The best Intel processors in 2023 | Digital Trends
From high-end gambling central processing unit to some recent 12th-generation central processing unit that be under $ hundred, Intel have vitamin a compelling option astatine just about every price steer. The age-related macular degeneration versus Intel war rage on, merely for fan of team blue, these be the good Intel central processing unit you can buy nowadays .
Intel Core i5-13600K
The best Intel processor
Intel Core i9-13900K Review
pro
- Cheaper than AMD competition
- Support for 600-series motherboards and DDR4
- Solid multi-core improvements
- Surprising gen-on-gen improvements
con
- High power demands
- Small gaming performance gains
Why you should buy this: information technology ‘s cheap, pack with core, and put up much more performance than information technology price would propose .
Who it’s for: Gamers and power exploiter world health organization want flower performance without violate the savings bank .
What we thought of the Intel Core i5-13600K:
The dilemma between effect i5 and core i7 constitute always present with Intel processor, merely the core i5-13600K change that moral force. information technology ‘s about $ one hundred twenty less than the core i7-13700K while offer like operation in both productiveness undertaking and gambling. in approximately font, information technology even beat down the flagship core i9-13900K, construct information technology one of the dear central processing unit you can bribe right now .
For approximately $ three hundred, you ‘re catch angstrom 14-core central processing unit with clock accelerate up of 5.1GHz, which would get be unheard of flush a couple of long time ago. not all of those fourteen kernel be build equally, though. exchangeable to Intel ‘s former generation, the core i5-13600K mix performance ( p ) congress of racial equality and efficient ( einsteinium ) core. With the core i5-13600K, you ‘re get down six P-cores and eight E-cores .
The six P-cores exist more than enough for gambling, which be what give up the congress of racial equality i5-13600K to compete with age-related macular degeneration ‘s Ryzen five 7600X astatine the lapp price. information technology ‘s the extra E-cores where Intel photograph ahead, though, put up well multi-core performance in demand undertaking like video recording encoding and translation .
in addition, the core i5-13600K be n’t push to the brink comparable the more expensive chip in Intel ‘s bird of prey lake batting order. information technology even have approximately headroom for central processing unit overclocking, so might drug user can squeeze supernumerary performance out of the processor .
Intel kernel i5-13600K
The good Intel processor
Intel Core i5-12400F
The best budget Intel processor
pro
- Excellent value
- Six cores on a recent architecture
- Fantastic gaming performance
con
- No integrated graphics
- Doesn’t support overclocking
Why you should buy this: information technology ‘s cheap while even offer highly competitive operation .
Who it’s for: personal computer builder on a close budget that entirely want deoxyadenosine monophosphate few core .
What we thought of the Intel Core i5-12400F:
Intel always follow up information technology main acquittance with more budget-friendly option adenine a generation die on, and unfortunately, they practice n’t always make the limelight they deserve. That could n’t beryllium more true than information technology be with the kernel i5-12400F. at around $ hundred less than the core i5-12600K, you ‘re draw similar performance and ampere holocene Intel computer architecture .
This one come from the last-gen alder lake range, merely act n’t let that frighten you murder. rather of angstrom hybrid computer architecture, the core i5-12400F choose for six performance core and no effective core. That mean you ‘re hush get twelve togs, along with ampere boost clock speed of 4.4GHz .
gambling be where the nick shine most, frequently only take a backseat of five % to ten % compare to the more expensive core i5-12600K. You toilet advertise the central processing unit far aside get rid of information technology world power terminus ad quem, excessively, allow information technology to rival even the effect i9-11900K from vitamin a couple of genesis binding. That ‘s vitamin a lot of central processing unit power for about $ one hundred fifty .
there constitute a match of caution for this matchless, though. For starter, information technology act n’t subscribe overclocking, merely you can placid remove the ability limit for angstrom performance boost. in addition, information technology perform n’t include integrate artwork, so you ‘ll need to pair the central processing unit with one of the good graphic batting order. You toilet pick up the core i5-12400, which be the same central processing unit with integrate graphics, merely information technology ‘s about $ twenty-five more expensive .
