The Best Budget CPUs for 2026

The Best Budget CPUs We've Tested for 2026 | PCMag

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p~*:not(#readMore,#trust-badge,#commerce-group)]:!hidden" x-data="{ readMore: false }" :class="{ '[&>p:first-of-type~*:not(#readMore)]:!block': readMore }"> Buying a PC processor is all about balance: How much performance do you need, versus how much you have to spend? At PCMag, we've been testing desktop processors for decades, so we have the experience and expertise to tell you which select chips are the outstanding budget options. Every chip that comes through PC Labs gets subjected to a lengthy board of benchmark tests; we evaluate each one for performance in applications and games, as well as its thermal and power-consumption aspects. The best current budget processors that we recommend for most people are AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X (on Socket AM5) and Intel's Core Ultra 7 270K Plus (on LGA 1851). Beyond those two, though, we have other budget chips to recommend based on specific price targets, platforms, and use cases. Read on for those picks, as well as detailed buying advice and spec charts to make an informed decision on one of these CPUs.

Our Top Tested Picks

div:nth-of-type(n+11)]:hidden" :class="{ '[&>div:nth-of-type(n+11)]:!flex': showMore }"> Best Budget Intel CPU (LGA 1851) Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus $319.99 at Amazon $357.12 Save $37.13 See It Bottom Line Editors' Choice 4.5 Outstanding this.$refs.template.innerHTML, onCreate: (instance) => this.tippyInstance = instance, onShow: (instance) => { this.escapeHandler = (e) => { if (e.key === 'Escape') instance.hide(); }; window.addEventListener('keydown', this.escapeHandler); }, onHide: (instance) => { if (this.escapeHandler) { window.removeEventListener('keydown', this.escapeHandler); this.escapeHandler = null; } }, onMount: (instance) => { const closeBtn = instance.popper.querySelector('[data-tooltip-close]'); if (closeBtn) closeBtn.addEventListener('click', () => instance.hide()); }, }; }, }">   What Our Ratings Mean 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies. Intel's Core Ultra 7 270K Plus desktop processor improves on "Arrow Lake's" gaming speeds and delivers robust performance across any task, but its best feature is its hyper-competitive price: It can spar with CPUs costing more than twice as much. Jump To See More Details product_name }} Review" x-track-ga-click>Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus Review Pros li]:leading-normal"> Exceptionally low price for a 24-core CPU Potent raw CPU performance Boosted gaming speeds versus previous generation, when used with a discrete graphics card Powerful integrated graphics