Do you want to give your PC the long-awaited processor upgrade, but can't decide? No problem! We will help you with our 2022 CPU comparison and recommend different chips for all applications.

What processors are there?

The market for CPUs for PCs and laptops has been shaped by the duel between AMD and Intel for years. Both produce their own processors that are in direct competition with each other. Many swear by Intel's Core processors, while others love AMD's Ryzen chips. No one is clearly better than the other, at most one chip or processor generation can be ahead in terms of performance, price or another factor. Before you decide on one or the other manufacturer, you need to know the following:

• Which applications does the CPU in your PC have to master?
• Which socket for a processor is available on your mainboard?

How do I find out which processor socket my PC has?

You put the processor on the "socket" on your mainboard. Intel and AMD rely on different construction and socket types for their CPUs. Currently it is the LGA 1700 socket at Intel and the AM4 socket at AMD. In order for the respective processor to fit the mainboard, you should first find out which socket is available on your mainboard before you buy it.

To do this, you can simply open the "Processors" item in the Windows Device Manager. There you can see at first glance whether it is an Intel or AMD model. If you enter the exact designation of the processor in the search on the manufacturer's website, you will find information on the socket there – for Intel, for example, under "Package Specifications".

Alternatively, you can download " CPU-Z Portable ". In this tool you will find the socket of your mainboard under the item "Package".

If you reassemble your PC or laptop, you can decide freely and first select your desired CPU. You then choose a suitable mainboard and the basic framework for your PC is already in place.

Home office: Which processors are suitable for my work computer?

If your work PC needs a new processor, you can look to the inexpensive models from Intel and AMD, because: Common office applications do not place great demands on the performance of the processor. The inexpensive models, such as the Athlon processors, Ryzen 3 and Ryzen 5 from AMD, are perfect for this. At Intel, the Pentium, Celeron, Core i3 and Core i5 processors are interesting.

Although the inexpensive CPUs do not have the computing power of their larger sister models, they score with a lower energy requirement. Here in our CPU comparison 2022 you will find suitable processors for the home office:

Intel Pentium G6605: Two cores for office applications

The inexpensive G6605 from Intel does its job well in the home office. Due to its two cores – i.e. two data centers that work at the same time – several applications can run side by side. Even more computationally demanding tasks can be solved with the G6605 and its basic clock of 4.3 gigahertz. But there are limits. Image editing, for example, is basically possible, but not recommended with high resolutions such as those used by professional photographers.

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Intel i3-10100F: Good performance for the home office

This CPU from Intel with its four cores provides enough power for typical office applications such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel. They run even smoother than with the Pentium. Even simple games like "League of Legends" are displayed smoothly and beautifully – provided you have installed a suitable graphics card. Because the i3-10100F processor does not have its own graphics unit (you can tell by the "F" in the model name).

Intel i3-10100F Buy now at

Intel i3-10105: Good processor with internal graphics

The i3-10105 is on par with its brother, the i3-10100F, with its four cores and 3.7 gigahertz base clock (4.4 gigahertz in turbo). However, it also offers an integrated graphics unit in order to be able to display content on the monitor without an additional graphics card.

Intel i3-10105 Buy now at

Gaming: Which processors offer the ultimate gaming experience?

If your new chip should also support extensive gaming sessions, you have to pay attention to other criteria than with office applications. High clock frequencies are decisive here, i.e. how fast a CPU works. The number of processor cores is also important.

Games like "Stellaris" and "Star Citizen" place high demands on the CPU – but they can also use several cores of the processor at the same time. This is how they distribute the computing load that each individual chip has to handle.

CPUs with six or more cores are well suited for your best gaming experience: they usually offer enough performance per core and are also well prepared for the future with the high number of cores. Important: A suitable graphics card is essential because it carries most of the computing load.

When choosing a suitable processor for gaming, your chip requirements play a major role. If you don't necessarily need to play the latest games with the fastest refresh rate, mid-range CPUs will do just fine. Good examples include the Ryzen 5 5600X and the Intel Core i5 11400.

If you value bombastic graphics and particularly smooth image sequences, it should be a more powerful model. AMD's Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 CPUs as well as the Intel Core i7 and i9 chips are well suited for graphics-intensive gaming.

