Are Any Intel CPUs Good for Gaming in 2025?

At the end of the day, Intel CPUs aren't necessarily 'stay-away' bad, but compared to AMD's offerings, their value isn't the best for gaming. If AMD fit your needs and budget better, it might be worth reconsidering. But if you find a good deal on Intel, they can still deliver good gaming experiences.

If you're on an extreme budget, look for deals on 12th or 13th gen CPUs. I found the i5-12400F for around $95 on Amazon, and it's a killer deal for gaming performance. Same goes for the i3-13100F if you're really pinching pennies. The 14600K also provides good value at around $164, especially if you don’t care much about power consumption.

The 12th and 13th gen Intel CPUs are still relevant, especially if you can grab them at a good price. The 12400F is a solid budget option and gets you great performance for the cost. If you're into some productivity work, the Core Ultra series is decent too. Just make sure you're comfortable with any potential reliability concerns that come with the newer models. If you're a die-hard Intel fan, they can still be a viable choice for gaming, especially at discounts.

Honestly, the Core i5-13600K is a solid pick. It's less prone to the issues some of the other models have had and offers a good performance-to-price ratio. If you're building on a budget, the 12400F at around $109 gives you nearly the same performance as the Ryzen 5 5600X. Just be wary of the higher-end models like the i9s due to potential reliability concerns from power draw.

I have to say that while Intel CPUs aren't the best bang for your buck currently, they are competitive if you're looking at used options or have access to a good discount. I've been happy with my 14700K; it's performed very well, especially in multi-threaded tasks. Just keep an eye on power consumption, and if you can find a sale, Intel can still be a decent buy if you're in a pinch.