VIVID·REPAIRS/THE FIELD GUIDE/CPUUpdated 26 July 2026Prices live from Amazon UK
Best of · UK · Field of 2
Best CPUs Under £100 UK 2026 | 2 Compared & Ranked
By the Vivid Repairs deskUpdated 26 July 20262 ranked picks12,589 owner ratings read
As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases. We have not handled these products. Everything below is judged on published specifications, the owner ratings on the UK listings and our own product reviews, and the ranking stays independent of what any of them pay.
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases. Our ranking is independent.
FIG. 01
Illustration · Vivid RepairsCpu / 2026
Field2 ranked
Cheapest£49.00
Owner ratings read12,589
VIVID·REPAIRSThe verdict · cpus under £100 · UK · Processors
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vividrepairs.co.uk / best-cpus-under-100-uk-2026Updated 26 July 2026 · Prices from the live Amazon UK listing
§ The field
Two picks, on one page
Ranked on fit for the job in the title, not on raw specification. Tap any one to jump to the argument for it. Prices are the live Amazon UK figure, read today.
Strong single-threaded performance that remains competitive for gaming and everyday responsiveness at 4.0 to 4.2 GHz stock clocks
Unlocked multiplier provides genuine overclocking headroom, with most chips reaching 4.5 to 4.7 GHz on adequate cooling
Proven long-term reliability backed by over 2,500 owner reviews averaging 4.7 out of 5
Where it gives up
Only four physical cores limits multi-threaded performance in modern heavily parallelised workloads and newer game engines. No stock cooler included, adding to the total build cost from the outset.
Rated 4.7 by 2,542 owners. Our review scores it 7.5.
The rules this ranking ran under, in plain sight: what we read, what we weighed and what no merchant can move.
How we picked
Our editors evaluated 2 Cpu options against the criteria readers actually weigh up: price, real-world performance, build quality, warranty, and UK availability. Picks lean toward what we'd recommend to a friend buying today, not specs-on-paper winners.
Editorial contextEditor notes from individual reviews, not press releases.
Live UK pricingRefreshed from Amazon UK twice daily.
No paid placementsAffiliate commission doesn't change what wins.
The full guideEverything behind the shortlist above: the spec sheet, the write-ups in full, our method and the verdict.
§ Editorial · The full guide · four proofs, nothing hidden
The Doubt Index.
The shortlist told you what we picked; this zone shows the working. Come in through whichever doubt you’re carrying, or read straight down; we’d rather you checked us than trusted us.
Here’s the sheet the desk works from, kept deliberately factual. Every row is written to be checked against the retailer’s current listing, and you should check. The table scrolls sideways inside its own frame; the page underneath stays still.
Scroll sideways →15 rows · 4 columns · Prices swap to the live figure at render
You can, and you should. What follows is the part a sheet can’t do: the working between what these products have and what your desk actually needs, kept word for word.
Finding the best CPUs under £100 UK 2026 | 2 Compared & Ranked is harder than it looks. The sub-£100 processor market is cluttered with ageing silicon, misleading listings, and chips that look great on paper but disappoint in practice. We've narrowed it down to three real contenders: the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G, the AMD Ryzen 5 4500, and the Intel Core i7-6700K. Each sits at or under £100, each targets a slightly different buyer, and the differences between them matter a lot more than the price gap suggests. Whether you're building a budget gaming rig, upgrading an older system, or putting together a no-fuss office machine, one of these three is almost certainly the right answer. The question is which one.
Side-by-Side Specs: Best CPUs Under £100 UK 2026 | 2 Compared & Ranked
Multi-Threaded Performance: Which CPU Handles Heavy Workloads Best?
Winner: AMD Ryzen 5 4500
This is where the comparison gets decisive fast. The AMD Ryzen 5 4500 Processor brings 6 cores and 12 threads to the table, thanks to AMD's SMT (Simultaneous Multi-Threading). The AMD Ryzen 3 3200G and the Intel Core i7-6700K both offer 4 cores and 4 threads, with no hyperthreading or SMT at all.
The Ryzen 5 4500 scores in the region of 8,500 to 9,000 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The Ryzen 3 3200G sits around 5,500 to 6,000, and the i7-6700K lands somewhere between 5,800 and 6,200. So the 4500 is roughly 45 to 50% faster in heavily threaded workloads. That's not a marginal gain. That's a different class of chip.
In practice, this matters if you're doing anything beyond basic web browsing and document editing. Video encoding, streaming while gaming, running virtual machines, compiling code, or even just having 30 browser tabs open alongside Spotify and a spreadsheet. The 4500 handles all of that without breaking a sweat. The 3200G and i7-6700K start to feel the strain.
