The best intel processors. Which gaming processor to choose: AMD or Intel? Best gaming processor

Today I will tell you maybe not new information, but definitely useful! Processor is key part of the computer, performing calculations and executing commands received from programs. Now there are two most popular manufacturers of processors - these are Amd and Intel. In order not to be mistaken, I will tell you how to choose the right processor for a computer in 2014-2015, you need to know the main technical characteristics and do not forget about tests that show real possibilities, but read in more detail below or you can immediately watch the video that is at the end of the article.

How many cores do you need for 2015 games?

The number of cores should not be overlooked. The current stage of development does not allow increasing the frequency, so manufacturers are forced to develop a direction capable of parallel computing. That is, increase the number of cores, at the moment they are from 2 to 8. This parameter indicates how many programs can be run simultaneously without losing performance in games and programs. For the most popular games, you need from 4 cores to comfortably play the coolest toys like World of Tanks, Crysis, STALKER, NFS and so on.

What is the optimal frequency?

Clock frequency is a parameter measured in gigahertz. For example, 2.21 GHz informs the buyer that the processor can perform as many as 2 billion operations in one second. That is, the higher the frequency, the faster the information is processed, 1.6 GHz is enough for the office, and 2.5 for games. The clock frequency is the most important parameter, so you need to pay attention to it first of all!

AMD Models

Cache and bus frequency

The speed of outgoing and incoming information is shown by the bus frequency. The higher this indicator, the faster the exchange of information. The bus frequency is measured in gigahertz. But a high-speed block of memory or a processor cache is of great importance. It sits right on the core and performs performance enhancing features. Compared to RAM, the cache processes data much faster.

There are three levels of cache memory:

• L1 is the smallest level in terms of volume, the size of which is from 8 to 128 KB. But he is the fastest;
• L2 - slightly slower than the first, but larger than the level. It has parameters from 128 to 12288 KB;
• L3 - the third level, losing in speed to the previous ones. But its volume is much larger. The third level may be completely absent, as it is intended for northern solutions and special editions of processes. Its size reaches the limit of 16384 KB.

Other options

Less significant, but still relevant when buying a processor, such parameters as heat dissipation and socket.

socket- this is the socket where the processor should be installed on the motherboard. For example, if the marking points to an AMZ or Intel S1155 socket, then, accordingly, the motherboard is needed with an identical socket. The heat dissipation parameter shows the degree of heating during operation. This indicator must be considered first of all when choosing a cooling system. Heat dissipation is measured in watts and ranges from 50 to 300 watts.

An important characteristic is the support of various technologies. The parameter specifies a set of commands that are intended to improve performance, for example, SSE4 technology. This is a specific set of fifty-four commands that are designed to increase processor performance while working with media content and gaming applications.

The basis of the internal circuit are semiconductor elements. The scale of technology that is determined by such semiconductor elements is called the technical process. The elements consist of transistors connected to each other. Technology is improving every year, transistors are proportionally reduced in size, and therefore the performance of processors is increasing. For example, the Willamette core is made according to the 0.18 µm process. It has 42 million transistors. At the same time, the other Prescott core corresponds to the technical process of 0.09 microns, and the number of available transistors is 125 million.

What is better to choose Intel or AMD?

If we apply the acquired knowledge in practice and compare two modern processors, we get the following picture. For example, AMD FX-8150 Zambezi has a clock speed of 3600 MHz, and Intel Core The i5-3570K Ivy Bridge is clocked at 3400 GHz. That is, the first is characterized by fast action. Comparing these models further, it becomes clear that AMD is the leader in terms of the number of cores - 8, while Intel has only four. But this is a rather controversial point, since most applications may not be optimized to work with four cores, and not that with eight. In terms of cache size, Intel also loses. It has a third level cache of 6144 KB, while AMD has 8192 KB. AMD's L2 cache is also larger - 8192 KB, while Intel's is 1024 KB.

Based on these key parameters, you need to choose the processor that is faster in games or those tasks in which you will use it, so in order to make a 100% choice, you should first of all look at comparative tests!

Top best processors for PC

When buying a good processor, you need to focus not only on the characteristics, but also on public opinion (reviews, forums, expert opinions). You can consult with familiar programmers who know exactly what is better to buy or rely on the opinion of friends who have recently bought a processor. We also made a rating of the best processors for a computer for 2014-2015 so that you do not sit a lot of hours on the forum, or read about paid reviews. The models that are most often bought definitely have and good quality, and reasonable price. List best models will help you navigate the countless variety of modern Intel and AMD devices. It is also worth considering individual preferences. Some models are better suited for gaming and home use, while others are more suitable for office work, but not for games.

