November 2024 CPU Roundup

Data analysis based on GamersNexus CPU Benchmarks

Gaming Performance Tiers

Tier S - Elite Gaming ($450+)

AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D - $523.56

Gaming Benchmarks
  • Baldur's Gate 3: 132.5 FPS avg (77.0 1% low)
  • Starfield: 152.9 FPS avg (71.5 1% low)
  • F1 24 (1440p): 367.2 FPS avg (234.4 1% low)
  • Dragon's Dogma 2: 109.0 FPS avg (55.8 1% low)
Key Features
  • 96MB 3D V-Cache provides unmatched gaming advantage
  • Best 1% lows in modern titles
  • 120W TDP - excellent thermal performance
  • AM5 platform with future upgrade path
  • Perfect for high refresh rate gaming

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X - $684.42

Gaming Performance
  • Baldur's Gate 3: 111.0 FPS avg (65.6 1% low)
  • Starfield: 134.5 FPS avg (57.8 1% low)
  • F1 24 (1440p): 266.2 FPS avg (138.8 1% low)
Additional Benefits
  • 16 cores / 32 threads for exceptional multitasking
  • Leading productivity performance
  • Best choice for mixed workload scenarios
  • Latest AM5 architecture

Intel Core i9-14900K - $512.77

Gaming Metrics
  • Baldur's Gate 3: 115.5 FPS avg (74.5 1% low)
  • Starfield: 147.0 FPS avg (62.9 1% low)
  • F1 24 (1440p): 365.1 FPS avg (237.5 1% low)
Highlights
  • 8 P-cores + 16 E-cores for superior multitasking
  • 6.0 GHz boost clock - highest in class
  • Excellent for streaming and content creation
  • Strong platform features with Z790

Tier A - High Performance ($350-450)

Intel Core i7-14700K - $404.57

Gaming Performance
  • Baldur's Gate 3: 113.5 FPS avg (77.0 1% low)
  • Starfield: 139.9 FPS avg (62.0 1% low)
  • F1 24 (1440p): 267.5 FPS avg (147.7 1% low)
  • Dragon's Dogma 2: 102.8 FPS avg (55.1 1% low)
Productivity Metrics
  • 7-Zip: 174,765/201,042 MIPS
  • Blender: 8.9 minutes
  • Photoshop: 9,971 points
Key Benefits
  • 8 P-cores + 12 E-cores - excellent multitasking
  • 95% of 14900K performance at 80% of the cost
  • Great thermal performance for its class
  • Perfect for gaming + streaming setups

Intel Core i7-13700K - $384.61

Gaming Metrics
  • Baldur's Gate 3: 111.8 FPS avg (75.1 1% low)
  • Starfield: 139.9 FPS avg (62.5 1% low)
  • F1 24 (1440p): 260.2 FPS avg (142.1 1% low)
  • Dragon's Dogma 2: 101.3 FPS avg (52.7 1% low)
Productivity Performance
  • 7-Zip: 153,060/165,490 MIPS
  • Blender: 10.3 minutes
  • Photoshop: 9,849 points
Value Proposition
  • 8 P-cores + 8 E-cores - great for multitasking
  • Mature platform with wide motherboard selection
  • DDR4 support for better budget builds
  • Often found at discount prices

AMD Ryzen 9 7900X - $494.11

Performance Data
  • Gaming Performance:
    • Baldur's Gate 3: 108.3 FPS avg (68.2 1% low)
    • Starfield: 133.5 FPS avg (59.8 1% low)
  • Productivity:
    • 7-Zip: 163,309/210,809 MIPS
    • Blender: 9.0 minutes
    • Photoshop: 10,316 points
Features
  • 12 cores / 24 threads - excellent multicore performance
  • AM5 platform with upgrade potential
  • Great power efficiency under load

Tier B - Mid-Range Sweet Spot ($250-350)

