The best desktop processors - leaderboard 2024

Every desktop computer requires a processor to operate. It's like the brain of the computer. We have compiled the best desktop processors in our list of the best for the year 2024 for you here. The selection of the best processors is based on various characteristics.

In addition to the clock frequency, the number of CPU cores in particular determines the speed of a processor. The CPU cores in newer processors even have different sizes and are divided into performance cores and more economical efficiency cores.
1.
Intel Core i9-13900KS
Intel Core i9-13900KS
24 Cores @ 3.20 GHz, 150 W
Release date: Q1/2023
2.
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16 Cores @ 4.50 GHz, 170 W
Release date: Q4/2022
3.
Intel Core i9-13900K
Intel Core i9-13900K
24 Cores @ 3.00 GHz, 125 W
Release date: Q4/2022
4.
Intel Core i9-13900KF
Intel Core i9-13900KF
24 Cores @ 3.00 GHz, 125 W
Release date: Q4/2022
5.
AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
12 Cores @ 4.70 GHz, 170 W
Release date: Q4/2022
6.
Intel Core i7-13700K
Intel Core i7-13700K
16 Cores @ 3.40 GHz, 125 W
Release date: Q4/2022
7.
Intel Core i7-13700KF
Intel Core i7-13700KF
16 Cores @ 3.40 GHz, 125 W
Release date: Q4/2022
8.
Intel Core i9-12900K
Intel Core i9-12900K
16 Cores @ 3.20 GHz, 125 W
Release date: Q4/2021
9.
Intel Core i9-12900KF
Intel Core i9-12900KF
16 Cores @ 3.20 GHz, 125 W
Release date: Q4/2021
10.
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
16 Cores @ 3.40 GHz, 105 W
Release date: Q4/2020
11.
Intel Core i5-13600K
Intel Core i5-13600K
14 Cores @ 3.50 GHz, 125 W
Release date: Q4/2022
12.
Intel Core i5-13600KF
Intel Core i5-13600KF
14 Cores @ 3.50 GHz, 125 W
Release date: Q4/2022
13.
Intel Core i7-12700K
Intel Core i7-12700K
12 Cores @ 3.60 GHz, 125 W
Release date: Q4/2021
14.
Intel Core i7-12700KF
Intel Core i7-12700KF
12 Cores @ 3.60 GHz, 125 W
Release date: Q4/2021
15.
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
12 Cores @ 3.70 GHz, 105 W
Release date: Q4/2020
16.
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
8 Cores @ 4.50 GHz, 105 W
Release date: Q4/2022

Find the best processor

It's not always easy to find the best processor for your needs. While many visitors only pay attention to the theoretical speed of a processor, others want to read detailed test reports that also deal with the processor's speed in practice. Therefore, we have collected a large number of benchmarks in order to meet as many requirements as possible.

We have not only listed our results for you in map form at the top of this page, but also in a clear table at the bottom of this page. So everyone can quickly find their way around and find the best processor for themselves.

AMD, Apple or Intel - who is currently ahead?

For a long time and for many years, Intel, as the largest manufacturer of processors, had virtually no real competition. That changed at the latest with the 2nd generation of AMD Ryzen processors (AMD Ryzen 2000). From the third Ryzen generation, AMD even has a 12 or 16 core processor in the mainstream range with the larger models AMD Ryzen 9 3900X and AMD Ryzen 9 3950X.

Then, in Q4 2020, AMD launched the Ryzen 5000 series, led by the two Ryzen 9 top models AMD Ryzen 9 5900X with 12 CPU cores and the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X with 16 CPU cores. The increase in performance of the AMD Ryzen processors manufactured in 7 nm probably surprised Intel so much that the market leader was only able to catch up with the performance deficit a year later with the 12th generation of the Intel Core i series.

With the Apple M1 processor, Apple released a processor for notebooks and desktops for the first time in 2020. The Apple M1 has 8 CPU cores and is currently used in the Apple mac mini. It combines good computing power with exceptionally high efficiency. The processor is already manufactured at TSMC in 5 nm.

List of the best desktop processors

In this list view, we have presented the currently best desktop processors in tabular form for you. We sorted the processors by popularity and the Geekbench 5 multi-core result achieved.
Processor Socket TDP Memory
Intel Core i9-13900KS Intel Core i9-13900KS
24C 32T @ 3.20 GHz
LGA 1700 150 W DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.50 GHz
AM5 (LGA 1718) 170 W DDR5-5200
Intel Core i9-13900K Intel Core i9-13900K
24C 32T @ 3.00 GHz
LGA 1700 125 W DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
Intel Core i9-13900KF Intel Core i9-13900KF
24C 32T @ 3.00 GHz
LGA 1700 125 W DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
AMD Ryzen 9 7900X AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
12C 24T @ 4.70 GHz
AM5 (LGA 1718) 170 W DDR5-5200
Intel Core i7-13700K Intel Core i7-13700K
16C 24T @ 3.40 GHz
LGA 1700 125 W DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
Intel Core i7-13700KF Intel Core i7-13700KF
16C 24T @ 3.40 GHz
LGA 1700 125 W DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
Intel Core i9-12900K Intel Core i9-12900K
16C 24T @ 3.20 GHz
LGA 1700 125 W DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
Intel Core i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 3.20 GHz
LGA 1700 125 W DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
16C 32T @ 3.40 GHz
AM4 (PGA 1331) 105 W DDR4-3200
Intel Core i5-13600K Intel Core i5-13600K
14C 20T @ 3.50 GHz
LGA 1700 125 W DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
Intel Core i5-13600KF Intel Core i5-13600KF
14C 20T @ 3.50 GHz
LGA 1700 125 W DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
Intel Core i7-12700K Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.60 GHz
LGA 1700 125 W DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
Intel Core i7-12700KF Intel Core i7-12700KF
12C 20T @ 3.60 GHz
LGA 1700 125 W DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
12C 24T @ 3.70 GHz
AM4 (PGA 1331) 105 W DDR4-3200
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
8C 16T @ 4.50 GHz
AM5 (LGA 1718) 105 W DDR5-5200



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