Budget processor up to 3000 rubles

• Celeron G1820
• Intel Pentium Dual-Core G2130 (if you are building a simple computer on intel, then this is the best choice)
• Celeron G1620
• Trinity A4-5300
• AMD A6 6400K
• AMD A6 5400K
(best entry level processor)

The best processors for 4000 rubles

• Intel Pentium Dual-Core G3420 (optimal for Intel)
• AMD Athlon X4 860K
• Trinity A8-5600K
• AMDFX4300 (best for the money for an entry-level gaming pc)
• Core i3-2120 (if you find that a good replacement for hemp)
• Pentium Processor G3220

The best processors for 5000 rubles

• AMD Athlon X4 860K
• FX-4300
• FX-6300 Best Buy for their money
• FX-8320
• Core i3-3220
• AMD Richland A8-6600K
• AMD Trinity A8-5600K 3.6GHz/4MB
• Core i3-4130

Best Processor for Gaming 2015

• Intel Core i5-4440
• AMD FX-9590
• Core i5-4670K
• Core i7-3770K
(the best processor for gaming today)(a good choice if you can find it and if you collect system unit on amd)
• AMD FX-6350
• AMD Richland A10-6800K
• AMD FX-4350

Well, if you have an unlimited amount of money, then these three models are exactly what you need for the most powerful system unit, but finding such devices will not be so easy, just believe it's worth it!

• Intel Core i7-4960X Extreme Edition
• Xeon E5-2650 v2

Comparison of intel and amd processors 2015 table

3 Great processor for gaming 4 Best price 5

Computers have entered our lives so tightly that we already consider them something elementary. But their structure is by no means simple. Motherboard, processor, RAM, hard drives: all these are integral parts of a computer. It is impossible to throw out this or that detail, because they are all important. But the most important role is played by the processor. They don't call it "central" for nothing.

The role of the CPU is simply huge. He is responsible for all calculations, which means that it depends on him how quickly you will complete your tasks. It can be web surfing, drafting a document in text editor, photo editing, file transfer and much, much more. Even in games and 3D modeling, where the main load falls on the shoulders of the graphics accelerator, the central processor plays a huge role, and with an incorrectly selected “stone”, the performance of even the most powerful video card will not be revealed to its fullest.

At the moment, there are only two major processor manufacturers in the consumer market: AMD and Intel. It is about them that we will talk in the traditional rating.

The best inexpensive processors: budget up to 5000 rubles.

4 Intel Celeron G3900 Skylake

The most affordable Intel processor
Country: USA
Average price: 4 381 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.5

The rating is opened by an extremely weak processor of the Celeron line. The G3900 model has two cores of the previous generation - Skylake, which, coupled with a frequency of 2.8 GHz, gives the lowest performance result. In synthetic tests, the processor shows a result about half that of the Core i3. But the price here is quite budgetary - 4-4.5 thousand rubles. This means that this processor is perfect for assembling, for example, a simple office computer or a multimedia system for the living room. In general, this model cannot be called bad. Still, the 14 nm process technology provides good power efficiency, and the HD Graphics 510 graphics core is suitable for casual games.

Advantages:

• Lowest price in the class
• Great for office PC or HTPC

Disadvantages:

• Does not support Hyper-Threading Technology

3 AMD Athlon X4 845 Carrizo

Best price
The country:
Average price: 3 070 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.5

The processors of the Athlon line belong to the budget class, which is clearly seen in the price of the bronze medalist. But for over three thousand rubles you will get a very interesting stone. There are 4 cores (2 logical cores for each physical core) made according to the 28 nm process technology. Due to this, power consumption is low, and heat dissipation is quite low for AMD - only 65 watts. True, this is not particularly rejoicing because of the locked multiplier - it will not be possible to overclock the processor. Also, the disadvantages include the lack of a built-in graphics core, which means that when assembling an office PC or a multimedia system, you will have to separately purchase a video card.

Advantages:

• Lowest price in the class
• Great performance for the price

Disadvantages:

• Lack of integrated graphics core
• Not unlocked multiplier

2 AMD FX-6300 Vishera

The only 6-core processor in the class
The country: USA (Made in Malaysia, China)
Average price: 4 160 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.6

AMD's FX-6300 is the only processor in the category with six cores. Unfortunately, one cannot hope for high power in the budget class - the model is based on the 2012 Vishera core. In normal mode, the cores run at 3.5 GHz, but like many AMD CPUs, it overclocks perfectly. Yes, performance, judging by user reviews, is enough even for games, but there are still enough minuses.

One of the main ones is high power consumption. Due to the use of an inexpensive 32 nm process technology, AMD gets very hot and consumes a lot of electricity. Also note the lack of support for modern random access memory DDR4 standard. Because of this, the processor can be advised not to build a new PC, but to upgrade an old one without replacing the motherboard and other components.

