AMD Ryzen 5 1600X

It's an 1800X with two cores lopped off for $100/£100 less, and that makes it a far more important gaming processor. Up against Intel's K-series i5 the 1600X is essentially its gaming equal but with a whole lot more multi-threaded performance to back it up. For us, AMD's Ryzen 5 1600X is now the go-to gaming CPU for your next rig.

What we do come away with is the feeling that AMD has done well in tying together value, performance and energy efficiency. Ryzen 5, the mainstream offering, is a solid all-rounder for folks who don't want to spend more than £250 on a chip.

With its lofty clock speeds, 12 computing threads, and reasonable $249 price, AMD's top-end Ryzen 5 chip is an excellent all-around compute performer. Just note: If you're gaming at 1080p with a high-end card, Intel's options still deliver better frame...