Best CPU for Modern Warfare 2
Looking to upgrade your PC for MW2? Here are the best CPUs for the job
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By all metrics, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a massive success. However, as it’s a new Triple-A game, it can be a bit demanding on PC. If you are building yourself a new PC, you might ask yourself: What’s the best CPU for Modern Warfare 2?
Before we get into the specific answer, Activision themselves recommends that you use an i5 6600K or higher for Modern Warfare 2. Fortunately, if you buy a relatively recent processor from AMD or Intel, you should be in good hands.
With that in mind, here are the best CPUs for Modern Warfare 2.
Best CPU for Modern Warfare 2 – Intel Core i7 13700K
Intel Core i7-13700K
Cores
16
Threads
24
Base speed
P-cores 3.4 GHz / E-cores 2.5 GHz
Boost speed
P-cores 5.4 GHz / E-cores 4.2 GHz
Cache
24MB
TDP
125 W / 253 W boost.
Specs:
- Boost Clock: 5.4GHz
- Total Cores/Threads: 16/24
- Socket: LGA1700
- TDP: 125W
Since Modern Warfare 2 can be a bit demanding at 1080p, we feel like the Intel Core i7 13700K is a safe bet. This fantastic processor has 16 cores, 24 threads, and a 5.4GHz boost clock. Thanks to the excellent single-threaded performance, this Core i7 processor performs admirably for this game.
Apart from the excellent processor, keep in mind that this is an unlocked processor. This means that you can overclock it, provided that you cool it properly. Speaking of which, this is a bit of a power-hungry CPU, even at stock. As such, you’ll want to invest in a decent CPU cooler.
While it is pricey and runs a bit hot, this CPU is an excellent choice if you also want to stream the game while playing it. It also handles multitasking quite well, which is important for power users or people who need a good processor for production workloads.
While the 13700K might be a bit overkill just for gaming, it’s an excellent processor if you can take advantage of all the extra cores.
Best Budget CPU for Modern Warfare 2 – Intel Core i5 13600K
Intel Core i5-13600K
Cores
14
Threads
20
Base speed
P-cores 3.5 GHz / E-cores 2.6 GHz
Boost speed
P-cores 5.1 GHz / E-cores 3.9 GHz
Cache
20MB
TDP
125 W / 181 W boost.
Specs:
- Speed: 5.1GHz (Boost Clock)
- Cores/Threads: 14/20
- Socket: LGA1700
- TDP: 125W
For the budget pick, we are once again recommending the Intel Core i5 13600K. This CPU performs quite well in Modern Warfare 2. While it’s not going to outperform the Core i7 above in any workload, it is less power-hungry and easier to cool. For budget users or people building a mid-range build, this is the better choice for Modern Warfare 2.
Final Word
As demanding as Modern Warfare 2 is, it is good to see that you can still run it on budget and mid-range hardware. While the Intel Core i7 13700K is the best fit, you can even play the game at high settings if you have a Ryzen 5 5600X or even the Ryzen 5 3600.