Intel Core i5-13600K - $262.23

Gaming Performance
  • Baldur's Gate 3: 104.9 FPS avg (71.2 1% low)
  • Starfield: 132.8 FPS avg (60.1 1% low)
  • F1 24 (1440p): 242.1 FPS avg (132.3 1% low)
Productivity Metrics
  • 7-Zip: 128,837/132,911 MIPS
  • Blender: 12.8 minutes
  • Photoshop: 9,474 points
Value Analysis
  • 6 P-cores + 8 E-cores - great price/performance
  • DDR4 support reduces total system cost
  • Excellent gaming value at $2.50 per frame
  • Strong productivity for price point

Intel Core i5-14600K - $285.86

Gaming Performance
  • Baldur's Gate 3: 106.0 FPS avg (72.1 1% low)
  • Starfield: 134.2 FPS avg (61.3 1% low)
  • F1 24 (1440p): 246.8 FPS avg (135.1 1% low)
  • Dragon's Dogma 2: 96.8 FPS avg (51.4 1% low)
Productivity Metrics
  • 7-Zip: 129,940/136,914 MIPS
  • Blender: 12.6 minutes
  • Photoshop: 9,674 points
Platform Benefits
  • Newer architecture than 13600K
  • Better power efficiency
  • Improved integrated graphics
  • Latest platform features

AMD Ryzen 7 7700X - $330.15

Performance Data
  • Gaming Metrics:
    • Baldur's Gate 3: 99.2 FPS avg (65.0 1% low)
    • Starfield: 128.7 FPS avg (58.9 1% low)
    • F1 24: 340.3 FPS avg (194.4 1% low)
  • Productivity:
    • 7-Zip: 122,057/142,392 MIPS
    • Blender: 13.3 minutes
    • Photoshop: 10,850 points
Key Features
  • 8 cores / 16 threads - great for multitasking
  • AM5 platform with future upgrade path
  • Excellent power efficiency
  • Strong content creation performance

Tier C - Budget Gaming ($150-250)

Intel Core i5-12600K - $196.96

Gaming Performance
  • Baldur's Gate 3: 88.4 FPS avg (58.3 1% low)
  • Starfield: 112.5 FPS avg (52.7 1% low)
  • F1 24: 289.7 FPS avg (167.3 1% low)
Productivity Metrics
  • 7-Zip: 92,728/95,683 MIPS
  • Blender: 17.0 minutes
  • Photoshop: 8,775 points
Value Proposition
  • 6 P-cores + 4 E-cores - good entry-level hybrid design
  • Mature platform with affordable motherboards
  • DDR4 support for budget builds
  • Great entry point for gaming PCs

AMD Ryzen 5 7600X - $289.03

Performance Data
  • Gaming Metrics:
    • Baldur's Gate 3: 91.7 FPS avg (59.5 1% low)
    • Dragon's Dogma 2: 84.7 FPS avg (45.9 1% low)
    • F1 24: 262.1 FPS avg (133.2 1% low)
  • Productivity:
    • 7-Zip: 74,183/89,639 MIPS
    • Blender: 24.7 minutes
    • Photoshop: 8,175 points
Platform Benefits
  • 6 cores / 12 threads - modern architecture
  • AM5 platform entry point
  • Excellent upgrade path
  • Great power efficiency

Intel Core i3-12100F - $94.29

Budget Gaming Performance
  • Gaming Metrics:
    • Baldur's Gate 3: 70.3 FPS avg (42.1 1% low)
    • F1 24: 242.8 FPS avg (132.9 1% low)
  • Productivity:
    • 7-Zip: 46,483/44,608 MIPS
    • Blender: 35.8 minutes
    • Photoshop: 6,996 points
Ultra Budget Value
  • 4 cores / 8 threads - entry-level performance
  • Excellent price/performance for basic gaming
  • Most affordable modern gaming CPU
  • Low power consumption

Productivity Performance Rankings

Tier S - Professional Workstation ($500+)

