Games usually lean on a small number of fast threads, so this list ranks recent desktop processors by PassMark single-core score, highest first. It covers desktop parts first seen from 2021 onward that score at least 3,000 in that benchmark.
Multicore score still matters if you stream, record, or run background work while playing, so both columns are shown for every processor.
| # | Processor | Single core | Multicore | Price | Cores | Socket | TDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intel Core Ultra 9 285K | 5,086 | 67,226 | $519.99 | 24 | FCLGA1851 | 125 W |
| 2 | Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus | 5,070 | 68,430 | $309.95 | 24 | FCLGA1851 | 125 W |
| 3 | Intel Core Ultra 7 265K | 4,928 | 58,566 | $323.98 | 20 | FCLGA1851 | 125 W |
| 4 | Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF | 4,925 | 58,444 | $309.57 | 20 | FCLGA1851 | 125 W |
| 5 | Intel Core Ultra 9 285 | 4,907 | 57,815 | $660 | 24 | FCLGA1851 | 65 W |
| 6 | Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus | 4,823 | 60,860 | Not listed | 24 | Not listed | — |
| 7 | Intel Core i9-14900KS | 4,808 | 59,873 | $928.88 | 24 | FCLGA1700 | 150 W |
| 8 | Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus | 4,779 | 51,119 | $199.99 | 18 | FCLGA1851 | 125 W |
| 9 | Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus | 4,756 | 51,569 | $219 | 18 | FCLGA1851 | 125 W |
| 10 | Intel Core Ultra 7 265F | 4,756 | 49,494 | $355.76 | 20 | FCLGA1851 | 65 W |
| 11 | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D | 4,737 | 70,099 | $657.99 | 16 | AM5 | 170 W |
| 12 | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | 4,728 | 65,711 | $539.99 | 16 | AM5 | 170 W |
| 13 | Intel Core Ultra 5 245K | 4,716 | 43,046 | $214.99 | 14 | FCLGA1851 | 125 W |
| 14 | Intel Core i9-13900KS | 4,715 | 60,385 | $466 | 24 | FCLGA1700 | 150 W |
| 15 | Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF | 4,713 | 43,029 | $178 | 14 | FCLGA1851 | 125 W |
| 16 | AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D | 4,705 | 41,292 | $484 | 8 | AM5 | 120 W |
| 17 | Intel Core Ultra 7 265 | 4,694 | 49,687 | $373.02 | 20 | FCLGA1851 | 65 W |
| 18 | Intel Core i9-14900K | 4,690 | 58,198 | $469.99 | 24 | FCLGA1700 | 125 W |
| 19 | Intel Core i9-14900KF | 4,688 | 58,066 | $439.99 | 24 | FCLGA1700 | 125 W |
| 20 | AMD Ryzen 7 9700F | 4,686 | 36,396 | Not listed | 8 | AM5 | 65 W |
| 21 | AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965 | 4,675 | 65,320 | Not listed | 16 | AM5 | 170 W |
| 22 | AMD Ryzen 9 9900X | 4,671 | 54,299 | $332.99 | 12 | AM5 | 120 W |
| 23 | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 | 4,669 | 72,000 | $899 | 16 | AM5 | 200 W |
| 24 | AMD Ryzen 7 9700X | 4,642 | 36,932 | $339 | 8 | AM5 | 65 W |
| 25 | AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9655 | 4,640 | 31,751 | Not listed | 6 | AM5 | 120 W |
| 26 | AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D | 4,628 | 56,047 | $504.40 | 12 | AM5 | 120 W |
| 27 | AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 | 4,619 | 48,664 | Not listed | 12 | AM5 | 65 W |
| 28 | AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755 | 4,609 | 38,751 | Not listed | 8 | Not listed | — |
| 29 | Intel Core i9-13900K | 4,595 | 58,065 | $627.99 | 24 | FCLGA1700 | 125 W |
| 30 | Intel Core Ultra 9 285T | 4,581 | 39,668 | $549 | 24 | FCLGA1851 | 35 W |