The i7-6700K does have a higher base clock at 4.0GHz versus the 3200G's 3.6GHz, which helps in lightly threaded tasks. But it still can't compete with the 4500's thread count when the workload scales up. And in 2026, most software is written to use more than four threads.
Single-Core Performance: Does Clock Speed Still Matter?
Winner: AMD Ryzen 5 4500
Single-core performance is still hugely relevant for gaming, since most game engines don't scale well beyond 4 to 6 cores and rely heavily on fast individual core speeds. So this one's closer than you'd expect.
The Intel Core i7-6700K has a 4.0GHz base clock and can hit 4.2GHz with overclocking. On paper, that sounds competitive. And in Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores around 900 to 950 points. The AMD Ryzen 3 3200G, with its 4.0GHz max boost, scores around 900 to 930. They're essentially neck and neck in raw single-core throughput.
The AMD Ryzen 5 4500 Processor, despite its 4.1GHz max boost, benefits from the Zen 2 architecture's significantly improved IPC (Instructions Per Clock). It scores around 1,100 to 1,150 in Cinebench R23 single-core. That's roughly 18 to 20% better than either the 3200G or the i7-6700K in real-world single-threaded work, despite similar clock speeds on paper.
Here's the thing: IPC improvements matter more than raw GHz. The Zen 2 architecture in the 4500 is simply more efficient per clock cycle than the Zen+ in the 3200G or the Skylake architecture in the i7-6700K. You get more done per tick.
For gaming specifically, the 4500 will deliver noticeably smoother frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios. The i7-6700K is no slouch, but it's working with 2015-era architecture. The 4500 takes this one too.
This is the one category where the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G processor wins outright, and it's not even close. The 3200G includes Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics. The AMD Ryzen 5 4500 has no integrated graphics whatsoever. The Intel Core i7-6700K has Intel HD Graphics 530, which is technically present but barely worth mentioning for anything beyond display output.
The Vega 8 in the 3200G is a proper iGPU. It has 8 compute units running at up to 1250MHz and shares system RAM as VRAM. With fast DDR4 (3000MHz or above), it can push playable frame rates in older or less demanding titles at 1080p on low settings. Think Fortnite at 40 to 60fps on low, CS2 at 60fps on low to medium, or Minecraft at well over 60fps. It's not a gaming powerhouse, but it's real, usable gaming performance without spending a penny on a GPU.
The Intel HD 530 in the i7-6700K can technically run games, but performance is noticeably worse than the Vega 8. Expect roughly 30 to 40% lower frame rates in comparable scenarios. It's fine for video playback and basic desktop use, but gaming on it is a frustrating experience.
The Ryzen 5 4500 simply has no iGPU. If you buy it without a discrete GPU, you won't get any display output at all (unless your motherboard has a video output tied to a separate chip, which is rare). So for anyone building a PC without a graphics card budget, the 3200G is the only sensible choice here.
For office machines, home media PCs, or ultra-budget gaming builds, the 3200G's Vega 8 is a genuine selling point. It's the reason this chip still has a place in the market despite being outperformed in almost every other category.
Platform & Upgrade Path: How Future-Proof Is Each Chip?
Winner: AMD Ryzen 5 4500
Platform matters. A lot. Especially when you're spending under £100 on a CPU, because you want to know whether you can upgrade later without replacing the entire system.
Both the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G and the AMD Ryzen 5 4500 Processor use the AM4 socket. That's a big deal. AM4 has been AMD's platform since 2017 and supports chips all the way up to the Ryzen 5000 series. So if you buy a decent B450 or B550 motherboard today, you could drop in a Ryzen 5 5600 or even a Ryzen 7 5700X later without changing anything else. That's a proper upgrade path.
The 4500 sits on the Zen 2 architecture and supports DDR4-3200, which is faster than the 3200G's DDR4-2933 ceiling. Faster memory matters particularly for the 3200G's Vega 8 iGPU (which uses system RAM as VRAM), but also for general bandwidth in productivity tasks.
The Intel Core i7-6700K uses LGA1151 (first generation). This socket is a dead end. The platform is from 2015, and Intel moved on to LGA1151 v2, then LGA1200, then LGA1700. There are no meaningful upgrade options within the original LGA1151 ecosystem beyond what was already available years ago. If you buy an i7-6700K today, you're buying into a platform with no future.
The i7-6700K also has a 91W TDP versus 65W for both AMD chips. That means higher power consumption, more heat, and the need for a better cooler (which isn't included in the box, unlike the Wraith Stealth bundled with both Ryzen chips).
For anyone building fresh, the AM4 platform is the obvious choice. And between the two AM4 chips, the 4500's Zen 2 architecture and DDR4-3200 support give it a slight edge over the older 3200G.
Overclocking & Enthusiast Appeal: Is There Any Headroom?
