Upgrading or building out your workhorse PC on a tight budget? Here's how to shop for the right AMD or Intel processor for less than $300, along with the top-performing chips in our benchmark tests.
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Processors
Latest Processors
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The Best Budget CPUs for 2026
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The Best CPUs for Gaming in 2026
Buying the right processor for PC gaming might seem complicated—especially with AMD's multiple Ryzen families and Intel's many Cores and "Lakes." Here's everything you need to know, plus our top picks based on PC Labs' deep-dive CPU reviews.
4 weeks -
The Best CPUs for 2026
Whether you're upgrading your desktop PC or building a new one, choosing the right processor is the most crucial and complex choice you will make. Let's simplify it! Here's how to make sense of AMD's and Intel's lines, backed by dozens of our deep-dive reviews.
4 weeks -
Ouch: AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Comes With $900 Price Tag
AMD is suggesting retailers sell the new 'Dual Edition' desktop processor for $899, or about $200 more than the regular Ryzen 9 9950X3D.
1 month, 2 weeks -
Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme Benchmarked: A New 18-Core Laptop Performance Leader?
Paired with the thin and light Asus Zenbook A16, Qualcomm's latest flagship processor redefines what ultraportables are capable of.
1 month, 2 weeks -
Intel to Maintain Raptor Lake Availability, Hints at New DDR4 Motherboards
Amid DDR5 shortages, supporting older platforms may be one way to give gamers options.
1 month, 2 weeks -
Geekbench Claims Intel Tool Boosts Benchmark Scores by Tweaking Test Code
Intel's Binary Optimization Tool (BOT) is designed to enhance chip performance in certain games and apps, but Geekbench suggests that it modifies the benchmark's code to improve scores.
1 month, 3 weeks -
AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 'Dual Edition' Doubles the 3D V-Cache
The new desktop processor launches on April 22 and features even more L3 cache to further reduce CPU latency.
1 month, 4 weeks -
Intel, AMD Reportedly Set to Raise CPU Prices By Up to 15%
The increase is on tap even as some models have seen big price reductions recently.
2 months -
Intel’s ‘Arrow Lake’ Laptop Refresh Is Here: Core Ultra 200HX Plus CPUs Target Gaming Gains, More
New Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and 7 270HX Plus processors promise up to 8% faster gaming, quicker interconnect speeds, and next-gen features such as Thunderbolt 5 and Wi-Fi 7. Expect them in new laptops starting today.
2 months, 1 week -
'Arrow Lake,' Second Take: Intel’s Core Ultra 200S Plus Desktop CPUs Push Value—and Gaming Performance
Intel just tipped Core Ultra 200S Plus, a promising, price-aggressive bunch of refreshed "Arrow Lake" desktop processors coming in late March. Here's everything I've learned so far about these new chips.
2 months, 2 weeks -
Startup Working on Orbital Data Centers Teases Bitcoin Mining in Space, Too
Starcloud aims to be the first to mine a coin in space, says CEO Philip Johnston
2 months, 2 weeks -
AMD Packs an NPU Into Ryzen Desktop Processors Built for AI
At MWC, AMD reveals the Ryzen AI Pro 400 Series chips meant for businesses.
2 months, 3 weeks -
Job Listing Suggests Future Intel CPUs Could Return to a Unified Core Design
Returning to a unified core design would give Intel extra room on the chip for more performance cores, but it would be a complete redesign and layout change.
3 months -
Rumor: Intel Core Ultra 400 With 52 Cores Could Pull Up to 700W
That's with power limits removed, but it could open up enormous overclocking headroom.
3 months, 2 weeks