The Best CPU for Gaming and Streaming

Gaming and streaming take a toll on the performance of a CPU. Because running streaming content as smooth as xQcOW, SypherPK, Ninja, or PewDiePie is no easy task. It requires a careful selection of hardware, especially the best CPU for gaming and streaming. Why are we focusing on the CPU? It’s because software-based encoding can be CPU intensive, and considering that most games are focused on utilizing GPU as a resource, we can direct the work to the CPU and get a smoother stream for viewers. We have two main competitors for the best budget gaming CPU. We will discuss their pros and cons later in our processor details. You can either have the best AMD CPU or the best Intel CPU; both of them pose their unique challenges.

We will handle the multitask load with ease when working with the best CPU for gaming. Remember, some games are CPU intensive, so we need to consider that after running the top AAA titles, the CPU still has enough power left to utilize for the encoding stream. AMD has been leading with its multitasking capabilities since the launch of Zen 3 architecture in 2020. However, Intel had already gained solid ground due to its well-tested technology and stability. The single-core processing power of AMD was still no match for Intel. When looking at the streaming capabilities, we will have to look at individual processors to understand their advantages and disadvantages. First, have a look at our quick shopping tips:

Our top picks

Quick Shopping Tips:

PCIe Lanes: These provide connectivity to one or more peripheral devices, and their quantity and speed depend on compatibility with the processor or motherboard. If you own a processor that does not support the latest PCIe 4.0, you will probably cause a bottleneck in the processing of games or video encoding during streams. AMD 3000 series and 5000 series support the PCIe lanes.

Socket: Buying a CPU with an incompatible motherboard could lead to a lot of stress and time delay. Depending on brand and generation, a socket is a unique connector between a motherboard and CPU. AMD has long stuck to its AM4 socket, while Intel seems to be changing its sockets frequently, so be sure to pick the right socket if you already own a motherboard or buying a new one.

Number Of Cores: Higher number of cores means better performance. A processor requires a higher number of cores to improve the ability to perform more instructions within a given amount of time. It doesn’t necessarily mean that higher cores improve the single-core processing capability of a CPU. The architecture and processing design can change the results.

Benchmarking: Architecture, processing technique, and lithography can improve the processing power of the CPU. To get you can judge the realistic idea of how a CPU performs in an actual loaded environment through the results of benchmarks performed on the CPU with everything else kept constant. To buy an accurate product, buyers need to weigh the benchmark results higher.

The Best CPU for Gaming and Streaming: First look

The Best CPU for Gaming and Streaming: In-depth Review

AMD lead in 7nm lithography and lowest TDP with their multitasking processors. AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is the product that is trusted as the best CPU for gaming and streaming due to its high cores and threads. It has to lead the top charts on websites like Newegg and Amazon primarily due to its brilliant price/performance ratio. The power consumption as represented by the TDP is only 65W, which is low enough to keep your energy bills under control. At the same time, the best processor for streaming on a budget has some downsides. The overclocking space in this processor is limited. It does not exceed the 5GHz mark that other Ryzen processors meet with ease.

Compared to additional CPUs, a much higher-priced motherboard also offers the PCIe 4.0 express lanes. Overall the package required to assemble a gaming beast would require significant investment on the motherboard part. So it has indirect costs. For an entry-level gamer and streamer, considering the benchmark, it achieves. Playing games like Apex Legends and Overwatch at ultra settings 1440p with this CPU installed will quickly let you encode with x264 1080p resolution. Since viewers mostly prefer the 1080p resolution for streaming, this processor does the job for an entry-level streamer. Since AMD does not change the socket size, future up-gradation is also easy.

Intel’s 10th generation of processors has captured the market due to their price. Intel has not shifted to the latest 7nm technology, which has helped Intel gain market share. The Intel Core i5-10400F is Intel’s best budget CPU for gaming and streaming. The volume of 7nm chips fell drastically since the pandemic hit the world. It eventually led to high demand and low supply. Intel used 14nm lithography to ensure availability, thus maintaining the price at the lower end. Despite being the best CPU for streaming and gaming, it isn’t fully compatible with the latest generation of SSDs and GPUs. The shift of GPUs like Nvidia and Radeon from PCIe 3.0 to 4.0 happened swiftly. Intel still didn’t have PCIe 4.0 to offer.