Advantages:

• 6 cores. Great for doing multiple simple tasks simultaneously.
• Good overclocking potential
• Low cost

Disadvantages:

• Poor energy efficiency
• Legacy platform

At the moment, there are only two players in the processor market - Intel and AMD. It's just that the choice doesn't get any easier. To make it easier for you to decide whether to buy a CPU from one manufacturer or another, we have listed some of the main pros and cons of these companies' products for you.

Company	pros	Minuses
	Programs and games are better optimized for Intel Lower power consumption Performance tends to be slightly better Higher cache frequencies	Effectively work with no more than no more than two resource-intensive tasks Higher cost When changing the line of processors, the socket also changes, which means that the upgrade is more complicated
	Below cost Better price-performance ratio Work better with 3-4 resource-intensive tasks (better multitasking) Most processors overclock well	Higher power consumption and temperatures (not exactly true for the latest Ryzen processors) Worse program optimization

1 Intel Pentium G4600 Kaby Lake

Best Performance
Country: USA
Average price: 7 450 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.7

We can recommend the good old Pentium for purchase in this category. This processor, like the previous participants, is made according to the 14 nm process technology, socket LGA1151. Refers to one of the latest generations - Kaby Lake. Of course, there are only 2 cores. They operate at a frequency of 3.6 GHz, which causes the gap from the Core i3 by about 18-20%. But this is not much, because the difference in price is twofold! In addition to the frequency of the cores, the relatively low power is due to the small amount of L3 cache - 3071 KB.

In addition to the excellent price-performance ratio, the advantages of this CPU include the presence of an integrated graphics core Intel HD Graphics 630, which is more than enough for comfortable use of a PC without a discrete graphics card.

Advantages:

• Great price for this performance
• Generation Kaby Lake
• Good integrated graphics

The best mid-range processors: budget up to 20,000 rubles.

5 Intel Core i3-7320 Kaby Lake

The most affordable processor with integrated graphics
Country: USA
Average price: 12 340 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.6

Let's open the rating with the most affordable processor of the i-core line. The model is extremely difficult to call excellent in terms of price / quality ratio, because the cheaper ryzen 3 even shows slightly better results in synthetic tests. Nevertheless, the model that opens the TOP-5 can be safely chosen not only for an office system, but also for a gaming computer.

There are only two physical cores, but these are modern 14 nm chips of one of the latest generations - Kaby lake. Frequency - 4100 MHz. This is a very shameful indicator. In addition, there is the possibility of overclocking. Considering the excellent energy efficiency and low heat dissipation - even with the bundled cooler the idle temperature stays at 35-40 degrees, under load up to 70 degrees - you can painlessly increase the frequencies. Unlike competitors from AMD, Core i3 has an integrated graphics core, which allows it to be used in office system no discrete graphics card. But keep in mind that officially it only works on Windows 10.

Advantages:

• Integrated graphics core
• Overclocking capability
• Low temperatures

Disadvantages:

• Weak performance for the price

4 AMD Ryzen 3 1200 Summit Ridge

Best price
The country: USA (Made in Malaysia, China)
Average price: 6 917 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.7

Ryzen 3 is AMD's low-cost new line of processors, designed to once again impose a fight on Intel. And the 1200 does a great job. For 7 thousand rubles, the buyer receives a 4-core processor. The factory frequencies are low - only 3.1 GHz (3.4 GHz in high performance mode), but the multiplier is unlocked, which means that enthusiasts can easily make the "stone" a little faster.

The transition to new chips not only improved performance, but also reduced power consumption, and also allowed temperatures to be reduced to acceptable values. Due to the lack of an integrated graphics chip, we can only recommend this processor for budget gaming builds. The performance is only slightly better than the previous entrant.

Advantages:

• Unlocked multiplier

Disadvantages:

• No built-in graphics chip

3 Intel Core i5-7600K Kaby Lake

Great processor for gaming
Country: USA
Average price: 19 084 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.7

Let's start with the fact that the i5-7600K is by no means an outsider. Yes, in terms of performance, it is somewhat worse than the mastodons that you will see below, but for most gamers it will be more than enough. The processor has four Kaby Lake cores running at 3.8 GHz (in reality up to 4.0 GHz with TurboBoost). There is also a built-in graphics core - HD Graphics 630, which means that even demanding games can be played at the minimum wage. With a normal video card (for example, GTX 1060), the processor reveals itself completely. In most games at FullHD resolution (most gamers have such monitors) and high graphics settings, the frame rate rarely drops below 60 fps. Is there anything else needed?

