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Best Entry-Level Gaming Processors

Best Gaming CPUs For The Money: October 2013
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Best Gaming CPU for £60:

Athlon X4 750K

Athlon X4 750K
Codename: Trinity
Process: 32 nm
CPU Cores/Threads: 2/4
Clock Speed (Max. Turbo): 3.4 GHz (4.0 GHz)
Socket: FM2
Cache: 2 x 64 KB + 4 x 16 KB, 2 x 2 MB
Thermal Envelope:
100 W

At around £100, AMD's A10-5700 isn't a particularly compelling gaming processor. But imagine if it was £40 cheaper and included an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. That isn't a dream any longer. At last, the Athlon X4 750K is available. Selling for roughly £60, this is the cheapest enthusiast-friendly CPU you'll find. And while its lack of L3 cache hurts in games, we at least like knowing that its 100 W thermal ceiling isn't divided between x86 cores and graphics.

Read our review of the Trinity-based A series CPUs here.

Best Gaming CPU for £80:

AMD FX-4300

AMD FX-4300
Codename: Vishera
Process: 32 nm
CPU Cores/Threads: 4/4
Clock Speed (Max. Turbo): 3.8 (4.0) GHz
Socket: AM3+
Cache (L1, L2, L3)2 x 64 KB + 4 x 16 KB, 2 x 2 MB, 8 MB
Thermal Envelope:
95 W

At stock clock rates, AMD's FX-4300 is in the same league as the company's Phenom II X4 965 and not far behind the Core i3-4130. However, its TDP is 30 W lower than the extinct Phenom, and an unlocked multiplier is an advantage over the more expensive Core i3. We're singling out the FX-4300 for folks who might want to consider a low-cost, multiplier-unlocked, gaming CPU built on the Piledriver architecture and armed with L3 cache, which the Athlon line-up lacks.

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  • -1 Hide
    andre2b , 24 October 2013 21:51
    I haven't read through introduction/1st page, BUT WHY is i5-4670K not on the list? Same price as i5-3570K and if not faster than at least newer!
  • 0 Hide
    bemused_fred , 25 October 2013 01:00
    Quote:
    I haven't read through introduction/1st page, BUT WHY is i5-4670K not on the list? Same price as i5-3570K and if not faster than at least newer!


    Because of thermal issues that make it a far worse overclocker.
  • 0 Hide
    rAmber , 25 October 2013 22:03
    Hi cleeve,

    I use Tom's cpu and gpu Hierarchy Charts

    in daily life and I'd like to ask you to put Pentium D's

    to cpu chart

    As reference you can see here:

    http://www.ixbt.com/cpu/intel-cpu2006-met50.shtml

    sorry it's in russian (maybe google translate will help you)

    but it's up-to-date (August 2012)

    This is my first comment on Tom's

    Thank you (in advance;)

    Amber
  • 0 Hide
    dansarman99 , 6 January 2014 15:18
    If you are going with an intel, i recommend an i5, the AMD chips seem to be better at running battlefield and amd has really good stuff for the buck. If you want something really cheap but good for the buck, go with an Athlon 760k or 750k orelse look at the fx series. I have an fx 6300, worth the money and performs great!