Choosing the right processor for your computer depends mostly on what you plan to use the computer for. While it can be tempting to buy the newest and fastest hardware you can afford, it is always best to know your use case to avoid investing in high-end components that you don’t need. Most of the best CPUs of all time would be overkill if you were limited to a few browser tabs or basic productivity apps. Or even if you are building a light gaming PC. In this article, we are going to look at some of the best cheap CPUs you can buy right now in 2022.
The range of budget CPUs has improved a lot over the years. Even a relatively low-end chip can now deliver enough performance to handle challenging tasks. Plus, a lot of these cheap CPUs have other benefits, including wide compatibility with lots of motherboards, stock bundled coolers, and more. Unlike old, low-cost CPUs, budget shoppers can now find plenty of value in many of these new, affordable options.
Best cheap AMD CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600
AMD processors have shown significant performance improvements over the years. The company now has a huge selection of trusted CPUs on the market that we recommended in our articles, including the best CPUs, the best gaming CPUs, and more. AMD also has a lot to offer in the budget space that offers great overall performance at an affordable price. The Ryzen 5 5600 is from the previous generation, but given the price now, it’s worth buying if you’re on a budget.
This is one of AMD’s 4th generation desktop processors built on the 7nm Zen 3 platform. It’s a hexa-core, 12-thread chip with 65W TDP and Wraith Stealth, an excellent stock cooler, in the box. It features a base clock of 3.5GHz and a boost clock of 4.4GHz. The Ryzen 5 5600 comes with a healthy 35MB cache, and it drops into the AM4 CPU socket on AMD 500-series chipset motherboards, and older motherboards assuming they have the necessary BIOS updates.
All Ryzen 5000 series chipsets officially support dual-channel DDR4 memory. The Ryzen 5 5600 has also been unlocked to support overclocking. Gains will vary, but with a modest overclocking of both CPU and memory, it’s possible to increase your budget system even further.
Although there will be more powerful CPUs in 2022, we think it’s still worth considering the Ryzen 5 5600 due to how effective it is at handling a lot of tough workloads, even today. For gaming, it represents a viable alternative to some of the more expensive CPUs. However, it’s worth noting that you’ll need a dedicated GPU to use one of these devices, since older Ryzen processors don’t have integrated graphics.
Ryzen 5 5600
The Ryzen 5 5600 is a great CPU with six cores and 12 threads. It may be a previous generation product, but now it offers a lot of value considering its performance.
- Speed:
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- 3.5 GHz
- Plug:
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- AM4
- Brand:
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- AMD
- TDP:
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- 65 watts
Best Cheap AMD Alternative CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 3100
If you’re in the market for an inexpensive AMD CPU, we think it’s also worth checking out the Ryzen 3 3100. This chip is still a good choice for multi-purpose use and light gaming in 2022. At the time this CPU was considered a “lightweight” version From the most powerful Ryzen 3 3300X. In terms of specifications, the AMD Ryzen 3 3100 features four cores and eight threads. We’re looking at a base clock of 3.9GHz and a turbo frequency of 3.6GHz, along with 16MB of L3 cache. It uses AMD’s 7nm process technology and lies under the umbrella of the Zen 2 architecture. The Ryzen 3 3100 slots into the AMD AM4 socket, which has now been superseded by the arrival of the new AM5 platform for the Ryzen 7000.
In terms of overall performance, this particular chip delivers impressive numbers that match the overall performance of the Ryzen 3 3300X for a few dollars less. The main difference is the clock speed. But, the Ryzen 3 3100 is unlocked too, even it’s an entry-level and non-X version, so with careful tweaking, you can extract more performance. You also get a very nice stock cooler included in the box so you are really ready to run.
Unfortunately, the Ryzen 3 3100 lacks integrated graphics. All pre-7000 series Ryzen CPUs are this way, so you’ll need a dedicated GPU to even be able to view the output.
AMD Ryzen 3 3100
The AMD Ryzen 5 3100 is a solid alternative to the Ryzen 5 3600 if you want reliable performance for under $200. But don’t forget that you need a graphics card to use it.
- Brand:
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- AMD
- CPU Speed:
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- 3.6 GHz
- CPU socket:
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- AM4
Best Cheap Intel CPU: Intel Core i3-12100
Intel created a huge wave in the PC hardware space with the release of its 12th generation Alder Lake chips. The Alder Lake series has surprisingly good options even outside the high performance category, and we think the Intel Core i3-12100 is one of the best cheap CPUs worth considering. Which is definitely the best if you prefer Intel.
One of the best features is that the Intel Core i3-12100 supports DDR5 memory and PCI Gen 5. This makes it one of the most future-proof budget CPUs you can buy. In terms of specs, the Intel Core i3-12100 processor features a quad-core and eight-thread design. Unlike high-end Alder Lake chips, this CPU has only performance cores (P-cores) and lacks efficiency cores (E-cores). So you lose out on the advantages of a hybrid design but you still get four high-performance cores.
