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Having the right processor for streaming is vital. While streaming, you will also be playing a game to show your audience, which requires a CPU strong enough to handle such multitasking.
Streaming has become an integral part of the internet and gaming culture. To stand out in the crowd, you must ensure you have the right hardware for it.
This article will list the best processors you can get if you want to start streaming. There are multiple good options from both Intel and AMD and some budget options that will do the job as well.
Processors you need to get for streaming
1) Intel i5-10400F ($124)
Even though this CPU was released in 2020, it is a great option if you're looking for an affordable CPU that can handle streaming and gaming at once. It is an efficient chip that does not require much power and runs cool as well. This is an extremely affordable option today as games have not reached the absurd minimum requirements.
This processor might not be the best option for a future-proof PC build, but it is fast enough to cater to all needs today. One downside is that it does not support overclocking, but it is more than enough to run all games in low settings while streaming them smoothly.
2) Ryzen 5 5600X ($199)
This is AMD's most affordable CPU suitable for gaming and streaming. It does not require much power and comes with a CPU cooler in the box which will be able to handle the heat. This is also overclockable, so if you ever need more power, it is readily available. With a competent cooler, it can reach clocks of up to 4.85GHz.
This chip offers the best value for money with the performance it has. All games will be able to run in medium to high settings at 1080p while streaming if paired with an equally strong GPU like RTX 3060 Ti.
3) Intel i5-12600K ($277)
This is another value-for-money chip that will offer high performance and can be overclocked to further increase performance. According to many sources, it is the best chip for gaming in 2021 as it caters to the average gamer who can afford it. It is still a power-hungry chip and requires a third-party CPU cooler as one does not come in the box.
This is not the most robust CPU on this list, but it is strong enough to easily manage streaming and gaming at once without a hiccup.
4) AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D ($449)
This is currently AMD's fastest CPU, offering better value than Intel's best CPUs. It uses the same architecture as Ryzen 7 5800X and has almost similar specifications but offers a slower clock speed because of the lower voltage. This runs at a lower voltage to stay stable under load, which is also the reason it cannot be overclocked.
The improvement is that this processor has a whopping 96MB of L3 cache compared to 32MB of the Ryzen 7 5800X, meaning gaming assets will load much quicker and make the experience smoother, which is suitable for streaming as well. Paired with a viable GPU, streaming and gaming will be seamless.
5) Intel i9-12900KS ($779)
This is Intel's fastest CPU ever. The clock can reach a whopping 5.5GHz, which is a record high for PCs. With such high speeds, a lot of power is needed, and it also runs hot. A large capacity PSU and a high-quality CPU cooler will be required to make this processor run stable and cool, and one will not come in the box either.
With 16 cores in this processor, it will be able to push through all the demanding games while streaming in the highest settings. The only downside is that it is an expensive chip.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.
