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Best Mid-Range Gaming Processors

Best Gaming CPUs For The Money: October 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 £5 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 i3-4130

Core i3-4130
Codename: Haswell
Process: 22 nm
CPU Cores/Threads: 2/4
Clock Speed (Max. Turbo): 3.4 GHz
Socket: LGA 1150
Integrated GPU:
HD Graphics 4400 (350 MHz, 1.15 GHz Turbo)
Cache:  2 x 64 KB, 2 x 256 KB, 3 MB
Thermal Envelope:
54 W

Intel's Haswell-based CPUs are very capable in games, though we're increasingly seeing dual-core Pentiums 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 Core i3 CPUs in those same blockbusters. Although a locked multiplier limits overclocking to a few-megahertz bump in BCLK frequency, we still consider Intel's Core i3-4130 to be a good starting point for gamers who might upgrade to a faster LGA 1150-based processor in the future.

Read our review of the Haswell-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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  • -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!