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Processor Reviews

Latest Processor Reviews

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition Review: The Ultimate 3D V-Cache Chip for Creators, Not Gamers

3.5

AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition is a powerful AM5 desktop CPU with excellent performance in content creation workloads and games, but its high price makes it hard to justify for gaming alone.

$899.00
at Amazon
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2

AMD Ryzen 7 7700X3D Review: Zen 4 Strikes Back at Intel With a Glancing Blow

3.0

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X3D is a capable desktop processor for a dedicated gaming PC, but its older design and lackluster CPU performance make it tough to recommend more broadly.

$329.00
at AMD
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X3D

AMD Ryzen 5 8500G Review: This Budget CPU Revs Up the On-Chip Graphics

3.5

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G isn't a high-speed desktop CPU, but its built-in graphics processor is faster than most, making it a practical, tailored pick for compact PCs and light PC gaming if a discrete graphics card isn't an option.

$140.00
at Amazon
AMD Ryzen 5 8500G

Intel Core i5-14400 Review: The Last of the Raptors Is Getting Outrun

3.0

Intel's budget-class Core i5-14400 is a fine-performing desktop CPU for everyday tasks and an upgrade option for slower PCs on the LGA 1700 platform, but you can find peppier modern processors in the same price range.

$228.97
at Amazon
Intel Core i5-14400

Intel Core Ultra 5 225 Review: An Attractive Budget CPU, When on Sale

3.0

Intel's Core Ultra 5 225 is an economical CPU with performance and features commensurate with its price. Intel's own Core Ultra 5 250K Plus casts a long shadow, though, relegating this chip to bargain buys only.

$185.39
at B&H Photo Video
Intel Core Ultra 5 225

Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus Review: A Sublime CPU for a Knockout Price

4.5 Editors' Choice

Intel's Core Ultra 7 270K Plus desktop processor improves on "Arrow Lake's" gaming speeds and delivers robust performance across any task, but its best feature is its hyper-competitive price: It can spar with CPUs costing more than twice as much.

$308.00
at Amazon
Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus

Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus Review: A Master Stroke Among Low-Cost CPUs

4.5 Editors' Choice

Intel's Core Ultra 5 250K Plus boosts gaming performance over its "Arrow Lake" predecessor at a price that's hard to pass up. It's not the fastest gaming CPU around, but no other chip goes as hard for so little money.

$219.99
at Newegg
Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus box

AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D Review: Today's Top Chip for Frame-Rate Chasers

4.0

AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D is the new desktop processor to beat for pure competitive PC gaming, especially at 1080p.

$499.00
at Newegg
AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D

Intel Core Ultra 7 265K Review: The All-Around Ace of 'Arrow Lake'

4.0

Intel's Core Ultra 7 265K may not be the best processor for gaming, but with blistering-fast CPU performance and impressive integrated graphics, it's a solid contender in its price range.

$319.99
at Best Buy
Intel Core Ultra 7 265K

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X Review: Half the Cores Doesn't Mean Half the Speed

4.0

AMD's Ryzen Threadripper 9970X offers strong performance that, in places, can match the 9980X for half the price. It's a strong alternative if you need a lot of CPU power, but the 9980X's 64 cores and $5,000 are just too much.

$2,499.00
at B&H Photo Video
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X Review: These 64 Cores Soar for Serious Work

4.5 Editors' Choice

The Ryzen Threadripper 9980X processor is a massive upgrade over AMD's last-generation flagship, with a lusty leap in performance over its predecessor. Is it more chip than you need? Probably, but every PC builder can dream.

$5,312.35
at Best Buy
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Review

4.5 Editors' Choice

AMD's fierce Ryzen 9 9950X3D delivers a small step up from the Ryzen 9 9950X in CPU performance and a bigger leap in certain gaming scenarios. For discriminating gamers, that justifies this 16-core chip's slightly steeper price.

$599.00
at Amazon
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Review

3.5

AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a champ for low-settings 1080p gaming with a high-end graphics card, but it's pricey and not for every PC gamer.

$479.99
at Micro Center
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Intel Core Ultra 5 245K Review

3.0

The Core Ultra 5 245K is more energy efficient and runs cooler than its predecessor, but its CPU performance is a mixed bag, and its gaming performance disappoints.

$224.83
at Amazon
Intel Core Ultra 5 245K

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.

$509.99
at Amazon
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K

AMD Ryzen 9 9900X Review

4.0

AMD's Ryzen 9 9900X matches Intel's Core i7-14700K on performance while remaining far cooler and drawing less power, making it a compelling option for your desktop.

$413.14
at Walmart
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X Review

4.5 Editors' Choice

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.

$549.00
at Amazon
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X

AMD Ryzen 5 9600X Review

3.0

AMD's Ryzen 5 9600X is faster than its Ryzen predecessor but far slower than its competition. It needs a chop of $40 to $50 off its list price to compete.

$199.99
at Newegg
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X

AMD Ryzen 7 9700X Review

4.0

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.

$329.00
at Amazon
AMD Ryzen 7 9700X

AMD Ryzen 5 8600G Review

4.0 Editors' Choice

AMD's Ryzen 5 8600G isn't the most muscular CPU you can buy, but it drives competitive integrated-graphics performance for its price. It's an ideal chip for budget gaming PCs.

$186.37
at Amazon
AMD Ryzen 5 8600G