Stay Up to Speed with the best Processors and CPUs

This CPU is an absolute beast of a processor that offers some of the best speeds on the market. The clock speed on this one isn't too astounding in and of itself, since it comes in at 3.6GHz standard and up to 4.0GHz turbo frequency. However, this is a six-core processor with hyperthreading to make it function like a 12-core CPU. That, combined with the solid clock speed makes this processor incredibly fast and the performance you can get from it is pretty much impossible to beat. Combine that with 15MB of L3 cache memory and you'll see this chip outperform just about any other CPU on the market. It uses the Ivy Bridge-E chipset, which is an improvement on the older Ivy Bridge standard. This definitely isn't a cheap model and you’ll need to provide cooling for it, but it can handle demanding tasks at incredible speeds.

There’s a lot to like about this CPU, which offers tremendous speed at about one-third the price of the i7-4960X. This chip has four cores, with hyperthreading to function like an 8-core CPU. It has a raw clock speed of 4.0GHz, with a turbo frequency of up to 4.4GHz. That’s actually one of the fastest raw clock speeds out there, getting a ton of performance from this chip with even more potential if you overclock it. It also has 8MB of L3 cache memory and requires pretty low amounts of power considering how fast it runs. You actually get a heatsink and fan with this model, but you might want to use your own cooling if you plan on overclocking it, since much higher speeds means more heat. Overall, this is a great CPU that gives you excellent speeds at a much lower price than some other Intel chips.

In terms of clock speed, this chip certainly outpaces many others on the market, with a speed of 4.7GHz right out of the box. So in terms of raw speed, this is the easy winner. However, this is an 8-core processor and AMD doesn't use hyperthreading so an Intel chip with six cores and 12 threads outperforms this one in benchmark testing. For AMD processors, however, you're not going to top this one. It has 8MB of L2 cache memory and runs beautifully so it will definitely handle anything you throw at it while maintaining fast speeds and performance. It uses the Vishera core from AMD with a 32nm design that can draw quite a lot of power, so keep that in mind as you design your computer around it. This CPU comes with a liquid cooling kit, which you'll want to use to keep it running smoothly even at very fast speeds. While the Intel i7-4960X might be faster, it’s also quadruple the price so this is a great choice if you want speed but need to save a little money.

One of the biggest issues to consider when looking at this CPU is the fact that it's a bit older than a lot of other models out there. While some retailers have stopped carrying it, you can still find this chip pretty easily. It offers performance that almost matches the i7-4960X from Intel, but at a lower cost due to its age. This CPU has six cores with hyperthreading to work like 12, plus a standard clock speed of 3.5GHz that can be boosted thanks to an unlocked multiplier. With 15MB of L3 cache memory, this processor is fairly competitive with the i7-4960X in terms of speed and performance. However, the big difference, is this one uses an older core model with Haswell-E architecture. There’s no cooling provided with this chip, so you’ll need your own heatsink and fan or liquid cooling.

This is definitely an expensive processor, but if you can afford it, then you won’t find a better model in terms of power and performance. The clock speed on this CPU seems a bit low, at just 3.0GHz, but that certainly doesn't hold this model back. It has eight cores and utilized Intel’s hyperthreading technology, which lets it run like a CPU with 16 cores to offer absolutely tremendous performance. If you plan on running high-end PC games, rendering 3D graphics, or throwing other demanding tasks at your computer, then this processor can handle it. It has a 20MB L3 cache and uses Haswell-E architecture to pack all that performance onto a 22nm chip, with low power requirements. You don’t get a fan or heatsink with this model, so you’ll need to provide your own cooling, but its processing power is extraordinary.

In looking at this APU compared to other processors, it's important to consider how it is designed differently than a lot of CPUs on the market. As an APU, this processor includes both general CPU and more specialized GPU processing cores, but the Kaveri design allows the computer to more easily use both types of cores for a wide range of tasks. So while it has four CPU and eight GPU cores, AMD markets it as a model with 12 compute cores overall. In terms of actual performance, it is quite good and can run a wide range of tasks, including many PC games, without a dedicated graphics card. If you want to run the latest games at the highest settings, however, then you'll still want a video card with dedicated graphics memory. It has 4MB of memory and runs at 3.7GHz right out of the box. The 28nm Kaveri architecture also has quite low power draw, which makes this very different from something like the AMD FX-9590 that requires a lot of power.

