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If you want the best performance in the upcoming pirate adventure then you’ll need only the best CPU for Skull and Bones. Ubisoft’s long-awaited high seas open world game is currently available in Open Beta but is scheduled to release next week, so there’s not long left to consider a processor upgrade for your rig to have the best experience.
On the performance front, our guide on the best Skull and Bones graphics settings will help you to optimize your experience further. You’ll also find our recommendations for video cards to make the best of the title, too. Let’s get into the best CPU for Skull and Bones.
Best CPU for Skull and Bones at a glance
The system requirements for Skull and Bones are fairly conservative so you don’t necessarily need a top-end processor to play the pirate game. That’s why we’ve recommended chipsets that are more humbly priced. Let’s get into the choices in further detail below.
1. Intel Core i7-14700K – Best overall CPU for Skull and Bones
Intel Core i7-14700K
Cores
20 (8P + 12E)
Threads
28
Base clock
3.4 GHz (P) ; 2.5 GHz (E)
Boost clock
5.6 GHz (P) ; 4.3 GHz (E)
Socket
LGA 1700
- Tons of cores and threads
- High boost clock
- Competitively priced
- Iterative on 13th Gen
The Intel Core i7-14700K takes the top spot for the best CPU for Skull and Bones and it’s not hard to see why. That’s because Team Blue’s most recent high-end processor features 20 cores and 28 threads with the third generation of hybrid architecture, further bolstered by a leading boost clock of up to 5.6 GHz. What’s more, you can expect to pay around $400 / £400 which gets you the definitive i7 processor on the LGA 1700 socket.
Ubisoft recommends a far older Intel Core i7 model for recommended settings at 1080p60 so this considerably faster and more advanced model should be able to push Skull and Bones in not only Full HD, but also 1440p and 4K provided you’ve got one of the best GPUs for the job. While you could technically bump up to a Raptor Lake i9, you aren’t necessarily going to benefit in this game or many others, as it’s not as CPU intensive, that’s why we’re comfortable fronting this one for the price and performance.
2. AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D – Best AMD CPU for Skull and Bones
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cores
8
Threads
16
Base speed
4.2GHz
Boost speed
5.9GHz
Cache
104MB
TDP
120W
- Second-generation 3D V-cache
- Aggressive pricing
- Low TDP
- No support for DDR4
- Relatively low base clocks
When it comes to the best AMD CPU for Skull and Bones, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a leading option. It’s not quite the fastest or most powerful offering, but it offers excellent performance further bolstered by its 104MB of second-generation 3D V-cache (L3 cache). This, coupled with an excellent boost clock of 5.9 GHz, means it’s got more than enough under the hood to power the wildest open sea adventures.
Another reason of why we’re recommending the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D comes down to its aggressive pricing which can commonly be found at or under the $400 / £400 mark. It’s a chipset that’s frequently on sale, too. This processor also features a significantly lower TDP than the base 7800X model with 120W compared to 170W meaning it should run cooler, too. We recommend pairing with one of the best CPU coolers to keep those core temps down.
3. Intel Core i5-14600K – Best value CPU for Skull and Bones
Intel Core i5-14600K
Cores
14
Threads
20
Base Clock
3.5GHz
Boost Clock
5.3GHz
Cache
24MB
TDP
125W
- Affordable price point
- A wealth of cores and threads
- Low TDP
- Low L3 cache pool
- Average boost clock
There’s no reason why the best CPU for Skull and Bones has to be expensive. While the two top options range around the $400 / £400 mark, that’s not necessarily what you need to spend. You only need to look as far as the Intel Core i5-14600K which should be able to keep up with the upcoming game with its 14 cores and 20 threads and respectable boost clock of up to 5.3 GHz.
What’s more, you can commonly find the Intel Core i5-14600K under $300 / £300 in early 2024, with sales common throughout major retailers in the US and the UK. Considering the price to performance on display here, you can’t really ask for much more of a value proposition. You won’t necessarily be pushing bleeding edge framerates in 4K with this chipset, but this CPU is unlikely to bottleneck easily either.
Best CPU for Skull and Bones – Frequently Asked Questions
We’re answering all the burning questions around top processors for Skull and Bones.
Can my computer run Skull and Bones?
Ubisoft recommends a minimum of an Intel Core i7-4790 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 paired with a GTX 1060 or RX 5500 XT to enjoy Skull and Bones at 1080p30, so if your rig was made within the last five or so years then you should be all good.
How big is Skull and Bones download?
You will need 65GB of storage space and an SSD is required for Skull and Bones. We recommend investing in an NVMe for the fastest and most consistent performance over a SATA.
Image Credit: Ubisoft / AMD / Intel
