4 reasons your next CPU should be from AMD

Intel just cannot catch a break. The company’s Core Ultra 200 series was a step in the right direction compared to 14th-gen processors, but it wasn’t enough to prevent AMD from sailing ahead. The launch of the all-new Zen 5-based AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D added salt to the wound with its impressive gaming performance, so why would you want to buy an Intel CPU in 2024?

4 Unmatched AM5 platform support

Plenty of upgrades

Unlike Intel, which typically supports the same motherboard platform for a couple of generations, AMD sticks around for years. The company recently released an AM4 processor even though the AM5 platform is the latest and greatest. The company announced plans to support AM5 through 2027, though I suspect we could see more processors hit the shelves thereafter if AM4 is anything to go by.

3 Best desktop gaming processors

3D V-Cache is a winner

Both AMD and Intel enjoy marketing their processors for gaming, but none of them are specifically designed with gaming in mind. All desktop chips are great at gaming and everything else you can do on a PC. That’s where its X3D processors with 3D V-Cache come into play. With beefier caching available, X3D CPUs from AMD are better than most other chips for running the latest and most demanding games.

In our testing with the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, an 8-core CPU, we found it to be notably faster in many games than Intel’s flagship 24-core Core i9-14900K. Higher clock speeds and core counts can only get you so far.

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2 More power-efficient architecture

Sipping juice from the socket

I was shocked to see how much electricity the Intel Core i9-14900KS can draw through the motherboard socket — more than 300 watts! It’s possible for an entire budget-friendly gaming PC to draw less power than that. It may be one of the most powerful chips around, at least until the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K was released, but it still doesn’t come close to what AMD offers in terms of efficiency and performance-per-watt.

1 More overclocking freedom

Ryzen up from the ashes

It’s possible to overclock your AMD processor on any motherboard. With Intel, you need to fork out for the flagship Z-series chipsets but every AMD motherboard will let you play around with CPU settings to get more from your specific chip. Even the latest AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is fully unlocked for enthusiasts to tinker with. You’ll be able to enjoy high performance if you’re on a tight budget or wish to go all-out with AMD Threadripper.

Ryzen 9000 is the best choice

Intel makes some great products, but the company’s Intel CPUs are lacking. The efficiency gains with Arrow Lake are positive, but it’s still not enough to take on AMD, and Team Red continues to advance its architecture to create some exceptional chips, such as the highlighted AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Whether you’re building a PC for gaming, productivity, or both, there’s an AMD CPU with your name on it.