Processor chart

Which processor is better for games? Each bar shows how strong a processor is for gaming. A longer bar means a stronger processor. Processors with the same bar play games about the same.

1. ProcessorStrength for gamesGames on high
2. Core i7-7700 Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 87%
3. Core i7-7700K Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 87%
4. Core i7-6700 Intel, 2015 LGA 1151 81%
5. Core i7-6700K Intel, 2015 LGA 1151 81%
6. Core i5-7400 Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 80%
7. Core i5-7500 Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 80%
8. Core i5-7600K Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 80%
9. Core i5-6400 Intel, 2015 LGA 1151 76%
10. Core i5-6500 Intel, 2015 LGA 1151 76%
11. Core i5-6600K Intel, 2015 LGA 1151 76%
12. Core i3-7100 Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 70%
13. Core i3-6100 Intel, 2015 LGA 1151 67%

"% of games on high" is how many of the 2,086 games in our list that name a recommended processor ask for one no stronger than this (with the same small leeway Test my PC gives, because makers often name a close chip). The graphics card and memory count too, and usually matter more: Test my PC checks all three.

How to read processor names

• Ryzen 3, 5, 7 and 9 (AMD) and Core i3, i5, i7 and i9 (Intel) are the levels. 3 is basic, 5 is the everyday gaming choice, 7 and 9 are top end.
• The first number of the model is the age. A Ryzen 5 5600 is newer than a Ryzen 5 3600. An Intel i5-12400 is a 12th generation chip, newer than an i5-10400.
• A newer, lower level can beat an older, higher one. On this chart a Ryzen 3 3100 sits above a Ryzen 5 3400G, and a Core i3-12100F above a Core i7-8700K.
• G on a Ryzen means it has graphics built in. Handy without a graphics card, but the older G chips (like the 3400G) are a step behind the same-number chips without the G.
• The socket (AM4, AM5, LGA 1700 and so on) is the shape of the slot on the motherboard. A processor only fits a motherboard with the same socket, so swapping to one with a different socket means a new motherboard too. AM5 and LGA 1851 boards take only the newer DDR5 memory. Even on the same socket, an older motherboard may need a BIOS update first: ask us if you are not sure.
• X3D chips have extra memory on the chip, which helps games a lot. Read more in our X3D processors guide.
• K (Intel) and X (AMD) are a little faster. F (Intel) means no built-in graphics, so you need a graphics card.

This is our own scale, the same one we use to check every game on this site. Treat it as a rough guide: for games, the processor matters less than the graphics card, and processors one step apart play games about the same. Not sure? Ask us and we will tell you straight.

Comparing graphics cards too? See our graphics card chart. Or read AMD or Intel?