The average PC gamer retains their CPU for much longer than their GPU. Jumping to a new GPU usually gives a bigger return on investment, contributing to the longer shelf life of gaming CPUs. Professionals and productivity users who need to keep up with CPU horsepower stick to a more frequent upgrade schedule, and might even switch CPUs every generation or two if the generational gains justify the expense. Despite the longevity of CPUs, if your chip belongs to this list or is older still, it might be time to let it rest and switch to something new.
Productivity CPUs
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
AMD's Zen 2 architecture was a major shift from the original Zen design that Team Red debuted in 2017. The Ryzen 3000 CPUs launched in 2019 and instantly became a hit among gamers and enthusiasts alike. The Ryzen 9 3900X, in particular, locked horns with the top Intel chip at the time, Core i9-9900K, and came out on top in more ways than one, at least for productivity applications. Not only was the 12-core processor faster than Intel's 8-core 9900K, it was more power-efficient and cheaper at the same time. This was the time AMD's Ryzen chips were finally coming into their own.
In 2025, however, given the leaps in computing power over the last six years, the Ryzen 9 3900X no longer remains a productivity champion. If any productivity users are still chugging this thing around, it's high time they upgraded to either the Ryzen 9 9950X or Ryzen 9 7950X on the latest AM5 platform. Alternatively, a pre-owned Core i9-12900K will make for a value productivity chip even in 2025. The Ryzen 9 3900X has been left behind in raw productivity power by recent offerings, and if your work demands the maximum grunt and time savings, it's worth it to invest in an upgrade.
Intel Core i9-10900K
In the Intel camp, the Core i9-10900K is where I'd draw the line in terms of upgrade urgency. The 10-core Comet Lake processor was already struggling against the likes of AMD's Ryzen 9 3900X when it launched back in 2020, save for a few applications like Adobe Photoshop. With the AMD part being cheaper and consuming less power, it was clear where most users were going to invest their dollars. Five years later, the Core i9-10900K is dwarfed by the likes of the Core i9-12900K, Core i9-14900K, Ryzen 9 9950X, and even the older Ryzen 9 5950X.
Five years might feel too soon to be upgrading a CPU of the caliber of the Core i9-10900K, but on workstation PCs, the priorities are different. If your current chip isn't keeping up with the latest performance standards, you're probably looking for an upgrade, especially if you're a professional. Other users can delay an upgrade, but not for long. Even older CPUs like the Core i9-12900K are easily available for around $200 on eBay, and will be a massive upgrade over the Core i9-10900K. Professionals will probably go for one of the latest Intel or AMD models, which leave the 5-year-old Comet Lake chip in the dust.
Intel Core i9-11900K
You might be wondering why the Core i9-11900K is on the list, but there's a reason. The Rocket Lake CPU was expected to be faster than its predecessor, the Core i9-10900K, but thanks to the lower core count (8 vs. 10), it ended up being slower in productivity workloads. Despite being the newer kid on the block, it was worse than basically all the relevant competitors. It ran hot, cost a lot, and couldn't justify its place on the market. If you somehow ended up buying it due to availability or other factors, it's time to move on to something better — you clearly have tons of options.
Gaming CPUs
Intel Core i5-9600K
The world of gaming CPUs operates differently, at least if you play the majority of games that depend more on GPU performance than CPU performance. You still need a decent chip to not hold back your GPU, but having a cutting-edge processor is rarely necessary. This is why you'll find gamers holding on to their CPU even for 10 years or more. Coming to the Core i5-9600K, the popular gaming chip of 2018, it can still be found in many a gaming PC seven years after launch. Despite being a capable CPU even in 2025, it struggles to provide an enjoyable gaming experience in some newer titles.
The biggest reason to upgrade to something like the Ryzen 5 7600 or even the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is that you're looking at almost double the performance. Even with a GPU belonging to the performance class of, say, the RTX 3080 or RX 6800, you'll be able to see a phenomenal improvement in both average FPS and 1% low FPS.
Intel Core i5-10400F
The other popular 6-core Intel chip around five years ago was the affordable Core i5-10400F. A 6-core, 12-thread processor, it was significantly cheaper than the Core i5-9600K in terms of MSRP, and provided most of the gaming performance of the latter. It was a genuine competitor to the iconic Ryzen 5 3600, and ruled the "best value gaming CPUs" lists for a long time. In 2025, however, it's time to start looking for an upgrade, especially if you're already running a newer graphics card.
You don't need to spend much on a new CPU to get almost double the FPS compared to your Core i5-10400F (Ryzen 5 7600 is less than $200). Granted, you'll need a new motherboard and probably new RAM, but a jump to a modern platform is timely for a 5-year-old CPU like this one. You're not only trading it in for a much faster chip, but also giving your other hardware the best chance to shine.
AMD Ryzen 5 3600
On the AMD side, the aforementioned Ryzen 5 3600 is the one I'd strongly recommend upgrading in 2025. Anything newer, such as the Ryzen 5 5600X, Ryzen 7 5700X, or Ryzen 7 5800X3D, still has some life left, but the popular 6-core Zen 2 processor is at the end of the line. Similar to the Core i5-10400F, you can almost double your FPS by jumping to the Ryzen 5 7600 or Ryzen 5 7600X. It does involve a significant platform upgrade cost, but like I mentioned, it's overdue if you want to keep gaming comfortably in the latest titles.
Of course, you could keep using your Ryzen 5 3600 for another two or three years if you don't indulge in demanding AAA games. General recommendations can never take into account every single type of user, so take into account the kinds of games you play, and assess whether an AM5 processor will genuinely improve your experience in those titles.
Is it the end for your CPU?
CPUs tend to last far longer than GPUs, especially in gaming systems, but sometimes it's time to let your aging chip rest. It might not be 10 years old yet, but if a modern chip can offer double the performance, even a platform upgrade is worth considering. If you're adamant about not jumping platforms, you could consider a Ryzen 7 5800X3D if you're on AM4. Intel owners won't be able to enjoy a seamless upgrade like this one, unless you're running a 12th Gen CPU.