The Best Budget CPUs in 2023

Finding the perfect new budget CPU is a challenging proposition to get right. Ideally, users want a CPU that matches their performance needs and budget constraints, while getting the best value for money without compromising key features and performance.

Thankfully, modern CPUs have come a long way in the last few years, and multiple cores no longer cost the arm and leg they used to just a few years ago. The Intel 12th, 13th, and 14th-gen along with AMD’s, last-gen 5000 series, and current-gen 7000 series CPUs (and the X3D refresh) offer multiple options suitable for productivity and gaming benchmarks.

As competition between manufacturers has intensified, we have seen ever-increasingly value emerge at the price-sensitive entry and mid-level CPU offerings, and their target consumer base is the primary beneficiary of a much more competitive and value-added segment emerging.

The team at GameRant has curated some of the best offerings to help users pick out CPUs and APUs that suit their budget and performance goals.

How To: Choosing The Best Budget CPUs

Finding the right budget CPU for one’s needs means looking past simply Intel and AMD, both of which currently dominate different segments and price points, and defining one’s needs more accurately. It can be summarized around 3 major tenants however:

Price-To-Performance Ratios: When considering a CPU on a budget, pricing is perhaps the most important aspect of the conversation. Users should generally define a budget and stick to it while comparing the performance tier of the CPUs they are shortlisting based on their performance in certain segments. Some gaming CPUs might not be contenders for best overall budget CPUs for example simply because they only excel in the gaming part of the equation in 2023.

Thermal Needs: Efficiency and thermal requirements are a key factor when choosing a new CPU and the cost of adding a better cooler to support CPUs that run hotter needs to be considered as part and parcel of the overall cost of a CPU investment, especially when there are locked CPUs from both Intel and AMD that offer stock options, allowing gamers and power users to save sizable amounts during an upgrade.

Future-Proofing: Users should pick a CPU based on their needs, the socket it uses, and its viability in the long-term for future CPU upgrades. AMD for example has shown it tends to support its CPU sockets considerably longer than Intel with AM4 being a testament to this. Intel on the other hand until recently kept a socket for a maximum of 2 years on average before swapping out to a newer one.

However, LGA 1700 might be a break from that with Intel offering the 12th, 13th, and 14th generation CPUs on the same socket. This adds up in terms of saved costs on motherboards which can result a better, more powerful upgrade thanks to said savings in play, which are an important long-term consideration when looking for a budget CPU in 2023.

Game Rant’s picks for the Best Budget CPUs in 2023

Core i5 13500

The Best Overall Budget CPU

14 Cores Of Locked Power

$247 $260 Save $13

The Intel Core i5-13500 Processor is a slight step up from the entry-level Core i5-13400 Processor and adds 4 more efficiency cores into the mix, enabling it to drive as many as 20 threads to its smaller siblings while boosting slightly higher at 4.8GHz versus 4.6Ghz.

Brand

Intel

CPU Model

Core i5 13500

CPU Socket

LGA 1700

Cores

14

Threads

20

Base Clock Speed

2.5GHz

Boost Clock Speed

4.8Ghz

Cache

24MB

TDP

154W

iGPU

Yes, Intel UHD Graphics 770

Pros

• Has excellent multicore and multi-threaded performance in play thanks to its 14-core, 20-thread offering
• Offers decent single-core performance
• Has integrated graphics on offer if you are still planning out your next GPU upgrade
• Comes with a stock thermal solution (HSF) which could save you money on dedicated cooling

Cons

• Is locked and can not be pushed higher than its maximum rated clock speeds
• Slightly underperforms the last-gen 12600K and 12600KF processors in single-threaded performance and gaming that have the same performance core count but come unlocked out of the box at similar price points

Intel’s Core i5 13400 is a 14-core, 20-thread processor that is considerably identical to its higher-end 13600K sibling with a few caveats. It isn’t overclockable, has a smaller L2 cache, and appears to be a tweaked Alder Lake (12th gen) silicon with compatible memory speeds of 4800 MT/s. It still is an excellent, capable processor that holds its own against most of its competitors with ease from AMD, and trades blows with the unlocked 12th get Intel Core i5 12600K, losing out slightly in gaming performance but making up for that in multicore performance, thanks to the four additional efficiency cores.