This will pose a bottleneck to the latest RTX 3000 and Radeon GPUs. SSDs will also face bottlenecks. Even though the processor is fast, it will stutter due to this limitation. Intel, due to its availability, is a budget option. PCIe 3.0 is still fast enough to handle all the latest AAA titles, and since streaming is done chiefly on competitive gaming, extremely great graphic details are often not required. Intel has included a PCG 2015C thermal solution and the processor for entry-level PC builders looking to add high-end tech to their gaming PC slowly.

Leaping into fair-priced processors that Intel has introduced, we would like to introduce the Intel Core i5-10600K as the best mid-range CPU for gaming and streaming. It has the same cores and threads as the 10400F, but the significant difference lies in the base frequency. The drastic change in processing frequency allows it to have faster multitasking capability. Top AAA games like Assasins Creed Valhalla and The Witcher 3 run extravagantly at 90fps 1080p resolution. A similar 10400F architecture of LGA 1200 providing a better frequency means that its TDP would naturally increase. It has one of the highest TDPs on our list that could be critical for people who have high energy bills.

Streaming and gaming on this processor will make it run at 100%, thus drawing maximum power. Comet Lake architecture’s major drawback is the absence of PCIe 4.0, which remains the top required protocol for all the latest GPUs. It is multiplier unlocks the CPU, thus allowing higher clock speeds. The pricing per thread is lower than the other 10th generation processors, allowing it to be in the best CPU for streaming and gaming. The overclocked performance will reach 250fps on competitive games like CS: GO and Rainbow Siege. The overclocking headroom is also significant, and enthusiasts can use liquid nitrogen to push the CPU limit as it has an unlocked multiplier and excellent multi-threaded performance.

Passing the 5GHz clock frequency was the most outstanding achievement for processors. Intel Core i7-10700K comes with many pros that make it an excellent CPU for gaming and streaming. At this price point, we do not have any other contender that surpasses the 5GHz mark and officially states the overclocking capability in its specification. Combining this processor with an RTX 3080 will give 100+fps, and 1080p@60fps software encoded smooth streams for the internet community to enjoy. Intel has a reputation for changing sockets for every generation, and the LGA1200 socket is limited to only the 10th and 11th generations of Intel CPUs.

We are here with the best CPU for gaming and streaming with comet lake architecture, while limited to PCIe 3.0, maintaining high fps with a common bottleneck. It has a similar problem that all 14nm processors have, high energy consumption. Intel added two more cores and allowed them to clock beyond the 5GHz mark. It made the processor work at speaks unimaginable price tag. The ability to support turbo max 3.0 makes it auto-adjust to the rising demand of processors while gaming and adjusting the frequency far more accurately than the last tech. The ample overclocking space makes this processor suitable for overclocking enthusiasts using LN2.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is a solid playground for overclockers looking to achieve the maximum output. It is the real king CPU of mid-range gaming and streaming as its performance increases when frequencies are boosted beyond the base frequency of 3.8GHz. It performs exceptionally well for gaming and streaming as it can handle higher IPC due to the higher number of cores and solid frequency. The processor supports 3200MHz of RAM as specified on their website. It is fast, but it does it at a cost. Compared to the other AMD CPUs, they have a 95W TDP, requiring higher power. The requirement for a better cooling solution also poses a challenge.

AMD has not included a cooler with this processor, considering it is overclocking oriented, and the targeted audience might require a high-end cooling solution to work with anyway. AMD has difficulty gaining ground in single-core frequency compared to the 10th generation of Intel processors. However, 5800x has matched the performance of Intel in single-core as some applications still heavily rely on single-core performance. While streaming and gaming is a very multitask-oriented job for any processor. It supports the latest PCIe 4.0, thus allowing 16 GT/s of data per lane.

