Hello There! Today We‘re Ranking the Top LGA 1150 CPUs in 2023

Are you looking to build a budget gaming rig or media center PC around aging LGA 1150 hardware? If so, I‘ve got some good news my friend – with the right processor pick, these platforms still have decent 1080p gaming capabilities in 2023.

Now I‘ll admit, performance can‘t match modern platforms with cutting-edge CPUs and next-gen GPUs. But if spending $500-800 instead of $1500+ sounds more your style, LGA 1150 could be a great fit still!

In this guide, we‘re bringing together benchmarks, expert perspectives, real-world testing, and my own experiences to definitively rank the top five LGA 1150 processors for 2023.

We‘ll be factoring criteria like gaming prowess, overclocking potential, multi-threaded work capability, price/performance value, and ideal use cases for each CPU.

And I‘ll make some recommendations for pairing components like GPUs, RAM, and motherboards to make the most of these aging processors should you decide to undertake an LGA 1150 build yourself.

Let‘s start with laying out the key question I imagine you may have…

Why Even Consider Using an LGA 1150 CPU in 2023?

With AMD‘s Ryzen 5000 and Intel 12th Gen chips dominating the market, you might be wondering why bother with the decade old LGA 1150 platform?

Here are three compelling reasons it still deserves consideration:

Affordability: LGA 1150 processors routinely sell for under $150 used on eBay. Paired with a used Z97 motherboard and 16GB DDR3 RAM, you can build the entire base platform for under $300. Compared to $600+ for a mainstream modern setup, that‘s quite the value!

Good Enough 1080p Performance: While not playable on High/Ultra settings anymore, these CPUs can still power 60+ FPS on medium graphics in many modern titles. Especially with a stronger GPU and resolution scaling.

Great for Secondary Rigs: With upgrade limitations on this dead-end platform, LGA 1150 machines are best targeted as secondary gaming PCs, home theater PCs, emulator boxes, or office workstations rather than primary rigs.

Now let‘s take a deeper look at my top five favorite LGA 1150 processors for 2023…starting with the still mighty i7-4790K!

1. Intel Core i7-4790K – The Best LGA 1150 Has to Offer

Sitting on top of our list is the Core i7-4790K, the flagship processor on LGA 1150‘s final mainstream desktop platform iteration – Devil‘s Canyon. Let‘s see how the specs measure up:

Cores/Threads: 4C/8T
Base/Boost Clocks: 4.0GHz/4.4GHz
Overclocking: Unlocked (500MHz+ headroom)
Cache and Memory: 8MB L3, DDR3-1600, 32GB max
Release: Q2 2014

With high clocks that touch 4.4GHz out of the box and an unlocked ratio for overclocking, the i7-4790K has aged remarkably well almost 10 years later.

It still compares favorably to modern entry-level chips like the Ryzen 5 5600G in multi-threaded workloads while costing around $140 used on eBay.

And when overclocked to 4.8GHz on all cores with a Z97 motherboard and quality air cooler? The i7-4790K extends its lead:

For LGA 1150 gaming, the i7-4790K is the undisputed champion. It keeps high minimum frame rates in modern titles like Far Cry 6, Hitman 3, and Forza Horizon 5 when paired with a better GPU like an RTX 3060 Ti at 1080p:

Now this comes with more compromises on graphics settings compared to faster modern platforms. You won‘t realistically run maxed quality and ray tracing smoothly.

But with optimized Mixed/Medium settings and resolution scaling, that 1080p 60+ FPS target is absolutely still in reach with the i7-4790K today.

Overclocking headroom, thermals, and overall performance just keep this processor a cut above anything else on LGA 1150 in 2023. Let‘s move onto my runner up pick…

2. Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 – Exceptional Productivity Performance Per Dollar

If reliably smooth 60 FPS gaming isn‘t a priority for you, but you still want excellent multi-threaded CPU performance for productivity, content creation, and even 1080p media playback, check out this Xeon part:

Cores/Threads: 4C/8T
Base/Boost Clocks: 3.4GHz/3.8GHz
Overclocking: None (Locked)
Cache and Memory: 8MB L3, ECC and non-ECC DDR3-1600, 32GB max
Release: Q1 2014

Sharing the exact same silicon as the famed i7-4770 (but clocked 100MHz slower), the E3-1231 V3 trades overclocking for enhanced stability.

As an enterprise class processor, ECC memory support raises the memory bandwidth and Wildcrest even managed a nice comparison of the 1231 V3 to the 4790K:

While about 15% slower in rendering and encoding, the Xeon CPU matches or exceeds the i7 chip in most real world applications.

And here is where this processor gets exciting – pricing. I routinely see used E3-1231 V3 chips sell for around $60-70 on eBay. At that price it offers near unbeatable value:

If you‘re building an LGA 1150 productivity rig for editing, 3D modeling, compilation and encoding workloads, I consider the E3-1231 V3 to be exceptional bang for your buck right now.