The Core i5 13400 is the most well-rounded CPU currently offered by Intel, with decent gaming performance thanks to a respectable single-core clock of 4.8GHz coupled with a 14-core configuration of six performance and eight efficiency cores that can handle most of a user’s productivity and multitasking needs, albeit at locked speeds. It comes with integrated graphics or an iGPU as part of the deal and costs slightly less than the 13600K but adds the benefit that one does not need to look for a dedicated cooler just yet. The Core i5 ships with a thermal solution (also known as a stock heatsink and fan (HSF) in PC building lingo) that does an adequate job, but users must look to replace it down the line if they are going for any unlocked 12th, 13th or 14th gen CPU in the near future.

Until a future Intel 14th generation CPU pushes the Core i5 13500 downwards in terms of price or replaces it at its current price point, the Core i5 13500 is the best budget CPU. It can game, handle multi-threaded applications, features an iGPU, and costs less than its equivalent unlocked CPU while shipping with a stock cooler as part of the bundle.

AMD Ryzen 5 7600X

The Best Budget AMD CPU

Next Gen Entry-Level Contender

$219 $300 Save $81

Gamers interested in upgrading to a newer CPU from Team Red will find the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X to be of spectacular value thanks to its high single-core performance, efficient hexacore architecture, and compatibility with newer technology such as PCI-E 5.0 and DDR5 memory. It also abandons AMD’s AM4 design, going for a pin-less processor offering by moving them to the motherboard instead.

Brand

AMD

CPU Model

Ryzen 5 7600X

CPU Socket

AMD AM5

Cores

6

Threads

12

PCIe 4.0 Support

PCI-E 5.0 and lower

Base Clock Speed

4.7 GHz

Boost Clock Speed

5.3 GHz

Cache

6MB L2 + 32MB L3 Cache

RAM

Up to 128 GB DDR5 5000 MHz

TDP

105W

iGPU

2-Core AMD Radeon Graphics

Pros

• Excellent single-core performance thanks to higher clocks and the new Zen 4 cores
• Relatively more power efficient than competing chips
• Offers an impressive amount of PCI-E 5.0 lanes for a mid-range processor

Cons

• Socket AM5-based motherboards still have some quirks that need to be refined via bios updates and newer motherboard revisions
• The competition offers significantly better multicore performance in this price range
• Does not ship with a thermal solution as part of the package unlike its predecessor (5600X)

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is the unlocked 6-core, 12-thread successor to the popular AMD Ryzen 5 5600X processor and has notable changes under the hood to go with its move to Zen 4 cores including higher clocks and support for new DDR5 memory and PCI-E 5.0 among others. As a capable CPU that many see as the direct successor in terms of value for money from AMD for the aging Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which it does outperform in most gaming and productivity benchmarks thanks to its higher clocks and new high IPC cores despite the pushing a hexacore CPU against an octa-core competitor.

It does have its limitations, however. AM5 motherboards have had a rocky start for the most part, including controversy of late surrounding voltage issues causing physical damage to socket AM5-based motherboards and CPUs in cases in addition to most of AMD’s newer platform offerings being concentrated at the high end as AMD looks to implement DDR5 as the only standard for its newer socket and corresponding chipsets. At the same time, unlike the 5600X, the 7600X expects you to bring your own cooler and stiffer competition in terms of higher core clocks and counts leading to Intel matching the 7600X in single-core and gaming performance in the same price range while dominating multicore scores easily.

It is arguably a more efficient chip than the competition and AMD is known for sticking to its sockets a lot longer than Intel does, both factors that make it a compelling buy, as does the fact that AMD currently offers the fastest and arguably one of the most efficient CPUs for gaming as an upgrade path: The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a viable upgrade from the 7600X should u decide to go that route, making it a great budget choice to start your PC build from.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G

The Best Budget APU

Hexacore Zen 3 Meets RDNA

$134 $259 Save $125

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is the perfect way to build a budget PC without sacrificing performance. You get integrated graphics, a low-power draw, and an included cooler, all while still having the option to overclock. You’ll be able to handle gaming, everyday workloads, and even more without needing to buy a dedicated graphics card right away.

