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Is a cheap CPU worth it, or should you spend more on the processor and less on everything else? The short answer: yes, a cheap CPU is worth it — as long as it is the right cheap CPU. There is a big difference between a budget chip and a bad one.
Here is how to tell them apart.
What makes a cheap CPU good
A good cheap CPU has fast single cores, at least four of them, and a modern architecture. The Core i3-12100F is the cheapest CPU worth buying — four fast cores that run esports titles and most AAA games at 1080p, and our cheapest CPU for a gaming PC guide calls it the floor for real gaming. Our best budget CPU under $100 guide puts it at the top of the cheapest tier, and our best CPU for 1080p gaming guide shows it holding up well.
The Ryzen 5 5600X is the AM4 alternative: six fast cores on the cheapest platform in PC building, and our best budget AM4 CPU guide shows why it is such good value. Our best budget CPUs for gaming list gives you the full shortlist.
When a cheap CPU is not worth it
A cheap CPU is not worth it when it bottlenecks your graphics card. Our CPU bottleneck guide shows how to test this, and our CPU or GPU first guide shows how to spend on the part that is actually holding you back. A chip with two slow cores, or a five-year-old chip with a slow architecture, will hold back even a mid-range graphics card — and that wastes the money you spent on the GPU.
It is also not worth it when the platform costs more than the chip saves. Our CPU compatibility guide shows how to check your board before you buy, and CPU and motherboard combos shows which pairings give you room to grow. Our AMD vs Intel budget CPUs guide compares the total cost of each brand.
The sweet spot: six cores for a little more
The Core i5-12400F is the classic budget gaming CPU — six cores that will not hold a mid-range graphics card back, and our 12400F vs 5600X comparison shows it matching AMD’s budget champ. The Ryzen 5 7500F is the AM5 alternative, and our Ryzen 5 7600X guide shows it beating everything else in its price range.
The Core i5-13400F adds efficiency cores that help with background tasks. If you can stretch, the Ryzen 5 9600X and Core i5-14600K are the best mid-range chips, and our 9600X vs 14600K comparison shows them neck and neck — though for a truly tight budget, six cores is the sweet spot.
Cheap CPU rules
- Four cores minimum, six if you can stretch — two cores is too slow
- Buy the cheapest chip that will not bottleneck your graphics card
- Spend the savings on the GPU, 16GB of RAM and an SSD
- Check the platform cost before you call one chip cheaper than another
The bottom line
Is a cheap CPU worth it? Yes — if it is a modern chip with fast cores, like the Core i3-12100F or the Ryzen 5 5600X, and if you pair it with a graphics card it can actually feed. It is not worth it if the chip is old, slow or bottlenecks your GPU. Buy the cheapest chip that will not hold you back, and check our how much to spend guide, best CPU for gaming guide, budget CPU picks and PC build guides before you spend.
One last note: a used budget chip is often the best cheap CPU there is. CPUs almost never wear out, so a used 5600X or 12400F on a cheap board costs less than most new budget chips and plays just as well — and our best budget CPU under $100 guide shows which chips to watch for.