While $150 might be more than you're looking to spend, if your budget can afford it, this processor is pretty much as good as it gets. It's an eight-core model, meaning it can handle just about anything you throw at it. You can definitely save some money by choosing a less powerful option, but an eight-core CPU at this price point is truly impressive. It has a clock speed of 3.5GHz right out of the box which you can boost through some overclocking, though there are some better overclocking options out there. It has 8MB or L2 cache memory, and another 8MB of L3 to keep your system running smooth and fast. The only real drawback to this model is that it is at the high-end for a budget processor, and you might find it for just over $150 from some retailers so keep that in mind.

This is probably something of a niche option for a budget processor, but it's too good to pass up without first considering what it has to offer. The specs on it are pretty barebones, but keep in mind it retails for about $70, making it a wonderful budget option. It has two cores and no hyperthreading, so it really is a dual-core model, and just 3MB of cache memory. It runs at 3.2GHz out of the box, which is definitely not amazing. However, what is amazing about this processor is it’s an unlocked Haswell chip with no manufacturer-placed limits on clock speed. Even with the stock cooler and basic power requirements, it's pretty easy to overclock this model up to 4.0GHz, and with better cooling as well as a very stable power supply, many people have tuned this model up to 4.5GHz. If you're an experienced overclocker working with a  budget gaming system, , the value of this CPU cannot be overstated as it will deliver will deliver terrific performance at an incredible price.

There's a lot to like about this processor, and it's a great choice that comes in quite a bit lower in terms of price than the FX-8320. If budget is your primary concern, then you should definitely take a good look at this option. This is a six-core processor, which isn't quite as many cores as the FX-8320, but it's an incredible value at just over $100 suggested retail price. It runs at 3.5GHz right out of the box, with turbo speeds up to 4.1GHz and some overclocking can definitely make this processor race at high speeds. You get 6MB of L2 memory and 8MB of L3 cache memory which is quite good for a processor at this price point and it keeps your system running fairly quickly. It also has a pretty low power requirement, especially compared to the FX-8320, which makes it a little better fit for a budget computer build.

This model basically lands squarely between two other budget processors from AMD which are the FX-8320 and the FX-6300. It has six cores like the 6300, but runs a bit faster and requires more power, closer to what you’ll need for the 8320, with the price landing just about right in the middle between the other two processors. The clock speed on this model is 3.9GHz, which is the fastest base speed you’re going to find from a budget model, and allows for some really excellent performance from this chip. You get 8MB of L3 cache memory, 6MB of L2, and while you’ll need a pretty decent power supply for this processor, its needs aren’t excessive. The fan that comes with this processor can get pretty loud, so keep that consideration in mind if noise is a concern for you.

Even if you’re not interested in overclocking this is an excellent processor, but once you turn up the speed it really excels. This model has six cores with Intel hyperthreading so it runs like a processor with 12 cores, which gives you incredible performance. Out of the box it runs at 3.3GHz which is pretty fast and you can boost it up to 3.6GHz but thanks to an unlocked multiplier you can overclock this model even faster. It has a great amount of cache memory and a Haswell-E core for great overall performance. One consideration with this model is that the power requirements for it are rather high, so you’ll need a very good power supply to overclock this CPU. It doesn’t come with any cooling, so you’ll need your own heatsink and fan or liquid cooling, but otherwise this is an excellent choice.

This is probably something of a niche option for a budget processor, but it's too good to pass up without first considering what it has to offer. The specs on it are pretty barebones, but keep in mind it retails for about $70, making it a wonderful budget option. It has two cores and no hyperthreading, so it really is a dual-core model, and just 3MB of cache memory. It runs at 3.2GHz out of the box, which is definitely not amazing. However, what is amazing about this processor is it’s an unlocked Haswell chip with no manufacturer-placed limits on clock speed. Even with the stock cooler and basic power requirements, it's pretty easy to overclock this model up to 4.0GHz, and with better cooling as well as a very stable power supply, many people have tuned this model up to 4.5GHz. If you're an experienced overclocker working with a  budget gaming system, , the value of this CPU cannot be overstated as it will deliver will deliver terrific performance at an incredible price.

This is just a tremendous CPU for overclocking and it offers excellent performance and speed even right out of the box. It's an 8-core processor with 8MB of L2 cache memory which keeps it running quick and reliable even when you have a lot of things happening at once. It runs at 4.7GHz, which is very good just for a standard frequency. Overclocked, this CPU commonly gets up over 5.0GHz and is incredibly fast when properly boosted. The heatsink and fan that are included with this chip aren't that impressive even for the standard setup; if you plan on overclocking this processor, you definitely need to pick up an aftermarket option and you'll want to use liquid cooling for really high speeds. The price on this processor makes it a solid value but the power requirements on it are very high; for overclocking you’ll need a very powerful power supply.

