What processor can you buy before the New Year? Prices are falling, the market is constantly changing. It’s time to sum up the results of the year, which seemed to be difficult for the computer market as well. Despite the release of the new AMD Ryzen 7000 and Intel Raptor Lake 13 Gen, many older CPUs are still relevant and have become significantly cheaper. We offer readers a list of processors recommended (or not recommended) for purchase at the end of 2022. ITC editors have taken into account all price ranges.
The most successful models include the entire line of AMD A-Series processors. These are nomads from the FM2+ platform. Outdated technical process, low performance per core, lack of hypertrading. They are not worth the small amount they are asking.
It is better to pay attention to new processors for this platform. AMD A-Series is definitely the worst thing to buy for socket AM4 in 2022. It is recommended to avoid CPUs such as A6-9500E, A8-9600, A10-9700E, A12-9800, etc.
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The best “office” processor
The AMD Athlon G/GE series makes up for the failed 28-nanometer predecessors. In contrast to the AMD A-Series, the new Athlons emit less heat and are up to twice as productive. Athlon 200GE, 220GE, 240GE, 3000G will be an excellent choice for an office computer. Cheap AM4-based Athlon successors will not soon appear on the current AM5 platform.
The advantage of AMD Athlon G is the low cost of motherboards and excellent Vega 3 graphics. There is also a good alternative to Intel. But you will have to spend a little more money. The combination of H610 + Celeron G6900 or H410/H510 + Pentium G6400 will cost a little more. Such changes were considered in the PC of the month for October.
The best ultra-budget processor
Intel Core i3-10100F/10105F – hits are not the first freshness. But low prices make them profitable even now. Ideal for cheap computers, where every hryvnia counts.
Intel Core i3 Comet Lake and Comet Lake Refresh performance as Intel Core i7-7700. A few years ago, it was the flagship level, and now the corresponding ultra-budget processors. With them, it will be possible to assemble an inexpensive gaming computer or simply a convenient and fast, modern workplace. Intel Core i3-10100F/10105F are still actively sold and deservedly placed in this rating.
The worst budget processor
AMD Ryzen 3 4100 and Ryzen 5 4500 are among the least successful budget solutions. What made the 4000th series deserve such an “honor”? In many scenarios, the Ryzen 34100 loses out to its predecessor, the Ryzen 33100.
It’s a shame to release a new CPU that loses to the older one. To remove the label of “worst budget processor” from this model, it will have to drop the price quite a bit.
The mid-range Ryzen 5 4500 CPU doesn’t sell much cheaper than the Ryzen 5 5500. The price difference between the two is much smaller than the performance gap. Perhaps they would find fans if they were sold cheaper.
At its price, you can sometimes find the legend Ryzen 5 3600. So far, AMD Ryzen 3 4100 and Ryzen 5 4500 do not make sense against the background of more successful new (or even old) AMD models. Cheap Intel i3 10s are also a problem for themth Gen.
The best budget processor
This podium is shared by the hit Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Ryzen 5 5500. Both processors are worth the attention of buyers. Cool, undemanding to the power supply of motherboards and very productive. For their price, they offer everything an inexpensive computer needs.
These CPUs can handle powerful video cards. They produce hundreds of FPS in “eSports” games. Inexpensive and fast processors that fit well into the framework of a modern budget PC. Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Ryzen 5 5500 will remain relevant for a long time.
The best gaming processor
Balanced, productive and not too expensive Intel Core i5-12400F is nominated for the title of the best gaming processor of 2022. Of course, the cheaper Intel Core i3-12100F model will be enough for many. For owners of 144Hz monitors, i3 12th Gen may be few. In many games, the average i5 largely bypasses its younger relative.
The Intel Core i5-12400F has stronger cores, a larger cache and 6 cores/12 threads. All this will not allow it to become a “bottleneck” in CPU-demanding projects. In quality-made toys, its power is abundant. But there are games that are too “hungry” for the CPU component.
This processor is enough for the most powerful modern video cards. It easily realizes all the performance of NVIDIA and AMD novelties. If you are assembling a computer primarily for games, there is no point in looking at more powerful CPUs.
The best processor with iGPU
Ryzen 5 4600/5600G have good built-in graphics, which “keep up” with office graphics cards NVIDIA GT 1030. Radeon Vega 7 became a salvation for many gamers during the period of active mining. Back then, these CPUs cost a lot. Now they have become significantly cheaper and profitable.
For those who need a compact PC with low power consumption, this is a great choice. The built-in graphics in the Ryzen 5 4600/5600G are significantly superior to their counterparts from Intel. For many “eSports” disciplines, it is no longer necessary.
Intel Core i9-13900K and AMD Ryzen 9 7950X share this podium. AMD released a worthy competitor to the Raptor Lake flagship. On the Intel side, there is a slight advantage in multi-threaded performance.
These are the ultimate options that the ITC editors have added to the PC of the Month (the “Full Minced” configuration). Too good competition from both manufacturers. No surprises. Obviously, these are the most powerful CPUs for the desktop segment until the end of 2022.
The best processor of 2022-2023
Intel Core i5-13600K is the best choice for 2022-2023. The new 14-core i5 breaks all records. This is the first time when an average peasant can be recommended to powerful workstations. It easily bypasses the recent Intel Core i9 flagships and will put the 16-core Ryzen 9 under its belt.
Good single-core performance and a wagonload of power-efficient cores is a great combination that makes it a good buy. Hot, but very productive. The Intel Core i5-13600K leaves far behind the Intel Core i9-10900K, i9-11900K, i7-11700K and equals the i7-12700K.
It can only be compared with Ryzen 7 7700X. The “theoretical” competitor Ryzen 5 7600X cannot compete with the successful representative of Raptor Lake. The difference in multi-core performance is too big. The fresh five erases the boundaries between middle and high class, offering something fundamentally new. Intel Core i5-13600K set a new standard in the world of desktop computers.
Conclusions
The market is changing rapidly. Until recently, users received 4/8 Intel Core i7-7700K cores. Currently, the representative of the mid-range Intel Core i5-13600K offers an unprecedented level of performance. But despite the powerful Ryzen 7000 and Intel Core 13 Gen, they did not have time to penetrate all categories.
The budget segment is still occupied by processors 2-4 years old. For video games, there is no point in chasing top-end solutions, and for many users, Vega 7 integrated graphics will be quite good.
The most important thing to remember is that there are no bad processors in principle. There are bad/good solutions for their price. Everything is known in comparison. If a CPU gets a fail or pass mark, it indicates its place at the top of the market at the moment. If Intel Core i3 were more expensive and Ryzen 5 5500 were less productive, the Ryzen 4000 series would no longer look like such outsiders.
The same applies to the outdated A-Series. It is always necessary to choose what is the most rational right now. It is almost impossible to predict the price policy for a year or two, because it depends on many factors.
