Compare CPUs

20 ranked products · Two to 4 at a time · Updated 13 Sept 2026

Pick any two to four of the 20 ranked cpus and read them side by side. This page opens on the board's top 3, AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and AMD Ryzen 9 9950X.

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CPUs compared side by side. Each column is one product, each row is one measure taken from the same research that built the board.
Measure	AMD AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D	AMD AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D	AMD AMD Ryzen 9 9950X	AMD AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D	AMD AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D	AMD AMD Ryzen 5 7500F	AMD AMD Ryzen 7 9700X	Intel Intel Core Ultra 7 265K	AMD AMD Ryzen 7 7700X3D	AMD AMD Ryzen 9 9900X	Intel Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus	AMD AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D	AMD AMD Ryzen 5 5600	Intel Intel Core Ultra 9 285K	Intel Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus	AMD AMD Ryzen 5 9600X	AMD AMD Ryzen 5 7600X	Intel Intel Core i9-14900K	AMD AMD Ryzen 5 8600G	AMD AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D
Tier	S	A	A	A	B	B	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	D	D	D	D	F	F	F
Rank on this board	1 of 20	2 of 20	3 of 20	4 of 20	5 of 20	6 of 20	7 of 20	8 of 20	9 of 20	10 of 20	11 of 20	12 of 20	13 of 20	14 of 20	15 of 20	16 of 20	17 of 20	18 of 20	19 of 20	20 of 20
Ladder points	998 LP	792 LP	716 LP	698 LP	591 LP	501 LP	430 LP	402 LP	395 LP	393 LP	391 LP	389 LP	386 LP	351 LP	289 LP	262 LP	221 LP	171 LP	115 LP	114 LP
Our verdict	The best gaming CPU for its price, with massive 3D-V-Cache and low power.	A 12-core, 24-thread chip with 3D V-Cache that delivers a massive jump in gaming FPS, earning the highest gaming score among 12-core CPUs.	Highest core count for general productivity, still strong in gaming.	Adds 3D-V-Cache for top-tier gaming, only slightly more expensive.	Great 1440p/4K gaming, low power, slightly older than 7700X3D.	No integrated graphics and lower performance than the 7600X3D.	An 8-core, 16-thread chip that was a top choice in 2022 but now falls behind the 7800X3D and 7700X3D in gaming.	A 10-core, 20-thread model that offers the best price-to-performance for mainstream gamers, ranking second in the 10-core segment.	Slightly newer, same core count, better price-performance than 7800X3D.	Outclassed by the 9950X and 9950X3D, and its price has risen.	Balanced performance and future-proofing, good value.	3D-V-Cache gives it a gaming edge over the non-3D 7600X.	Outdated performance. Better to buy a newer 3D-V-Cache chip.	Excellent for content creation, strong single-threaded performance.	A 6-core, 12-thread chip that is heavily marketed as a “budget flagship” but consistently lags behind AMD’s 6-core 3D V-Cache CPUs in gaming.	6-core count is now too low for modern workloads. Overpriced.	Solid 1080p gaming, but lacks the cache advantage of the 7600X3D.	Premium gaming performance with high clock speeds and core count.	A niche pick whose integrated GPU saves an entire graphics card purchase. Unbeatable for no-GPU budget builds, irrelevant otherwise.	Asymmetric V-Cache design makes it worse at gaming than the cheaper 7800X3D and worse at work than the 9950X. Buy either of those instead.
What reviewers rate	Massive 3D-V-Cache boosts gaming performance Low power consumption keeps temperatures down Excellent price-performance balance Top single-threaded score for 8-core CPUs	Highest gaming score among 12-core CPUs Massive FPS boost from 3D V-Cache 12-core performance Incremental bin improvement over the proven 9800X3D formula	High core count supports multitasking Strong single-threaded performance Good fit for content creation Top multi-core benchmark performance	3D-V-Cache delivers top-tier gaming performance High core count keeps it versatile Competitive price for its performance Highest single-threaded score of any 2026 CPU	Excellent 1440p/4K gaming performance Low power draw keeps temperatures low Solid value for its performance Best price-to-performance for 8-core gamers	Near-7600X performance for meaningfully less money Same long-lived AM5 socket as the premium chips Years of market availability have shown no reliability skeletons Ownership experience is excellent for the price	Cool-running, efficient 8-core Nothing fragile - a sensible long-term daily driver AM5 socket provides an upgrade path	Best price-to-performance for mainstream gamers Second in 10-core segment 10-core, 20-thread performance Puget Systems' most reliable individual processor at only a 0.77% failure rate, the best number any CPU posted	Same core count with improved price-performance