Advantages:

• Best price
• Enough power for most gamers
• Excellent graphics core

2 AMD Ryzen 5 1600 Summit Ridge

Best price/performance ratio
The country: USA (Made in Malaysia, China)
Average price: 11 970 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.8

The second line of the TOP-5 mid-range processors is occupied by one of the best processors in terms of price / performance ratio. With an average cost of only 12,000 rubles, in synthetic tests, Ryzen 5 is able to compete with the well-known Intel Core i7-7700K at standard settings (In PassMark 12270 and 12050 points, respectively). Such power is due to the presence of six Summit Ridge physical cores, made according to the 12 nm process technology. The clock frequency is not a record - 3.6 GHz. The possibility of overclocking is present, but in the reviews, users claim that at frequencies above 4.0-4.1 GHz, the processor behaves unstable and gets very hot. At factory settings, in idle time, temperatures are kept at 42-46 degrees, in games 53-57 when using a standard cooler.

Also, high performance is due to large cache volumes of all levels. The CPU supports the modern DDR4-2667 standard, which allows you to create excellent computers based on this processor for playing at medium-high settings in FullHD.

Advantages:

• Excellent price/performance ratio
• Little heated

Disadvantages:

• Low overclocking potential

1 AMD Ryzen 7 1700 Summit Ridge

The most powerful processor in the class
The country: USA (Manufactured in Malaysia, China, China)
Average price: 17 100 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.8

As expected, the processor from the top Ryzen 7 line has the best performance in the class. Again, one cannot help but recall the cost - for 17 thousand rubles we get power at the level of the top Core i7 of previous years. The processor includes eight cores divided into two clusters. With a stock clock speed of just 3.0GHz, the Ryzen 7 is guaranteed to top out at 3.7GHz, and with a bit of luck, up to 4.1GHz.

Like the previous representatives of the line, the leader is made according to the 12 nm process technology, which makes it possible to save energy. The situation with heat dissipation is good - in stress tests, temperatures are kept at 70-75 degrees.

Advantages:

• High performance
• Overclocking available
• Fresh platform to be supported for at least 4 years

The best top processors

3 Intel Core i7-7700K Kaby Lake

The most popular top processor
Average price: 29 060 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.6

More recently, the i7-7700K was the top processor in Intel's lineup. But technology is developing extremely quickly, and in 2018 it is difficult to recommend this particular chip for purchase. According to synthetic tests, the model clearly lags behind its competitors - in PassMark, the CPU scores only 12,000 points, which is comparable to modern mid-range processors. But these figures are achieved at standard settings, when 4 physical cores operate at a frequency of 4.2 GHz, and the CPU can be easily overclocked to even higher frequencies, thereby increasing performance.

Yes, the bronze medalist lags behind competitors, but costs at least half as much, and given the popularity, it is quite possible to find a good second-hand processor. Also, the high prevalence and long-standing presence in the market allows you to find an affordable motherboard with an LGA1151 socket. In general, we have an excellent base for a powerful gaming system at a relatively low cost.

Advantages:

• Good price for this class
• High performance
• Great overclocking possibilities
• High popularity

Disadvantages:

• Not really relevant in 2018

2 Intel Core i9-7900X Skylake

The most powerful processor in the Intel line
Country: USA
Average price: 77 370 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.7

Until recently, Intel's top line was the Core i7 series. But modern realities require more and more power. If you have few familiar solutions, pay attention to the Core i9-7900X. The processor is already at the standard clock frequency is able to enter the TOP-10 most powerful CPU. For example, in PassMark, the model scores almost 22 thousand points - this is twice as much as that of the bronze medalist in the rating. At the same time, in the reviews, users talk about trouble-free overclocking to 4.2-4.5 GHz with high-quality air cooling. Temperatures do not exceed 70 degrees under load.

Such high performance is due to the use of 10 cores made according to the 14 nm process technology. The model supports all the necessary modern standards and commands, which allows it to be used for any task.

Advantages:

• Top performance
• Excellent overclocking potential
• Acceptable temperatures

Disadvantages:

• Very high cost
• No solder under the lid.

1 AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

The leader of the rating is insane in everything - starting at a price of 65 thousand rubles, ending with incredible performance. In terms of power in synthetic tests, the model is slightly ahead of the previous participant. The internal arrangement is significantly different. Threadripper uses 16 (!) cores. The clock speed is comparable to the Core i9 - 3400 MHz - but the overclocking capabilities are more modest. Stable "stone" works at a frequency of 3.9 GHz, with an increase in rates, the necessary stability is lost.

So a large number of cores performs well in all tasks. But using a monster for games is not entirely reasonable - not all projects can reveal its potential. AMD is useful for professional video editors, 3D designers and more. - in professional software, the addition of cores gives a significant increase in rendering speed.

Advantages:

• Relatively low price tag
• high power
• Excellent performance in professional programs

Considering the best processors of 2017, it is worth noting that the performance of each is enough to run gaming applications.

Even budget versions, together with the right memory and graphics card, can easily run a modern game with a good resolution.

And you can choose the model that suits you according to several parameters - cache memory, frequency, number of cores and threads, power consumption and, of course, price.

