The best AMD CPUs are some of the best processors in the world, period. Here are our top AMD chips, whether you’re a gamer, worker, or a little bit of both.
Most of the best AMD processors also top our best processors list thanks to the incredible performance of the Ryzen 7000 generation. Our top pick for the best AMD CPU right now is the Ryzen 9 7950X because of its incredible 16 cores, impressive performance in gaming and productivity, and its relative efficiency compared to the Intel competition.
From the best Ryzen CPU for gaming to the best AMD processor on a budget, we have plenty of options for fans of Team Red. If you want to jump camps, make sure to check out our roundup of the best Intel CPUs, as well.
AMD Ryzen 9 7950XThe best, most powerful AMD Ryzen CPU
Why should you buy this: It’s got the highest specs among AMD Ryzen desktop processors.
Who’s it for: Content creators and professionals looking for core CPU performance.
Why we picked the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X:
Sitting on top is the Ryzen 9 7950X, which is a powerhouse and an overpowered chip for most users. It comes with 16 cores and 32 threads that can boost up to 5.7GHz — a massive increase on its last-generation predecessor. It has a whopping 80MB of combined L2 and L3 cache, which doesn’t quite compete with the X3D variants, but it’s a lot of cache either way, helping to accelerate this chip’s performance in gaming and productivity workloads.
As is the case with most high-end components, the 7950X’s power is clear from the specs, but it takes a little more digging to see its performance benefit in real-world use. Its additional four cores and eight threads doesn’t give it a giant leap in most applications compared to the 12-core 7900X, but the 7950X really shines when it comes to multithreaded performance. In tasks that require a lot of cores, such as hardware encryption and 3D rendering, the 7950X aces the charts and shoots far ahead of the 7900X.
As for gaming, while the 7950X can show slight improvements in certain titles, most games won’t be able to take advantage of the processor’s full horsepower. Even in CPU-intensive titles, the 7950X is overkill. It’s a highly capable gaming CPU, topping benchmarks alongside all of the Ryzen 7000 processors, but its strengths lie more in working and gaming, or just working, rather than pure gaming. For that, look to the X3D options.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3DThe best AMD processor for gaming
Why should you buy this: It’s the best CPU for gaming, no questions asked.
Who’s it for: Gamers who want flagship gaming performance at a fair price.
Why we picked the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D:
The Ryzen 7800X3D is an eight core, Zen 4 CPU with a 5GHz clock speed, making it, on paper at least, a little slower than its Ryzen 7000 counterparts. However, this is an X3D CPU, with an additional 64MB of L3 cache stacked on top of the processor, and that extra bit adds up to make it the best processor for gaming. It easily competes with the likes of the Intel 14900K, which has three times its cores, and an extra gigahertz of clock speed to work with.
