Best Budget CPU for Gaming 2022

Best Cheap Gaming CPU Brands in 2021

The first thing to do when in pursuit of a budget CPU solution for gaming is to explore the major brands. Like the remaining gaming equipment, the best cheap CPUs for gaming are made by prominent companies.

To help in your mission of finding the best affordable CPU, we have decided to focus on two major brands. Players looking for a good CPU for gaming at a fair price should certainly look into AMD and Intel processors.

These developers offer some of the best premium gaming processors, but they also focus on budget options. Let’s see what makes their budget gaming CPU options stand out among the rest of the affordable solutions.

AMD Budget Processors for Gaming

There is no doubt that AMD is the industry giant and its rivalry with Intel has given birth to some incredibly cheap CPUs. The prime goal of the developer was to provide enough options for users with all budget ranges.

So, you can run on AMD CPUs for gaming worth $1000 or more, but you can find cheap options as well. Another standout trait of cheap AMD processors is that they allow overclocking.

With such potential, you can upgrade your gaming CPU to withstand even higher clocking speeds and improve game rendering. Adding an affordable AMD cooler and quality GPU can improve the regular budget CPUs.

So, if you decide to go with one of the AMD options, you won't be disappointed with the choice. Not only are there many cheap processors in the selection, but the tuning ability is there to boost the performance as well.

Affordable CPUs from Intel

Over the years, Intel has strengthened its choice of budget CPU variants for gaming. As you are probably familiar with, Intel is one of the greatest names to ever produce computer processors. Logically, they are also responsible for some of the best cheap solutions.

You can find various choices of i3, i5, or even i7 Intel CPUs for gaming within an affordable price range. A downside is that Intel CPUs that allow overclocking are rare. Even so, if you are looking for a good cheap gaming processor, Intel options come with premium quality even at lower levels.

It’s not all about finding the cheap option; it is also about finding a solution that lasts.

Intel processors are made to last and with the right choice, you can use them to process high-quality and demanding games.

Best Gaming CPUs on a Budget in 2021

When buying the budget CPU for gaming, there are several factors to have in mind. First, we have already mentioned the quality developers of affordable gaming processors. Now, when you know where to look, it is all about finding the perfect mixture of features.

For instance, clocking speed is one of the most relevant factors that affect your gameplay. You can find decent clock speed chips within the affordable price range with AMD and Intel processors.

The number of cores and threads also affects your gaming, but more in a time-efficient processing manner. So, you must find a processor with decent clock speed, and possibly, with an overclocking option.

Of course, it’s not obligatory to boost your CPU performance with additional parts if you are not an expert. With this in mind, we have decided to list some of the best budget CPUs for gaming solutions in 2021!

AMD Athlon 240 GE for a competitive price

One of the best things about the AMD gaming chips is that you can find them at all price levels you can think of. Among them, the AMD Athlon 240 GE is one of the cheapest options. It still offers a quality build and processing quality with a price level of just above $100.

The base frequency is set for 3.5GHz and it works on a well-known Zen architecture from AMD. Here are the main features of this chip:

• Low-budget price range

• Decent graphics support with Radeon Vega 3

• Possible to boost the clock speed

• Considerable processing speed for the budget

• Integrated GPU as a standout from competitors.

You can’t find a matching chip to this one in terms of price range and integrated graphics. It makes a solid solution for gaming, while the chance to boost the processing speed even further sounds incredible.

Intel Core i5 10400

Although you have to own an LGA 1200 socket to pair the Intel Core i5 10400 processor, it makes a great option. If you do happen to combine the mentioned layout with the integrated graphics that Core i5 comes with, it makes a solid CPU.

You will surely be able to process demanding games with 6 cores and 12 threads supported. As far as graphics are concerned, Intel UHD graphics are integrated into the chip. Overall, the i5 10400 stands strong at a price value of just above $170.

The Comet Lake technology with hyper-threading makes this chip stand out among other affordable solutions. You won't be able to overclock this CPU and its processing is still far from the premium Intel processors.

Still, it makes a solid solution with integrated graphics, hyper-threading, and a solid clock speed of 2.9GHz.

For ultimate budget experience – the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G

If you are looking for a budget solution, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is perhaps the best processor for gaming laptops in 2021. It may not be your first choice for a cheap processor for gaming, but it still makes a budget option.

This is because of its price of $250, which is not that far from a budget option considering what you get. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600G is an unprecedented gaming processor for its price, and the following features confirm it:

• The base clock speed is 3.9GHz

• 6 cores and 12 threads

• Integrated graphics processor

• Radeon Vega RX 7 graphics system

• AMD AM4 socket

The base clock speed of this processor proves that it is possibly the best budget CPU for gaming. This statement can be backed up by the fact that even higher AMD CPUs in class offer the matching base speed.