Features of choice

The processor frequency, which is an important parameter of this device, modern models is at the level of 3-4 GHz. And although some of them can increase this characteristic when overclocking or turning on the turbo mode, this does not matter much.

Much more important for running games and applications are the characteristics of a video card that works with the central processor.

Another important parameter is the energy consumption during operation, on which the power of the computer's power supply and cooling cooler depends. This figure is significantly lower for Intel models and higher for AMD processors. However, the higher the performance of the device, the smaller the difference in power consumption between the top versions - regardless of the manufacturer, they have a power of about 90 watts.

The speed of data processing depends on the number of cores and threads. The higher these numbers, the higher the probability of launching on the computer not only a modern and resource-demanding game, but also any applications within a few next years. Most modern processors have 4 to 8 cores. And dual-core are considered almost obsolete - especially if you use them for games.

Ryzen 7 1800X is the best gaming processor

Released in 2017, the Ryzen 7 series of processors includes a number of top models, the oldest of which is the 1800X. The performance of each thread and core is inferior to the capabilities of the similar Intel Core i7 model, but the device wins due to their number. The eight-core processor processes a large amount of information and can be overclocked from 3.6 to 4 GHz.

Additional advantages of buying a processor include Neural Net Prediction technology, which, in fact, is a built-in artificial intelligence to speed up data processing. And among the minuses, one can note the absence of "boxed versions", that is, models that are immediately equipped with a powerful cooler. The cooling system for Ryzen 7 will have to be purchased separately.

Model characteristics:

• socket: AM4;
• frequency (normal / turbo): 3.6 / 4.0 GHz;
• L3 cache: 16 MB;
• cores/threads: 8/16;
• power: 95 W;
• price: from 28000 rub.

Rice. 1. Ryzen 7 1800X.

Core i7-7700K - maximum performance from Intel

The lineup Intel processors also have their own leader - i7-7700K, featuring high performance and clock speed. At the same time, the device consumes a relatively large amount of electricity - almost as much as the top-end AMD. And the processor frequency can vary within 4.2-4.7 GHz - enough to support any, even the most demanding games of 2016, 2017 and, most likely, 2018.

Although, in order for the device to run resource-intensive applications, it should be used together with a suitable memory and video card (from 8 GB and from 4 GB, respectively). The capabilities of the built-in graphics processor for the game will not be enough - but it will be enough to play video in the best resolution to date.

Main settings:

• power consumption: 91 W;
• socket: 1151;
• frequency: 4.2 GHz (4.5 GHz in turbo mode);
• L3 cache: 8 MB;
• number of cores/processes: 4/4;
• average price: 25,000 rubles.

Rice. 2. i7-7700K.

Core i5-7500 - fast gaming processor

If prices above 20 thousand rubles seemed too high to the user, he can buy an Intel processor of the previous series - Core i5-7500.

The price will be half as compared to the i7 models, and the performance and size of the third-level cache are practically not inferior to the "older" versions. With a good graphics card and 8-16 GB of RAM, this processor can run any game released to date.

The advantages of the model include the built-in graphics core Intel HD Graphics 630, which supports videos with a resolution of 4K. And support for DirectX 12 technology provides even better interaction with games, allowing you to call the processor both fast and gaming.

Model characteristics:

• power, W: 65;
• frequency, GHz: 3.4–3.8;
• socket: 1151;
• threads and cores: 4/4;
• cache L3, MB: 6;
• prices, rub.: from 11600 rub.

Rice. 3. Intel Core i5-7500.

Ryzen 5 1600X - Midrange AMD

A more economical, but practically not inferior in terms of capabilities to the top model, there is also an option in the Ryzen 5 line from AMD. The 1600X processor is in the top five best offers manufacturer. However, it costs almost 40% less.

The operating frequency and cache model are fully consistent with the Rysen 7 series, and the only important difference is the smaller number of cores. However, if you do not use the processor on full power, the difference will be almost imperceptible. Moreover, the speed of the device is increased thanks to the same built-in "artificial intelligence".

Technical specifications:

• socket version: AM4;
• frequency: 3.6 (4.0 in turbo mode);
• L3 cache: 16 MB;
• cores/threads: 6/12;
• power consumption: 95 W;
• cost: from 16,000 rubles.

Rice. 4. Ryzen 5 1600X.

Intel Core i3-7100 is a good gaming processor

Users who prefer to build their computer based on Intel processors and at the same time not pay more than $1000 for a system unit should pay attention to the Core i3-7100 model.

A device with two cores, but with four threads will cope with the launch of even those games that have a Core i5 or i7 parameter in the minimum requirements. To do this, the processor must be installed on a PC with a sufficient amount of RAM and graphics memory. Although DirectX 12 support and integrated video are already built into this model, which allow it to work even without a discrete graphics card.

