5 best CPU for gaming under $500 in 2021

The Central Processing Unit or CPU is the most important component of a PC. the entire processing work of a computer is handled by the CPU, with a specific workload relegated to specific hardware components, such as a Graphics Processing Unit or GPU.

The current PC CPU follows an architecture known as x86, with other architectures specific to other computing systems, such as the ARM architecture most commonly found in Mobile phones.

While deciding on which CPU to choose from, buyers are limited to one of two manufacturers, Intel and AMD. However, that does not mean the choice is going to be easy, as both companies have multiple CPUs with varying power and pricing. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the best CPUs to consider under $500/-.

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Best gaming CPUs under $500 (2021)

While AMD has dominated Intel over the last few generations with the Ryzen chipset, developed on the 7nm technology, Intel has begun to step up as well, especially with Ice Lake (10th gen) and Tiger Lake (11th gen). However, the recently released Alder Lake (12th gen) is undoubtedly a generational leap ahead. The best CPUs under $500 are as follows.

• AMD Ryzen 7 5800X ($314.66/-)
• Intel Core i7 11700KF ($399.99/-)
• Intel Core i9 10850K ($409.99/-)
• Intel Core i7 12700K ($419.99/-)
• AMD Ryzen 9 5900X ($484.00/-)

It should be clarified that the mentioned prices are during the writing of this article and can change in the future. With that being said, these are the current best CPUs available for under $500/-.

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1) AMD Ryzen 7 5800X

Price: $314.66/-

While the Ryzen 5 5600X is definitely one of the most common CPU choices, the octa-core Ryzen 7 5800X is no slouch. It delivers a strong price-to-performance ratio.

Cores	8
Thread	16
CPU Socket	AM4
Base Clock	3.80 GHz
Boost Clock	4.70 GHz
TDP	105W

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2) Intel Core i7 11700KF

Price: $399.99/-

While Intel might not seem like a wise choice a few years back, Intel has become quite competitive in recent years. While the KF name means that the overclockable CPU does not have any onboard graphics, it delivers a strong performance at its price point.

Cores	8
Thread	16
CPU Socket	LGA1200
Base Clock	3.60 GHz
Boost Clock	5.00 GHz
TDP	95W

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3) Intel Core i9 10850K

Price: $409.99/-

The Core i9 lineup has always been about delivering maximum performance without any holdbacks. The Core i9 10850K does live up to its name.

Cores	10
Thread	20
CPU Socket	LGA1200
Base Clock	3.60 GHz
Boost Clock	5.20 GHz
TDP	125W

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4) Intel Core i7 12700K

Price: $419.99/-

The latest generation of Alder Lake CPUs are certainly a generational leap ahead of the previous generational CPUs. While the i7 12700K is not discounted at the moment, it certainly is worth its price.

Cores	12
Thread	20
CPU Socket	LGA1700
Base Clock	3.60 GHz
Boost Clock	5.00 GHz
TDP	125W

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5) AMD Ryzen 9 5900X

Price: $484.00/-

The Ryzen 9 are the most powerful consumer CPUs offered by AMD. The Ryzen 9 5900X is quite a powerful beast and is perfect for an ultimate.

Cores	12
Thread	24
CPU Socket	AM4
Base Clock	3.70 GHz
Boost Clock	4.80 GHz
TDP	105W