The processor is a vital component in every gaming PC and laptop. If you don’t have one, your device just won’t work. Straight off the bat, we can see that processing power is important.
It pays to give some thought to the processor you choose. A poor chip will hinder every single aspect of your machine, while a high-quality processor could take your gaming, work, and daily computing to the next level. In this article, we’ll be investigating how CPUs work, what the cores do, as well as showcase some popular models currently on the market – including some of our very own overclocked motherboard bundles. Plus, we have some more detailed guides on the latest generations of processor for your further reading.
Like Clockwork:
A CPU works by interpreting instructions from your operating system, commonly Windows 11 or Windows 10 in gaming PCs. It will access programs, move data between components, and manage memory; co-ordinating your entire gaming PC. Anything that can improve their decision making is vital. This is why we’ve seen recent innovations like Intel’s Thread Director.
It’s useful to know how processors work at a component level. This knowledge won’t necessarily inform your buying decision, however, as all CPU possess this functionality regardless of performance tier. This is where understanding the key concepts behind processors comes into play.
Clock speed is a great starting point and a crucial aspect of CPU performance. This term refers to the number of electronic pulses per second that the CPU can process. It’s measured in GHz, equating to billions of pulses per second. Base clock speeds are often displayed in the processor’s product title, as shown below.
The higher this number, the more pulses can be completed. As a result, your tasks get finished quicker. High clock speeds are something to look for when purchasing a CPU. There are things you can do to boost performance. Overclocking increases the clock speed of your processor. This can be achieved with specialist software, such as AMD Precision Boost 2 (PBO2) and Intel Extreme Tuning Utility (Intel XTU). This software can be utilised to dynamically overclock your CPU, either with easy-one click profiles or manual settings, enabling the best performance from your processor, provided your PC has the thermal headroom to support this. More speed equals more heat.
It should also be noted that CPUs overclock differently, due to variances in the silicon. No two models perform the same when pushed.
The Core Issue:
The number of cores and threads a processor has is another key factor in deciding on which CPU is best for you. The number of cores generally denotes what sort of gaming and content creation the CPU is able to handle. Both Intel and AMD have a nicely tiered system that is easy to interpret and match to your needs. As a general rule of thumb, the more demanding your work, the more cores your processor should have.
Back to basics, every CPU is divided into smaller processing units, called cores. Each is capable of handling a computing task. Entry-level processors, such as Intel Core i3/i5s and AMD Ryzen 5s, will have a low core count, typically four to six cores. High-end processors, like the Intel Core i9 and AMD Ryzen 9, have much higher core counts, possessing sixteen or even twenty-four cores. Intel Core and AMD Ryzen are both great series for gaming, streaming, and content creating. If you are crafting a workstation PC for more intensive workloads, then there are series with even higher core counts, such as the AMD Threadripper and Intel Xeon CPUs.
Most modern processors also support multi-threading and Hyper-Threading, which allows the core to double the number of instructions it can process. Effectively, this doubles your core count.
A lot of popular games have four-core CPUs in their recommended specifications, so a higher core count isn’t necessarily needed for gaming. This enables you to pick CPUs that are a little more budget-friendly. However, if you wanted to stream, multitask, or create content, opting for more cores is a necessity.
Of course, a lot goes into craft the spec of your gaming PC. Check out all our content that will help you through this process with our Ultimate PC Building Guide.
The Current Market:
Currently, the CPU market is all about AMD Ryzen 7000 Series and 14th Gen Intel. Launched in 2022 and 2023 respectively, both AMD and Intel have continued to innovate and release additional models for each series. For instance, the AMD X3D models with 3D V-Cache became available in April 2023. As such, we have a CPU market primed with juicy new tech and innovations – plenty of choice for you!
Of course, the market is constantly changing. In just a few short months, we are going to be hella excited for AMD Ryzen 9000 Series CPUs. You can get a head start on what to expect with our dedicated article!
Back to what’s available right now, here is a quick comparison table of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and Intel Core i9-14900KF processors:
| Feature | Intel Core i9-14900KF | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 24 (8P + 16E) | 16 |
| Threads | 32 | 32 |
| Unlocked | Yes | Yes |
| Cache | 68MB | 80MB |
| Clock Speed | E – 2.4GHz / P – 3.2GHz | 4.5GHz |
| Boost Speed | E – 4.4GHz / P – 5.6GHz | 5.7GHz |
| TDP | 125W | 170W |
| Socket | LGA1700 | AM5 |
Now to take a closer look at each generation.
