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The best CPU for gaming in Australia: Ryzen vs Intel Core Ultra

The best gaming processors at Australian stores today, from budget Ryzen 5 to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which platform to choose, and today's cheapest price for each chip.

By the Compare Empire team2 min read Prices checked 2 November 2026
In this guide
  1. The short answer
  2. Today's prices: the most widely sold CPUs
  3. AMD AM5 (Ryzen 7000 and 9000)
  4. Intel LGA1851 (Core Ultra 200)
  5. Upgrading an older PC
  6. What the letters mean
  7. Don't forget
  8. Where to buy

For a gaming PC, the processor matters less than the graphics card, but the wrong one can hold a good card back, and the platform (motherboard socket) you choose decides your upgrade path. Here's what to buy.

The short answer

  • Best gaming CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Its extra "3D V-Cache" makes it one of the fastest gaming processors you can buy.
  • Best value: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X or 9600X. Six cores, more than enough for most games with a mid-range graphics card.
  • Budget upgrade on an older AM4 PC: Ryzen 7 5700X or 5800X3D. Drop-in upgrades for existing AM4 motherboards.
  • Intel: Core Ultra 5 and 7 (LGA1851). Strong for productivity and multitasking; check gaming reviews for the exact chip.

Today's prices: the most widely sold CPUs

  1. 1AMD Ryzen 5 5500GT4 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$177
  2. 2Intel Core i3 141005 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$194
  3. 3Intel Core i5 12400F4 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$209
  4. 4AMD Ryzen 5 5600X4 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$219
  5. 5Intel Core Ultra 5 225F6 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$229
  6. 6Intel Core i5 14400F6 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$249
  7. 7Intel Core i5 144005 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$289
  8. 8Intel Core Ultra 5 2255 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$289
  9. 9AMD Ryzen 5 7600X6 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$298
  10. 10AMD Ryzen 7 5700X5 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$309
  11. 11Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF5 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$319
  12. 12Intel Core Ultra 5 250K5 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$335
  13. 13AMD Ryzen 5 9600X6 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$347
  14. 14AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D4 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$399

AMD AM5 (Ryzen 7000 and 9000)

  1. 1AMD Ryzen 5 8500G3 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$224
  2. 2AMD Ryzen 5 7600X6 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$298
  3. 3AMD Ryzen 5 9600X6 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$347
  4. 4AMD Ryzen 5 96003 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$349
  5. 5AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D4 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$399
  6. 6AMD Ryzen 7 7700X6 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$448
  7. 7AMD Ryzen 7 9700X6 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$449
  8. 8AMD Ryzen 7 7700X3D4 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$496
  9. 9AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D6 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$547
  10. 10AMD Ryzen 9 9900X6 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$619

AM5 is AMD's current platform, with DDR5 memory. AMD has supported its sockets for several CPU generations before, which makes AM5 a good long-term choice.

Intel LGA1851 (Core Ultra 200)

  1. 1Intel Core Ultra 5 225F6 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$229
  2. 2Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF2 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$278.07
  3. 3Intel Core Ultra 5 2255 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$289
  4. 4Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF5 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$319
  5. 5Intel Core Ultra 5 245K2 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$329
  6. 6Intel Core Ultra 5 250K5 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$335
  7. 7Intel Core Ultra 7 270K5 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$499
  8. 8Intel Core Ultra 7 265F3 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$529

Upgrading an older PC

If you have an AM4 motherboard, a newer AM4 processor can be a cheap upgrade without replacing your board and memory:

  1. 1AMD Ryzen 5 55003 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$127
  2. 2AMD Ryzen 5 5500GT4 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$177
  3. 3AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT2 stores · cheapest at MSYfrom$195
  4. 4AMD Ryzen 5 5600X4 stores · cheapest at Mwavefrom$219
  5. 5AMD Ryzen 7 5700X5 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$309
  6. 6AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D5 stores · cheapest at PLE Computersfrom$529

What the letters mean

  • AMD "X3D": extra cache, best for gaming.
  • AMD "X": higher clocks than the non-X version, often close in price.
  • Intel "K": unlocked for overclocking. "F": no built-in graphics (you need a graphics card).

Don't forget

  • A cooler. Some processors include one; most enthusiast chips don't.
  • A matching motherboard and memory. See the gaming PC build guide for complete, priced parts lists.

Where to buy

CPUs are cheapest most often at the PC specialists; see where to buy PC parts. Every processor is on the CPUs page.

How we work: every price in this guide is today's lowest in-stock price across the Australian stores we check, refreshed every morning, and the tables recalculate with it. Nobody pays to be included or to rank higher. Specs come from the stores' and makers' own listings. How Compare Empire works

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