AMD is one of two major desktop CPU makers that also offer high-performance processors that can double as powerful counterparts to discrete GPUs for gamers. This is evident from not only its refreshed Ryzen 7000 X3D CPUs taking a significant lead versus the competition, but also from AMD essentially designing the APUs that power current generation consoles from both Microsoft (Xbox Series S|X) and Sony (PlayStation 5).

This, along with its new Zen 4 cores on offer that can be clocked higher than their predecessors while retaining superior efficiency versus their competition along with the perceived longevity of its AM5 socket helps AMD to offer better value for money across multiple price segments even as gamers increasingly turn to Team Red for their gaming needs.

The team at Game Rant has made a list of the best AMD CPUs for gaming with a focus on performance and value for money in particular below:

The Best AMD Gaming CPUs To Buy In 2024

If you need the best gaming CPU money can buy, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D deserves plenty of recognition as it mixes AMD's high-performance Zen 4 cores with an excellent L3 cache bump that enables it to stomp the competition that offers higher clocks and cores in an attempt to stay abreast.

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D still manages to come out ahead and by a relatively large margin while averaging just under 50W on most titles when gaming, a far cry from the 100W+ power draws that most of its competition from Intel tend to exhibit even as they struggle to compete. As the fastest gaming CPU, it's also notably cheaper than AMD's Ryzen 9 and Intel's Core i9 CPUs, making it a relative no-brainer purchase for you even as it regularly goes on sale to as low as $350 occasionally.

While it originally started with an MSRP of $450, AMD itself lists it on their online store for $399, indicating a soft price cut might already have taken place with other retailer prices following closely behind currently. This makes it an even more competitive CPU for gamers in terms of value for money than it was at launch over a year ago.

If you're looking for a budget CPU for gaming, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 delivers just that at a price tag under $200 while throwing in a stock cooler along with the 6-core, 12-thread Zen 4-based CPU. Unlike the competition that only offers stock coolers with locked CPUs, the Ryzen 5 7600 comes unlocked out of the box and many users report being able to push to at least the 7600X's clocks with ease on supporting motherboards.

For those users, the stock cooler might prove to be a limiting factor, especially with higher clocks in play. Luckily, the team at Game Rant has a dedicated guide that covers multiple superior options starting from as low as $35. The Ryzen 5 7600, even without tweaking is a capable processor that holds its own in most games against its core-heavy competition but does tend to lose out occasionally in games that are more thread-heavy and can utilize extra threads such as some simulation titles due to its hexacore configuration.

If you're looking to spend only on a CPU for your entry-level gaming needs while delaying a discrete GPU purchase or skipping one altogether, the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G 8-Core, 16-Thread APU is a tier above the competition. This is thanks to it housing both AMD's Zen 4 architecture in an octa-core configuration and a moderately powerful Radeon 780M mobile GPU in a single chip with a TDP of 65W.

AMD's Ryzen 7 8700G is not a replacement for powerful discrete GPUs but it doesn't profess to be that either. Instead, it caters to users who require a decent iGPU without going overboard along with a current generation CPU in play. Use cases would ideally be as the heart of an entry-level gaming system or a PC used for esports titles such as Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, League of Legends, Overwatch, and DotA 2.

The Ryzen 7 8700G does make compromises, however, to offer the value it does, skipping PCI-E 5.0 lanes on offer entirely versus AMD's 7000 series CPUs and limiting itself to offering as little as 8 PCI-E 4.0 lanes for a discrete GPU option down the line. This could impact upgrade choices for users intending to use the Ryzen 7 8700G's iGPU as a placeholder for a future upgrade, making it cater more exclusively to mid-range system builders and consumers at best.

Users on the fence about going for an APU for the first time and how it holds up versus the competition can use Game Rant's dedicated review of the Ryzen 7 8700G to make a more informed purchase.

If you're looking for a higher core count than the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's offerings and better value for money than the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, the 12-core, 24-thread AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D CPU might be a better value-added option given its pricing often dips to sub-$400 levels occasionally versus its less aggressively discounted siblings.

The Ryzen 9 7900X3D is a slower CPU than both its 8 and 16-core siblings, but one that remains cheaper core-for-core than either, even as it retains the same level of efficiency when gaming. It makes for a great productivity-centric CPU that can also game, offering more power for productivity for users who need it but can not justify buying the Ryzen 9 7950X3D which trades at a significant premium versus AMD's 12-core juggernaut.

While it isn't the most favored of AMD's offerings, a series of unofficial price cuts make it worth taking a second look at the often understated value that the Ryzen 9 7900X3D offers to creators and productivity users looking for a bargain while also intending to game on the side in 2024.

If you who need the best AMD CPU on offer for gaming along with a powerhouse that can handle more than the 7800X3D in productivity and 3D modeling/rendering tasks, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D 16-core, 32-thread Desktop Processor is undoubtedly the best in the business. It offers superior multitasking performance than the competition even as it provides a better gaming experience than all save its smaller octa-core sibling which occasionally pulls ahead of the 16-core juggernaut.

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D more than makes up for this by offering double the thread-crunching potential than the cheapest 7000 series X3D CPU, even as it remains significantly more power efficient and less demanding in terms of thermals than Intel's Core i9 14900K and 14900KS, both of which come quite close in most benchmarks.

AMD's highest-end CPU does, however, cost more than Intel's more mainstream Core i9 CPU, but promises a better upgrade path using the AM5 socket, better efficiency, and slightly better performance in games, making it a great high-end performance-centric CPU to pick for creators and professionals looking to do well at more than just gaming at the highest CPU tier for consumers.

If you still use an older AM4-based motherboards or DDR4 RAM, the aging, but still relevant AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU still offers excellent value for money while allowing you to make a more cost-effective upgrade than the costs of swapping out their motherboard, memory, and CPU in a single go.

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D still holds its own versus most mid-range current-generation CPUs for gaming as it leverages its stacked L3 cache (AMD's V-Cache technology) to make for a CPU that performs better in games versus the competition. It also offers better power efficiency than some of its last-generation and current-generation competition while gaming.

Unlike the newer Ryzen 7 7800X3D, the 5800X3D comes locked and while users can unlock it, overclocking it is not only a tricky affair but isn't very rewarding even if one manages to get it going. This, coupled with a lack of upgrades down the line and being limited to legacy hardware in terms of compatibility (DDR4 memory, PCI-E 4.0 components) does tend to stack against the 5800X3D, but as the fastest gaming CPU on the AM4 socket, it does continue to remain a force to be reckoned with and a viable upgrade fo users who would otherwise have to make multiple changes to support newer Ryzen 7000 series CPUs.

FAQ

Q: Is an AMD APU Good for gaming?

An AMD APU can do entry-level gaming on HD or Full HD resolutions with medium graphics in most cases. Its graphics prowess is comparable to entry-level discrete GPUs.

Q: What is the fastest AMD CPU available to purchase?

For gaming, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D 16-Core 32-Thread Processor is hands down the fastest AMD CPU available in stores today.