I Can’t Believe These Are The Best CPUs of 2026 (So Far)

This video provides an updated breakdown of the best CPU options for PC upgrades or new builds, considering recent model releases on existing architectures. Typically, new CPU generations launch in the latter half of the year, but the pace has slowed, with new architectures from AMD and Intel not expected until late this year or early next year. The budget CPU segment, unfortunately, remains underwhelming, especially for those seeking the latest platforms. Intel's Core Ultra 5 225F, priced at $160, is deemed poor value. Despite its 6P and 4E cores, its multi-core performance only matches the Ryzen 5 7500F and is significantly slower for gaming. Its 4.9 GHz boost clock and limited 20MB L3 cache are major drawbacks, particularly given the Core Ultra 200 series' already modest gaming performance. A superior alternative at the same price is the Core i5 12600KF, offering roughly 10% better gaming and productivity. However, both options are on "dead platforms." Last September, the 14600K briefly dropped to $160, providing nearly 20% better gaming and almost 50% better core-heavy productivity than the 225F, but it too is on a dead platform. For gamers on a budget, the Ryzen 5 7500F is recommended, offering an excellent upgrade path. While not available in all regions, it's an exceptional deal in Australia at $175 AUD, being significantly cheaper than the Ryzen 7 7600, 14600K, and 225F. For productivity users, the Core i5s, particularly the 14600K when available at a lower price, might be a better investment. Moving to the $200-$250 US bracket, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus stands out for both gaming and productivity. In Australia, at $350 AUD, it's twice the price of the 7500F but offers more than double the performance, especially in core-heavy productivity. It features 6P cores up to 5.3 GHz, 12E cores, a 30MB L3 cache, and a 43% increase in die-to-die frequency, which resolved latency issues for improved gaming. AMD struggles at this price point; while the Ryzen 7 9700X offers similar gaming, the 250K Plus is up to 50% faster in productivity. For comparable AMD performance, one would need the Ryzen 9 900X at $300 or ideally the 9900X at $380, making AMD significantly more expensive. The 250K Plus or 250KF are incredible deals, especially given that a quality Z890 motherboard can be acquired for a combined price similar to the 9900X, effectively making Intel's "dead platform" a non-issue due to the aggressive pricing. For those with more than $250 to spend, the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a highly efficient, all-around CPU for gaming and productivity. It boasts eight P cores up to 5.5 GHz, 16 E cores up to 4.7 GHz, and 36MB of L3 cache, with a 250W TDP. In multi-threaded productivity, it performs within 2-5% of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, which often costs twice as much, making the 270K Plus the most cost-effective way to achieve high-end workstation performance. Its improved internal latency also significantly boosts gaming performance, making it a strong contender against AMD's X3D chips, which still lead in pure gaming. The 270K Plus's price-to-performance ratio makes platform support less critical, as the motherboard essentially comes "free." While the Ryzen 7 9850X3D is the best gaming CPU, its slight performance edge over the 9800X3D doesn't justify its premium. Even the 9800X3D's 10% performance gain over the 7800X3D comes at a 17% higher cost, making the 7800X3D the best value. These X3D CPUs excel in CPU-limited gaming but are outperformed by the 270K Plus in core-heavy workloads. For productivity, while AMD's Threadripper 9000 series dominates the workstation space at extremely high prices, for mainstream platforms, the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus offers the best value. It performs comparably to the Ryzen 9 9950X and is a fraction of the cost of the absolute fastest desktop option, the $900 9950X3D2 dual edition. Intel's aggressive pricing on the 250K Plus and 270K Plus, effectively bundling the motherboard for free when compared to AMD, has significantly improved their competitiveness. This strategy addresses the major concern of platform longevity that PC enthusiasts prioritize. If Intel can match this pricing with improved platform support on their next socket, the competition between Intel and AMD will be incredibly strong,