If that is all you care about, the Core i5-7500 (or i5-7400 to save a few more $) with a 200-series ecosystem and a beefy GPU will not disappoint.
The Core i5-7500 is what we’ve chosen here: a quad core processor without hyperthreading that will give a near-identical gaming experience to the Core i7 parts, especially in older games that rely on single thread performance.
Intel’s side of the fence is a bit fuzzier. To save a few pennies, the retail version also comes bundled with a CPU cooler worth using. It comes with six cores and twelve threads with a good out-of-the-box performance that can be pushed higher with a nice overclock. This processor uses the same underlying technology and base as the higher-class Ryzen 7 processors, but removes some peak performance in workloads such as video conversion in order to be offered at a lower price point. On AMD’s side, we’ve chosen the Ryzen 5 1600. The Intel Core i5-7500 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600įor processors that still need to perform but do not blow a hole in the wallet, both AMD and Intel cater for this market actively. Virtual Reality on a Reasonable Budget: The Smart Gaming Choices As for a pure out-of-the-box gaming experience without overclocking, the Core i7-7740X still wins however.įor users that want to move beyond two GPUs in a truly money-no-object gaming and streaming and video editing environment, then it becomes a choice between AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper processors and Intel’s Skylake-X components. The peak experience on Intel can also be had by the Core i7-7700K, a Kaby Lake-S processor that can hold a frequency close to 5.0 GHz with some overclocking, but can also be placed into a Z270 motherboard, reducing the system cost to get the same experience and putting more money aside for other components. AMD has stated that they are committed to future AGESA updates to boost performance as well. The AM4 motherboard platform is also now mature, with the latest AGESA updates showing some good gains in performance. There isn’t much headroom for overclocking beyond 4.0 GHz, but as a single or dual GPU solution AMD has you covered.
Under this heading, the Ryzen 7 1800X at $499 (MSRP) represents the best AMD has to offer on a mainstream platform, with the highest frequency in the AMD Ryzen 7 range, eight cores, and consistent memory performance. If ‘peak’ is to mean ‘money no object’, then we typically suggest some of the most expensive processors, regardless of platform cost. When FPS is Required: CPUs for Peak Gaming Performance or Peak VR The majority of our recommendations aim to hit the performance/price curve just right, with a side nod to power consumption as well. Read our article on the Best CPUs for Workstations here: In our CPU Guides, we give you our pick of some of the best processors available, supplying data from our reviews.