CPU Tier List for Gaming 2026
53 desktop CPUs ranked from S to D by gaming performance, with the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D on top. It is measured with the graphics card taken out of the picture, so productivity order can differ (reviewed 2026-11-06).
Compare two CPUs
Pick two parts to see which one ranks higher and by how many steps.
CPU tier list for gaming
Within a row, earlier parts are generally faster, but the gap may be within the error margin. Select a part to open it in the PC Bottleneck Check.
- Measured
- Cross-checked
- Estimated
No matching part. Try just the model number.
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S+Step S+
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SStep S
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S-Step S-
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A+Step A+
- Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
- Intel Core i7-14700K
- AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D
- Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Intel Core i7-13700KEstimated
- AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
- Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Intel Core i5-14600K
- Intel Core i5-13600KEstimated
- AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Intel Core Ultra 5 245K
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
- AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
- AMD Ryzen 9 7900XEstimated
- AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950XCross-checked
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AStep A
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A-Step A-
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B+Step B+
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BStep B
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B-Step B-
Commonly compared CPUs
Popular match-ups, judged the same way as the comparison above. Select one to open the full comparison.
- AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D SvsIntel Core Ultra 9 285K A+ AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D ranks 2 steps higher
- AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D S-vsAMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D S AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D ranks 1 step higher
- AMD Ryzen 5 7500F AvsIntel Core i5-14400F A- AMD Ryzen 5 7500F ranks 1 step higher
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600 B+vsIntel Core i5-12400F B+ About the same performance
Which part limits your build?
Pick your CPU and graphics card together in the PC Bottleneck Check to see which one hits its limit first in games.
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Optimize now (See Lutimize)How the ranking and tiers were made
Based on a ranking measured in 9 games at a low resolution (720p) with the fastest graphics card, each CPU is compared with the fastest in this list: S at 75% or more, A at 50% or more, B at 33% or more, C at 20% or more, and D below that. These are the same tiers the PC Bottleneck Check uses.
Each tier is split into three steps (+, plain, -), and one step is about 1.14 to 1.18 times. The lowest step, D-, holds everything below it, so a comparison involving D- can understate the real gap.
Measured, cross-checked and estimated
- Measured: tested directly in the reference ranking or its previous edition.
- Estimated: missing from the reference ranking, so placed by its ratio to neighbouring parts in another test (including graphics cards converted from another resolution). Its order against nearby parts may differ.
- Cross-checked: an estimated part whose placement matched another test's multi-game average within 10%.
- Desktop parts only. Laptop parts are not included.
Common questions
What do the S, A, B, C and D tiers mean?
Compared with the fastest part in this list, S is 75% or more, A is 50% or more, B is 33% or more, C is 20% or more, and D is below that. Each tier is split again into three steps: +, plain and -.
Do parts in the same tier perform the same?
No. The top and bottom of one tier can be roughly 1.5 times apart (about 1.65 times in C), which is why each tier has three steps. Parts in the same step are often within the error margin.
Does this order hold at higher resolutions?
This order was measured at a low resolution to reduce the graphics card's effect, so at higher resolutions the gaps between CPUs can look smaller in real games. The PC Bottleneck Check shows which part limits your build.
Is this also the order for productivity work?
No. This is a gaming order. In work that uses many cores, such as rendering or encoding, CPUs with more cores can rank higher.
Why are so many X3D CPUs near the top?
X3D models carry a large L3 cache that AMD calls 3D V-Cache, so they gather near the top of this gaming order. The order for rendering or encoding can differ.
Does the F at the end of an Intel CPU name change performance?
F marks a model with no integrated graphics, so it needs a separate graphics card. In this list it sits in the same step as the non-F version of the same chip (for example, the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Core Ultra 5 225F are both A).
How do I pick the best value?
Prices change daily, so they are not listed; compare two or three candidates in your budget above. If they share a step, the cheaper one is a reasonable pick; if the gap is certain, decide whether it is worth the extra cost.
Are laptop CPUs included?
No, desktop CPUs only. There is almost no data measuring laptop CPUs on the same basis, so they are not ranked.
Why does this differ from other rankings?
Rankings change with the games tested, resolution, settings and timing. This list uses one latest ranking as the basis so every part is compared on the same scale.
Why are there no scores or FPS?
Real frame rates vary by game and settings, so a single number is easy to misread; only tiers and order are shown. The PC Bottleneck Check gives the tier for your own build in a specific game.
How current is this ranking?
It was last reviewed on 2026-11-06. The tiers come from the same data as the PC Bottleneck Check, so when the data changes, both tools change together.
Last reviewed 2026-11-06