Best CPUs for Gaming Under £150

1. AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Processor (radeon graphics integrated, 6 cores/12 threads, 65W TDP, AM5 Socket, 38MB cache, up to 5.1 GHz max boost, Wraith Stealth Cooler)

Price: £125.99 | Rating: ★★★★½ (4.8)

Here's the thing: when you're hunting the best CPUs for gaming under £150, the Ryzen 5 7600 is the one that keeps coming out on top. It sits on AMD's AM5 platform, which means DDR5 support and a genuine upgrade path for years to come. That matters. You're not just buying a chip today, you're buying into a platform that won't be a dead end in 18 months.

The headline numbers are strong. Six cores, 12 threads, 38MB of combined cache, and a max boost of 5.1GHz. For 1080p gaming, that cache figure is particularly important. Games like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, and Call of Duty are increasingly sensitive to L3 cache size, and the 7600's 32MB L3 (plus 6MB L2) keeps frame times tight and consistent. Real-world gaming performance sits comfortably above the older AM4 chips in this roundup, and it trades blows with processors that cost significantly more.

The Wraith Stealth cooler is included, which is fine for stock operation. If you plan to push the chip harder, a budget aftermarket cooler is worth considering. Power draw is sensible at 65W TDP, so you won't need a massive PSU either. The integrated Radeon graphics are a nice bonus for troubleshooting, though you'll want a dedicated GPU for actual gaming.

One honest caveat: AM5 motherboards and DDR5 RAM do cost more than AM4 equivalents. If your total build budget is very tight, factor that in. But if you can swing it, the 7600 is the smartest gaming CPU you can buy in this price bracket right now.

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2. AMD Ryzen 5 8400F processor (6 Core/12 threads, 65W TDP, AM5 Socket, 22MB Cache, up to 4.7GHz max boost frequency, with wraith stealth cooler)

Price: £131.99 | Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5)

The Ryzen 5 8400F is AMD's answer to the question: what's the cheapest way to get onto AM5 without sacrificing gaming performance? And it's a proper decent answer. Six cores, 12 threads, AM5 socket, and a boost clock of 4.7GHz. It costs less than the 7600 and still delivers gaming performance that would have been considered high-end just a couple of years ago.

The trade-off versus the 7600 is mostly cache. The 8400F carries 22MB total versus the 7600's 38MB. In cache-sensitive titles you'll notice a small gap, but for most games at 1080p the difference is modest. Frame rates are still strong, and the AM5 platform means you're not painting yourself into a corner. The Wraith Stealth cooler is in the box, which keeps the total cost down.

The "F" suffix means no integrated graphics, so you'll need a dedicated GPU from day one. That's fine for a gaming build, but worth knowing if you're planning a phased build. For anyone who wants the best CPUs for gaming under £150 without spending right up to the limit, the 8400F is the one to beat. It's our best budget pick for good reason.

Owner feedback on Amazon is consistently positive. People building budget gaming rigs report smooth performance in titles like Fortnite, Warzone, and Elden Ring, with no thermal issues at stock speeds using the included cooler.

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3. AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Processor (6 Cores/12Threads, 65W TDP, AM4 Socket, 35MB Cache, up to 4.6 GHz Max Boost, Wraith Stealth Cooler)

Price: £142.98 | Rating: ★★★★½ (4.8)

The Ryzen 5 5600X was, for a long time, the gold standard of budget gaming CPUs. It launched at a much higher price and has gradually come down to a point where it sits comfortably in the best CPUs for gaming under £150 conversation. The silicon quality on Zen 3 chips is exceptional. These processors are known for their consistency, low temperatures at stock speeds, and excellent overclocking headroom if you want to push things further.

Gaming performance is still very strong. The 35MB cache, 4.6GHz boost, and mature Zen 3 architecture mean it handles virtually every current title at 1080p and 1440p without breaking a sweat. It's on AM4, which is a limitation for future upgrades, but AM4 boards are cheap and plentiful. If you already have an AM4 system, this is one of the best drop-in upgrades you can make.