Main characteristics:

• frequency and socket: 3.9 GHz, 1151;
• L3 cache: 3 MB;
• number of threads/cores: 4/2;
• processor power consumption: 51 W;
• cost: 6300–9700 rubles.

Rice. 5. Intel Core i3-7100.

AMD FX-6300 - profitable and fast

The manufacturer AMD, whose products have always been less expensive compared to Intel models, allows you to choose an excellent alternative to a budget gaming processor.

For example, the FX-6300, which may come with an inexpensive motherboard and 8 GB of RAM.

This set will provide work with most modern games and applications. Moreover, with the help of the FX-6300 processor, it is quite possible to watch two different films on two monitors, record streams and process video.

Model Features:

• socket: AM3+;
• power consumption parameters: 95 W;
• processor frequency: 3.5 GHz;
• cache memory level 3: 8 MB;
• cores and threads: 6/6;
• online prices: from 4400 rubles.

Rice. 6. AMD FX-6300.

Pentium G4560 - cheap gaming processor

One more budget model Intel is the Pentium G4560, which you can buy when building an inexpensive gaming PC.

If you use this processor for assembly, the cost of the kit (without monitor) will not exceed $500. And the resources of the resulting computer will be enough either to run modern games at minimum settings, or for older gaming applications.

An RX 460 or GTX 7xx video card (for example, Nvidia 750 Ti) that matches its price and performance is best suited to such a processor.

Processor features:

• slot: Socket 1151;
• frequency: 3.5 GHz;
• power consumption: 54 W;
• Level 3 cache: 3 MB;
• cores/threads: 2/4;
• prices: from 3500 rubles.

Rice. 7. Pentium G4560.

Athlon X4 860K - budget processor from AMD

If the user does not care about the power consumption of the processor, it is advisable to pay attention to the X4 860K model, which differs in the optimal ratio of performance and price.

For only 2800-3000 rubles, the user gets at his disposal a device without an integrated graphics processor, but with a silent cooler and four cores. Moreover, another advantage of the processor is compatibility with inexpensive motherboards for the FM2 + socket, although they do not support either modern memory or new video cards.

Characteristics:

• processor socket: FM2+;
• frequency: 3.7 GHz;
• number of cores and threads: 4/4;
• cache memory of the third level: no;
• power: 95 W;
• price: from 2800 rubles.

Rice. 8. Athlon X4 860K.

AMD A10-7890K - great opportunities and savings on video

For users who prefer integrated graphics, the AMD A10-7890K processor is a good option. Among its advantages is the ability to run many modern gaming applications even without using a powerful graphics card.

The characteristics of the device are roughly comparable to RX460 GPUs, which means it is suitable for most eSports games like DOTA2 and CS:GO with high image quality.

Subsequently, a discrete graphics card can be purchased for the A10-7890K, expanding the possibilities of using the computer. Often this is exactly what gamers do, buying parts for a budget gaming PC in stages - as far as their financial capabilities.

Part parameters:

• Socket: FM2+;
• processor frequency: 4.1 GHz;
• cores/threads: 4/4;
• power consumption: 95 W;
• average price: 8000 rubles.

Rice. 9. A10-7890K.

A10-7860K - the most profitable of gaming processors

If you want to buy a decent and inexpensive processor with integrated graphics, you can pay attention to the A10-7860K - the "younger" model A10-7890K.

The speed of work and most of the characteristics of the devices differ little from each other. But, choosing a more affordable option, the cost of assembling a computer is reduced by another $30-35, almost without noticing a decrease in performance.

Processor options:

• number of cores/threads: 4/4;
• socket: FM2+;
• frequency: 3.6 GHz;
• power: 65 W;
• cost in the network: 6000 rubles.

Rice. 10. A10-7860K.

findings

Based on the results of the review of the best modern processors in their class, we can draw conclusions about a good assortment of the modern market.

Depending on financial capabilities and computer requirements, any user can find a suitable chipset.

For example, Intel i7 and Ryzen 7 for powerful gaming and graphics work. Or the Athlon X4 860K and Pentium G4560 for less demanding gaming applications. And gamers who want to save money, run more or less modern games, should give preference to the i5 series from Intel or Ryzen 5 from AMD.

As for office applications, there are no suitable models for them in 2017 - all these programs run perfectly on PCs with processors released several years ago.

CES2017: Processors of the Year 2017

Everything that was shown at #CES2017 about central and hybrid processors: Intel Kaby Lake, AMD Ryzen Summit Ridge, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835.

The question of which processor is best for gaming has been raised since the very time when games generally began to appear on personal computers.

To date, it has not lost its relevance.

Therefore, it would be useful to understand what characteristics can make this or that processor really the best for gaming computers.

And also in what model can be called the best in all these characteristics in 2017.

