The new gaming CPUs have at least four cores. Only the older, non-gaming CPUs have two or fewer cores. Quad-core CPUs are best for gaming at the moment, as they are most affordable and perform better than CPUs with more cores.
In general six Cores are generally considered to be optimal for gaming in 2022.
Although four cores are capable of delivering the required performance, they would not be sufficient to ensure that it is a long-term solution. Although eight cores or more might offer performance improvements, it all depends on how the game is coded and which CPU would be good if it goes along with it.
It is easy to choose the right GPU for gaming. It’s easy to check benchmarks and determine the performance that you can get for the amount of money you have available.
CPUs however, is a different story.
Yes, the specifications of a CPU can affect its performance. It’s difficult to measure a CPU’s gaming performance because it varies from one game to another and depends on the GPU it is paired with.
However, the core count is the most important CPU spec.
So, how many CPU cores do you need for gaming in 2022, and is a core count even that important? Read on and find out!
Let’s start with the basics.
So, before going further and answering the main question that is, “Is 6 Cores enough for gaming?”
You must be clear about the fact and doubt that a CPU of how many cores do you require for playing games?
Before that, let us clear your basics
What is a Core?
In general terminology, the core count is the number of tasks a CPU is able to handle at the same time. At the time single-core CPUs were not equipped to handle multitasking. Instead, they’d rapidly cycle through and switch between priorities. Naturally, this wasn’t a fluid performance.
This was changed in 2005, with the introduction of the first dual-core processors that were commercially available that set the stage for the development of other dual-core CPUs. It was not long before CPUs that had four, six, eight, and more cores entered the market over the next decade.
The core also known as the processor core, is the most essential component of the CPU computer. The input commands sent to computer processors are processed and processed by a core of the CPU alone and then transformed into output data.
A CPU has multiple cores within it.
If you are also confused about “core”, “processor” and “CPU”, don’t worry we’re here to eliminate the confusion.
These terms are basically identical as the components are all part of the same unit. Most times the same terms are utilized in place of other ones.
In reality, it’s the microprocessor within the system. It’s known as a CPU. A CPU is also known as the computer’s brain because the CPU is solely responsible for operating and controlling the BIOS of the computer.
The tiny chip within the CPU acts as its processor, which performs all of the computations and calculations for the system. The small micro-transistors that are computerized form the heart of the CPU.
However, the phrases “processor”, “microprocessor” as well as “CPU” are quite integrated and interconnected.
The cores of the processor are separate or separate cores included in a CPU and aid in the overall functions of the CPU. In the past, CPUs had only one core, however, as the processing speed was exceeding its limits, it became apparent the requirement for having several cores within the system.
Manufacturers included multiple processors on one chip so that they could get greater performance and power delivery at a lower cost.
Before this, they had to combine multiple processors inside the computer. This was efficient but ultimately led to a greater cost to computers. Since the introduction of independent processors is referred to as “cores” instead of processors.
In the middle of the 2000s multiprocessors were replaced with dual-core or quad-core processors. While only the most expensive PCs were equipped with multiprocessors, nowadays most computers have multicore processors.
However, even though multi-core CPUs may provide noticeable improvements when it comes to multitasking as well as a variety of professional applications, what kind is the difference the higher number of cores creates when it comes to gaming?
In The Day, figuring out which processor for PC was best in gaming depended on the architecture and speed of the clock. A higher number of megahertz on a faster CPU design generally also indicated that the CPU was best suited to a wide range of different tasks and games, in comparison to a lower clock speed. The Intel Pentium II 450 MHz was more efficient than the Pentium II 366 MHz and there was no debate over this. Then AMD and then Intel began to break away from this basic equation by introducing model families and different tiers within these families. Multi-core CPUs came into existence with the intention of combining the two (or more) distinct processor cores onto one chip, however, definitely not all games were multi-processor aware.
At present, almost every processor is operating close to the edge of its speed-of-light capabilities. AMD’s latest Zen3 family of processors has four models, separated by 300 MHz. That is estimated to be about six percent.
Difference Between Single Core and Multiple Core
In the past, a CPU with a large number of cores wasn’t really a big deal as many games didn’t have the ability to make the most of many CPU cores. However, the scenario has been drastically altered in recent times.
Naturally, as multi-core CPUs have been in the mainstream for a long time to this point, game developers have begun to make use of the CPU’s capabilities by optimizing their games for multi-core performance.
Single-core speed will always be more essential than multi-core performance in gaming. However, as the majority of games nowadays will eventually use multiple CPU cores, the core count shouldn’t get overlooked either.
If we were to make generalizations, we’d suggest that choosing 6 cores would be the most suitable middle-ground to play in the year 2022. The top CPUs for the majority of mid-range designs include the Core i5-9600K from Intel and AMD Ryzen 5 3600X. AMD Ryzen 5 3600X.
This doesn’t mean four-core processors are now ineffective for gaming. They’re actually very suitable for the low-cost build.
Unfortunately, the quad-core models of today cannot be considered to be future-proof and are bound to encroach on mid-range devices to some extent. On the other end of the same spectrum, the benefits of processors that have 8 or more processors will depend on the type of GPU you’d pair them up with.
There’s for instance no need to pair an i7-9700K and a GTX 1660 Ti however If you’ve got your eyes for a premium GPU, such as an RTX 2080 Super, then a faster Ryzen 7 CPU or an i7 could be an excellent choice.
Let’s Jump on to the main question and the reason why are appeared here.
Is 6 Cores Enough for Gaming?
Most of the time, just 4 cores are required for gaming. However, the best place to play is six cores with fast clock speeds in our opinion, because games that use six cores will provide a better performance, and clock speeds are still very high.
One example is the i5 9400f card, which is a popular gaming card. It is capable of performing better than the Ryzen 7 2700x when gaming due to the way intel could bring the speed of clocks higher for all the cores.
Well, if you are concerned about the performance.
The core count does not tell the entire tale of how you perform. Your games and the resolution at which you play can affect the actual results.
If you play games that do not make use of multicore processors, single-core performance will play a bigger role. There will be smaller, usually minimal differences in framerates among the processors with 8 and 6-core cores of the same generation.
Some games — like blockbuster-style games, particularly those that have open-world settings–make use of more available cores, often increasing performance based on the core count. Test results for lower-core CPUs could begin to lag behind their top-end counterparts. And in certain games, you may witness as much as 10-15% distinction between the 6-core and 8-core processors.
But, don’t think you’ll be able to pick the 8-core processor and put it down when you’re into huge open-world games. Game optimization is also a factor in performance. For one CPU it is possible to see a 6-core processor perform better than the version with 8 cores in a specific game but the opposite could be seen for the other family.
There won’t be the same difference as you increase in resolution. If you go from 1080p, the gaps in performance diminish to almost zero in certain games. When you reach 4K, the load is typically entirely to the graphic card. At the end of the day, you’ll see the most precise view of the graphics cards you’re testing after studying particular test outcomes.

Mike is an experienced video game journalist and enthusiast with more than a decade of experience in the gaming industry. As founder and lead editor of mygamingsetup.net, Mike strives to keep gamers up-to-date with the latest gaming news, guides, tips and tricks for popular video games.