Also, you can overclock this processor to even greater processing limits with additional AMD components. It beats off the competitor gaming CPUs from Intel in the same price range in graphics and clock speed easily.

With this in mind, the price is not that high when you think about all the benefits you can get from this chip.

One of the best cheap options – Intel Core i3 10100F

If you are still not convinced to spend over $200 for AMD Ryzen 5 level CPU, Intel i3 10100F could be your choice. When it comes to price, everything is clear with this choice as you can find it for less than $150.

As a cheap processor for gaming, this CPU will blow you away with performance capability. Starting with a 14nm lithography, Comet Lake technology, and 6MB of Intel Smart Cache, this CPU is gold among budget options.

It uses 4 cores and 8 threads and offers an immersive 3.6GHz clock speed as a base level! For its price, the gaming capability it provides is outstanding.

By boosting the processing power, even more, you can get a solid result of having a 4.3GHz base frequency. Nevertheless, with the Intel turbo boost technology, you should be careful of your PC assembly.

If you can match the power of the boosted CPU with quality Intel components and cooler, you can get great gaming at a fair price.

AMD Ryzen 3 2200 G for a great price to performance ratio

We have covered many great budget CPU solutions so far, and it is only logical that we end it with a bang! The AMD Ryzen 3 2200G is a good cheap gaming CPU with incredible boost potential.

It is all packed up in a power chip worth around $200 at an affordable price. Here are some of the main benefits of this processor:

• Integrated AMD graphics

• Radeon Vega 8 technology

• The base clock speed is 3.5GHz

• Overclocking possible

• 4 cores and 4 threads

With this in mind, this processor is a good AMD CPU for gaming and it delivers more than decent performance. Ability to further boost it only makes it better on the list of the best cheap CPUs for gaming.

How do Strafe Experts look for affordable Budget Gaming CPUs?

Our experts have specific methods of figuring out what is the best budget CPU for gaming in 2021. With a clear set of guidelines, we look for the best gaming thrills accomplished by using budget solutions.

If you want to find the best budget CPU for gaming, follow our lead on recommended solutions and review methods.

First, we consider the base clock speed of the good cheap gaming processor that we review. Afterward, we check the number of cores and threads as well as the hyper-threading capability of the processor.

The best cheap CPUs for gaming can be found on the product lists of the two major brands – Intel and AMD. When we review the best budget options, we consider the best Intel processor for gaming and compare it to cheaper options.

We usually come by surprising results in terms of the processing power of the cheap processor for gaming we review. With worthy budget options, you can encounter the clock speed matching to one of the premium CPUs.

We also take a look into the integrated graphics and graphics support technology in-built in the chips. With AMD processors, Radeon Vega graphics can lead to the best gaming results.

Overclocking is yet another aspect that we take into consideration when recommending the best budget CPUs. You just have to boost your processor for gaming with other gaming components to get the best gaming machine.

We made sure to include at least a few chips with clock boost traits in the list to help you with the choice. Finally, we also review the price to performance ratio which leads to getting the most out of your gaming CPU.

At competitive prices in comparison, we focus on the base clock speed and general performance potential of the CPU. Some of the best cheap CPUs for gaming can be found once you implement these factors in the search!

Why focus on the Budget Gaming CPU reviews?

You should always follow the lead of experts when going for budget gaming CPU solutions. It is quite straightforward: if you are not an expert in the field, you could make the wrong choice of the best low-cost gaming processor.

To find the best budget CPU for gaming, you should focus on the review and take what you feel is worthy. Of course, every gamer has unique taste and choice when it comes to gaming equipment and gear.

This is just more of a reason to combine your desires and knowledge with our pieces of advice listed. By sticking with the review, you will be able to consider the whole picture of the budget gaming CPU solutions.

A good cheap gaming processor should be able to support all the demanding premium games in 2021. With that being said, we could say that you need at least 2.9GHz power and integrated graphics with a bundled cooler.

Of course, such processors can be found at higher prices as well, but we did our best enlisting the most convenient ones in terms of price!

Final Thoughts on the Good Cheap Gaming Processors in 2021

Hopefully, this review has been helpful to you in the mission to find the best budget options among gaming CPUs. Not all of the options come at the same price level, but even the seemingly more expensive options are beneficial in their way.

So, regardless if you go with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G or the lower-budget options, you can get pleasurable gaming.

Luckily, the current market offers something for everyone. So, even if you don’t want to pay more than $200 for a gaming CPU, the choice of available options will have something to suit your taste!

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