Let's say right away that we will not choose a model that costs the most and has all the characteristics at its maximum.

Instead, we will select the model that will 100% pull absolutely all modern games.

The reason for this is that today there is simply no need for too high characteristics, and processors with high parameters are a simple means PR for various companies.

In principle, we can state the fact that the most powerful processor today is the Intel Core i7-5960X, but it makes no sense to buy it.

The fact is that so far not a single program, not a single game needs its power.

In addition, it is only 9 times more powerful than one of the weakest AMD A4-4000 processors, and it is 43 times more expensive ($1,300)!

You can buy it purely for sporting interest. And this is a vivid example of what we talked about above - the processor is powerful, but who needs it?

Therefore, it is better to choose the processor that is ideal for a gamer and which can be bought for a “human” amount.

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• Which video card is better for gaming - Selection by main parameters

Parameter number 1. Number of Cores

As you know, the processor core is the part where the calculations take place. But the definition of "number of processor cores" is not entirely correct, from a technical point of view.

In fact, a quad-core processor is four separate processors located on the same board.

Only the task that enters the device is divided into all four parts.

It is logical that the more "cores", the better, because the faster the device will work.

Last year, a study was conducted that clearly showed that the power of the processor in games directly depends on the number of cores.

For research, the game GTA 5 was taken and launched on two, four, six and eight cores.

The graphs show the number of frames per second (fps).

But the same study of the game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt gave a completely unexpected result - there a larger number of fps was recorded when four and six cores were working.

Interestingly, most experts agree on the optimal number of cores.

They say that all modern games run smoothly on a quad-core processor.

Yes, heavier games will be released in the future, but it still doesn’t make much sense to choose a six-core processor.

Indeed, for the same GTA 5, two cores are enough. Well, what kind of game should come out so that 4 cores are not enough for it?

It's hard to imagine this today. Hence the first selection criterion.

Criterion #1: The minimum number of cores is 4.

Parameter number 2. Frequency

This characteristic determines how many operations per second the device can process. Logically, the higher the frequency, the better.

The same year, Metro: Last Light was tested on different meanings frequencies of the same processor.

The number of frames per second was measured, but at different screen resolutions. What happened in the end can be seen in the figure.

Considering this characteristic, it should be said that today it makes no sense to buy processors with a frequency of less than 2.4 GHz.

The fact is that they will not be able to properly process all the information from games and programs that require significant computing resources.

At the same time, when choosing the optimal number of GHz, one should take into account the notorious marketing factor, which is that manufacturers simply make processors with too high a frequency, which makes no sense today.

The fact is that the heaviest games work quietly at 2.5 GHz.

But it is also worth considering that we want to use the computer for a long time and not change the processor.

And over time, when too much information accumulates on the computer, it becomes more difficult for even the most powerful processor to process it.

This is not due to the fact that the frequency and, accordingly, the power are falling, but simply because of the increasing load.

Therefore, it is better to buy a processor with a margin - at 4 GHz.

Such a device, even after five years of use, will quietly run the heaviest games, despite the fact that terabytes of information will be stored on the hard drive.

Hence the second criterion.

Criterion #2: The minimum frequency is 4 GHz.

Another argument in favor of this criterion is the rating of processors compiled by cpubenchmark.net, whose experts determine which model has the highest performance (classic Benchmark).

As you can see, the first place here is generally occupied by a model with 2.3 GHz.

Parameter number 3. Architecture

Without going into too much detail, let's say that Intel's best architectures are Haswell, Broadwell and Skylake, while AMD's is Steamroller.

They came out in the last three years and are in the lead in all ratings of audience sympathy and opinions of specialists.

They have the most positive feedback.

As for which one is the best, another study helps to determine this, in which processors with different architectures were tested on computers with one video card and fps was measured in GTA game 5.

The result can be seen in the figure.

As you can see, the indicators are not very different, but the Broadwell and Skylake architectures show themselves best. And Haswell, Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge, which are used by most gamers today, are far behind the leading positions.

True, the study was conducted only for Intel devices. But AMD's Steamroller will also show good results. Hence the next criterion.

Criterion #3: Architecture - Broadwell, Skylake for Intel and Steamroller for AMD.

Just in time for the beginning of the school year and during it, the need for new computers is increasing, and many will be wondering - which processor is better for gaming?

To answer this question, let's look at the variety of modern models, and by what parameters and criteria a chip is generally chosen for modern games.

PC processor price

When assembling a gaming computer, the main thing is not the processor, but the video card, the main expenses will be on it. You can naturally spend money and assemble from all the best, but such a system unit will be very expensive, which is far from accessible to everyone.

If you want to spend not very much, but get a fairly good gaming PC, you will have to save on something. One of the options is to save on the processor, which does not always play such a decisive role in the performance of toys.