The build quality badge is earned because the 5600X consistently runs cool, quiet, and stable. Owner reviews on Amazon and across forums like Reddit's r/buildapc are overwhelmingly positive, with people reporting years of reliable service. It's the chip you buy when you want something that just works, without fuss. The Wraith Stealth cooler handles stock operation fine, though the 5600X does respond well to a decent aftermarket cooler if you want to overclock.

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4. Intel® Core™ Ultra 5 Desktop Processor 245KF 14 cores (6 P-cores + 8 E-cores) up to 5.2 GHz

Price: £139.99 | Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.4)

Wait, an Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF under £150? That's a genuinely surprising find. This is a modern Arrow Lake chip with 14 cores (six performance cores and eight efficiency cores) and a 5.2GHz max boost. On paper, it's the most powerful processor in this roundup by a fair margin. And in multi-threaded workloads, it absolutely is.

For gaming specifically, the picture is a bit more nuanced. Arrow Lake's gaming performance has been a talking point in the tech community. Tom's Hardware's review of the Core Ultra 5 245KF found that while it's a capable chip, it doesn't always translate its core count into gaming frame rate advantages over the best AMD options. That said, at this price it's still a strong performer.

The catch is the "KF" designation. No integrated graphics, and no cooler in the box. You'll need to budget for an aftermarket cooler, which adds cost. The LGA1851 platform also requires a Z890 or B860 motherboard, which aren't the cheapest. So while the CPU itself might be under £150, the total platform cost is higher than AM5 or AM4 builds. Worth knowing before you commit.

If you already have an Intel platform or specifically want Intel, this is a cracking chip at the price. Just go in with eyes open about the additional costs.

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5. AMD Ryzen 3 3200G processor (Radeon Vega 8 integrated GPU, 4 cores/4 threads, 65W TDP, AM4 socket, 6MB Cache, up to 4.0 Ghz max boost frequency, wraith stealth cooler)

Price: £60.75 | Rating: ★★★★½ (4.7)

The Ryzen 3 3200G is the most affordable chip in this roundup by a significant margin. Four cores, four threads (no hyperthreading), integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics, and a 4.0GHz boost. For very light gaming or an ultra-budget build where you genuinely cannot afford a dedicated GPU, it has a role to play. But it's a narrow role.

The four-thread limitation is the real problem for gaming in 2026. Most modern titles are built to use six or more threads, and the 3200G will bottleneck in CPU-heavy scenarios. Games like GTA V, Minecraft, and older esports titles run acceptably on the Vega 8 iGPU at low settings. Anything more demanding and you'll be fighting the hardware. The 6MB cache is also very limited, which compounds the performance issues in modern titles.

Where it makes sense: an absolute entry-level build for a child, a basic office PC that occasionally runs a game, or a temporary solution while you save for something better. The Wraith Stealth cooler is included, and the price is genuinely low. But if you're serious about gaming, even light gaming, stretching to the Ryzen 5 8600G gives you far better integrated graphics and a proper six-core CPU on a modern platform.

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6. Intel Core I7-6700K Processor (4 GHz, 8 M Cache, LGA1151)

Price: £100.00 | Rating: ★★★★½ (4.7)

We're going to be straight with you: the Intel Core i7-6700K has no business being on a list of the best CPUs for gaming under £150 in 2026. It's a 2015 processor on the LGA1151 platform, which has been dead for years. Four cores, eight threads, 8MB cache, and a 4.0GHz base clock. That was impressive a decade ago. It isn't now.

Modern games increasingly demand six or more cores, and the i7-6700K's four cores are a genuine bottleneck in titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator, Starfield, or any recent open-world game. The platform also lacks support for modern features like PCIe 4.0 or DDR4 at competitive speeds. There's no upgrade path. You buy this chip and you're stuck on a 2015 platform with no way forward.

At £100, it's not even cheap enough to justify as a stopgap. The Ryzen 5 8400F costs more but delivers dramatically better gaming performance on a platform you can actually upgrade. The only scenario where the i7-6700K makes sense is if you already own an LGA1151 motherboard and just need something to keep a system alive for a few months. For any new build, avoid it entirely. It's a museum piece, not a gaming chip.

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