The best CPU for PC gaming

When it comes to gaming rigs, CPUs can often be overlooked. Getting the best CPU for PC gaming is vital, even if you're more likely to spend more money on a graphics card. While the GPUs on a graphics card take care of rendering, your CPU handles things like enemy AI in a shooter, and is even more evident in 4X and strategy games in which enemy AI utilise a whole host of systems to make tactical decisions to take you out. Your CPU really is the heart of your build too, making everything run much faster and smoother, so picking up a decent core is absolutely essential.

Your CPU acts as the bridge between all of the other kit stuffed into your gaming case (along with your RAM), so it has quite the heavy load to be carrying. With that in mind we’ve selected a handful of the best CPUs you can get right now at competitive prices to meet all of your needs. If you're building your own rig you already know what the best CPU for PC gaming is... but we check the price of all major online retailers to ensure you're getting the parts cheaper, at any given time. On top of that, we recommend higher and lower spec CPUs, to help you manage the budget for your build. With our help you'll have a machine capable of running the best PC games in no time.

Intel Fastest Processor for Games & Streaming

Intel Core i7-8700K

The fastest processor for your system for games & streaming

The Core i7-8700K has the highest stock clockspeeds Intel has ever offered, with the only potential upgrade right now being the higher clocked and limited supply Core i7-8086K. Either way, you get six cores and a huge boost to overall processing power, making this the fastest mainstream Intel processor. Most games don't currently use more than four cores, but that's starting to change, and the additional computational power can be very useful for streaming and other background tasks.

The i7-8700K is basically a response to AMD becoming competitive in the CPU scene again, with Ryzen offering 8-core/16-thread CPUs for under $300. If you're not totally focused on games, AMD's Ryzen 7 parts are a compelling alternative that can often beat the 8700K, but for games and multi-GPU, Intel still reigns supreme.

There are two main complaints against the i7-8700K. First, you'll need to buy your own cooler. Enthusiasts might do that regardless, but I'd love the option to get an appropriate cooler with a boxed CPU. The other complaint is that Intel's TIM (Thermal Interface Material) can limit overclocking potential. I consider delidding and using liquid metal a great investment for long-term overclocking, as it provides a potential 15-20C drop in thermals.