Check out this guide to Intel® CPU names that highlights the many options that are available. Start by selecting the Intel® Core™ processor segment that corresponds with your needs, then look for additional features - like the ability to overclock 2 - that are important to you. An 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-11900K desktop processor has:.An 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11700K desktop processor has:.Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology).An 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-11600K desktop processor has:.Intel® Core™ i9, for highest-level performanceįor example, here are the core and thread counts for a few specific 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors:.Intel® Core™ i7, for high-level performance.Intel® Core™ i5, for mid-level performance.Intel® Core™ i3, for entry-level performance.Though there are many options within each category, the basics are as follows: Assuming you have the right hardware, such as a proper cooling solution and a motherboard that supports overclocking, you can enjoy the benefits of faster clock speeds with an unlocked CPU. This indicates that the CPU is designed to be overclocked. If you like tweaking the performance of your hardware, look for the “K” designation at the end of the processor name, such as the Intel® Core™ i7-10700K processor. Overclocking 2 can also be a useful way to increase clock speed, and tools like Intel® Performance Maximizer make it easier than ever to achieve a stable overclock.
#THE MOST CPU INTENSIVE GAME PORTABLE#
These processors are specifically designed to prioritize power consumption and battery life for portable PCs.Īnother factor to consider when choosing a CPU is whether or not you want to overclock. When selecting a gaming laptop, look for Intel® CPUs with the H designation such as the Intel® Core™ i7-10750H. Even if you're prioritizing performance over all else, modern laptops are built to keep up with demanding gaming workloads. You may be surprised to learn that many laptops are capable of desktop-like performance when gaming. These are designed for users who know they will be using a discrete GPU in their system. The only Intel® CPUs that don’t have integrated graphics are those with an F designation, such as the Intel® Core™ i7-10700KF processor. For example, Intel® Quick Sync Video is a feature built into modern Intel® CPUs that quickly encodes and decodes video files, freeing up potential system resources to be used elsewhere. Integrated graphics can also be helpful if you work with editing or streaming video. Integrated graphics can be useful, especially when troubleshooting potential issues involving a dedicated GPU. Most Intel® CPUs use integrated graphics, meaning they can display graphics on screen without a discrete GPU. When choosing a new CPU, look for the highest clock speeds possible within your budget while also ensuring you have the cores/threads you need for your workloads.īeyond simple measurements like clock speed and core count, there are other features to consider when choosing a new CPU. Generally speaking, the higher the clock speed per core, the better. You can read more about clock speed and CPU cycles here to learn how these metrics can potentially impact your gameplay experience. Modern CPUs execute billions of cycles per second, so clock speed is measured in gigahertz (GHz). It’s a basic but fundamentally important consideration when choosing a CPU. CPU Clock SpeedĪ CPU’s clock speed (also called clock rate or frequency) is the number of cycles a CPU can execute in a second. A CPU with a higher core count can handle workloads that a single-core CPU, even one with a very high clock speed, might struggle with. If you’re using your CPU for more than just gaming - for example, streaming gameplay while playing - additional cores can make a difference.
#THE MOST CPU INTENSIVE GAME PC#
Many PC games make use of multiple cores, but higher core count becomes increasingly important when undertaking CPU-intensive tasks outside of gaming, like encoding video or using complex programs for high-level content creation. Each one of these cores acts like an additional processor, which allows the CPU to process multiple instructions simultaneously.