In our 2022 CPU comparison, we present three processors for gaming – one for moderate demands and two for thoroughbred gamers.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X: The all-rounder

With the Ryzen 5 5600X you get a current gaming CPU at a fair price. With its six cores, each clocked at 3.7 gigahertz, all games run buttery smooth – from "Cyberpunk 2077" to "Far Cry 6". The switchable turbo even boosts the cores to 4.6 gigahertz.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Buy now at

Intel i5-12400(F): Intel's mid-range CPU

A good Intel alternative to the 5600X is the Intel Core i5-12400. Six cores work side by side here with a basic clock of 2.5 gigahertz and can increase to up to 4.4 gigahertz in turbo. This brings decent performance, which is absolutely sufficient for most games.

So if you're looking for a slightly cheaper Intel CPU, you're guaranteed to find it in the i5-12400.

AMD Ryzen 7 5700G: Strong internal graphics

Are you looking for a little more performance and cores? Then the Ryzen 7 5700G is made for you. With its base clock of 3.8 gigahertz, it is fast on the move and with its turbo it reaches 4.6 gigahertz. In addition, the 5700G relies on eight cores and an integrated graphics unit that can effortlessly display games with simpler graphics such as "CS: GO" smoothly. However, these advantages are also reflected in the somewhat higher power consumption.

AMD Ryzen 7 5700G Buy now at

Intel i7-12700K: Full performance

The i7 from the 12th generation also comes close to top models such as the i9-12900K thanks to its performance with 12 cores at a boost clock of up to 5.0 gigahertz. CPU-hungry games like the already mentioned "Star Citizen" can be played smoothly. The power consumption of the 12700K is slightly lower compared to the i9-12900K.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D: THE CPU for gaming

The recently released AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D delivers the processor power that most gamers only dream of. Eight cores, which can run at up to 4.5 clocks in boost, offer a lot of performance for all graphics-intensive games. No wonder, because according to AMD, the processor was designed as a gaming CPU. Hardly any other chip comes close to the 5800X3D together with a powerful graphics card.

However, overclocking through the 3D V-Cache, the unique selling point of the 5800X3D, falls flat. This technology is supposed to bring a significant increase in performance in games – which is the case when games also use it. The speed in other applications is also not as strong as in other processors due to the dedicated development for gaming. In addition, the 5800X3D costs a good deal of money.

Image and video processing: Which processors are suitable?

Editing photos and videos can be a demanding task for a processor. Your computer needs a processor with as many cores as possible and a high clock rate for fast rendering – i.e. merging image and video information into the finished product. In other words: CPUs with high performance. The Ryzen 9 series and the Intel Core i9 processors do a great job here.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X: Strong middle class for image and video editing

The Ryzen 7 5800X scores with good performance at a fair price. Eight cores work at 3.8 gigahertz or 4.7 gigahertz in turbo and can process many pictures and videos quickly. But the 5800X is also in good hands in gaming – its performance can even compete with the Ryzen 9 5900X if its additional cores are not used.

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X Buy now at

Intel i5-12600K: The Intel alternative

In direct competition with the 5800X is the i5-12600K from Intel. With two more cores (i.e. 10) and a clock of up to 4.9 gigahertz in turbo, the 12600K is definitely worth its price. With this performance, it is not only fast in image and video editing, but also in gaming and all other applications. It can also be overclocked, which is what the "K" in the name stands for.

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X: Twelve cores for all applications

The performance of this AMD CPU is immense. Twelve cores work side by side in the Ryzen 9 5900X and make image and video editing an experience. But the 5900X can also easily display hardware-hungry games with its 3.7 gigahertz per core (4.8 gigahertz in turbo). With the 5900X you get a strong processor that shouldn't have any problems with demanding applications in the next few years.

AMD Ryzen 9 5900X Buy now at

Intel i9-12900K: pure performance

The i9-12900K is one of the top models in our 2022 CPU comparison. With its 16 cores and a performance of 3.2 gigahertz (5.2 gigahertz in turbo) it is very well suited for video and image editing – it renders your creative works effortlessly. If in doubt, it can be overclocked for even more power.

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Intel i7-11700K: The price-performance tip

If the availability and the price-performance ratio are right, Intel can score points with the users with the i7-11700K . While it is significantly slower than its successor, the i7-12700K mentioned above. However, its performance is still impressive: the basic clock of 3.5 gigahertz is okay and the turbo boosts the speed to 5.0 gigahertz.

Intel i7-11700K Buy now at