Introduction
A CPU is one of the most important parts of a PC, being a huge factor that informs how well a machine will do key things such as running games, video editing and general web browsing.
As a result, when planning to build or purchase a new PC, it will likely be one of the first components you pick. But which to get? There are currently loads of different options on the market, each with very different prices and intended uses.
To make sure you avoid all these potential pitfalls, we’ve created this guide detailing the best desktop CPU options we’ve tested that are still on sale. Every CPU on this list has been benchmarked in one of our lab’s test benches using a mix of synthetic and real-world checks to ensure our buying advice is accurate and backed up with hard data.
It’s also worth remembering that each CPU comes with some potential caveats. These include which motherboards they’ll fit into, their power demands and thermals. If you’ve already bought or got a spare motherboard lying around, you’ll need to make sure the CPU you’re looking at fits into its socket.
If you’re planning a small build, thermals will be a key challenge. Based on experience reviewing CPUs, many top-end parts run very hot and require powerful coolers to run effectively. They also have high power consumption requirements, meaning they don’t play nice with lower capacity power supplies (PSUs). There’s nothing more frustrating than buying a new chip and it not working properly because you bought a low-capacity PSU.
And before you go rushing off to buy one of our recommendations, be warned, we are expecting both Intel and AMD to unveil new chips in the near future. Specifically, Intel’s expected to launch its 13th Gen Raptor Lake desktop CPUs in mere months, while AMD has confirmed it will release its Ryzen 7000-series chips in Fall 2022.
Information on the chips is limited, but rumors suggest both will offer much more developed architectures and radically better performance. Though we can’t confirm this, we’d suggest waiting to see what the two bring to the table before buying a new CPU, as based on our experience older chips prices tend to plummet the moment newer ones are released. So if you wait a few months you could get a much better deal on one of the chips in this list.
With that caveat out of the way, scroll down to see our picks of the best CPUs we’ve reviewed that are currently on sale.
How we test
Learn more about how we test CPUs
We always review multiple CPUs at once to compare data, using consistent components for fair testing where possible.
We use a mix of both synthetic and in-game benchmarks to gauge performance, while also considering additional features and pricing.
We also measure the likes of power consumption and peak temperature under stress to get an idea of performance efficiency.