Brand

AMD

CPU Model

Ryzen 5 5600G

CPU Socket

AMD AM4

Cores

6

Threads

12

PCIe 4.0 Support

3.0

Base Clock Speed

3.9 GHz

Boost Clock Speed

4.4 GHz

Cache

3MB L2 + 16 MB L3 Cache

RAM

Up to 128GB DDR4 3200 MHz

TDP

65W

Pros

• Excellent value for money as it combines a hexacore Zen 3 CPU with Vega 7 graphics at a relatively low price
• Offers acceptable GPU performance for those users unwilling to invest in a discrete solution
• Is considerably better value than its top-end 5700G sibling with very similar iGPU scores and similar gaming performance
• Comes with a decent stock thermal cooling solution as part of the bundle

Cons

• Limited to PCI-E 3.0 speeds
• Slightly slower than its equivalent AMD CPU solution (Ryzen 5 5600)

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is arguably the best APU available for purchase currently, as it marries AMD’s last-gen ‘Zen’ 3 cores to the RNDA-base RX Vega 7 GPU in a package that outdoes most CPUs with integrated solutions with ease, specifically when it comes to graphical prowess, coming in just shy some of discrete GPU solutions. What makes it truly an excellent choice is the price point it currently trades at while seeking to replace both, a CPU upgrade and the need for a discrete solution out of the box.

It also includes a decent stock cooler compared to the higher-end overclocked AMD and Intel CPUs that tend to require users to bring a thermal solution to the table. This paired with an inexpensive motherboard and decent memory could be the makings of an excellent budget-friendly PC build for as low as $500. This price point gives users some room to maneuver if they need to in terms of upgrades.

The 5600G does make some compromises. The CPU is limited to PCI-E 3.0 speeds and cuts its L3 cache to half compared to its non-APU offering (Ryzen 5 5600) making it a slightly slower processor overall and limiting discrete graphics upgrade potential for some users, especially for some higher-end, current-gen GPUs.

With a lack of Zen 4 based Ryzen APU options available for desktop users currently, the Ryzen 5 5600G is both, a great budget option, and one of the fastest APUs on offer when one considers graphics performance as a primary benchmark, making it Game Rant’s pick for the best budget APU in 2023.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU

The Best Budget Efficiency CPU

Unlocked Zen 3 Value Play

$157 $309 Save $152

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a midrange CPU, excellent for gaming setups. This is the fastest six-core AM4-based processor from AMD and features 12 processing threads. According to the company, the processor can deliver 100-plus FPS performance in the world’s most popular games. The processor supports DDR4 memory with a sweet spot of 3600MHz.

It offers 4.6 GHz boost clock speeds out of the box with overclocking potential in tow coupled with 35 MB of cache. This model comes bundled with a quiet and capable AMD Wraith Stealth cooler.

Brand

AMD

CPU Model

5600X

CPU Socket

AMD AM4

Cores

6

Threads

12

PCIe 4.0 Support

PCI-E 4.0

Base Clock Speed

3.7GHz

Boost Clock Speed

4.6GHz

Cache

3MB L2 + 32MB L3

Graphics

N/A

TDP

105W

Pros

• Is arguably the best value-centric AM4 CPU on offer currently
• Offers decent single and multi-core performance out of the box for a Zen 3-based CPU
• Comes with an excellent AMD stock cooler as part of the bundle
• Is noticeably faster than AMD’s APU offerings in CPU-bound tasks

Cons

• Is somewhat considerably overtaken in gaming performance by both AMD’s newer 7000 series and Intel’s 12th and 13th gen offerings
• Pricey when you consider AMD’s newer (and faster) 7600X has been marked down in pricing considerably recently

AMD’s Ryzen 5 5600X has been a mainstay when it comes to being a recommendation for gamers and productivity professionals alike. Boasting an AM4-based processor as it houses a capable 6-core, 12-thread processor that can keep up with the demands of modern computing, while also offering an upgrade path down the line to a Ryzen 7 5800X3D for users unable to splurge on a processor just yet.