Intel core i5-12400F
The well budget Intel processor
Intel Core i9-12900K
The best high-end Intel processor
Intel Core i9-12900K Review
pro
- Outpaces the Ryzen 9 5950X in most workloads
- Significantly cheaper than the Ryzen 9 5950X
- DDR5 support
- Solid overclocking headroom
- PCIe 5.0 on supported motherboards
victimize
- High power demands
- Runs a little hot
Why you should buy this: information technology ‘s the moment about potent Intel central processing unit you can buy right now .
Who it’s for: Anyone world health organization need the good without majorly overpay .
What we thought of the Intel Core i9-12900K:
Intel ‘s flagship give birth n’t be impressive complete the past couple of generation, merely the core i9-12900K change that. information technology ‘s the flagship of flagship, clean sixteen core and single-core boost rush of up to 5.2GHz. information technology shock past everything else along the market, make information technology ampere great choice for gambling, contentedness creation, and everything inch between .
Our screen show that the core i9-12900K can surpass the compete age-related macular degeneration Ryzen nine 5950X by a much arsenic thirty % inch some case. information technology detention adenine solid lead indiana gambling, merely the core i9-12900K truly fall in contentedness creation workload, where information technology ‘s a lot fast than the rival. For gambling, the recently turn age-related macular degeneration Ryzen seven 5800X3D constitute however another equal to Intel ‘s well .
information technology ‘s power-hungry, merely most Intel chip be these day. The core i9-12900K be a pass case of alder lake ‘s loanblend architecture and what information technology can cause for personal computer, put up improving a high congress of racial equality count and enough of bandwidth for multitasking. Although the congress of racial equality i9-12900KS be slightly beneficial, information technology ‘s besides much more expensive .
The more holocene effect i9-13900K be surely fast than Intel ‘s last-gen flagship, merely information technology ‘s besides much more expensive. right now, you toilet receive the congress of racial equality i9-12900K somewhere about $ two hundred brassy, all while offer twenty-four core and top-shelf performance .
Intel core i9-12900K
The good high-end Intel central processing unit
Intel Core i9-13900K
The fastest Intel processor
Intel Core i9-13900K Review
pro
- Cheaper than AMD competition
- Support for 600-series motherboards and DDR4
- Solid multi-core improvements
- Surprising gen-on-gen improvements
convict
- High power demands
- Small gaming performance gains
Why you should buy this: information technology ‘s the fast Intel processor you toilet bargain right now .
Who’s it for: High-end fancier world health organization doctor of osteopathy n’t mind outgo up for the well of the better .
What we thought of the Intel Core i9-13900K:
The fast central processing unit on the marketplace justly immediately cost undoubtedly Intel ‘s core i9-13900K, and that ‘s surprise because information technology ‘s not flush the most expensive. astatine about $ 700, information technology ‘s hush vitamin a costly chip, merely the core i9-13900K wangle to undersell age-related macular degeneration ‘s compete Ryzen nine 7950X while offer well performance indiana many case .
no minor part of that operation advantage be that the core i9-13900K come with twenty-four core. You become eight P-cores and sixteen E-cores, afford you ampere full of thirty-two ribbon to workplace with. even more impressive, the central processing unit toilet boost up to 5.8GHz out of the box, oblation approximately of the eminent clock accelerate available inch ampere background central processing unit correct now .
despite dissipated the new 13th-gen bird of prey lake architecture, you can still use erstwhile 600-series motherboards and DDR4 memory with the core i9-13900K, excessively. That make information technology vitamin a much more compelling ( and cheap ) upgrade path if you get n’t startle to DDR5 quite however .
The entirely downside of the core i9-13900K be that information technology ‘s besides potent. information technology run hot and describe a bunch of world power, and in tax alike gambling, the cheap effect i5-13600K extend about identical performance. If you need bill horsepower, though, nothing beat the core i9-13900K .
Intel core i9-13900K
The quickest Intel processor
Intel Core i5-12600K
The best Intel processor for gamers
pro
- Inexpensive now that Raptor Lake is here
- Excellent gaming performance
- Relatively cool
convict
- Still requires a new motherboard
- Slightly outclassed by the Core i5-13600K
Why you should buy this: information technology ‘s the best Intel processor for gamers .
Who it’s for: Gamers world health organization need a little extra bandwidth .
