I'll say it, CPUs are confusing - here's what you need to know ahead of Black Friday

HardwareDesktop PCsI’ll say it, CPUs are confusing - here’s what you need to know ahead of Black FridayWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. HardwareDesktop PCsI’ll say it, CPUs are confusing - here’s what you need to know ahead of Black FridayWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Future / Duncan Robertson) Black Friday is undoubtedly the best time throughout the year to buy new parts for a gaming PC. If you’re planning on building your first system, or you just haven’t upgraded in a number of years, this is the season for assembling your next gaming PC on the cheap. Of course, not everyone wants the DIY of building, andBlack Friday gaming PC dealsalso present an opportunity to buy a prebuilt system and save yourself the faff and extra expenses that building involves. No matter how you plan on obtaining a new gaming desktop, however, you’ll need to choose a CPU. Picking your parts is always going to be tricky, mainly because there are so many to choose from these days. I think the part most people still get wrong, though, is the processor. It’s one of the most important components of your build but it’s one of the easiest parts to overspend on. This is particularly the case for upgraders who haven’t been keeping up to date on thebest gaming PCs. In previous generations, you had to opt for an AMD Ryzen 7 or 9, or an Intel Core i7 or i9 to really get the best performance. Nowadays, both CPU brands have leveled the playing field, and while their middle and top-tier options are worth buying, you don’tneedto splash out on them - the Ryzen 5 and i5 variants have become so much stronger. All the while, motherboard sockets, RAM generations, and product names can make things confusing. I’ve listed what you need to consider when shopping for aBlack Friday CPU dealdown below to make things less confusing for builders, upgraders, and full system hunters. AMD or Intel? (Image credit: Intel) Despite rumours thatNvidiamight come out with a processor to rival them, you really have two choices of manufacturer when consideringbest CPUs for gaming. There’s Team Blue, known as Intel, who are perhaps better known. Then there’s AMD, who we can call Team Red. Although it started as a scrappy underdog that undercut Intel’s prices, it’s now a genuine powerhouse, making processors that sometimes beat Intel’s. Intel’s CPUs tend to feature more cores and threads, but usually cost a little more thanAMD’s. Its 13th and 14th generations are the ones to watch out for right now, even if its brand new wave has launched more recently. Thankfully, both brands must have had a meeting some time ago and agree to make their processor names as confusing as possible. That’s great, because it means I get to try and explain it now. I’ll use the example of theIntel Core i5-13600K, which is our current pick for the best CPU. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more (Image credit: AMD) Then there’s AMD, which uses its own type of architecture and builds CPUs slightly differently to Intel. This brand is all about value, and so you tend to get fewer cores and threads for your money, but a more affordable price without skimping out on actual gaming performance. They also tend to be easier to cool down, but that may depend on your individual setup. Some people feel deterred from choosing AMD processors because they feel they’re not getting enough for their money, but in all honesty, the majority of gamers don’t actually need the number of cores and threads that Intel CPUs provide. AMD’s naming convention works in a similar way to Intel’s, but still takes some explaining. I’ll use the example of anAMD Ryzen 5 8600Gprocessor to walk you through it. What will you use a gaming PC for? (Image credit: Frontier) The next thing to consider before choosing a specific CPU is what you’ll actually use it for. There are a few use-cases that differentiate this, and working this out can be a big help in preventing you overspending. General gaming:If you tend to play lots of different games, and never really settle on on any one genre, you probably don’t need a very expensive CPU if you’re buying one of the most recent generations. This might change if you’re planning on playing at 4K exclusively, but for the most part, all the average gamer will need these days will be an AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i5. Hardcore City Builder / RTS Gaming:If you’re one of those gamers whose sessions span into the wee small hours with friends playing RTS games, or you exclusively play city building games, you might want to opt for more headroom. This is going to be one of, if not the most important part of your build, especially if you’re playing in 4K. This type of games requires a more advanced