zen 4 Ryzen 5 7600X3D: it scores 80.6% in the gaming table, but in multithreaded tests it trails the 9600X at 31.8%. In July 2026 AMD added the 8-core Ryzen 7 7700X3D with a $329 recommended price.
7. AMD Ryzen 5 8600G
No graphics card neededAMD processor with integrated graphics
AMD Ryzen 5 8600G
- Cores / threads
- 6 / 12
- Clock speed
- 4.3–5.0 GHz
- L3 cache
- 16 MB
- TDP
- 65 W
- Socket
- AM5, DDR5-5200 memory, PCIe 4.0
- Integrated graphics
- Radeon 760M, 8 CUs
- NPU
- up to 16 TOPS
- Cooler included
- Wraith Stealth
Price$229 (AMD suggested price at launch)checked 29 September 2026
For a home, office or first gaming PC without a graphics card: games at 720p, some at 1080p on low settings.
- Radeon 760M graphics for 720p gaming
- Cooler included
- You can add a graphics card later
- PCIe 4.0 instead of 5.0
- Half the L3 cache of the Ryzen 5 9600X
The Ryzen 5 8600G is a processor with integrated Radeon 760M graphics (8 RDNA 3 compute units) for a PC without a graphics card. In Tom’s Hardware testing it delivers 91% of the performance of the Radeon 780M in the higher-end Ryzen 7 8700G. At 720p it is enough for solid gaming; at 1080p, only in some games and on low settings.
It is a 2024 Zen 4 model, but according to Tom’s Hardware, AMD’s newer desktop APUs, the Ryzen AI 400 series, are sold only in prebuilt PCs. The 8600G comes with a Wraith Stealth cooler and has a 65 W TDP. Its limitations are PCIe 4.0 instead of 5.0 and 16 MB of L3 cache, half that of the Ryzen 5 9600X. You can add a graphics card later.
Best CPUs compared
The key specs and recommended prices are in the table, and Tom’s Hardware performance results are in the charts below.
| Model | Best for | Cores / threads | L3 cache, MB | Power, W | Price, $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 9800X3D | Gaming | 8 / 16 | 96 | 120 | 479* |
| Ryzen 9 9950X3D | Gaming and work | 16 / 32 | 128 | 170 | 699* |
| Core Ultra 7 270K Plus | Work | 24 / 24 | 36 | 125–250 | 339–349 |
| Core Ultra 5 250K Plus | Mid-range budget | 18 / 18 | 30 | 125–159 | 219–229 |
| Ryzen 7 9700X | Quiet gaming PC | 8 / 16 | 32 | 65 | 359* |
| Ryzen 5 9600X | Budget gaming PC | 6 / 12 | 32 | 65 | 279* |
| Ryzen 5 8600G | PC without a GPU | 6 / 12 | 16 | 65 | 229* |
AMD processors with 3D V-Cache take the top spots in games, and Intel’s best result belongs to the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus. Multithreaded work is a different picture: the 270K Plus nearly catches the 16-core Ryzen 9 chips, and the 18-core 250K Plus is well ahead of the 8-core Ryzen models.
How to choose a CPU
Gaming or work
For gaming, cache and clock speed matter more than core count: Tom’s Hardware observes that gaming gains almost stop at 8 cores. A large 3D V-Cache does not help in every game and makes the biggest difference at 1080p; the higher the resolution, the more performance depends on the graphics card. So for 1440p and 4K, it makes more sense to put your budget into the graphics card: see models and prices in our best graphics cards ranking.
For video editing, 3D rendering, compiling and data work, core count matters. In the Tom’s Hardware multithreaded table, 16-core Ryzen 9 chips and 18- to 24-core Core Ultra 200S Plus chips are 1.8–2.5 times faster than the 6-core Ryzen 5 9600X.
Socket and motherboard
The Ryzen chips in this list fit the AM5 socket, which works with motherboards based on the A620, B650, B650E, X670, X670E, B840, B850, X870 and X870E chipsets. In 2026 AMD extended AM5 support through 2029, so the motherboard will also work with future Ryzen processors.