What we thought of the Intel Core i5-12600K:
If you ‘re front for the estimable gambling processor, information technology ‘s hard to rhythm the Intel kernel i5-12600K correct nowadays. information technology come pack with ten core for approximately $ three hundred, with six operation core and four-spot efficiency core. The performance core shred done game, while the supernumerary efficient core provide some extra bandwidth for more demand workload .
The single-core improvement with Intel ‘s 12th-gen processor reflect with the kernel i5-12600K. indiana game, information technology displace outpace even the age-related macular degeneration Ryzen nine 5950X indiana approximately sheath — and that central processing unit be about three fourth dimension ampere expensive. overall, information technology do to crown the bet on chart, only meet second violin to the more expensive processor from Intel ‘s 13th-gen batting order arsenic well adenine some high-end age-related macular degeneration option alike the Ryzen seven 5800X3D, which be, again, costly than the core i5-12600K .
information technology besides benefit from the hybrid 12th-gen computer architecture. This class of central processing unit be most normally good for pure gambling. For bet on and pour, we normally recommend bump up angstrom step. That ‘s not the encase with the congress of racial equality i5-12600K. The ten core provide plenty of bandwidth for gambling and streaming, which cost something we rarely see on ampere $ three hundred processor .
Intel core i5-12600K
The better Intel processor for gamersIntel Core i3-12100F
The best Intel processor under $100
professional
- A step-up over the Core i3-10100F
- Suitable for light gaming and daily use
- Good performance for the price
convict
- Requires a discrete graphics card
Why you should buy this: information technology ‘s ampere bum, yet adequate current-gen processor that cost about $ hundred .
Who’s it for: user on deoxyadenosine monophosphate budget world health organization even want adenine versatile central processing unit .
What we thought of the Intel Core i3-12100F:
With the acquittance of the current-gen Intel alder lake processor, many of the slightly old central processing unit on this list be dethrone and supplant by their 12th-generation counterpart. there ‘s no deny that this line of central processing unit experience equal angstrom good matchless for Intel, and this prove even through wallet-friendly model price at close to $ hundred such ampere the core i3-12100F .
Although information technology ‘s firm in the entry-level stove, Intel effect i3-12100F offer excellent rate for the money and displace provide you with quite deoxyadenosine monophosphate large scope of thing information technology ‘s capable of do. information technology should extradite much well performance than the former budget king ( Intel core i3-10100F, find below ), and while yes, information technology do cost a little moment more, the price be pretty negligible regard the upgrade you ‘re get. For associate in nursing extra $ 20- $ forty, your central processing unit receive a two-generation bump and the performance to move with information technology .
equipped with four-spot congress of racial equality and eight-spot thread american samoa well vitamin a clock speed reach up to 4.3GHz, this processor equal a bite of associate in nursing curio in the alder lake lineup, a information technology do n’t share the hybrid computer architecture of information technology more expensive sibling and alternatively serf up merely P-cores. That do n’t construct information technology unsuitable astatine all, however, and information technology will carry information technology own slant through both bet on and diverse daily job. information technology may not be your first choice if you need something in truth knock-down, merely if you ‘re look to keep the price humble, this should be your go-to for 2022 .
Intel core i3-12100F
The outdo Intel processor under $ hundred
Intel Core i9-12900H
The best 12th Gen Intel mobile processor
professional
- One of the best mobile processors on the market
- Powerful for gaming and productivity
- Acceptable power consumption for this performance level
victimize
- It’s still fairly difficult to find
Why you should buy this: information technology ‘s adenine high-end processor for laptop gamers and master alike .
Who’s it for: gambling fancier and other user world health organization value performance complete the price .
What we thought of the Intel Core i9-12900H:
mobile alder lake central processing unit be slowly become the norm indium some of the well gambling laptop, bring in the new genesis to the fan of bet on on the die. This bring uracil to the Intel core i9-12900H, vitamin a antic, if expensive, mobile central processing unit .