CPU because it simulates hundreds of in-gam characters at any one time, and is trying to calculate an entire world’s worth of processes at the same time. If you’re in this camp, check out theIntel Core i7-13700K, orIntel Core i9-13900Kthis Black Friday. Content Creation:If you’re a budding streamer, or video editor, or animator, a decent CPU with some headroom is going to be worth its weight in gold for you. Now, I will stress, until recently, I used the 13600K processor for my everyday driver, and I do loads of content creation with it. For an i5, I was constantly surprised at how well it could manage video editing and streaming, while other tasks were running in the background. So, if you’ve burned a hole in your pocket buying thebest gear for streaming, you don’t have to go for a higher-end CPU. On the other hand, if you want the extra headroom, I wouldn’t blame you, and it’ll be a worthwhile investment if you create content professionally. Motherboards, RAM, and Futureproofing (Image credit: Future / Duncan Robertson) As a general rule these days, I don’t really recommend products that aren’t going to give you some futureproofing. When it comes to processors, that means DDR5-compatible options only. However, that also means you need to make sure you get the right motherboard. I’m sorry to tell you that AMD and Intel chips require different motherboards because the sockets that connect them are specific to each generation of CPU architecture. That means if you currently own an older Intel motherboard, you can’t switch to an AMD Ryzen CPU without swapping motherboard. You can upgrade to a different Intel CPU, but only if it slots into the same socket as your current one. A few DDR5 compatible CPUs on the Intel side can slot into DDR4-only motherboards too, just to add some extra confusion. You can see why knowing this stuff before you buy can be really useful. To avoid any weird incompatibilities, head for the options below. (Image credit: Future / Duncan Robertson) Intel:12th, 13th, and 14th generations. There is now a new 15th generation dubbed Arrow Lake, but the early results for this wave in terms of gaming haven’t been so great, and it’ll demand an even newer motherboard than the previous three generations. For these, you want to make sure that the motherboard you choose has an LGA1700 socket, and is DDR5 compatible. AMD:Ryzen 7000, 8000G, and 9000 processors are all DDR5 compatible. Annoyingly, the Ryzen 5000 generation is brilliant, and can be found so, so cheaply these days. AMD is still supporting it with new models too, so they can be especially tempting for budget buyers. I would only recommend these newer 5000 series processors if you currently own a system that utilises one though, because they aren’t DDR5 compatible, and you’re going to lock yourself to the past. The good news is that the DDR5 generations are so much more affordable than they used to be. As long as you find a motherboard with an AM5 Socket, you’ll be absolutely fine here. Today’s best CPU dealsIntel Core i5-12600k$342.50$175ViewSee all pricesDeal endsSun, Dec 29, 2024Intel Core i5-12600KF$144.20ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 5 7600$229$199.99ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 5 7600X$299$194.99ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i5-13600K$329$195.56ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 7 7700X$399$283.30ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 7 7700$285ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i7-14700K$464.99$363.20ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i9 14900K$433.11ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best CPU dealsIntel Core i5-12600k$342.50$175ViewSee all pricesDeal endsSun, Dec 29, 2024Intel Core i5-12600KF$144.20ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 5 7600$229$199.99ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 5 7600X$299$194.99ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i5-13600K$329$195.56ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 7 7700X$399$283.30ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 7 7700$285ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i7-14700K$464.99$363.20ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i9 14900K$433.11ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best CPU dealsIntel Core i5-12600k$342.50$175ViewSee all pricesDeal endsSun, Dec 29, 2024Intel Core i5-12600KF$144.20ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 5 7600$229$199.99ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 5 7600X$299$194.99ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i5-13600K$329$195.56ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 7 7700X$399$283.30ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 7 