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X - $684.42

Professional Workload Performance
  • Content Creation:
    • Blender: 5.9 minutes (fastest tested)
    • Premiere Pro: 10,953 points
    • Photoshop: 11,694 points
  • Compression/Decompression:
    • 7-Zip Compression: 204,872 MIPS
    • 7-Zip Decompression: 280,406 MIPS
  • Scientific Workloads:
    • SpecWS FSI: 9.47 points
    • SpecWS LAMMPS: 6.93 points
    • Chromium Compile: 65.9 minutes
Key Professional Features
  • 16 cores / 32 threads - maximum multitasking
  • Large L3 cache for complex workloads
  • PCIe 5.0 support for professional GPUs
  • Advanced memory support for large datasets

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X - $573.99

Workstation Performance
  • Content Creation:
    • Blender: 6.7 minutes
    • Premiere Pro: 10,576 points
    • Photoshop: 10,923 points
  • Data Processing:
    • 7-Zip Compression: 193,532 MIPS
    • 7-Zip Decompression: 276,072 MIPS
    • Chromium Compile: 73.2 minutes
Professional Benefits
  • 16 cores / 32 threads with high boost clocks
  • Excellent power efficiency under load
  • Strong platform features
  • Better value than 9950X for most workloads

Intel Core i9-14900K - $512.77

Professional Metrics
  • Content Creation:
    • Blender: 7.9 minutes
    • Premiere Pro: 10,987 points
    • Photoshop: 10,273 points
  • System Performance:
    • 7-Zip Compression: 192,648 MIPS
    • 7-Zip Decompression: 228,965 MIPS
    • Chromium Compile: 74.7 minutes
Workstation Features
  • 8 P-cores + 16 E-cores for diverse workloads
  • Quick Sync support for video encoding
  • Strong single-thread performance
  • Excellent for mixed use scenarios

Tier A - High-End Productivity ($350-500)

Intel Core i7-14700K - $404.57

Professional Performance
  • Content Creation:
    • Blender: 8.9 minutes
    • Premiere Pro: 10,427 points
    • Photoshop: 9,971 points
  • System Tasks:
    • 7-Zip Compression: 174,765 MIPS
    • 7-Zip Decompression: 201,042 MIPS
    • Chromium Compile: 81.0 minutes
  • Workstation Scores:
    • SpecWS FSI: 7.01 points
    • SpecWS LAMMPS: 6.54 points
Value Proposition
  • 20 total cores (8P + 12E) - excellent multitasking
  • 90% of 14900K performance at lower cost
  • Better thermal characteristics than 14900K
  • Ideal for content creators and streamers

AMD Ryzen 9 7900X - $494.11

Workload Performance
  • Content Creation:
    • Blender: 9.0 minutes
    • Premiere Pro: 10,099 points
    • Photoshop: 10,316 points
  • System Performance:
    • 7-Zip Compression: 163,309 MIPS
    • 7-Zip Decompression: 210,809 MIPS
    • Chromium Compile: 86.7 minutes
Professional Features
  • 12 cores / 24 threads - strong multicore performance
  • AM5 platform benefits
  • Excellent power efficiency
  • Good upgrade path

Intel Core i7-13700K - $384.61

Professional Metrics
  • Content Creation:
    • Blender: 10.3 minutes
    • Premiere Pro: 9,993 points
    • Photoshop: 9,849 points
  • System Tasks:
    • 7-Zip Compression: 153,060 MIPS
    • 7-Zip Decompression: 165,490 MIPS
    • Chromium Compile: 91.8 minutes
Value Features
  • 16 total cores (8P + 8E) - great multitasking
  • DDR4 support reduces overall cost
  • Mature platform stability
  • Good price/performance ratio

Tier B - Mid-Range Productivity ($250-350)

