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Looking for the best CPU for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege? We have got you covered.
Rainbow Six Siege is not just GPU-intensive, but it also relies a lot on the CPU. After all, those realistic physics don’t calculate themselves. Since the game has been out for quite some time, its recommended system requirements are relatively low. For instance, Ubisoft suggests just an i5-2500K.
This means if you have been looking to upgrade your CPU for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, you won’t have to spend too much money on a flagship processor. But of course, you don’t swap CPUs every year, so it’s best to get a good one that will last you for several years to come. To help you out, we have rounded up the best gaming CPU for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. We also talked to Jack Howarth, our in-house CPU expert. With Jack’s help, we were able to include both budget and high-end options in our recommendations.
Best CPU for Rainbow Six Siege at a glance
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.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores
6
Threads
12
Base speed
4.7GHz
Boost speed
5.3GHz
Cache
32MB
TDP
105W
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Core Count
8
Thread Count
16
CPU Speed
4.5 GHz
TDP
105W
All these chips will handle Rainbow Six Siege without a problem, ensuring you can game at high frame rates and resolutions, provided you’ve paired it with one of the best GPUs that is. In any good gaming rig, you need all the components to work together, so it could be worth checking out our list of the best CPU and motherboard combinations too.
Best CPU for Rainbow Six Siege
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.
- Perfect for 1440p gaming
- Can be overclocked
- DDR4 and DDR5 RAM supported
- Power consumption
The best CPU for Rainbow Six Siege has to be the Intel Core i5-13600K. When it comes to Intel’s 13th gen Raptor lake line-up, the i5-13600K is a true bang for the buck. It packs all the performance you would ever need for 1440p gaming, and it does so without breaking the bank.
First up, the CPU has a 6+8 hybrid mixture of 16 cores, where the 6 Performance cores can clock at up to 5.3GHz while the 8 Efficient cores can reach 3.50GHz. Of course, the “K” prefix indicates an unlocked multiplier, giving the CPU plenty of room for overclocking.
Speaking of which, even at the stock configuration, the overall power consumption of the i5-13600K is quite up there. The CPU is rated to draw 181W at max turbo, so you should look into the best CPU cooler for Intel Core i5-13600K to prevent any thermal issues. All things considered, if you don’t want to compromise performance and simply want the best CPU for Rainbow Six Siege, the i5-13600K is for you.
Best budget CPU for Rainbow Six Siege
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores
6
Threads
12
Base speed
4.7GHz
Boost speed
5.3GHz
Cache
32MB
TDP
105W
- Solid performance at 1080p
- Supports DDR5 RAM
- Affordable pricing
- No included cooler
When it comes to the best budget CPU for Rainbow Six Siege, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X takes the crown. Who doesn’t love to save a few bucks? Especially if it comes at no performance cost whatsoever? Well, that’s what the Ryzen 5 7600X is all about. It not only costs less than other processors, but it still has more than enough performance to run Rainbow Six Siege without running into any issues.
In fact, its 6 cores clocking at 5.3GHz give it all the power it needs to run the game at 1080p. Plus, there is also 32MB of L3 cache, which is quite impressive on a lower-end CPU. As far as performance goes, the Ryzen 5 7600X is quite good at both gaming and productivity benchmarks, and sure, it would have been even better to see an included cooler. We can’t really complain.
That’s because the default TDP is rated at just 105W, so a budget air cooler should have no hiccups keeping it cool. You also get to jump to the latest DDR5 RAM, which comes with its own performance boost. All things considered, if you’re looking for a pocket-friendly CPU to play Rainbow Six Siege, the Ryzen 5 7600X is a no-brainer.
Best high-end CPU for Rainbow Six Siege
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Core Count
8
Thread Count
16
CPU Speed
4.5 GHz
TDP
105W
- Jaw-dropping performance
- Low-cost platform
- High L3 cache capacity
- No overclocking
The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is truly the best high-end CPU for Rainbow Six Siege. What makes this CPU stand out from the competition is its insane performance at a not-so-bad price tag, and the main reason behind that is its 3D V-cache. Basically, every game loves an L3 cache, and if a processor has a higher L3 cache capacity, games will perform significantly better on it.
Well, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D comes with a physical cache die that is stacked on top of the original 5800X CPU. As a result, it has a whopping 96MB of L3 capacity. Combine that with its 8 cores, 16 threads, and a boost clock speed of 4.5GHz, and you have got yourself an unstoppable beast.
The only place where the 5800X3D lacks is no overclocking support, but that’s understandable because you won’t need any more performance out of it anyway. Apart from that, even the overall platform is relatively affordable because the CPU supports DDR4 RAM. In short, if you want one of the best CPUs for gaming to play Rainbow Six Siege with the highest possible FPS, you need the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.
What are the CPU requirements for Rainbow Six Siege?
Rainbow Six Siege does not require the latest and greatest CPU to run properly. In fact, Ubisoft recommends just an i5-2500K @ 3.3GHz or a FX-8120 @ 3.1GHz for smooth gameplay. However, for the best experience, you should get a much better CPU than that.
Is Rainbow Six Siege CPU intensive?
Yes, Rainbow Six Siege is both CPU and GPU-intensive. It uses the CPU to bring out the realistic gameplay and the GPU for its breathtaking visuals. Make sure you have the right CPU and GPU combo if you want the best gaming experience.