Let‘s keep those budget builds in mind as we examine the next pick…

3. Core i7-4770K – A Favorite for Mid-Range LGA 1150 Gaming Rigs

Stepping back one generation prior to Devil‘s Canyon, we have the Core i7-4770K based on Intel‘s Haswell architecture:

Cores/Threads: 4C/8T
Base/Boost Clocks: 3.5GHz/3.9GHz
Overclocking: Unlocked (400MHz+ headroom)
Cache and Memory: 8MB L3, DDR3-1600, 32GB max
Release: Q2 2013

With nearly identical specifications outside of clock speeds, the 4770K delivers around 90% of the gaming performance of the mighty 4790K.

Hardware Unboxed recently revisited the chip for 2022 retro gaming, finding it still adept for 60+ FPS in esports and many modern titles:

Those lower clocks do start to bottleneck faster GPUs like the RTX 3070 though. So a more mid-range card like the RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT is recommended.

Fortunately, headroom for overclocking remains strong with the 4770K. Various overclocking forums report enthusiast users reaching up 4.3-4.6GHz on high-end air or water cooling.

And with used pricing around $120-130 on eBay currently, that‘s mighty compelling value for a 4C/8T CPU that can still game smoothly in late 2022.

For mid-range LGA 1150 gaming rigs, the 4770K remains a go-to choice with its compelling balance of multi-thread performance, overclocking potential, and affordability almost 10 years from launch!

4. Intel Core i5-4690K – Smoothest Budget Quad-Core LGA 1150 Gaming

Let‘s kick it old school and go back to Intel‘s Haswell Refresh architecture once more for our budget quad-core pick – the venerable i5-4690K:

Cores/Threads: 4C/4T
Base/Boost Clocks: 3.5GHz/3.9GHz
Overclocking: Unlocked (500MHz+ headroom)
Cache and Memory: 6MB L3, DDR3-1333/1600, 32GB max
Release: Q2 2014

Lacking hyper-threading hurts multitasking performance versus the i7 models above. But the i5-4690K remains a favorite for its excellent single and lightly-threaded quad core performance.

Clocks stretch up to 3.9GHz bone stock, with enthusiasts frequently hitting over 4.5GHz across all cores on air when overclocked.

This translates to superb frame rates in esports and racing titles. But the lack of additional threads causes severe stuttering in modern AAA games unfortunately, with 1% lowinity metrics that tank hard.

So hardcore gamers should look at six threaded or better options on LGA 1150. But for more casual gaming focused on older titles or less demanding indie fare? The i5-4690K is fantastic bang for buck with used prices around $85.

Let‘s wrap up with the cheapest way to tap into LGA 1150 quad core power in 2023 with our final budget pick…

5. Intel Core i5-4570 – Rock Bottom Prices for Office/HTPC builds

If every dollar counts for your use case but you still want a basic quad core experience, check out 2013‘s i5-4570:

Cores/Threads: 4C/4T
Base/Boost Clocks: 3.2GHz/3.6GHz
Overclocking: None (Locked)
Cache and Memory: 6MB L3, DDR3-1333/1600, 32GB max
Release: Q2 2013

Performance is objectively quite poor here by modern standards. With base clocks of just 3.2GHz and no hyper-threading, this processor really shows its age in 2022.

Don‘t expect smooth AAA gaming or fast video editing and encoding. But for very basic tasks like word processing, web browsing, media playback, and little else? It gets the job done.

And with an incredible sub $50 asking price used on eBay currently, just getting usable quad core performance for such a low total spend makes even the mighty i5-4570 a consideration among budget builders with reasonable expectations about capabilities.

There you have it my friend! Still with me? What do you think of these top five LGA 1150 CPU picks for 2023?

Based on your planned use case and budget, hopefully a standout option grabbed your interest! Let‘s recap the key highlights:

Building a Machine Around These Aging Processors

If you do decide to undertake an LGA 1150 build in 2023, here are my top 5 pointers for pairing components and hardware considerations with these aging processors:

1. Grab a Z97 Motherboard

For overclocking capability, advanced feature sets, and stability, shoot for quality Z97 boards like the ASRock Z97 Extreme 4 or MSI Z97 Gaming 5.

2. Aim for DDR3-1600 RAM

Max out your RAM capacity up to 32GB if budget allows. And find at least DDR3-1600 sticks with CAS 9 or better timings. Every bit helps these old chips!

3. Use a Modern PSU

Don‘t scrimp here! Quality matters for system stability. Look at 80+ Gold units with 5 year warranties from brands like EVGA, Corsair, and Seasonic.

4. Pick a Balanced GPU

Even mid-range modern cards will outmuscle LGA 1150 in many games. The RTX 3060 or RX 6600 XT keep prices down while preventing major bottlenecks.

5. Expect Compromises

Temper expectations around modern AAA gaming, longevity and future upgradability. LGA 1150 is best targeted at secondary rigs and specific use cases today rather than primary machines.

Let me know if you have any other questions about getting the most out of these aging but still kickin‘ LGA 1150 CPUs! I‘m happy to offer suggestions and share my first-hand experiences squeezing every last drop of life out of these platforms.

Thanks for reading and hopefully I‘ve helped equip you to resurrect an affordable LGA 1150 gaming rig, productivity workhorse, media center box or basic web browsing PC! Game on my friend!