Best Intel CPUs in 2025

The CPU (central processing unit) is one of the most important components inside a PC. It's what largely determines how much processing power will be available for tasks such as gaming and running software. Choosing the right processor is a complex decision to make, but buying the best CPU is crucial as it plays an intricate role in deciding how well your PC performs on different workloads, how well it runs games, and more. There's a good argument to make for focusing your PC on Intel right now, as even on the laptop side, you'll find many of the best RTX 4090 laptops with Intel chips.

My favorite Intel processors of 2024

It's not required to choose the absolute most expensive processor from AMD or Intel to enjoy the best performance for the price. The Intel Core i9 range of chips offers far more performance than most people would require from their PC, which is why we select the Intel Core i5-14600K as the best overall Intel CPU. It's based on the same Intel 7 (10nm) process as its predecessor, but Intel managed to crank things up a notch further. There are 8 E-cores and 6 P-cores for a total of 14 cores. P-cores support Hyperthreading, resulting in a rather awkward thread total of 20. This is more than enough for gaming and even heavier workloads. Remember when mid-tier CPUs had just four cores?

The base clock speeds of the P-cores and E-cores on the Intel Core i5-14600K are 3.5GHz and 2.6GHz, respectively. These are capable of boosting up to 5.3GHz and 4.0GHz. This hybrid design approach allows the P-cores to focus on tasks such as running software or games whereas the E-cores can be used for background tasks or to aid P-cores if additional cores are required. Since core performance is still comfortably more than what AMD offers with its relative Ryzen 5 CPU, this Intel chip is a worthwhile consideration for just about any desktop PC. It will run fairly hot, thanks to the 181W TDP.

We found in our review testing that the Intel Core i5-14600K runs best with an AIO liquid CPU cooler. To make the most of the processor, we'd also recommend using the best DDR5 RAM. If you wish to save a few pennies and are set on the Intel Core i5-14600K, we'd recommend the Intel Core i5-14600KF, which simply removes the integrated graphics. If you plan on always using a discrete graphics card, you'll have no problems with this more affordable processor SKU.

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a pricey chip and offers incredible levels of performance. This is largely wasted on most PC systems that wouldn't be able to test the processor and allow it to stretch its legs. That's where the Intel Core i7-14700K comes in. It's not quite as powerful as the Core i9 series, but it also costs substantially less. Interestingly, while this chip does have fewer physical cores and threads, gaming performance is about on par with the Core i9-14900K, making it possible to save without sacrificing in-game frame rates.

The 14700K has a total of 16 cores, consisting of 8 P-cores and 8 E-cores. This results in a total thread count of 24. The P-cores are capable of boosting up to 5.6Ghz and the E-cores can hit 4.3GHz. Overclocking is also on the cards when coupled with good enough cooling. It's an excellent processor for a capable system build and one we'd recommend for gamers. We found it to be one of the best upgrades with the Intel Raptor Lake refresh, offering the best path for enhanced performance from older hardware.

The Intel Core i9-14900K is where your eyes should turn for the best-performing Intel processor. If you plan on pushing the system hard with video editing and other intensive applications, you're likely going to need such a chip with numerous cores and high clock speeds. Let's talk core counts. There are a whopping 16 E-cores joined by 8 P-cores with Hyperthreading. This results in a total thread count of 32, easily matching what AMD offers with its Ryzen 9 series of CPUs.

A downside to all this performance is power draw and heat waste. There's a TDP of 253W and this processor will happily draw a lot of electricity, which results in the Intel Core i9-14900K frequently thermal throttling, but by design. Intel wants the chip to run at hotter temperatures, which means you're going to require one of the best CPU coolers to keep temperatures in check and not sacrifice too much in terms of clock speeds. We found in our testing that the CPU runs seriously hot and will likely be overkill for just about any desktop system, much like the impressive Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090.

Clock speeds come in at 2.4GHz and 3.2GHz for E-cores and P-cores. When the system requires it, the chip will happily push both up to 4.4GHz and 6.0GHz, which is incredible when you consider no custom user-set overclocking is required to hit these levels. Like other 13th Gen Intel processors, we'd recommend pairing this up with DDR5 RAM if possible.

The Intel Core i5-13600K is the best pick if you're buying a 13th Gen Intel CPU. It has fantastic single-core and respectable multi-core performance, something which Intel's been known to fall behind on in previous years compared to AMD chips. The best thing about the Core i5-13600K is that it benefits from many of the same upgrades as the more powerful Core i5-14600K chip. Most notably, the hybrid architecture. The Intel Core i5-13600K has a total of 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores with a total thread count of 20. Base clock speeds start at 3.5GHz and 2.6GHz with boost clock speeds of 5.1GHz and 3.9GHz for P-cores and E-cores. This chip shares the same LGA 1700 socket as 14th Gen processors, allowing for a future upgrade to take place.

The support for DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 further raises the performance ceiling. DDR5 memory offers a huge benefit in terms of memory speeds, whereas PCIe 5.0 doubles the bandwidth for supported components such as SSDs. The Core i5-13600K does fall behind a little now its 14th Gen replacement is here, but it could also mean you're able to grab one with a nice discount. It's still a great chip to put into a gaming-focused PC. Intel Core i5-13600K will serve you well regardless of the workload and it'll continue to do so for many years to come. And you do at least have an upgrade path to 14th Gen if you need more performance. But since the Core i5-13600K is unlocked, you could dive in and do a little overclocking and squeeze a little more out of it.

The Intel Core i5-13500 may not be the most powerful Intel chip on the market right now, but there's a lot to like about it. It is a fantastic chip for entry-level to mid-range builds. And if you have a graphics card in your build you can pick up the 'F' model of this CPU to save a little extra. The Core i5-13500 is a 14-core, 20-thread CPU that features Intel's hybrid architecture. It can hit high clock speeds without consuming too much power or producing too much thermal output. Assuming you're not into overclocking, this is a perfect solution for an entry or mid-tier gaming PC. The Core i5-13500 has a peak frequency of 4.8GHz. It's a 65W TDP CPU and also packs Intel's UHD Graphics 770.

The Core i5-13500's 65W PL1 (base frequency-TDP) and 154W PL2 (turbo frequency power) ratings are lower than the 13600K's 125W PL1 and 181W PL2 ratings. This means the 13500 generates far less heat and won't throttle as much or cap your frequencies as much as the more expensive version.

I would steer you toward the Intel Core i3-12100F when shopping around for the cheapest processor Intel offers. This is an older 12th-gen processor and has just four physical P-cores, but it's a steal at less than $100. It's an entry-level processor without an integrated GPU and there's no fancy combination of P-cores and E-cores, but it's worth considering for PC systems where performance isn't a priority. It'll work with the best motherboards for Intel processors, allowing you to upgrade to better Core processors later on.

On the memory front, the Intel Core i3-12100F supports DDR4-3200 and even DDR5 memory up to 4800. Additionally, the 12100F chip also supports PCIe Gen 5, making it more future-proof than almost every competing chip in this price range. It also comes with a cooler in the box, so you can install it and get rolling right away. The P-cores are capable of boosting up to 4.3GHz. For a basic, really tight-budget system, this is a pretty awesome CPU.

Buying the best Intel CPU

When you're buying an Intel CPU right now, there's an easy choice. If you're a gamer or building a more all-purpose PC, the Intel Core i5-13600K is hands-down the best choice. It strikes a perfect balance between price and performance, offering a high level of computing power without too much heat. It will still run warm, so be sure to invest in capable CPU cooling to prevent it from thermal throttling. If you're looking to save money, however, we'd recommend the Intel Pentium Gold G7400.