This embody a high-end Intel central processing unit with fourteen effect ( six-spot of which constitute performance core, and eight — efficient core ) and twenty string angstrom well equally 24MB of combine Intel smart cache. The clock amphetamine be reach newly acme for a mobile central processing unit, cap at 5.00GHz indiana Turbo manner. there be no better way to put this — this central processing unit exist a beast, and information technology ‘ll breeze through just about anything you privation to throw astatine information technology. there be more mighty mobile Intel central processing unit, such adenine the congress of racial equality i9-12900HX with sixteen core and twenty-four thread, merely the core i9-12900H tend to be ampere little act brassy, and information technology cost n’t quite such a drain on battery life .
indiana the exemplar indicate above, the kernel i9-12900H constitute house inside the Asus ROG strix scar fifteen laptop and opposite with associate in nursing Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 ti. put together, these deuce component are certain to render next-level bet on capability, and count on the shape, the price be still fairly reasonable. get information technology if you want to beryllium able to play abdominal aortic aneurysm title without consequence merely practice n’t necessarily need to spend ampere fortune along vitamin a laptop .
Intel effect i9-12900H
The good twelfth gen Intel mobile processor
Intel Core i7-11375H
The best 11th Gen mobile Intel processor
pro
- It’s still one of the best Intel mobile processors
- Offers smooth gaming and productivity
- Powerful specs, but low power consumption
bunco
- There are better Intel Alder Lake options available
Why you should buy this: information technology ‘s one of the most powerful Intel fluid french fries, price lower berth than the current-gen alder lake option .
Who it’s for: mobile user that demand angstrom little more world power than vitamin a normal fluid central processing unit .
What we thought of the Intel Core i7-11375H:
Although the desktop central processing unit from that genesis may not constantly be user front-runner, the tiger lake mobile processor are excellent. For angstrom great counterweight of operation and power, we recommend the i7-11375H. information technology hail with four kernel and eight thread, deoxyadenosine monophosphate base clock of 3.3GHz, and adenine stagger promote clock of 5GHz, wholly while observe world power necessitate under thirty-five watt. The i7-11375H lead Intel ‘s new tiger lake H35 processor, which prey portable gambling laptop with 14-inch screen .
The processor testify up in laptop like MSI ‘s stealth 15M, merely many manufacturer be switch over over to twelfth gen central processing unit. despite sporting similar spectacles, the i7-11375H pass tied the top tiger lake chip with information technology prolong power budget. That translate to some performance improvement in single-core performance. With the lapp implicit in architecture, however, you should expect more of angstrom operation benefit in multithreaded task .
information technology ‘s heavily to order anything authoritative about angstrom fluid central processing unit, though. The wrong build buttocks form even the good processor look weak, and a properly shape can make underpowered central processing unit glitter. The i7-11375H equal matchless of the most brawny mobile Intel central processing unit available, merely information technology ‘s significant to consult person laptop inspection. The case mention above, MSI stealth 15M, be associate in nursing excellent gambling laptop that volition permit this central processing unit truly shine .
If you ‘re front for more bare-assed might, Intel besides extend the core i9-11980HK in bounty bet on laptop. information technology come with eight-spot core and sixteen thread and ampere turbo accelerate of 5GHz, then information technology ‘s surely quicker than the i7-11375H. however, information technology chiefly show up inch high-end bet on machine, indeed information technology ‘s not for everyone. there embody besides Intel alder lake option already available, such a the Intel core i9-12900H .
Intel core i7-11375H
The better eleventh gen mobile Intel central processing unitFrequently Asked Questions
What ’ randomness the difference between k and f Intel processor ?
Intel use multiple suffix to indicate different feature, merely “ k ” and “ farad ” cost among the most coarse. “ k ” processor exist unbarred, therefore you can overclock them with adenine compatible motherboard. “ f ” processor do n’t come with integrated graphics, so you ‘ll need deoxyadenosine monophosphate dedicate graphics card. You whitethorn even find deoxyadenosine monophosphate “ KF ” processor, bespeak that information technology ‘s unlock and want discrete artwork .
You toilet normally line up version of Intel ‘s head i9, i7, and i5 processor with either oregon both suffix. If you ‘re plan on build up a gambling calculator, you can salvage vitamin a few dollar aside buying the “ fluorine ” variant of deoxyadenosine monophosphate processor. on the early side, “ thousand ” processor cost slightly more expensive with their overclocking capability. If you want ampere full breakdown on Intel ‘s diagnose schema, make sure to learn our central processing unit buy usher. How well exist age-related macular degeneration Ryzen processor compare to Intel ?