Winner: Intel Core i7-6700K
This is the one area where the Intel Core i7-6700K genuinely stands out. The "K" suffix means it has an unlocked multiplier, and Skylake CPUs are well-known for their overclocking headroom. A decent air cooler and a Z170 or Z270 motherboard can push the i7-6700K to 4.5GHz or even 4.7GHz on all cores without too much fuss. That's a meaningful real-world boost, particularly for gaming.
At stock speeds, the i7-6700K's 4.0GHz base clock is already higher than either AMD chip's base frequency. Push it to 4.5GHz and you're extracting noticeably more gaming performance than the stock numbers suggest. For someone who already owns a Z170 board and knows what they're doing, the i7-6700K can still be a decent performer.
The AMD Ryzen 3 3200G has some overclocking potential via the Precision Boost Overdrive feature on compatible boards, but it's not an unlocked chip in the traditional sense. Gains are modest, typically 100 to 200MHz at best. The AMD Ryzen 5 4500 Processor is similarly locked. AMD reserved overclocking for its "X" suffix chips in the Ryzen 4000 lineup, so the 4500 is what it is out of the box.
So if you're an enthusiast who enjoys squeezing extra performance out of hardware and you already have the right platform, the i7-6700K has a genuine trick up its sleeve. That said, even a heavily overclocked i7-6700K struggles to match the 4500's multi-threaded output, and the platform investment required (Z-series board, aftermarket cooler) adds cost that undermines the value proposition.
Still, for what it is, the i7-6700K earns its win here.
Cache & Memory Bandwidth: Does It Make a Real Difference?
Winner: AMD Ryzen 5 4500
Cache is one of those specs that gets glossed over in budget CPU comparisons, but it genuinely affects real-world responsiveness. The AMD Ryzen 5 4500 Processor has 11MB of combined L2 and L3 cache. The Intel Core i7-6700K has 8MB of L3. The AMD Ryzen 3 3200G has 6MB total.
More cache means the CPU can store more frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing the need to fetch from slower system RAM. In gaming, this translates to more consistent frame times and fewer stutters. In productivity, it means faster data processing in tasks like spreadsheet calculations or code compilation.
The 4500's 11MB cache is a clear advantage over both competitors. It's nearly double the 3200G's 6MB and almost 40% more than the i7-6700K's 8MB. Combined with DDR4-3200 memory support (versus DDR4-2933 on the 3200G and DDR4-2400 on the i7-6700K), the 4500 has the best memory subsystem of the three by a comfortable margin.
For the i7-6700K, the 8MB cache is respectable for a 2015 chip, and it's more than the 3200G. But the older memory controller and lower supported memory speeds limit how much of that cache advantage translates to real-world gains. The 4500 wins this one clearly.
According to TechPowerUp's CPU database, the Zen 2 architecture's cache hierarchy is meaningfully more efficient than both Zen+ and Skylake, which backs up what the raw numbers suggest.
Value for Money: Which CPU Gives You the Most for Your Budget?
Winner: AMD Ryzen 5 4500
Right. This is the one that matters most in a sub-£100 roundup. And when you lay everything out, the value case for the AMD Ryzen 5 4500 Processor is pretty hard to argue with.
At £59.99, you get 6 cores, 12 threads, 11MB cache, a 4.1GHz max boost, DDR4-3200 support, a Wraith Stealth cooler in the box, and a modern AM4 platform with a genuine upgrade path. That's a lot of chip for the money. It outperforms both competitors in multi-threaded workloads by 45 to 50%, beats them in single-core IPC by around 18 to 20%, and sits on a platform you can actually grow with.
The AMD Ryzen 3 3200G at £49.00 is similarly priced and makes sense only if you need integrated graphics. If you're pairing any of these chips with a discrete GPU, the 3200G's Vega 8 becomes irrelevant, and you're left with a 4-core, 4-thread chip that's slower in almost every measurable way. It's not bad value for what it is, but it's a niche buy.
The Intel Core i7-6700K at £100.00 is the most expensive of the three and comes without a cooler. Factor in the cost of even a basic aftermarket cooler (around £20 to £30 for something decent) and you're looking at £120 to £130 total. For that money, you're getting a 4-core, 4-thread chip on a dead platform with no upgrade path. The overclocking headroom is nice, but it doesn't justify the premium over the 4500 for most buyers.
The 4500 is the clear winner on value. It's the best CPUs under £100 UK 2026 | 2 Compared & Ranked pick for the vast majority of people reading this. AMD's own product page confirms the 4500's positioning as a mainstream productivity and gaming chip, and the real-world performance backs that up. Check AMD's official Ryzen 5 4500 page for full technical specs.
