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Best CPU under £100 in the UK
The fastest processor under £100 at the UK shops we track is the Intel Core i3-14100F (gaming score ~74) at £84.91 from PcNova. For the most performance per pound, the Intel Core i3-12100F costs £79.97: £1.13 per point against £1.15 for the Intel Core i3-14100F. 8 of the 86 CPUs we price at UK shops fit this budget.
Prices (new, UK shops only; stock not verified). Ranked by gaming score: relative 1080p gaming performance, Ryzen 5 7600X = 100. We may earn a commission from shop links; it never changes the order.
| # | Processor | Gaming score | Multi-core | Cores / socket | Lowest UK price | £ per point | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Intel Core i3-14100F Intel Core i3-14100F processor 12 MB Smart Cache Tray | ~74 | 56 | 4C/8T LGA1700 | £84.91 Tracking since 20 Oct 2026 | £1.15 | PcNova also at GamingKit £90.12 · PCHUB.UK £90.12 |
| 2 |  AMD Ryzen 5 8400F AMD Ryzen 5 8400F processor 4.2 GHz 16 MB L3 Tray | ~74 | 84 | 6C/12T AM5 | £91.00 Tracking since 20 Oct 2026 | £1.23 | PcNova also at GamingKit £96.64 · PCHUB.UK £96.64 |
| 3 |  | ~71 | 50 | 4C/8T LGA1700 | £79.97 Low £79.97 (now)at 30-day avg | £1.13 | Laptops Direct |
| 4 |  AMD Ryzen 5 5500 AMD Ryzen™ 5 5500, AM4, Zen 3, 6 Core, 12 Thread, 3.6GHz, 4.2GHz Turbo, 19MB Cache, PCIe 3.0, 65W, CPU | ~58 | 67 | 6C/12T AM4 | £79.99 Low £79.99 (now)at 30-day avg | £1.38 | Scan |
| 5 |  AMD Ryzen 5 4500 AMD Ryzen 5 4500 CPU Six Core 3.6GHz Processor Socket AM4 - Retail | ~50 | 55 | 6C/12T AM4 | £64.99 Low £64.99 (now)at 30-day avg | £1.30 | AWD-IT |
| 6 |  AMD Ryzen 3 4100 AMD Ryzen 3 4100 CPU Quad Core 3.8GHz Processor Socket AM4 - Retail | ~45 | 41 | 4C/8T AM4 | £51.99 Low £51.99 (now)at 30-day avg | £1.16 | AWD-IT |
| 7 |  AMD Ryzen 5 3400G AMD Ryzen 5 3400G processor 3.7 GHz 4 MB L3 Tray | ~40 | – | 4C/8T AM4 | £65.74 Tracking since 20 Oct 2026 | £1.64 | PcNova also at GamingKit £71.23 · PCHUB.UK £71.23 |
| 8 |  AMD Ryzen 3 3200G AMD Ryzen 3 3200G processor 3.6 GHz 4 MB L3 Tray | ~37 | 26 | 4C/4T AM4 | £50.74 Tracking since 20 Oct 2026 | £1.37 | PcNova also at GamingKit £56.42 · PCHUB.UK £56.42 |
Just over £100
| # | Processor | Gaming score | Multi-core | Cores / socket | Lowest UK price | £ per point | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – |  AMD Ryzen 5 5600 AMD Ryzen 5 5600 processor 3.5 GHz 32 MB L3 Tray | ~77 | 71 | 6C/12T AM4 | £107.26 Tracking since 20 Oct 2026 | £1.39 | PcNova also at GamingKit £112.40 · PCHUB.UK £112.40 |
| – | Intel Core i3-12100 Intel Core i3-12100 processor 12 MB Smart Cache Tray | ~71 | 49 | 4C/8T LGA1700 | £113.66 Tracking since 20 Oct 2026 | £1.60 | PcNova also at GamingKit £118.87 · PCHUB.UK £118.87 |
| – |  AMD Ryzen 5 5600X AMD Ryzen 5 5600X processor 3.7 GHz 32 MB L3 Tray | ~80 | 71 | 6C/12T AM4 | £113.71 Tracking since 20 Oct 2026 | £1.42 | PcNova also at GamingKit £119.47 · PCHUB.UK £119.47 |
What £100 gets you
- Games: the Intel Core i3-14100F meets the estimated 1080p High processor need in 50 of 59 games we cover.
- For rendering, compiling or encoding: the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F has the highest multi-core score under £100 (84 vs 56) at £91.00.
- Platforms in the top 5: LGA1700, AM5, AM4. AM5 and LGA1851 need DDR5; AM4 uses DDR4; LGA1700 boards come in DDR4 or DDR5 versions.
- Stretching to £200: the AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D scores ~117 (+58%) for £199.86, £114.95 more. Best CPU under £200.
FAQ
What is the best CPU under £100 in the UK?
On 2026-10-20, by gaming score: the Intel Core i3-14100F at £84.91 from PcNova, then the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F (~74) at £91.00. Prices change hourly, so check the shop before buying.
What is the best value CPU under £100?
The Intel Core i3-12100F: £1.13 per performance point at £79.97. It scores ~71 against ~74 for the Intel Core i3-14100F.
Which socket should I pick under £100?
Today's top pick, the Intel Core i3-14100F, is socket LGA1700. Remember to budget for a matching motherboard and memory: AM5 and LGA1851 are DDR5-only.
Is it worth spending £200 instead?
The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D at £199.86 scores 58% higher than the Intel Core i3-14100F for 135% more money.
Other budgets
How we rank: each model's cheapest new price at UK shops (AWD-IT, Box, GamingKit, Laptops Direct, Novatech, PCHUB.UK, PcNova, Scan) against SpecPrice's performance index (compiled from published review averages, updated 2026-10-17; "~" = estimate). CPUs without a gaming score are left out. PCHUB.UK, PcNova and GamingKit prices come from their Awin product feed (refreshed about daily, VAT included, stock as the feed reports it). More on our method.