Check out more of the year's best tech in our PC Gamer Hardware Awards 2024 coverage.
This year, there has been a glut of fresh CPUs from AMD and Intel for desktop PCs, with both vendors launching new processor architectures and model variants of older designs.
Over in the Team Red corner, 2024 started with a Zen 3 chip, in the form of the Ryzen 7 5700X3D. Essentially nothing more than a processor not quite good enough to be sold as a Ryzen 7 5800X3D, it's arguably better because it's a lot cheaper but not much slower.
Zen 5 made an official appearance in August, to a somewhat muted reception. That's because despite being a complete architectural overhaul, it isn't that much faster than Zen 4. But for sheer processing power, the Ryzen 9 9950X is hard to beat. Particularly when it uses less power than the competition.
We all had high hopes for Intel's Core Ultra 200S chips but it's fair to say that they missed the mark. Truth be told, most PC gaming enthusiasts were really only interested in one CPU and when the Ryzen 7 9800X3D finally appeared, we weren't disappointed. AMD's third generation of 3D V-Cache is just as magic as ever.
I've specifically mentioned these three processors because those are the nominees for best gaming CPU of 2024. We'll announce the winner on New Year's Eve but for now, let's see why they were chosen.
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D
The very first Zen 3-based CPU appeared in November 2020 so when AMD announced yet another model in that old lineup, we were pleased to see the AM4 socket still being supported with new processors. Technically, this one wasn't new as its progenitor, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, appeared in April 2022.
Not every chip off the manufacturing line makes the cut but that doesn't mean they can't be used. In this instance, the Ryzen 7 5700X3D is just a 5800X3D but with 400 MHz knocked off the base and boost clocks. Other than that, it's the same CPU. Except it's considerably cheaper—as much as $200 less at some points in the year.
As a drop-in upgrade to any AM4 gaming PC, it's a fantastic option, as that stack of 3D V-Cache can substantially boost the performance of many games. For anyone looking to build a budget gaming rig, it's a no-brainer.
Read our full AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D review.
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
We knew it would launch at some point in 2024 but after the slightly disappointing Zen 5 launch, we did wonder if the 3D V-Cache version of the Ryzen 7 9700X would be worth the wait. Well, it was and it's fair to say that the Ryzen 7 9800X3D single-handedly made everyone forget about Zen 5's muted uplift over Zen 4.
Most of that is down to AMD's third-generation 3D V-Cache. The full redesign shifted the placement of the extra L3 cache from on top of the core chiplet to being underneath the whole thing. That removed the thermal barrier preventing the previous-gen Ryzen 7 7800X3D from being clocked high.
It's not particularly cheap, mind, and there's always the risk that the Zen 5 Ryzen 9 X3D models, which should appear early next year, will be even better. But even if that turns out to be the case, there's no denying that this is the CPU that most gamers want right now.
Read our full AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D review.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
At first glance, AMD's Zen 5 CPU architecture doesn't seem to be notably different to Zen 4, and the Ryzen 9000-series of processors all seemed very 7000-series-like. But AMD had rejigged almost every part of its core design and in the case of the Ryzen 9 9950X, the updates result in a mighty powerhouse of a chip.
Of course, 16 cores and 32 threads aren't really needed for gaming, but if one games and works on the same PC, then there's nothing to touch the 9950X when it comes to sheer processing grunt. The fact that it does all of this without ever consuming more than 230 W of power, is a remarkable feat of engineering.
3D V-Cache might get all the gaming kudos but the 9950X is no slouch—it's really only bettered by the power-devouring Core i9 14900K (and the 9800X3D, of course) but even then, only in certain games. You'll need to pay a small fortune to own a Ryzen 9 9950X but you won't be disappointed by what it can do.
Read our full AMD Ryzen 9 9950X review.
The winner of the PC Gamer Hardware Award for the best gaming CPU will be announced on New Year's Eve. AMD wins no matter what but only one of its 2024 CPUs can be crowned best.
