As most video games come prepared to take advantage of 4 cores , we can play at good performance with low-end chips. Therefore, we have thought of proposing the best 4-core processors to play at more than 60 FPS, if our configuration is good.
A few years ago, it was not feasible to buy a low-end processor to obtain good performance in video games. However, AMD and Intel have greatly improved their processors, so it is possible to play at great performance with a 4-core processor. That said, we thought that you might be interested in knowing which are the best CPUs with 4 cores for gaming.
AMD Ryzen 3 3300X
The first proposal we offer you is this magnificent Ryzen 3 3300X , which has proven to offer spectacular gaming performance. It comes equipped with 4 cores and 8 threads , in addition to following a 7 nm process from TSMC. Among its most interesting specifications, we highlight its compatibility with PCIe 4.0 , a 65 W TDP and its maximum frequency of 4.3 GHz .
Its architecture is Zen 2 and it comes with VR-Ready Premium technology that will allow us to play virtual reality video games. If its performance seems insufficient, you have the possibility to overclock it, since its socket is AM4 and its latest chipsets are compatible with this practice. Mention that we will need RAM memories with a minimum frequency of 3,200 MHz to enjoy the maximum performance that Ryzen offers.
If we accompany it with a mid-range GPU, we will get excellent 1080p performance , comfortably exceeding 60 FPS. In addition, it is a very cool chip, the heatsink is very good and its price is unbeatable because it is below € 150 .
Intel Core i3-10100
In contrast to AMD, we find the Intel Core i3 range, which has improved a lot in the Comet Lake-S generation processors. This chip must be included among the best 4-core processors to play because it offers very good performance for very little.
Like its rival, it comes equipped with 4 cores , 8 threads and runs at a turbo frequency of 4.3 GHz . Follows a 14 nm process and is compatible with the LGA1200 socket. Its consumption is just as low as the Ryzen, since it has a TDP of 65 W , but it offers integrated graphics to work without a dedicated GPU, an aspect to value.
It is true that it does not offer PCIe 4.0 support, but it is not a feature that the user who is looking for a 4-core chip values too much. It is true that this processor is locked , which means that we will not be able to overclock, not even choosing the Z490 chipset .
However, its performance in video games is excellent, although it is somewhat below the Ryzen 3330X. Even so, we will not have problems to exceed 60 FPS in most games, as long as we equip a suitable graphics card. To make up for the difference in performance, Intel places it on the market at a very succulent price that does not exceed € 120 .
Intel Core i3-10320
We continue with Intel to show what, perhaps, is its best 4-core processor: the Intel Core i3-10300 . Similarly, it belongs to the 10th generation of Intel processors and offers a very interesting maximum frequency. This means that its socket is the LGA1200 , which has 4 cores and 8 threads, as it can reach a frequency of 4.6 GHz .
This allows it to provide a very good gaming performance, reaching 100 FPS in powerful video games in 1080p . Also, it incorporates integrated Intel UHD 630 graphics, which are a basic alternative for those who want a versatile computer.
Despite being able to offer a higher frequency, its TDP is still 65 W , but it is still locked, which means that we will not be able to overclock it.
This CPU makes things difficult for the Ryzen 3300X because it achieves a very similar performance, although we can see it below in several titles. On the other hand, it must be said that it is a chip that allows us to operate at a high level without having to buy memories with frequencies of 3,200 MHz, being enough with modules that offer 2,666 MHz .
The only thing we can criticize about this chip is its price, which is close to € 200 , but without reaching them. Its price far exceeds that of its rivals, placing itself at the height of a Ryzen 5 3600 , a superior CPU in every way.
AMD Ryzen 3 3100
Another option that we have to consider among the best 4-core processors to play is the Ryzen 3 3100. Zen 2 is its architecture, which means that we will have a chip based on a 7 nm process that is composed of 4 cores and 8 threads. It is true that its maximum frequency is 3.9 GHz , but be careful with this processor because it has a beastly potential.
It has the same 65W TDP as its older brother and is compatible with PCIe 4.0 , a support that may interest us to install high-performance NVME M.2 SSDs in the future.
It comes unlocked like the Ryzen 3 3300X, so we can overclock it. Since it was released, it has shown that it has a very good overclocking potential, being able to get much more performance than it comes from the factory.
Compared to the Ryzen 3 3300X, the 3100 offers more overclocking possibilities . Without overclocking, it already allows us to play powerful video games fluently, but if we can get the most out of it, it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
As for its price , it seems super competitive to us , which wins whole in a range characterized by having contained prices. In this sense, we will find this chip below € 115 , something that seems implausible for the performance it offers.
AMD Ryzen 3 3200G
We wanted to include the Ryzen 3 3200G because it seems like a round option that combines very good performance and a knockdown price. It is an APU designed by AMD that has integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics. It has the same core and thread configuration as its rivals, but its process is 12 nm .
Even so, it is still compatible with the AM4 socket, but it does not have good compatibility in the latest chipsets that AMD has been launching.
Being an APU, its frequency is lower than that of its rivals, marking a maximum of 4 GHz , with the base frequency being 3.6 GHz . You will have no problem playing this Ryzen in virtual reality because it comes with AMD VR-Ready .
Of all the processors that we have exposed, it is the one with the lowest gaming performance, but we have decided to include it because it has an unbeatable price that is below € 100 . In fact, it is closer to falling below € 90, than reaching € 100.