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 i9-9900K Intel, 2018 LGA 1151 v2 98%
3. Core i7-9700K Intel, 2018 LGA 1151 v2 96%
4. Core i7-8700 Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 v2 95%
5. Core i7-8700K Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 v2 95%
6. Core i5-9400F Intel, 2019 LGA 1151 v2 95%
7. Core i5-9600K Intel, 2018 LGA 1151 v2 95%
8. Core i5-8500 Intel, 2018 LGA 1151 v2 92%
9. Core i5-8400 Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 v2 92%
10. Core i5-8600K Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 v2 92%
11. Core i3-9100F Intel, 2019 LGA 1151 v2 87%
12. Core i3-8100 Intel, 2017 LGA 1151 v2 81%

"% 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?