With 32MB of L3 cache, higher clocks, and PCI-E 4.0, it is an important choice for most gamers not aiming to settle for AMD’s slightly more dated APUs such as the 5600G and the 5700G even if it fares somewhat poorly versus AMD’s current 7000 series CPUs as well as Intel’s Alder and Rocket Lake offerings in 2023. For the lack of a better option, if you have an AM4 motherboard, the 5600X remains a viable and somewhat necessary choice in 2023 for those looking for a small upgrade for their system or simply a replacement for their AMD CPU, even if it stacks poorly versus the latest and greatest on offer currently.

Intel Core i5-12600KF 3.7 GHz 10-Core Processor

The Best Budget Gaming CPU

Unlocked Deca-core Offering

$140 $218 Save $78

This 12th-generation Intel CPU has 10 cores and runs at 3.7 GHz base clock and up to 4.9 GHz boost clock speed. Of the 10 cores, there are 6 performance and 4 efficiency cores keeping the TDP fairly low at 125 W. 

Brand

Intel

CPU Socket

LGA1700

Cores

10 Cores

Architecture

Alder Lake

Base Clock Speed

3.7 GHz

Boost Clock Speed

4.9 GHz

RAM

Supports Up to 128 GB

Graphics

None

TDP

125 W

Pros

• Offers high boost clocks and can be tweaked to perform better than slightly higher priced 13th gen SKUs in gaming
• Comes unlocked out of the box, allowing more control over its overclockability and tweakability
• Has a decent upgrade path to 13th & 14th generation processors down the line if needed
• Works with all LGA 1700 motherboards out of the box
• Decent value for money compared to most of its alternatives

Cons

• Does not come with a stock cooler, one must be purchased to cool this chip
• Runs relatively hotter than AMD’s competing chips in the same performance tier
• Has no integrated graphics as part of its better pricing over the 12600K

The Intel Core i5 12600KF is the iGPU-less version of Intel’s highly popular Alder Lake 12600K, which was a force to be reckoned with at launch, easily dethroning the last generation i9 11900K from its place on the charts. The 12600KF is one of our favorites for gaming as the deca-core processor offers a better deal by skimping on integrated graphics, but otherwise offers similar performance at a price point that makes us question our core i5 13500 pick as the best budget CPU in 2023 above.

Powered by six performance and four efficiency cores, it can handle all your gaming needs with ease in 2023 and offers decent productivity-related performance. It does come with a caveat; It runs hotter than its AMD alternatives and doesn’t ship with a cooler as part of the bargain, making that an added expense to consider. Given that all of AMD’s 7000 series CPUs do come with an iGPU this time, one could also see Intel’s 12600KF as a tradeoff that one could argue is less favorable than AMD’s Ryzen 5 7600X in some cases.

The Intel Core i5 12600KF packs an impressive punch, spearheaded by its excellent single-core performance, and is not a CPU you can easily write off given its rather competitive pricing in 2023. The massive Black Friday and Cyber Monday-induced price cuts seem to be more of a permanent affair, making it one of the best unlocked Intel CPUs on offer currently at a price that makes it one of the best value-centric upgrade purchases in 2023.

Core i5 13600KF

The Best Performance Budget CPU

Powerful Rocket Lake Gaming Protegee

$250 $304 Save $54

The Intel Core i5 13600KF Processor is an excellent workhorse. It comes unlocked, does away with the integrated graphics on its non-F variant, and proceeds to eat the last generation i7 for lunch as it dethrones it to take its position as Intel’s most complex and yet simple choice for a gaming processor when it comes to value and in-game performance for pc-builders and gamers going the Intel route.

Brand

Intel

CPU Model

Core i5 13600KF

CPU Socket

LGA 1700

Cores

14

Threads

20

PCIe 4.0 Support

PCI-E 5.0 and 4.0 support

Base Clock Speed

3.5GHz

Boost Clock Speed

5.1GHz

Cache

24MB

TDP

181W

iGPU

No

Pros

• Excellent Single Core performance makes this one of the fastest CPUs in the business for gaming
• Packs a serious multi-core punch thanks to its 14-core, 20-thread offerings
• Comes unlocked out of the box, allowing you to push and tweak it to higher clocks or more efficient use cases

Cons

• Has no integrated graphics and must be paired with a discrete GPU for display
• Runs considerably hotter than the competition
• Does not come with a bundled cooler, you must invest in a decent cooler to get the most out of this CPU

The Intel Core i5 13600K is arguably the most balanced gaming CPU on offer in 2023 when you consider value for money coupled with performance, bringing its performance-per-watt considerations quite close to the top of the charts, if not higher than most of its 13th-generation peers. As an unlocked CPU, it can be tweaked to eke out more performance or run on lower power if you are inclined to go that route via under-voting (requires some degree of overclocking/under-volting experience).

