Desktop Processors: Cores, Sockets and Model Names
A desktop processor must match your motherboard's socket first; then the tier, the core count and the letters ending the model name tell you what you get.
By Liam McCabeContributing writer.
On this page
The short answer
When you shop for a desktop processor, check these in order:
- Socket: the processor must fit your motherboard's socket. Nothing else matters if it does not.
- Tier: Core i3, i5, i7, i9 or Core Ultra 5, 7, 9 for Intel; Ryzen 3, 5, 7, 9 for AMD. A higher number is a higher tier within the same generation.
- Cores: more cores help with work that runs many tasks at once.
- Suffix: the letters at the end, which flag unlocked chips and chips without built-in graphics.
Of the 241 desktop processors listed on Wiki Shopping on October 26, 2026, 201 name a maker: 122 Intel and 79 AMD.
Sockets come first
A socket is the physical mount on the motherboard. Intel and AMD change sockets every few generations, and a processor only works in its own socket.
| Socket | Maker | Processors on Wiki Shopping |
|---|---|---|
| AM4 | AMD, older Ryzen | 31 |
| AM5 | AMD, Ryzen 7000 and later | 20 |
| LGA1200 | Intel, older Core | 30 |
| LGA1151 | Intel, older Core | 24 |
| LGA1700 | Intel, Core through the 14th generation | 19 |
The socket also decides your memory. AMD moved to AM5 with Ryzen 7000 in late 2022, and Ryzen 7000 does not support DDR4. Intel's newer LGA 1851 socket, launched in October 2024 for Core Ultra desktop chips such as the Core Ultra 9 285K, supports only DDR5. It keeps the LGA 1700 cooler mounting, but the processors themselves are not interchangeable.
Reading the model name
Intel. Intel lists these desktop suffixes:
| Suffix | Intel's meaning |
|---|---|
| K | High performance, unlocked |
| F | Requires discrete graphics |
| T | Power-optimized lifestyle |
| S | Special edition |
By those letters, a KF chip is unlocked and needs a graphics card. On Core Ultra, the first digit of the model number is the generation.
AMD. The first digit of a desktop Ryzen model is its series, such as 5000, 7000 or 9000. Suffixes:
- X: a higher clocked version.
- X3D: adds AMD's stacked 3D V-Cache, as in the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
- G: built-in Radeon graphics.
- F: no built-in graphics.
On Wiki Shopping, 42 processors list no integrated graphics and 40 have it. A chip without it needs a graphics card to show a picture.
How many cores
By tier, the most listed lines are Core i5 (36), Core i9 (35), Core i7 (24), Ryzen 5 (24) and Ryzen 7 (23).
Power draw rises with performance. On Wiki Shopping, 65W is the most common rated power (27), followed by 125W (23); plan the cooler around that figure.
How we count
Counts are Wiki Shopping filter pages for desktop processors, read from our database on October 26, 2026. A processor counts when its store listing states the maker, socket, core count, line, graphics or rated power; listings that do not state them are left out of those counts. The 10 to 16 core row adds the 10, 12, 14 and 16 core pages (17, 10, 11 and 14).
Shop by spec
Processors
64 Cores, 350W, AMD, Ryzen Threadripper
- 64 Cores and 48 Processing Threads for Incredible, Professional Processing Power
- Incredible 5.1 GHz Max Boost Frequency, with a colossal 320MB Cache
- Unlocked, with automatic overclocking feature
- Quad-Channel DDR5 RDIMM support up to 1TB, and 80 usable PCIe lanes for serious bandwidth and I/O
- 350W TDP, Cooler Not Included
12 Cores, AM5, AMD, Ryzen 9
- The world's best gaming desktop processor that can deliver ultra-fast 100+ FPS performance in the world's most popular games
- 12 Cores and 24 processing threads, based on AMD "Zen 5" architecture
- 5.6 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 76 MB cache, DDR5-5600 support
- For the state-of-the-art Socket AM5 platform, can support PCIe 5.0 on select motherboards
- Cooler not included
24 Cores, 350W, AMD, Ryzen Threadripper
- 24 Cores and 48 Processing Threads for Professional Processing Power
- Incredible 5.3 GHz Max Boost Frequency, with a huge 152MB Cache
- Unlocked, with automatic overclocking feature
- Quad-Channel DDR5 RDIMM support up to 1TB, and 80 usable PCIe lanes for serious bandwidth and I/O
- 350W TDP, Cooler Not Included
6 Cores, AM5, AMD, Ryzen 5
- The Socket AM5 socket allows processor to be placed on the PCB without soldering
- Ryzen 5 product line processor for your convenience and optimal usage
- 5 nm process technology for reliable performance with maximum productivity
- Hexa-core (6 Core) processor core helps processor process data in a dependable and timely manner with maximum productivity
- 6 MB L2 plus 32 MB L3 cache memory provides excellent hit rate in short access time enabling improved system performance
- Processor with 5.3 GHz clock speed for quick and dependable processing of data to ensure maximum productivity
- Comes with AMD Radeon Graphics controller for amazing graphics output