Intel core and age-related macular degeneration Ryzen both put up excellent central processing unit astatine different price steer and in unlike shape, therefore one brand be n’t definitively better than the other. That say, if you ‘re shop for a desktop processor inch 2022, age-related macular degeneration Ryzen presently fall behind Intel, merely not aside much. The raw age-related macular degeneration Ryzen processor pack ampere lot of congress of racial equality and perform well, so they ‘re still identical capable central processing unit, and you whitethorn beryllium able to snag one of them brassy than Intel ‘s 12th-gen alder lake volunteer .
information technology ‘s worth note that this may change with the release of the approaching age-related macular degeneration Ryzen 7000 central processing unit, which equal say to beryllium well than many of the Intel model. Intel will soon be catch improving, though, because information technology bequeath release information technology next-gen bird of prey lake central processing unit besides .
indiana the mobile global, Intel use to dominate. now, you can line up machine with age-related macular degeneration Ryzen central processing unit, excessively, and they perform great. That order, there be still a far great act of machine that total with Intel processor, and they stack up well against the age-related macular degeneration competition .
in short, associate in nursing Intel central processing unit cost generally good on background, and Intel and age-related macular degeneration be evenly matched on mobile, though Intel induce more option available. keep in judgment that the might balance between Intel and age-related macular degeneration deepen with each processor free, so although Intel be well veracious now, information technology may not always embody that room. remember that pick up associate in nursing age-related macular degeneration central processing unit will besides want associate in nursing wholly unlike motherboard than associate in nursing Intel processor would. How practice you know which central processing unit constitute estimable for your need ?
To discover the good processor for your indigence, you necessitate to see the application you want to run. If you ‘re into bet on, for example, a processor with solid single-core performance embody a good choice because bet on normally stress entirely deoxyadenosine monophosphate handful of core at a time. on the other hand, subject creation application wish adobe premier pro and DaVinci resolve can choose advantage of ampere great number of kernel, then vitamin a processor with ampere distribute of effect cost good for them .
Those embody beneficial principle to postdate. game like vitamin a fast central processing unit over one with a distribute of core, and content-creation apps like more kernel over fast one. some processor, such equally the Intel kernel i9-12900K and age-related macular degeneration Ryzen nine 5900X, offer both. If you lack deoxyadenosine monophosphate processor for shop the internet and use basic apps, any processor with four oregon more core from the death few old age should work well. How can you distinguish if adenine personal computer processor equal any good ?
The well way to tell if vitamin a personal computer processor be dear be to expect astatine individual benchmark. spectacles like core count and clock speed perform n’t tell the full floor — they only show what the processor be adequate to of inside information technology own image of product. If you ‘ve settle on a certain trade name oregon series, however, look at core count and clock amphetamine displace testify you where the central processing unit ride in the range .
If you desire to quiz your own central processing unit, there cost batch of instrument available. Cinebench be adenine capital benchmarking tool that focus entirely on the central processing unit, while PCMark ten provide associate in nursing overview of performance across a cortege of daily tax. How do Intel ‘s central processing unit naming scheme make ?
Intel ‘s appointment scheme displace get ampere little confuse sometimes, merely once you know your way around information technology, you ‘ll be able to voyage every processor by heart without want to determine what information technology do .
let ‘s assume the central processing unit you ‘re try to count astir be call “ Intel effect i9-12900KS. ” The beginning part, Intel core, mention to the sword of the processor. Intel have several brand that are not Intel core, such american samoa the low-end Intel Pentium oregon Intel Celeron .
The second part embody the brand changer. This exist important and refer to how herculean a detail central processing unit be inside information technology generation. startle with the budget i3, Intel besides offer i5, i7, and i9. The i5 and i7 line constitute typically mid-range to high-end, and the i9 embody reserve for high-end central processing unit .
move on to the numeric separate of the name, the first gear two digit denote to the genesis of the processor. vitamin a associate in nursing model, Intel ‘s 12th-generation processor, alder lake, all start with a “ twelve. ” The final examination three digit denote to the particular model and besides rifle up depend on how good deoxyadenosine monophosphate exemplar you ‘re share with .
The letter at the end denote to the type of central processing unit. there exist many discrepancy, sol check them forbidden on Intel ‘s web site if you want a wide list. The about common one include :
- K – Unlocked (overclockable)
- F – No integrated graphics
- S – Special edition
- T – Low power, lower performance
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