Best Budget CPU for Gaming Under £200 / $200 (September 2025)
There’s a peculiar satisfaction in finding a chip that delivers real gaming value without bankrupting the budget. Under the £200 / $200 threshold, you’re walking a tightrope: choose incorrectly, and you handcuff your GPU, limit your system’s longevity, or end up fighting thermals. But do your homework—and stay observant of deals—and you’ll find real performance.
Here are five CPUs that stand out right now, leaning on recent prices, third-party tracking, and reasoned comparison—not hype.
The £200/$200 ceiling has always been a battleground. It’s the budget where gamers want “enough” CPU to unlock their GPU without drifting into diminishing returns. Spend less and you risk stutter, spend more and you’re padding Intel or AMD’s margins for very little real-world gain.
The sweet spot shifts every generation, depending on discounts, platform longevity, and the usual tug-of-war between Intel’s marketing spin and AMD’s IPC promises. Right now, five chips stand out, but not all for the same reasons. Some are best viewed as stepping-stones, others as final stops.
1. AMD Ryzen 5 9600X — Best all-rounder
Price check: ~$197 (US) / ~£173 (UK)
Zen 5 was not a revolution. But what AMD delivered with the 9600X is a refinement that matters: higher IPC, better efficiency, and saner power draw. At 65W, it behaves like a mid-range chip should — not like the space heater Intel still insists on shipping.
In gaming, the 9600X doesn’t top charts, but it brushes close enough to the high-end parts that, with a half-decent GPU, you’d struggle to notice the difference outside of synthetic benchmarks. And that’s the point. For under $200, you’re buying silence (easy cooling), consistency (low power variance), and a platform that actually has a future.
Opinion: If you’re building new today, this is the sensible choice. It won’t make headlines, but it’s the chip you’ll thank yourself for three years from now when AM5 still has legs and Intel has already moved on to yet another socket.
2. AMD Ryzen 5 7600 — Value AM5 entry
Price check: ~$185 (US) / ~£153 (UK)
The 7600 exists in an awkward space. It’s not as efficient as the 9600X, and it’s a little older. But when discounts land — and they often do — it suddenly looks like one of the smartest buys in this segment.
What it offers is “good enough” gaming performance with a bundled cooler and a basic iGPU that won’t set records but will save your bacon when your GPU misbehaves. That makes it a pragmatic choice for anyone stepping into AM5 without blowing the budget.
Opinion: If the 9600X is hovering over budget, the 7600 is the fallback. It’s the “sensible shoes” of CPUs: not flashy, not exciting, but practical, comfortable, and still walking just fine.
3. Intel Core i5-13400F — Intel’s last stand under $200
Price check: ~$158 (US) / ~£117 (UK)
Intel’s 13400F is proof that Intel can still hit value, even if it does so reluctantly. Ten cores (6P + 4E) at this price is nothing to sneeze at, and in 1080p gaming, it more than keeps pace. Where it falters is longevity: the LGA1700 socket is at the end of its life, and you’ll need a new board if you ever want to climb higher.
DDR4 compatibility keeps total build cost down, which is why this CPU remains popular. Drop it into a cheap B660/B760 DDR4 board, add some decent RAM, and you’re gaming respectably without handing Intel too much money.
Opinion: The 13400F is the right answer for Intel loyalists or those recycling DDR4, but if you’re starting fresh, buying into a dead-end socket in 2025 feels like building on sand.
4. AMD Ryzen 7 5700X — AM4’s swan song
Price check: ~$184 (US) / ~£184 (UK)
The 5700X is not new. It’s not exciting. But it’s reliable, and for those sitting on an AM4 board, it’s the last worthwhile upgrade before you have to scrap everything. Eight cores give it endurance, particularly if you stream or multitask, and Zen 3 still holds up remarkably well in gaming.
Opinion: Buying the 5700X in 2025 isn’t about chasing performance — it’s about squeezing every ounce out of your existing investment. If you’ve already sunk money into a solid AM4 board and DDR4, this is how you keep going for a couple more GPU cycles. It’s the practical exit strategy.
5. AMD Ryzen 5 5600 — Budget legend
Price check: ~$100–130 (US) / ~£80–96 (UK)
The Ryzen 5 5600 has no right to still be this good at this price. Six cores, twelve threads, and enough IPC to keep a mid-range GPU honest at 1080p. It’s not flashy, it’s not modern, but it still works. And in a build where every penny saved goes straight into a stronger graphics card, the 5600 makes a compelling argument.
Opinion: For anyone who believes the GPU should eat the bulk of the budget — and they’re not wrong — this is still the best stop-gap chip in the business. Pair it with a solid B550 board and you’ve got a system that won’t embarrass itself for years.
Final Thoughts
The sub-£200/$200 CPU market is a peculiar snapshot of the industry. On one side, AMD offers efficiency, forward-looking sockets, and genuine value across both AM5 and AM4. On the other hand, Intel quietly hangs on with a single chip that makes sense only if you’ve already bought into its ecosystem.
If you want the modern, efficient, and forward-looking choice, buy the Ryzen 5 9600X. If you want to save a little, the 7600 is hardly worse. If you’re stuck on AM4, the 5700X is the logical send-off, and if you want to be absurdly frugal, the 5600 is still better than it has any right to be. The 13400F? Still solid, but its best days are already behind it.
In the end, buying under £200/$200 isn’t about chasing the “fastest CPU” — it’s about balance. You want just enough CPU to stay out of the way of your GPU, without burning your budget on marketing-led margins. Right now, AMD owns this segment, and Intel looks like it’s showing up to the party with last year’s invitation.
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