The Intel Core i3-12100 processor has a base clock of 3.3GHz, and can achieve single-core speeds of up to 4.3GHz. Like the rest of the Alder Lake lineup, the Core i3-12100 also supports both older DDR4 and DDR5 memory, and supports a maximum of 128GB of RAM with either. The base TDP is a fairly low 60W with a maximum TDP of 89W, so it should be easy to keep this CPU at a reasonable temperature. Finally, it’s also worth noting that the Core i3-12100 comes with Intel UHD 770 graphics. While it won’t get you too far from gaming, at least it means you can use it without the need for a dedicated graphics card.
Intel Core i3-12100
The Intel Core i3-12100 is an entry-level solid state CPU for a productivity machine. Save a little by purchasing the F variant if you have a dedicated GPU.
- Brand:
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- Intel Corporation
- CPU Speed:
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- 3.3 GHz
- CPU socket:
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- LGA 1700
Best cheap CPU under $100: Intel Pentium Gold G7400
Intel may have finally put the Pentium brand on it, but one of its final releases is one of the best cheap CPUs on the market. The Intel Pentium Gold G7400 features two cores and four threads based on the 10nm Golden Cove core architecture. It’s an entry-level dual-core chip that trades with AMD’s Athlon processors. It features a clock speed of 3.7GHz and 6MB of L3 cache within a 46W TDP package. Despite being an Alder Lake chip, it doesn’t come with a hybrid of P and E-cores. This is for the more advanced parts, but there’s still a lot to like about the overall performance of the Pentium Gold G7400.
On the memory front, the Intel Pentium Gold G7400 processor supports DDR4-3200 and even DDR5 memory up to 4800. In addition, the new Pentium Gold G7400 chip also supports PCIe Gen 5, making it more future-proof than nearly every competing chip in this price range. The Pentium Gold G7400 processor also comes with Intel UHD 710 graphics, which should be enough to handle the basic daily graphic requirements.
The new Intel Pentium Gold G7400 is powerful enough to flex against older AMD quad-core chips, such as the Ryzen 3 3200G. It also comes with a cooler in the box, so you can install it and get it up and running right away. The Pentium Gold G7400 is more powerful than the Celeron G6900 CPU as well, because it’s not a lot of money, which makes it a better choice overall. For a really tight budget platform, this is a pretty impressive CPU.
Intel Pentium Gold G7400
The Intel Pentium Gold G7400 costs less than $80, but matches the overall performance of some high-spec CPUs from the previous generation.
- Brand:
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- Intel Corporation
- CPU Speed:
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- 3.7 GHz
- CPU socket:
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- LGA 1700
AMD APU Under $100: AMD Athlon 3000G
AMD Athlon processors are very popular in the budget sphere. These were above and beyond anything Intel had to offer until the new Alder Lake chips came to market. So far, we think the Athlon 3000G is still an excellent CPU to consider. It was AMD’s first unlocked Zen-based Athlon processor, and being an APU, it comes with integrated graphics.
In terms of specs, the AMD Athlon 3000G has two cores and four threads with a clock speed of up to 3.5GHz, 4MB L3 cache, and an integrated Radeon Vega 3 GPU. The Vega 3 graphics package has three GPU cores and a clock speed of up to 1100MHz with TDP 35W. Just like its predecessor, the Athlon 200GE, it is based on Zen 1.0 architecture and compatible with AM4 motherboards. However, there are some significant improvements, including a more advanced Zen+ architecture. The AMD Athlon 3000G also boasts slightly faster clock speeds than its predecessor, thanks to its 12nm manufacturing process.
One of the best things about the AMD Athlon 3000G is that it can also be overclocked, and you’d be surprised at how much stress it has. The integrated Radeon Vega 3 graphics make the Athlon 3000G a solid chip to consider even in some games. The Athlon 3000G offers a decent 720p gaming experience with lower resource consumption like Rocket League And the CS: GO. It’s ridiculous how much performance has been squeezed into something affordable.
AMD Athlon 3000G
The AMD Athlon 3000G is a great entry-level chip with powerful integrated graphics that can even play a game or two.
- Brand:
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- AMD
- CPU Speed:
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- 3.5 GHz
- CPU socket:
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- AM4
All processors mentioned in this group are priced under $200, and some are Much. Options like the Intel Pentium Gold G7400 and AMD Athlon 3000G can sometimes be had for less than $100 and can form the basis for building a very powerful PC. Intel’s new Core i3-12100 is also an excellent choice, and so is AMD’s alternative, the Ryzen 5 3600. Both processors can also double as great gaming chips for entry-level gaming PCs in 2022.
If you don’t mind spending a little more money or need more horsepower, we highly encourage you to check out some of the other options we’ve mentioned in our collection of the best CPUs and best gaming CPUs. Alternatively, you can also check out our PC Builder Guide for Beginners as well as Home/Office PC Builder Guide to learn how you can build an excellent platform for less than $1000 in 2022. As always, you can join our site XDA Computing Forums To discuss your builds and get more recommendations for your new PC from the experts in our community.
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