7700$285ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i7-14700K$464.99$363.20ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i9 14900K$433.11ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Today’s best CPU deals Intel Core i5-12600k$342.50$175ViewSee all pricesDeal endsSun, Dec 29, 2024Intel Core i5-12600KF$144.20ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 5 7600$229$199.99ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 5 7600X$299$194.99ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i5-13600K$329$195.56ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 7 7700X$399$283.30ViewSee all pricesAMD Ryzen 7 7700$285ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i7-14700K$464.99$363.20ViewSee all pricesIntel Core i9 14900K$433.11ViewSee all prices Intel Core i5-12600k$342.50$175ViewSee all pricesDeal endsSun, Dec 29, 2024 Intel Core i5-12600k$342.50$175ViewSee all prices Intel Core i5-12600k Intel Core i5-12600k $342.50$175View $342.50$175 $175 See all prices Deal endsSun, Dec 29, 2024 Deal endsSun, Dec 29, 2024 Deal endsSun, Dec 29, 2024 Intel Core i5-12600KF$144.20ViewSee all prices Intel Core i5-12600KF$144.20ViewSee all prices Intel Core i5-12600KF Intel Core i5-12600KF $144.20View $144.20 $144.20 See all prices AMD Ryzen 5 7600$229$199.99ViewSee all prices AMD Ryzen 5 7600$229$199.99ViewSee all prices AMD Ryzen 5 7600 AMD Ryzen 5 7600 $229$199.99View $229$199.99 $199.99 See all prices AMD Ryzen 5 7600X$299$194.99ViewSee all prices AMD Ryzen 5 7600X$299$194.99ViewSee all prices AMD Ryzen 5 7600X AMD Ryzen 5 7600X $299$194.99View $299$194.99 $194.99 See all prices Intel Core i5-13600K$329$195.56ViewSee all prices Intel Core i5-13600K$329$195.56ViewSee all prices Intel Core i5-13600K Intel Core i5-13600K $329$195.56View $329$195.56 $195.56 See all prices AMD Ryzen 7 7700X$399$283.30ViewSee all prices AMD Ryzen 7 7700X$399$283.30ViewSee all prices AMD Ryzen 7 7700X AMD Ryzen 7 7700X $399$283.30View $399$283.30 $283.30 See all prices AMD Ryzen 7 7700$285ViewSee all prices AMD Ryzen 7 7700$285ViewSee all prices AMD Ryzen 7 7700 AMD Ryzen 7 7700 $285View $285 $285 See all prices Intel Core i7-14700K$464.99$363.20ViewSee all prices Intel Core i7-14700K$464.99$363.20ViewSee all prices Intel Core i7-14700K Intel Core i7-14700K $464.99$363.20View $464.99$363.20 $363.20 See all prices Intel Core i9 14900K$433.11ViewSee all prices Intel Core i9 14900K$433.11ViewSee all prices Intel Core i9 14900K Intel Core i9 14900K $433.11View $433.11 $433.11 See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices If you aren’t up for buying new PC parts this Black Friday, that’s alright. There areBlack Friday Meta Quest deals,Black Friday Xbox deals, andBlack Friday gaming chair dealsto make the most of instead. 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library, but Valve’s 2024 player stats prove y’all are only playing 4 games a year on average More about desktop pc Nvidia will apparently release the RTX 5080 in January, before the RTX 5090, and I’m okay with thatHere I was thinking I was neglecting my Steam library, but Valve’s 2024 player stats prove y’all are only playing 4 games a year on average Nvidia will apparently release the RTX 5080 in January, before the RTX 5090, and I’m okay with that Nvidia will apparently release the RTX 5080 in January, before the RTX 5090, and I’m okay with that Here I was thinking I was neglecting my Steam library, but Valve’s 2024 player stats prove y’all are only playing 4 games a year on average Here I was thinking I was neglecting my Steam library, but Valve’s 2024 player stats prove y’all are only playing 4 games a year on average LatestRazer Barracuda X Chroma review: “the excellence of the X Chroma is as clear as the RGB light of day.“See more latest► Latest Razer Barracuda X Chroma review: 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AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in Satisfactory2024 was the year The Legend of Zelda lived up to its name, and the result was a bit like mixing rock salt and floral nectarAmid Oscar buzz, Zoe Saldana opens up on her new perspective on Hollywood and why she’s only really proud of Avatar and Emilia Pérez: “I think I just have to accept who I am as a creative person"The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7 is the show’s version of The Two Towers – and it’s the best episode of TV released all year32 movies that spawned iconic internet memesThe 30 best anime movies to watch right now5 games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle available on PC Game Pass Most PopularHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director 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movies to watch right now 5 games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle available on PC Game Pass GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”