This is a really nice processor that has some tremendous potential for overclocking, due to its design and initial performance. Right out of the box it runs at 3.5GHz with turbo frequencies up to 3.9GHz and has 6MB of cache memory. If you spend some time overclocking this one, you can definitely get it up to 4.5GHz or higher. This is only a four-core processor so you probably won't see it outperforming the most high-end CPUs on the market. For applications that only use up to four cores, such as many PC games, this is a great choice that runs beautifully. The 22nm design of this processor from Intel is great for mobility and low power consumption which leaves you with more power for overclocking. It includes a heatsink and fan, but you might want to utilize liquid cooling once overclocked.

This is definitely an expensive processor, but if you can afford it, then you won’t find a better model in terms of power and performance. The clock speed on this CPU seems a bit low, at just 3.0GHz, but that certainly doesn't hold this model back. It has eight cores and utilized Intel’s hyperthreading technology, which lets it run like a CPU with 16 cores to offer absolutely tremendous performance. If you plan on running high-end PC games, rendering 3D graphics, or throwing other demanding tasks at your computer, then this processor can handle it. It has a 20MB L3 cache and uses Haswell-E architecture to pack all that performance onto a 22nm chip, with low power requirements. You don’t get a fan or heatsink with this model, so you’ll need to provide your own cooling, but its processing power is extraordinary.

Even if you’re not interested in overclocking this is an excellent processor, but once you turn up the speed it really excels. This model has six cores with Intel hyperthreading so it runs like a processor with 12 cores, which gives you incredible performance. Out of the box it runs at 3.3GHz which is pretty fast and you can boost it up to 3.6GHz but thanks to an unlocked multiplier you can overclock this model even faster. It has a great amount of cache memory and a Haswell-E core for great overall performance. One consideration with this model is that the power requirements for it are rather high, so you’ll need a very good power supply to overclock this CPU. It doesn’t come with any cooling, so you’ll need your own heatsink and fan or liquid cooling, but otherwise this is an excellent choice.

Although this model might not quite be able to match the performance of the FX-9590, it’s a great second option and a chip that can provide you with excellent power at a slightly lower price. You get eight cores with this processor, which is as many as you’ll find from an AMD CPU. It runs at 4.4GHz out of the box, running nice and fast, but it is slightly slower than the 9590. You can boost the performance up slightly and overclock it to run a bit faster, but it’s not designed to be an exceptional overclocking CPU. It has 8MB of cache memory with a similar overall design and architecture to the 9590, just with a bit slower clock. The power requirements on this model are pretty high like that of the 9590, so keep that in mind. However, you’ll save about $20 choosing this option rather than the more expensive AMD CPU.

This is a great processor overall that offers tremendous performance right out of the box, and if you're interested in overclocking, then this might be the best pick for you. It's an eight-core chip that runs at 4.0GHz as soon as you install it into your computer as well as 8MB of L2 cache memory and another 8MB of L3, which keeps your system running fast. Technically, it's slower than the FX-9590 and side-by-side comparisons of them would certainly demonstrate this. However, if you really want ultimate performance, you can overclock this processor with a little work and liquid-cooling and have it running just about as fast as the 9590. The lower power requirements on this chip also make it ideal for overclocking, even though it uses the same 32nm architecture as the 9590. Since this chip costs quite a bit less than the 9590, it’s a tremendous value as long as you’re comfortable with overclocking.

This model basically lands squarely between two other budget processors from AMD which are the FX-8320 and the FX-6300. It has six cores like the 6300, but runs a bit faster and requires more power, closer to what you’ll need for the 8320, with the price landing just about right in the middle between the other two processors. The clock speed on this model is 3.9GHz, which is the fastest base speed you’re going to find from a budget model, and allows for some really excellent performance from this chip. You get 8MB of L3 cache memory, 6MB of L2, and while you’ll need a pretty decent power supply for this processor, its needs aren’t excessive. The fan that comes with this processor can get pretty loud, so keep that consideration in mind if noise is a concern for you.

In looking at this APU compared to other processors, it's important to consider how it is designed differently than a lot of CPUs on the market. As an APU, this processor includes both general CPU and more specialized GPU processing cores, but the Kaveri design allows the computer to more easily use both types of cores for a wide range of tasks. So while it has four CPU and eight GPU cores, AMD markets it as a model with 12 compute cores overall. In terms of actual performance, it is quite good and can run a wide range of tasks, including many PC games, without a dedicated graphics card. If you want to run the latest games at the highest settings, however, then you'll still want a video card with dedicated graphics memory. It has 4MB of memory and runs at 3.7GHz right out of the box. The 28nm Kaveri architecture also has quite low power draw, which makes this very different from something like the AMD FX-9590 that requires a lot of power.