You already own or plan to buy a discrete GPU and want the best multi-threaded performance under £100.
You're building a new AM4 system and want a chip you can upgrade beyond later (up to Ryzen 5000 series).
You do any kind of productivity work, streaming, or multitasking where 12 threads make a real difference.
You want the best single-core IPC of the three, which matters for gaming frame rates.
Buy the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G If:
You need integrated graphics and can't budget for a discrete GPU right now.
You're building a compact office PC or home media machine that won't need heavy processing.
You want a complete, cooler-included package at the lowest possible entry price.
Buy the Intel Core i7-6700K If:
You already own a Z170 or Z270 motherboard and want a drop-in upgrade without new platform costs.
You're an enthusiast who wants to overclock and already has the cooling sorted.
You're specifically upgrading an existing Skylake system rather than building from scratch.
How We Researched These Best CPUs Under £100 UK 2026 | 2 Compared & Ranked Picks
We don't claim to have run these chips through a personal test bench. What we do is dig into the data that actually matters: verified benchmark databases including Cinebench R23, Passmark, and UserBenchmark cross-referenced across multiple sources, Amazon UK owner reviews (filtering out obvious fakes and one-star returns), official AMD and Intel specification sheets, and community feedback from UK-based builders on forums like Reddit's r/buildapc and Tom's Hardware. We also factor in real-world platform costs, cooler inclusion, and upgrade path viability, because a CPU doesn't exist in isolation. The goal is honest, practical advice grounded in what real owners experience, not marketing copy.
This page carries affiliate links; they never set the order. We don’t lab-test: rankings come from published specifications, the owner ratings on the UK listings and our own reviews.
A crown that can’t be argued with isn’t proof of quality; it’s proof nobody checked. So rather than restate the winner’s virtues, we defend the crown against the strongest cases to take it.
Cross-examination · One challenger, taken seriously
The owners’ argumentIntel Core I7-6700K Processor (4 GHz
It’s £100.00 on the live listing today. Owners rate it 4.7 from 2,542 ratings. Our review scores it 7.5 against the winner’s 7.0. The crown holds on the ranking rules: the order above was set before any link was attached, and its case is argued in full in the write-up above.
The original verdict, preserved in full
Final Verdict: Best CPUs Under £100 UK 2026 | 2 Compared & Ranked
The AMD Ryzen 5 4500 Processor is the clear winner of this comparison. It wins five of seven categories, including multi-threaded performance, single-core IPC, platform longevity, cache and memory bandwidth, and value for money. At around £62 with a Wraith Stealth cooler included, it offers more cores, more threads, a faster architecture, and a better upgrade path than either competitor. The AMD Ryzen 3 3200G earns its place for anyone who genuinely needs integrated graphics, and it's a proper budget pick for GPU-free builds. The Intel Core i7-6700K is best left for existing LGA1151 owners looking for a drop-in upgrade, as a fresh build around it in 2026 simply doesn't make financial sense. If you're shopping for the best CPUs under £100 UK 2026 | 2 Compared & Ranked and you have a GPU, buy the Ryzen 5 4500. It's not a close call.
No, none of the tested processors include integrated graphics. You absolutely must purchase a discrete graphics card to produce any video output. This is standard across budget processors in 2026, so budget accordingly when planning your total system cost.
The Intel LGA1700 socket used by the Core i3-12100 offers the best upgrade potential, as Intel has committed to supporting it for multiple processor generations. The AM4 socket used by Ryzen chips is also well-supported with numerous options, though AMD has transitioned to AM5 for newer models.
Yes, you can game with these processors, though performance varies. The Ryzen 5 5500 offers strong 1080p gaming performance with high settings. The i3-12100 manages 1080p medium settings comfortably. Older models like the i3-10100 and Ryzen 3 3100 are limited to low settings. A discrete graphics card is essential regardless of which processor you choose.
These processors are highly efficient, consuming 60-65W at full load. The Intel Core i3-12100 uses just 60W, making it the most efficient. This translates to minimal electricity bills and the ability to use passive or fanless cooling solutions in your PC.
Only if you find them at substantially lower prices than newer generation alternatives. The Ryzen 3 3100 and Core i3-10100 offer outdated architecture and no upgrade potential. Investing slightly more in current-generation processors like the Ryzen 5 5500 or i3-12100 provides better performance and system longevity, making newer options better value despite higher upfront cost.
That’s the field: two cpus under £100, ranked for the job in the title and nothing else. We read the published specifications, the owner ratings and our own reviews; we haven’t handled these products, and no maker moves the order. Figures checked against the live Amazon UK listings, page updated 26 July 2026.
The Vivid Repairs desk
1Our top pickAMD Ryzensets 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)Scored 7.0/10Compare all →Buy on Amazon →
