Good Intel Processor For Gaming

[Jonj1611]

I have been a bit out of the loop with Intel for a while due to mainly using AMD but I am looking at a platform change.

So what is currently a good Intel cpu for gaming? Latest generation ideally

Searching online is a bit of a joke as all the first few pages of results from "tech companies" are just affiliate filled pages

[Rob_B]

Depends what you want to do with it, I'd probably recommend watching a few Hardware Unboxed or Gamers Nexus videos as that'd clear thing up

[Jonj1611]

Hi, thanks for replying. As the title says, gaming.

Will take a look at a couple of videos

[[GSV]Trig]

We've had issues with the new Intel stuff at work causing performance issues in certain software, depending on what games you want to run you might want to check for known issues where things don't play nicely with the E/P cores..

[Jonj1611]

Took me a while to get my head around those E/P cores. What an odd way of presenting a processor. Anyway was looking at the 13600KF as I don't want or need the discrete graphics.

Saying that before I dive too far into it I will look into games to see if there any issues. Main games are World of Warcraft, Eve Online, Company of Heroes 2(maybe 3 if they fix it), Call Of Duty 1/2/3(The new ones), Diablo IV

[Saracen999]

My distinctly non-expert view is, well, two or three things :-

- MOST games aren't (within reason) especially caught up in processor choice. It's about GPU. But some are CPU-dependent.

- the 'best' CPU for those that are CPU-dependent is probably the most poweful that's within your budget (say, 13900K) provided your use of those games justifies it, or I suppose, money-no-object.

- 13600, even 13700, are probably best 'value' for grunt without requiring the sacrifice of your first-born.

- finally, I'm determined enough to avoid W11 that I'm going AMD and avoiding Intel entirely as a result of not wanting W11 .... so I'm not a good person to pay attention to re: comments on optimum Intel processor for either your budget or your gaming needs.



TR-DR version : erm, dunno.

[badass]

It depends on the type of gaming you want to do and the monitor you use. If you have a high refresh rate monitor and value really high FPS you need a "Proper" Raptor Lake processor - not a rebadged Alder lake. It looks like the minor changes had a significant effect on max FPS.
If you have a 60/75 Hz monitor, it doesn't matter. Personally in that case I'd save some money and get either a 13400/13400F (rebranded Alder lake with 6 P-cores and 4 e-cores) or to save more money a 12400/12400F - 6 P cores - plenty for 60ish FPS on any modern game.
If you want ultra high framerates then you need a proper Raptor Lake processor. I.e. 13600, 13700 or 13900. - K or not.

[Jonj1611]

Looking at the 13600KF. My monitor is a Huawei Mateview GT 27. It's a nice monitor to be fair, runs at 165 Hz

[DanceswithUnix]

Took me a while to get my head around those E/P cores.

You can always turn the e cores off if they get in the way.

[Jonj1611]

Ah yes, P cores are hyper threaded and the E cores aren't. Makes sense now how they ended up with a strange amount of threads.

[badass]

You can always turn the e cores off if they get in the way.

You can but idle power consumption goes through the roof! Personally I'd look into using some software to direct games to just using the P cores. The E cores can then keep the background stuff running without bothering the P cores.

[Jonj1611]

How does this all work with alt-tabbing? I do that a lot in games, whether to read emails, check a website etc

[Jonj1611]

Right so in the end I went for a i5-13600KF, Gigabyte B760 DDR5 motherboard and DDR5 6000 memory

[badass]

It depends on the type of gaming you want to do and the monitor you use. If you have a high refresh rate monitor and value really high FPS you need a "Proper" Raptor Lake processor - not a rebadged Alder lake. It looks like the minor changes had a significant effect on max FPS.
If you have a 60/75 Hz monitor, it doesn't matter. Personally in that case I'd save some money and get either a 13400/13400F (rebranded Alder lake with 6 P-cores and 4 e-cores) or to save more money a 12400/12400F - 6 P cores - plenty for 60ish FPS on any modern game.
If you want ultra high framerates then you need a proper Raptor Lake processor. I.e. 13600, 13700 or 13900. - K or not.

Appreciate you've got your CPU now - however it turns out that the rules are even more convoluted:

13900 and 13700 - k or non K are all using Raptor Cove cores - i.e. proper Raptor lake.
The 13600K uses Raptor Cove but the 13600 non K is Alder Lake!

[Jonj1611]

It was a real minefield to be honest. I have made this mistake before, thought I was getting the latest thing just to find its based on an older model.

I went with the 13600KF which as far as I know is the latest and greatest and better than sliced bread. Well thats what the marketing said!

[Ttaskmaster]

I went with the 13600KF which as far as I know is the latest and greatest and better than sliced bread. Well thats what the marketing said!

So... why the platform change, out of curiosity?
I was mostly an Intel kinda guy, but have been persuaded to AMD this time round, for the 7800X3D because it's apparently the best gaming CPU on the market...