Intel Core i5-13600K - $262.23

Productivity Performance
  • Content Creation:
    • Blender: 12.8 minutes
    • Premiere Pro: 9,187 points
    • Photoshop: 9,474 points
  • System Performance:
    • 7-Zip Compression: 128,837 MIPS
    • 7-Zip Decompression: 132,911 MIPS
    • Chromium Compile: 112.1 minutes
Value Analysis
  • 14 total cores (6P + 8E) - excellent mid-range value
  • Strong single-thread performance
  • DDR4 platform cost savings
  • Best productivity per dollar in its class

AMD Ryzen 7 7700X - $330.15

Workload Performance
  • Content Creation:
    • Blender: 13.3 minutes
    • Premiere Pro: 8,987 points
    • Photoshop: 10,850 points
  • System Tasks:
    • 7-Zip Compression: 122,057 MIPS
    • 7-Zip Decompression: 142,392 MIPS
    • Chromium Compile: 118.4 minutes
Platform Benefits
  • 8 cores / 16 threads - modern architecture
  • AM5 platform advantages
  • Excellent power efficiency
  • Strong single-thread performance

Ultimate Value Rankings 2024

Best Overall Value (All Factors Considered)

1. Intel Core i5-13600K - $262.23

Why It's The Best Value
  • Gaming Performance:
    • 104.9 FPS in BG3 ($2.50 per frame)
    • 93.1 FPS in DD2
    • Only 20% behind flagship at 1/2 the price
  • Productivity:
    • 128,837 MIPS in 7-Zip
    • 12.8 minutes Blender render
    • Strong content creation capability
  • Platform Value:
    • DDR4 support reduces system cost
    • Wide motherboard selection
    • Lower cooling requirements

2. Intel Core i7-14700K - $404.57

High-End Value Champion
  • Performance Value:
    • 90% of 14900K performance
    • Better thermal characteristics
    • Excellent gaming and productivity balance
  • Feature Set:
    • 20 total cores for heavy workloads
    • Latest platform features
    • Strong upgrade path

3. AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D - $523.56

Premium Gaming Value
  • Gaming Excellence:
    • Best gaming performance available
    • Superior 1% lows for smooth gameplay
    • Excellent frame consistency
  • Platform Value:
    • AM5 socket future proofing
    • Lower power consumption than competitors
    • Reasonable cooling requirements
  • Long-term Value:
    • Strong resale value retention
    • Upgrade path to future AM5 CPUs
    • Gaming performance headroom

4. Intel Core i5-14600K - $285.86

Modern Mid-Range Value
  • Performance Benefits:
    • Improved efficiency vs 13600K
    • Better integrated graphics
    • Higher boost clocks
  • Value Proposition:
    • Latest platform features
    • Strong gaming performance
    • Good productivity capabilities

5. AMD Ryzen 5 7600X - $289.03

AM5 Entry Value
  • Platform Advantages:
    • Most affordable AM5 entry point
    • Strong upgrade path
    • Modern features and efficiency
  • Performance Value:
    • Solid gaming performance
    • Good productivity for price
    • Excellent power efficiency

6. Intel Core i3-12100F - $94.29

Ultimate Budget Value
  • Cost Efficiency:
    • Lowest cost modern gaming CPU
    • Excellent price/performance ratio
    • DDR4 platform savings
  • Gaming Capability:
    • 70+ FPS in modern games
    • Decent 1% lows
    • Good for esports titles
  • Basic Productivity:
    • Sufficient for everyday tasks
    • Good single-thread performance
    • Low power consumption

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Best Choice By Use Case

  • Pure Gaming: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
  • Productivity Focus: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
  • Best Overall Value: Intel Core i5-13600K
  • Budget Gaming: Intel Core i3-12100F
  • Mixed Workload: Intel Core i7-14700K

Platform costs should be considered when making a final decision. AM5 (AMD) platforms typically have higher initial costs but offer better upgrade paths, while Intel platforms often offer more budget-friendly entry points with DDR4 options.

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