| 31 | Intel Core i9-13900KF | 4,580 | 57,433 | $619.99 | 24 | FCLGA1700 | 125 W |
| 32 | AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9955 | 4,579 | 53,278 | Not listed | 12 | AM5 | 120 W |
| 33 | Intel Core Ultra 3 205 | 4,572 | 26,082 | Not listed | 8 | FCLGA1851 | 57 W |
| 34 | AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 | 4,571 | 30,512 | Not listed | 6 | AM5 | 65 W |
| 35 | AMD Ryzen 5 9600X | 4,569 | 30,042 | $174 | 6 | AM5 | 65 W |
| 36 | Intel Core Ultra 5 235A | 4,557 | 38,392 | $269 | 14 | FCLGA1851 | 65 W |
| 37 | Intel Core Ultra 5 230F | 4,537 | 32,306 | $159 | 10 | FCLGA1851 | 121 W |
| 38 | AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9745 | 4,531 | 36,566 | Not listed | 8 | AM5 | 65 W |
| 39 | Intel Core i9-14900F | 4,507 | 46,425 | $564.99 | 24 | FCLGA1700 | 65 W |
| 40 | Intel Core i7-14700KF | 4,466 | 51,925 | $349.99 | 20 | FCLGA1700 | 125 W |
| 41 | Intel Core i7-14700K | 4,454 | 51,923 | $379.99 | 20 | FCLGA1700 | 125 W |
| 42 | AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 9755X3D | 4,440 | 40,147 | Not listed | 8 | AM5 | 120 W |
| 43 | Intel Core Ultra 5 245 | 4,431 | 39,027 | Not listed | 14 | FCLGA1851 | 65 W |
| 44 | AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D | 4,420 | 39,918 | $444 | 8 | AM5 | 120 W |
| 45 | Intel Core Ultra 5 225 | 4,411 | 30,367 | $178.55 | 10 | FCLGA1851 | 65 W |
| 46 | Intel Core Ultra 5 225F | 4,404 | 30,991 | $141.38 | 10 | FCLGA1851 | 65 W |
| 47 | Intel Core i9-13900F | 4,398 | 48,071 | $460 | 24 | FCLGA1700 | 65 W |
| 48 | Intel Core Ultra 5 235 | 4,380 | 36,285 | $278.69 | 14 | FCLGA1851 | 65 W |
| 49 | AMD Ryzen 5 9600 | 4,379 | 29,307 | $272.62 | 6 | AM5 | 65 W |
| 50 | Intel Core Ultra 7 265T | 4,356 | 36,948 | Not listed | 20 | FCLGA1851 | 35 W |
Find Me a CPU does not test games and does not measure frames per second. A higher single-core score does not guarantee more frames in a specific title. Real performance also depends on the graphics card, resolution, memory, cooling, and the game itself. For frame rates in a game you care about, look for a review that tested that game.
Apple, Threadripper, Xeon, EPYC, Celeron, Pentium, and Atom parts are excluded, along with laptop processors. The source files some of both as desktop parts, but they are soldered into Macs, notebooks, workstations, and servers rather than sold for a gaming build. The full unfiltered ranking is on the CPU benchmark chart.
Single-core scores describe one thread and track lightly threaded work. Multicore scores describe total throughput and track rendering, encoding, and large compiles. A processor that leads one column can trail the other, so compare the column that matches your workload.
A matching socket does not confirm motherboard support. Check the exact board on its manufacturer's CPU support list, including the minimum BIOS version. When the platform changes, budget for a motherboard, memory, and cooling as well as the processor.
Every price here is the USD estimate published with the source benchmark data. It is not a live store price and does not confirm stock. Other currencies are converted from that USD estimate. Check a retailer for what you would actually pay today.
Browse the same benchmark data filtered a different way.
Benchmark and specification data from PassMark CPU Benchmarks. How our data and recommendations work.