It does have its quirks, however; It takes the iGPU out of the picture to offer better value to users planning to pair a discrete GPU with the Intel mid-range CPU. It does consume considerable amounts of power when used for gaming and productivity tasks however compared to AMD’s Zen 4-based CPUs, making it a somewhat power-hungry proposition that doesn’t come with a stock cooler, meaning you need to invest in decent cooling to make it perform to speed.

It does come with excellent single-core performance that allows users to game particularly well and offers multicore performance that takes on its direct competitor, the Ryzen 7 7700X reasonably well due to a larger core count that tips the scales considerably in its favor. It also benefits from a price cut as part of Intel’s efforts to bring its successor, the Intel Core i5 14600KF to the forefront.

Intel Core i5 14600KF 14-Core, 20-Thread CPU

The Best Premium Budget CPU

The Refresh With Better Clocks

The Intel Core i5 14600KF 14-Core, 20-Thread CPU is a powerful mid-range CPU that replaces the last generation Intel Core i5 13600KF with higher clocks on both its performance and efficiency cores.

Like all its siblings, it does offer better performance out-of-the-box versus its predecessors but replaces them at the same price points they sold last year. Unlike the Intel Core i5 14600K, this model trades at a small discount thanks to it skipping out on integrated graphics.

Brand

Intel

CPU Model

Core i5 14600KF

CPU Socket

LGA 1700

Cores

14 (6P + 8E Cores)

Threads

20

Base Clock Speed

3.5 GHz

Boost Clock Speed

5.3 GHz

Cache

20MB L2 + 24MB L3 Cache

Architecture

Raptor Lake Refresh

Process

Intel 7 (10 nm)

RAM

Up to 192GB DDR5

PCIe

PCI-E 4.0/5.0

Graphics

N/A

Power Draw

181W (Turbo)

Pros

• Offers higher core clocks than its predecessor
• Packs a serious multi-core punch thanks to its 14-core, 20-thread offerings
• Comes unlocked out of the box
• Supports Intel’s APO enhancements for current and future games

Cons

• Requires a discrete graphics solution
• Runs even hotter than its predecessor, requiring a beefy cooler

For gamers looking for Intel’s latest and greatest CPU lineup, the Intel Core i5 14600KF matches its predecessor in every single way possible. It is, after all, a higher clocked 13600KF for the lack of a better description, offering the same core counts but with a 200 MHz Performance and 100 Mhz efficiency core clock bump in play.

It does increase its thermal needs as well as power draw as a result of the higher clocks, which means that users might want to consider grabbing an adequate cooler to push the 14600KF to higher and more stable clocks during benchmarks, games and general-purpose compute alike.

It does have a few tricks up its sleeve, but the chief one is Intel’s APO enhancements that are expected to be a 14th gen (and onwards) exclusive for now, which can provide significant performance gains to gamers playing titles that incorporate them. The 14600KF also trades at the same price point that the 13600KF commanded while offering a slight performance bump, making it a great all-purpose CPU to pick up in 2023.

FAQ

Q: Why is single-core performance so important for gaming?

Single-core performance is a key metric to identify and determine expected gaming performance. Modern games, while large and capable of using multiple cores, still end up using 1 core or a limited number of threads significantly more than being able to distribute load effectively across larger multicore processors. This means that games are often bound to a CPU’s single-core performance much more than multicore performance which results in many publications and reviewers putting much more stock in it than multicore performance for gaming.

Q: Do I need a better cooler for my CPU?

Most modern CPUs with a cooler tend to be locked to a certain frequency range and the cooler provided is adequate for their thermal needs. Unlocked processors tend to be capable of higher frequencies and can often throttle performance if you bundle them with inadequate cooling. Looking up your CPU’s TDP and maximum boost/turbo power draw and research specific to compatible cooling options should help you pick the right options for your CPU if needed.