Excellent gaming at 1440p/4K Low power consumption Best gaming score for 7-core/8-core CPUs	Nothing recorded	Balanced performance across workloads Future-proofing features Good value for its capabilities Top score for 12-core Intel chips	3D-V-Cache boosts 1080p gaming Low TDP keeps it efficient Strong performance for its tier Best 6-core gaming CPU	Nothing recorded	High core count aids content creation Strong single-threaded performance Future-proofing features Highest score in 18-core segment	Tom's Hardware's number one Best Budget CPU pick for 2026 Strong all-round performance for budget buyers Suits buyers who need more than pure gaming value	Fine, efficient performer Increasingly cheap Nothing wrong with owning one - reliable daily-use chip	Strong performance for 1080p gaming Good value for its tier Straightforward setup Best all-round 6-core CPU	High clock speeds boost gaming Large core count supports demanding workloads Strong single-threaded scores Still posts fast benchmark numbers	Radeon 760M integrated graphics allows gaming without a discrete GPU Saves the cost of an entire graphics card in entry builds A real money-saver and the alternative to buying a cheap CPU plus GPU Unbeatable for no-GPU budget builds	Carries the X3D family's 3D V-Cache technology High dual-CCD core count on the long-lived AM5 platform
Where it falls short	Nothing recorded	No long-term failure data of its own yet	Non-X3D Ryzen 9000 chips have a slightly higher failure rate than X3D per the Puget data No 3D V-Cache, so gaming trails the X3D flagships	Nothing recorded	Two generations old	Lacks integrated graphics Underwhelming performance compared to the 7600X3D	No longer competitive in gaming Surpassed by newer 8-core 3D V-Cache CPUs Lowest score in 8-core AMD segment Nothing exciting about it	LGA1851 is a dead-end socket with no upgrade path	PC Builder frames its launch as a faceplant: AMD "completely overshot, fell on his face" Only makes sense after the panic price cut - never pay launch price for this one Community trusts it only at the reduced price	12 cores now outclassed by newer chips Price has risen without performance bump	LGA1851 socket Intel has already abandoned - zero upgrade path Trails AMD's 9950X3D flagship by 23% in gaming per Tom's Hardware Marketing-led refresh; the cheaper 265K does the same job for less	Limited availability keeps it from ranking higher	Performance eclipsed by newer 3D-V-Cache chips Limited value for its price	Dead-end LGA1851 socket Weak gaming value at the price	Overhyped marketing Consistently underperforms AMD 6-core 3D V-Cache CPUs in gaming Lowest score in 6-core Intel segment The Ryzen 5 7500F undercuts it for pure gaming builds	Only 6 cores limit modern multitasking Higher price than the 7600X3D for less performance Obsolete for gaming Outclassed by newer 6-core chips	No 3D-V-Cache limits gaming edge The 7500F delivers essentially the same chip for less money Replaced in the lineup by the 9600X Survives on retail shelves at prices that make no sense against both	Higher TDP requires robust cooling Chips were 'overtuned... to the point of degradation' with a long instability saga Required multiple emergency microcode patches Forced Intel into extended warranty programs	Niche appeal - irrelevant once a discrete GPU is in the build	Asymmetric dual-CCD design - only one CCD gets the V-Cache - forces thread-scheduling compromises Games worse than the cheaper 7800X3D Works worse than a 9950X Coasts on the X3D badge
Evidence behind it	46 sources across 38 outlets	54 sources across 47 outlets	33 sources across 31 outlets	33 sources across 29 outlets	45 sources across 38 outlets	23 sources across 21 outlets	43 sources across 38 outlets	28 sources across 27 outlets	31 sources across 28 outlets	51 sources across 45 outlets	59 sources across 52 outlets	15 sources across 10 outlets	15 sources across 15 outlets	42 sources across 34 outlets	46 sources across 38 outlets	45 sources across 42 outlets	51 sources across 45 outlets	66 sources across 44 outlets	44 sources across 40 outlets	16 sources across 15 outlets
Flagged as one to avoid	Not flagged	Not flagged	Not flagged	Not flagged	Not flagged	1 of 7 research runs	1 of 8 research runs	2 of 7 research runs	Not flagged	1 of 2 research runs	1 of 7 research runs	Not flagged	1 of 2 research runs	1 of 8 research runs	1 of 3 research runs	2 of 7 research runs	1 of 6 research runs	3 of 7 research runs	1 of 5 research runs	3 of 6 research runs
Announced	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded
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Every column is the same research that built the board. Nothing here is a specification sheet copied from a maker. Read how we rank for what a tier and a ladder point mean.