CPUs for Gamers: Buying Tips and Knowledge Tips

Today’s special is all about processors, including the new AMD models that went on sale this week: the Ryzen 3 4100, Ryzen 5 4500, 5500, 5600, and Ryzen 7 5700X. We also want to explain some basics about processors, like what a socket is and what chipsets on motherboards mean. To facilitate the purchase decision, we will name the recommended sockets for gamers and also address the topic of overclocking. Finally, it comes to AMD and Intel processors that are currently recommended for gamers.

CPU: How important is it for gaming?

In most games, the goal when buying hardware is good graphics above all else. As far as 3D graphics are concerned, the graphics card is the towering component of a computer. But: the processor remains important, too. Because apart from the graphics, the game has to account for certain core content that forms the basis of the game in the first place. This concerns, for example, the artificial intelligence of opponents and non-playable characters, physical or base accounts running in the background as well as administrative tasks in multiplayer modes to record the actions of other players or to anti-cheat measures.

Therefore, a good CPU can always bring more or less FPS increase, that is, create more frames per second. With a very weak processor, the FPS values ​​that the graphics card itself can calculate will be limited, so that a weak CPU can turn the purchase of a new graphics card into failure.

To put it in perspective, assume your old Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 only ran 30 fps in a game and you replace it with an AMD Radeon RX 6600, which is twice as fast, to enjoy over 60 fps. But if the CPU is already so weak that the basic computations alone do not allow more than 35 frames per second, the additional performance of the RX 6600 will evaporate almost completely – the CPU will be a severe weakness and must be urgently replaced.

Battlefield 1 is an example where multiplayer experiences a significant performance drop with a CPU that lacks cores.

Source: computer games

But even if you use the same graphics card, a powerful CPU can bring more frames per second. The less detail the resolution and graphics are, the more obvious the effect that can be attributed to the CPU becomes. For this reason, gaming CPU tests are usually run in low detail and only 720p (1280 x 720 pixels).

BUT: Tests like this are usually a bit unrealistic, since as a gamer you are usually using a graphics card that allows for higher resolutions and higher levels of detail. In Full HD, the 25 percent rate available in 720p drops to less than 10 percent in 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels). So you shouldn’t necessarily expect the extra performance you can read in the tests when you buy a new CPU in games at Full HD, WQHD or even 4K and at least medium detail levels.

When is a new CPU necessary?

Often the small performance gains with a new CPU and the fact that gaming demands on CPUs have increased very slowly for years are also the reasons why it is possible to keep processors for a relatively long time. Even a six- to seven-year-old CPU, which was considered at least mid-range when you bought it, is still enough as the basis for a modern game, provided you have a powerful enough graphics card.

It is not possible to give a general answer as to whether the CPU and therefore the motherboard should actually be changed as well. But if you have an Intel 7000 series CPU or older, or if you’re still using an AMD Ryzen 1000 series or older, the upgrade is usually worthwhile.

Of course, you can also decide for yourself that it’s time for a more modern platform, although the performance increase in games may not be much. Even those who use apps now as a hobby or even professionally, where a powerful CPU with many cores is useful, can upgrade early. For example, if you create a live broadcast in the style of Let’s Play and have other tools running parallel to the game.