14th Gen Intel Core
14th Gen Intel, otherwise known as Raptor Lake-S or Raptor Lake Refresh, builds on the advanced hybrid core architecture that we saw on their 13th generation processors. This stems from the innovative design first introduced with 12th Gen or Alder Lake. This architecture has two different kinds of cores: Performance (P-cores) and Efficient (E-cores).
P-cores are the heavy lifters, designed to handle the single-threaded work. It has significantly improved frequency control and performance potential. E-cores are designed to manage the smaller, background tasks. Lighter workloads are spread across multiple cores and threads, allowing for greater efficiency. Improving upon Alder Lake’s foundation, this generation features more E-cores as well as a significant uptick in both multi- and single-threaded performance.
What’s more, 14th Gen Intel has support for DDR5 RAM, PCIe Gen 5, and boost speeds up to 6.0GHz. Utilising the LGA1700 socket, these CPUs are compatible with Z790 and B760 chipsets, as well as select Z690 chipsets, but this is down to motherboard manufacturers providing BIOS support.
If you’d like to learn more about 14th Gen Intel Core processors, then check out our dedicated guide.
Don’t count 13th Gen out just yet! 14th Gen Intel Core processors came out only a year after the thirteenth generation hit our shelves. As such, these processors are more than capable for all your gaming, streaming, and content creation needs.
AMD Ryzen 7000 Series
The AMD Ryzen 7000 Series is built upon AMD’s Zen 4 architecture. This is a five-star platform, providing support for DDR5, PCIe 5.0 for graphics and storage, 5.0GHz+ boost speeds, a new socket called AM5, and built utilising an innovative 5nm process. All this brings a serious uptick in performance and energy efficiency in comparison to the previous generation, Zen 3.
What’s more, launched in tandem with the first round of CPUs, AMD has released a memory overclocking programme called AMD EXPO. This comprehensive software makes overclocking DDR5 RAM a breeze.
If you’d like to learn more about AMD Ryzen 7000 Series CPUs, then check out our dedicated guide.
The Overclockers UK Touch:
With an overclocking champion in residence, you better believe that we have some fine-tuned CPUs available at Overclockers UK. In fact, we go one better, by offering upgrade bundles that have been overclocked. This is the OcUK touch.
Overclocking CPUs takes skill. Upgrading to the latest generation costs big bucks. By combining the two, we are providing an easy, money saving way to upgrade your gaming PC and get the best possible performance out of your CPU. Win, win.
We’re going to showcase an Intel and AMD motherboard, as well as provide a link to the full category page.
8Pack Extreme Intel i9-13900KS Overclocked Bundle
This elite bundle contains an ASUS ROG Z790 Dark Hero ATX Motherboard, Team Group Delta 32GB DDR5 7600MHz RAM, Intel Core i9-14900KS CPU, and an EK Water Blocks AIO CPU cooler, as standard. You have configurable options on the motherboard, RAM, and cooler if you want them.
The CPU has been fine-tuned utilising Thermal Velocity Boost 2, as it mimics the traditional processor boosting behaviours but with improvements. Increased power limits, greater boost duration, and all for longer. P-cores have a static overclock of 5.9GHz, allowing for consistent boosts to roughly 6.1GHz when gaming. E-cores are also tuned to 4.3GHz for multi-threaded loads. Paired with the Dark Hero motherboard and 32GB DDR5 RAM, this bundle will give your gaming a serious performance uptick.
8Pack Elite Tier AMD Ryzen 9 7950X Overclocked Bundle
Bringing elite-tier performance to the table, this bundle contains an ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Hero ATX motherboard, up to 64GB DDR5 RAM, an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X CPU, and your choice of CPU cooler.
This bundle takes full advantage of the ASUS motherboard’s OC switcher feature, allowing it to swap between an all-core overclock as well as a boost orientated PBO2 OC. The overclock being used depends on what the system is doing. In lighter loads you can get boost speeds up to 5.95GHz and clock speeds up to 5.2GHz across all cores, as needed. What’s more, each memory kit is AMD EXPO compatible, so you can enjoy elite performance from your RAM, too. A complete level up for your gaming set up.
Check out our full range of 8Pack endorsed, overclocked upgrade bundles.
Like to Learn More?
Now we’ve established why your CPU is important, perhaps you want to read up on more that can be done with your processor. Check out these other articles from the Overclockers UK blog team.
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Emily Haylock
Author
Emily is a board and cosy gamer, keyboard obsessive, and content copywriter for Overclockers UK. She has been with Overclockers UK since 2020, writing about everything from noblechairs to 8Pack PCs. She writes from within her desk nest with a foster pup at her feet. (What, a desk duvet is a totally normal thing!) In her downtime, she likes to play board games, farming sims, and old-school Final Fantasy. IX to be specific. It is the best, and that is a hill she will die on.
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