AMD 3000 series was the best-launched line of processors by any processor manufacturer. AMD Ryzen 9 3900X is the processor we proudly recommend as the AMD’s best CPU for gaming and streaming within the 3000 series beating Intel significantly with a future-proof design of PCIe 4.0. It has enough power to handle encoding and gaming load while reasonably priced. The insane 12 cores and 24 threads blazed through streaming via streamlabs using x264 encoding at 1080p, making it the best processor for streaming. At 6000kbps bitrate, the stream maintained high fps with this processor. AMD has lagged behind Intel in single-core performance with their 3000 series. Single-core performance is crucial for some applications and games.

There are no integrated graphics that come with this processor; thus, it relies on the motherboard to have no processor boot option for diagnosis. The power required by this beast under idle conditions is higher than its counterpart Intel processor. It comes packaged with a Wraith PRISM cooler. The cooler’s performance is sublime, considering that it maintains the processor’s temperature while streaming and gaming at 1080p resolution with high fps. The price is competitive with the Intel counterpart, and with the support for PCIe 4.0, it beats Intel. AMD has the beauty of maintaining the socket, making it beat Intel in terms of future compatibility and up-gradation-related costs.

When we talk about ultra-high-end processors within the 10th generation range of Intel processors, Intel Core i9-10900K takes all the praise. The processor has a mind-boggling boost frequency of 5.3MHz, enabling it to wear the crown of Intel’s best CPU for gaming and streaming. It not only crosses the 5MHz mark, but it also surpasses it by a margin. 10 cores and 20 threads power through any multiprocessing requirement, making it the best processor for streaming. Streamlabs or OBS on top of Valorant, Call of Duty Modern Warfare, or Overwatch running at 1080p maximum bitrates are maintained without fully utilizing the processor. The processor has a low price per core, but we need to consider outdated lithography. It leads to higher TDP, thus requiring a sophisticated high-end after-market cooling system to keep the processor cool under loaded conditions since it has a 125W TDP.

The processor seems to have a lot of power throttling, indicating that the temperatures exceed the standard limit frequently. An AIO solution with a high flow rate and large heatsink might bring down the thermal throttling, but a standard airflow cooler might have a hard time. This Intel CPU can support an official 2966MHz of RAM. Since RAMs do not have a significant role in improving the fps of the game, the performance of this CPU at single or multicore remains powerful. Along with being assertive, this processor also comes with an integrated graphic processor allowing users to gain display irrespective of buying a GPU or not immediately. Gaming while streaming is a piece of cake for this processor.

AMD blew away all the overclockers with the release of their 16 core and 32 thread AMD Ryzen 9 3950X processor. It is the best workstation CPU for gaming and streaming, and the performance of this processor makes it workstation worthy. It easily handles multiple loads and supports RAM speeds that all other CPUs in the 3000 series cannot support. Running a 3600MHz RAM is possible with this CPU, and the Zen 2 architecture and AM4 socket support PCIe 4.0. Despite being a beast processor, it lacks in some areas questioning its price justification. The price to performance ratio is weak compared to another processor with 10cores.

It is meant for users who will mercilessly load this CPU to minimize their time, all of it while avoiding the use of multiple PCs to perform encoding and streaming separately. If you are looking to use RTX 3090 with this processor, it will prove the best choice you have ever made for the best CPU for streaming and gaming. Encoding your next YouTube video while streaming content over Twitch, all of it while playing high-end AAA titles like The Witcher or Red Dead Redemption 2, is a walk-in park for this processor. If you have some bucks to spare as a professional, then this processor can never go wrong for you.

Final Words

Buying the best CPU for gaming and streaming can be challenging for a new user. If you have gone through our reviews, you will understand our emphasis on price to performance ratio. A processor needs to be fast but at a cost that makes it usable for many. As a buyer, you need to first look at the number of cores and threads your processor has. Secondly, you need to see if your processor has a bundled cooler or not. If it doesn’t come with a bundled cooler, it might produce a lot of heat, and you will have to invest money into buying a cooler, thus adding to your cost.

You will also have to look for integrated graphics as they are essential for booting up the PC for the first time. Although motherboards support boot without CPU for diagnosis, they are expensive. As an overclocker, you need to be looking at the overclocking headspace for proper performance. Without tweaking around with frequencies, you cannot run 240+fps and stream at 1080p. Our unbiased review provides the knowledge required to select AMD or Intel for streamers' needs. Overall we hope you find the product that fits your requirement.

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