When it comes to building a gaming PC, you have two platform choices for the processor: Intel and AMD. Brand preference aside, your purchase should be based on which processor offers better price-to-performance, features, platform longevity, and power efficiency within the market segment you're purchasing from.

The Intel vs AMD debate is a dynamic one, as Team Blue and Team Red vie for the best gaming CPU throne with every new generation. But, as things stand, for the majority of the non-DIY crowd looking for a prebuilt gaming PC that can last for years without major upgrades, Intel might be the better choice in 2024. Before you start sharpening your pitchforks, hear me out.

4 Intel allows you to experiment with faster RAM speeds

For those not satisfied with 6,000MT/s

When AM5 first launched, users struggled to run DDR5 RAM rated higher than 6,000MT/s with their Ryzen 7000 CPUs consistently. The new AM5 architecture of the Ryzen chips seemed to limit the RAM "sweet spot" to the 6000MT/s CL30 specification, which, to be clear, is more than enough for gaming. RAM stability has improved massively on this front since launch, and now asynchronous mode allows for transfer speeds upwards of 8000MT/s and beyond. However, the performance sweet spot is generally still considered to be 6000MT/s with tighter timings — at least for gaming workloads.

Intel's Raptor Lake architecture, on the other hand, is more generous when letting users experiment with faster memory kits such as 7,200MT/s or 7,600MT/s on their systems. You can (justifiably) argue that AMD's X3D chips negate the need for faster memory to get the most gaming performance out of your PC. However, gamers buying a top-tier Ryzen 7 7800X3D or Ryzen 9 7950X3D PC wouldn't fall into the majority of users either. If you're purchasing a more budget-focused prebuilt PC and you aren't planning on making any component upgrades, having faster memory from the get-go will likely prove beneficial in the long run.

3 Power efficiency isn't a huge consideration when gaming

Gaming doesn't really draw heaps of power

It's a fact that AMD's superior 5nm process node combined with the Zen 4 architecture makes the Ryzen 7000 CPUs far more power-efficient than any of the Raptor Lake chips. Although this is very important in heavily multi-threaded productivity workloads, it is much less important when gaming. Games typically don't consume that much power, negating some of the benefits of a more efficient chip. In fact, you could probably even get away with budget CPU cooler if all you're doing is gaming on a midrange part, regardless of which brand you buy from.

So, if your budget or mid-range gaming PC has the necessary cooling hardware to keep your CPU temps in check, the higher power consumption of Intel CPUs becomes less of an issue. Higher power bills can be a major factor in the regions with pricey electricity — but once again, gaming requires less power than a heavily multi-threaded productivity workload.

2 Intel offers better value in price-sensitive segments

Budget and mid-range have Intel written all over them

Price-to-performance is probably high on the minds of most PC gamers looking to maximize value for money. While AMD might have excellent processors in the form of the Ryzen 5 7600X, Ryzen 7 7700X, or even powerful APUs like the Ryzen 5 8600G, Intel has AMD beat if we strictly focus on the budget and mid-range segments.

The Core i5-13600KF can be seen retailing frequently for under $250, at which point it becomes a more tempting choice compared to the slightly cheaper Ryzen 5 7600 (~$215). This is because these two chips deliver similar gaming performance — and thanks to Intel's efficiency cores, the 13600KF fares better at multitasking and productivity workloads. So, if you decide to dabble into video editing, 3D rendering, and more, Intel has a solid leg up in the mid-range segment.

Even if you add budget SKUs to the mix, the Core i3-13100 is, by far, the best gaming chip in the $100-$120 segment. Even the fairly affordable and similarly performing Ryzen 5 5600X costs around $30 more than the i3-13100.

1 Extended platform longevity isn't a must-have for everyone

Most prebuilt PC buyers probably won't upgrade their CPUs

To be clear, AMD has genuinely delivered on its commitment to long-lasting sockets, both with the older AM4 socket and the expected trajectory of the current-gen AM5 platform. But is this really that big a factor, given that the majority of gamers buy prebuilt PCs? Most prebuilt PC buyers will never upgrade their CPUs, even if they are comfortable enough swapping GPUs. Gamers buying prebuilts expect to get a decent gaming rig and forget about what's inside it for the next few years.

Don't get me wrong, extended platform longevity is a huge benefit for enthusiasts who have the skills to build their own PCs. But this simply isn't something that everyone cares about. This is why Intel's Raptor Lake CPUs are great for mainstream gaming PCs despite being on LGA 1700, which is effectively a dead socket due to not having an upgrade path.

Make your choice based on your CPU and platform preferences

AMD is no doubt the superior platform for those who can take advantage of its better performance (among the upper mid-range and high-end SKUs), platform longevity, and power efficiency. However, most of these benefits are lost on the average gamer — especially one who is shopping for a prebuilt PC. Such users are far less likely to upgrade their CPU within the lifetime of the AM5 socket. Similarly, if all you're doing is gaming, CPU power draw becomes less of a deciding factor. And for those laser-focused on numbers i.e. having the fastest RAM they can afford, Intel chips will let them experiment with much faster memory kits compared to AMD's AM5 processors.

For these buyers, a budget-focused Intel chip might offer better value as well as better productivity performance for mixed-usage rigs. So, if you're in the market for a prebuilt gaming PC in the budget or mid-range segment, going with Intel could make for a more practical choice.