For example, Intel processors of the i3, i5, i7, i9 families differ in price, but all four can be used in gaming systems. The best processor for gaming is of course the i9 series, but the price of the youngest of them starts at $1,000 (60,000 rubles). Another thing is the i3, which costs several times cheaper - $ 150 (9000 rubles), but it can also be installed in a gaming computer.

If you choose the AMD platform, then it has traditionally always been cheaper than Intel. The junior version of the top-end Ryzen Threadripper 1920X processor, which is on par with the most powerful Intel chips in terms of performance, will cost $ 800 (48,000 rubles), which is already cheaper. If you choose the younger AMD Ryzen 3 1200, then the price for it is only $110, and yes, it can also be used for a gaming computer.

This range of prices raises many questions, which we will try to answer below.

What processor for games to choose?

Let's divide all the processors listed below into some subgroups: premium, fast and good. The latter will be the best option when the budget is not very large. Premium ones are of course very productive, but they are designed for buyers who often want to highlight their high social status.

Premium Processors

Fast processors

Good processors

There are many processor models that can be used in gaming computer. We chose purely for our own subjective reasons. This does not mean that even cheaper and lower-performance chips cannot be used, but if you want to unleash the full potential of a gaming video card, then we choose at least the last four.

Characteristics of processors for games 2017

Now let's take a look at some of the main characteristics and nuances by which you should choose a gaming processor. Today's latest generation chips like AMD Ryzen are equipped with more advanced architectures to enable never-before-seen multiprocessing and multithreading, along with intelligent features that optimize power on their own. Although not all games or applications can reveal all these possibilities, everything is moving in this direction. Consider the main selection criteria.

Frequency

This is one of those parameters by which the processor for gaming is most often chosen. Usually, something below 2.8 GHz is not considered a gaming processor, so we try to select it in the 3-4 GHz range. What is above this threshold is usually overclocked “stones” for overlocking. Such models have an unlocked multiplier and can significantly increase the frequency with good cooling. Both Intel and AMD often refer to them as K and X, for example, our list has the Intel Core i7-7700K.

True, most modern processors independently regulate the frequency within certain limits (2.9-3.9 GHz), if required by the task being performed. The Intel Core i7-7700T processor from our list is just that.

Cores and Threads

More and more modern games require a minimum of 4 cores (GTA V, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Far Cry 4 or Assassin's Creed Unity) to give acceptable performance on a pair with your gaming graphics card. True, multi-core does not always affect performance; multi-threading often plays a key role. All modern Intel processors support Hyper-Threading technology, which implements twice the number of threads in relation to cores, which gives higher performance. The new AMD Razens are also equipped with similar technology. All processors with such parameters can be safely written into gaming ones.

Cache

The size of the cache usually does not affect performance in games, but will be noticeable if you run many programs at the same time or surf the Internet like crazy, opening many tabs at the same time. It is definitely impossible to exclude this parameter in the rapidly developing world of technology. Some processors, such as the premium AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920X, are equipped with a huge amount of this memory (38 MB in total). There are 1st, 2nd and 3rd level caches.

Intel or AMD?

Traditionally, AMD processors have always been cheaper than their competitor Intel, and did not have the same performance capabilities, so they were more often bought because of their budget. However, the latest generation of AMD Ryzen, thanks to the introduction of the latest technologies (including intelligent ones), even bypassed many models of Intel chips. This is despite the fact that the prices for them are decently cheaper.

The time has passed when AMD trailed behind Intel, now the company is gaining more and more momentum and is likely to bypass its eminent brother. Moreover, the last few years the latter does not offer anything fundamentally new.

Which processor to choose for 4K games?

Although many top-end graphics cards support 4K resolution, getting a fairly acceptable performance (at least 60 FPS) on maximum settings will only allow the creation of a system of two or even three video cards. Accordingly, such a configuration requires a sufficiently powerful central processor.

For these purposes, choose from fast processors, and preferably premium ones. Expensive, yes, but you get a completely different gaming experience with ultra-high resolution.

Which processor is suitable for VR games?

To comfortably use a VR helmet, any chip from the good processors section is enough. Even high-end headsets only offer Full HD resolution, which any mid-range gaming graphics card can handle, providing good performance and high frame rates (FPS).

If you can get an expensive VR headset like the HTC Vive or PlayStation VR, you can probably put together a very decent system unit with an expensive processor.

Conclusion

So, which processor to choose for games? If you are not constrained by means and want to surprise your friends and pamper your self, then the answer is obvious. And if the budget is small, but at the same time you really want to play in comfort, then choose a processor with at least 4 threads. An Intel Core i3-7320 from our list or an AMD Ryzen 3 1300X will work. But it is better to install the Intel Core i5-7600, which will be the best option with a small margin for the future, because the gaming industry offers more and more interesting games requiring high power.