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Best Mid-Range Gaming Processors

Best Gaming CPUs For The Money: August 2013
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Best Gaming CPU for £90:

Honourable Mention:
FX-6300

FX-6300
Codename: Vishera
Process: 32 nm
CPU Cores/Threads: 6/6
Clock Speed (Max. Turbo): 3.5 GHz (4.1 GHz)
Socket: AM3+
L2 Cache:   3 x 2 MB
L3 Cache: 8 MB
Thermal Envelope:
95 W

While Intel's -3220 is a faster gaming processor, you'd have a hard time telling the difference between it and AMD's FX-6300. On the other hand, the FX is £10 cheaper, features an unlocked ratio multiplier for easy overclocking, which the Core i3 lacks, and features six integer cores that benefit performance in .

Read our review of the Vishera-based FX CPUs here.

Best Gaming CPU for £95:

Core i3-3240

Core i3-3240
Codename: Ivy Bridge
Process: 22 nm
CPU Cores/Threads: 2/4
Clock Speed (Max. Turbo): 3.4 GHz
Socket: LGA 1155
Integrated GPU:
HD Graphics 2500 (650 MHz, 1.05 GHz Turbo)
Cache:  2 x 64 KB, 2 x 256 KB, 3 MB
Thermal Envelope:
55 W
Intel's Ivy Bridge-based CPUs are very capable gaming processors, though we're increasingly seeing dual-core derivatives lagging behind in our favorite titles. Conversely, benchmark data makes it clear that the company's Hyper-Threading technology is effective in helping improve the performance of dual-core CPUs in those same games. Although a locked multiplier limits overclocking to a few-megahertz bump in BCLK frequency, we still consider Intel's Core i3-3240 to be a good starting point for gamers who might upgrade to a faster LGA 1155-based processor in the future.

Read our review of the Ivy Bridge-based CPUs here.

Best Gaming CPU for £135:

Core i5-3350P

Core i5-3350P
Codename: Ivy Bridge
Process: 22 nm
CPU Cores/Threads: 4
Clock Speed (Max. Turbo): 3.1 GHz (3.3 GHz)
Socket: LGA 1155
L2 Cache:   4 x 256 KB
L3 Cache: 6 MB
Thermal Envelope:
69 W

Intel's Sandy and Ivy Bridge-based Core i5 processors are well-known for their gaming prowess at reasonable prices, and the Core i5-3350P is a particularly interesting option at £135.

The P suffix is an indication that Intel disables its HD Graphics engine, but we're perfectly alright with such a decision. If you're buying a gaming processor, you're going to want discrete graphics anyway. Consequently, this CPU ducks in under 70 W.

Read our review of the Ivy Bridge-based CPUs here.

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  • 0 Hide
    AMDRadeonHD , 29 August 2013 14:17
    For gaming, the highest recommended processor would be Intel Core i5-3570K, for gaming, there is no need for an Intel Core i7-3770K, it's completely useless. Intel Core i5-3570K is completely useless, too (If you don't need to overclock, just get Intel Core i5-3350P, forget about 3330, 3450, 3470, 3550 and 3570). Intel Core i3-3210, 3220, 3225, 3245 and 3250 are useless, too. For the same performance and more cores, you can get an AMD FX-6300 which is even cheaper. People that say AMD Athlon X4 750K get's beaten by Intel Pentium G, they're totally wrong. AMD Athlon X4 750K is just AMD A10-5800K without an intergrated graphics card, so it gives a big amount of overclocking headroom, and especially alot lower temperatures (You can also disable the intergrated graphics card in an APU so you can overclock to 4.5GHz, even over it in some cases, it depends on your aftermarket cooler, I recommend Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO, best for the prices for years).
  • 0 Hide
    Menigmand , 30 August 2013 10:36
    Amazing that even after Haswell, the recommended gaming CPU's still remain Ivy Bridge-based..
  • 0 Hide
    mike789 , 1 September 2013 16:48
    Hey intel... how about giving a 4-core haswell based chip with no integrated graphics, lower price and higher OC abilities to make some sense to gamers?
    Hey amd... how about trying to improve your 4-core processors and stop producing a zillion cpus with minor differences?