Core Ultra 200S and 200S Plus chips work only in the LGA1851 socket on Intel 800 series motherboards. CPU and memory overclocking is available on the Z890 chipset, the B860 allows memory overclocking only, and the H810 allows neither. Tom’s Hardware calls LGA1851 a dead-end platform: Intel has not announced any new processors for it.
Memory
Both platforms work only with DDR5, so DDR4 modules from an old computer won’t fit. For Ryzen 9000, AMD officially supports DDR5-5600 with two modules and only DDR5-3600 with four, so buy a two-module kit. Tom’s Hardware considers DDR5-6000 the sweet spot for Zen 5.
Core Ultra 200S Plus chips officially support DDR5-7200, and regular Core Ultra 200S chips support DDR5-6400. Budget for memory in advance: DDR5 prices rose noticeably in 2026.
Power and cooling
For the 65 W Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X, AMD recommends a quality air cooler; for X3D processors and Ryzen 9 chips with a 120–170 W TDP, it recommends liquid cooling.
Intel processors draw much more in turbo than their 125 W base power: up to 250 W for the 270K Plus and up to 159 W for the 250K Plus. For comparison, Tom’s Hardware lists the maximum power of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D at 162 W, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D at 230 W and the Ryzen 5 9600X at 88 W.
In this list, only the Ryzen 5 8600G has a boxed cooler, and among the other models mentioned, so do the Ryzen 5 9600 and Ryzen 5 9500F: a simple Wraith Stealth. Intel models with a K in the name ship without a cooler, as do Ryzen 9000 chips with an X. Pick the power supply using the graphics card maker’s recommendation, which covers the whole PC.
Integrated graphics
Almost every Ryzen 9000 has basic Radeon Graphics with 2 compute units, enough for display output, office work and video, but not for modern games. The Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus have Intel Graphics with 4 Xe-cores. Models with an F in the name have no integrated graphics: the Ryzen 5 9500F, Ryzen 7 9700F and Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus.
For gaming without a graphics card, you need a Ryzen 8000G: the Radeon 760M with 8 compute units in the Ryzen 5 8600G or the Radeon 780M with 12 in the Ryzen 7 8700G.
Sources and methodology
Analysis of public sourcesChecked 29 September 2026
- AMD — Ryzen 9000 desktop processors amd.com
- Intel — Core Ultra 200S Plus presentation download.intel.com
- AMD — AM5 support through 2029, Computex 2026 amd.com
- Tom's Hardware — CPU Benchmarks Hierarchy 2026 tomshardware.com
- Tom's Hardware — The Best CPU for Gaming in 2026 tomshardware.com
FAQ
What is the fastest gaming CPU in 2026?
According to the Tom’s Hardware summary table from August 26, 2026, it is the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is 3% behind it and has a lower recommended price: $479 versus $499.
How many cores do you need for gaming?
Eight cores are enough: Tom’s Hardware observes that gaming gains almost stop beyond that, and you can play even on four cores. You need more cores if you stream, edit video or render 3D at the same time.
Intel or AMD: which should you choose in 2026?
For gaming, AMD: processors with 3D V-Cache take the top spots in Tom’s Hardware gaming tests. Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus chips are better value for multithreaded work, but AMD promises to support AM5 through 2029, while Intel has not announced any new processors for LGA1851.
Do you need to buy a cooler separately?
For most models, yes: Ryzen 9000 chips with an X and Intel processors with a K ship without a cooler. The Ryzen 5 9600, Ryzen 5 9500F and Ryzen 5 8600G include a simple Wraith Stealth cooler in the box.
Should you wait for new processors?
As of September 29, 2026, the next generations, Intel Nova Lake and Ryzen on the Zen 6 architecture, have not been released; Tom’s Hardware expects them in late 2026 or early 2027. AMD has extended AM5 support through 2029, so a motherboard with this socket will also work with future Ryzen processors.
Leave a Reply