What is the Best CPU for Alan Wake 2 (4K, 1440P, Gaming)

What best gaming CPU you should buy to play Alan Wake 2 at your desired settings, including 1440p, and 4K.

Alan Wake 2 is one of the most anticipated games of 2023, and for good reason. The sequel to the cult classic survival horror game promises to deliver a thrilling story, stunning graphics, and immersive gameplay. But to enjoy Alan Wake 2 at its full potential, you’ll need a powerful CPU that can handle the game’s demanding requirements.

But which CPU is the best for Alan Wake 2? That’s a question that many gamers are asking themselves, especially since the game supports ray tracing and path tracing, two advanced features that can enhance the game’s visuals but also put a lot of stress on the CPU.

Why is the CPU important for Alan Wake 2?

Alan Wake 2 is a game that requires a lot of CPU power, because it features a large open world, dynamic lighting and shadows, realistic weather effects, and many enemies and NPCs. The game also supports ray tracing and path tracing, which are techniques that simulate how light behaves in the real world. These features can make the game look more realistic and immersive, but they also require a lot of calculations from the CPU.

Therefore, if you want to play Alan Wake 2 at high settings and resolutions, you’ll need a CPU that can keep up with the game’s demands. Otherwise, you might encounter performance issues that can affect your enjoyment of the game.

What are the best CPUs for Alan Wake 2 to play at 1440p, and 4K

Based on Alan Wake II CPU requirements, we’ve selected 5 CPUs that we think are the best for Alan Wake 2 in different categories:

1. Best Overall Gaming CPU : Intel Core i7-14700K
2. Best AMD Gaming CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
3. Best 4K Gaming CPU: Intel Core i9-13900K
4. Best Affordable Gaming CPU : Intel Core i5-13400
5. Best Budget Gaming CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

Let’s take a closer look at each of these CPUs and see why they are the best for Alan Wake 2.

1- Best Overall CPU For Alan Wake 2 : Intel Core i7-14700K

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a powerful and best gaming processor that can handle Alan Wake 2 with ease. It has 20 cores (8 P-cores + 12 E-cores) and 28 threads, which means it can run multiple tasks simultaneously without slowing down. It also has integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770, which can support the game’s ray tracing and path tracing features, which make the game look more realistic and immersive.

The Intel Core i7-14700K can run Alan Wake 2 smoothly at any resolution, with any settings, and with ray tracing and path tracing enabled or disabled. According to some gaming benchmarks, the Intel Core i7-14700K can achieve an average of 144 FPS at 1080p resolution, 112 FPS at 1440p resolution, and 72 FPS at 4K resolution, with ultra settings and ray tracing enabled.

These numbers are higher than the Intel Core i7-13700K, which is its predecessor, and also higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7950, which is one of its main competitors.

The Intel Core i7-14700K also has some other features that make it a great gaming processor. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, which can improve the game’s loading times and performance.

Additionally, it also has Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0, which can boost the clock speed of the processor up to 5.6 GHz when needed, giving you smooth gameplay, high frame rates, and rapid responsiveness. It also has an unlocked multiplier, which means you can overclock the processor to get even more performance out of it.

The Intel Core i7-14700K is compatible with Intel 600-series (with potential BIOS update) or 700-series chipset-based motherboards, which offer a range of features and options for your gaming PC build.

2- Best AMD CPU For Alan Wake 2: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is our top rated for the best high-performance AMD gaming CPU for Alan Wake 2. With its innovative 3D V-Cache design, the Ryzen 9 7950X offers unmatched gaming performance compared to other AMD CPUs currently available.

Built on AMD’s advanced Zen 3 architecture, the Ryzen 9 7950X delivers improvements in IPC (instructions per cycle), lower latency, and higher clock speeds over previous generation Ryzen CPUs. It has an impressive 16 cores and 32 threads, along with a base clock of 3.5GHz that can boost up to 5GHz when needed.

But what really sets the Ryzen 9 7950X apart is the massive 192MB of L3 cache, which is triple the amount of previous Ryzen processors. This abundant L3 cache helps minimize memory latency and boost gaming frame rates, especially at lower resolutions.

Thanks to its exceptional performance capabilities, the Ryzen 9 7950X can run demanding games like Alan Wake 2 flawlessly at any resolution, max settings, with or without ray tracing and path tracing enabled. It will handle any other intensive tasks as well, like streaming, video editing, 3D rendering, and heavy multitasking. And it does all this while remaining power efficient compared to rival Intel chips.

When building a new Alan Wake 2 gaming rig with the Ryzen 9 7950X, we recommend pairing it with a top-tier X670 or X670E motherboard and high-speed DDR5 RAM. A powerful graphics card like the Radeon RX 7900 XTX or GeForce RTX 4080 is also advised to get the most out of this premium AMD processor. For cooling, a high-end air cooler or 240mm+ liquid AIO cooler is recommended.

3- Best 4K CPU Alan Wake II : Intel Core i9-13900K

When building a high-end 4K gaming rig designed to run Alan Wake II, you should choose Core i9-13900K processor. With its combination of high-performance and efficiency cores based on the new Alder Lake architecture, the i9-13900K delivers elite-level gaming power able to handle 4K resolution smoothly and seamlessly.

The i9-13900K packs 8 high-performance cores running at up to 5.3GHz, along with 8 efficient cores for improved multitasking and background processes. It also supports cutting-edge features like DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0, and Intel Hybrid Technology to dynamically optimize workloads. All of this adds up to exceptional 4K gameplay in Alan Wake II with all settings maxed out and ray tracing/path tracing enabled.

To fully unlock the i9-13900K’s gaming prowess at 4K, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card is recommended. With its incredible speed and 24GB of GDDR6X memory, the RTX 4090 can easily power through 4K at high frame rates while turning on all the visual bells and whistles. A high wattage power supply, such as a quality 1200W unit, is advised to feed both the i9-13900K and RTX 4090.

For cooling, a high-end liquid AIO cooler or custom loop is recommended to tame the i9-13900K’s heat output during intense 4K gaming sessions. Top-tier Z790 motherboards with robust VRMs and PCIe 5.0 support are also advised. With the right complementary components, the i9-13900K will deliver a true 4K gaming powerhouse ready to conquer Alan Wake II at maximum settings.

4- Best Affordable CPU For Alan Wake 2 : Intel Core i5-13400

When it comes to budget builds, the Intel Core i5-13400 is considered best affordable processor for playing Alan Wake 2.

This is because it offers excellent performance for its price point, beating many more expensive CPUs in gaming benchmarks. The Core i5-13400 is based on Intel’s new Alder Lake architecture, which combines high-performance cores with high-efficiency cores to deliver a balanced mix of speed and power efficiency.

The Core i5-13400 has six high-performance cores and six high-efficiency cores, with a base clock of 3.1 GHz and a boost clock of up to 4.9 GHz. It also supports DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0, and Intel Hybrid Technology, which optimizes performance based on workload.

The Core i5-13400 can run Alan Wake 2 smoothly at 1080p and 1440p resolutions, with high or ultra settings, and with ray tracing and path tracing enabled or disabled. It can also handle 4K resolution, but you might need to lower some settings or disable ray tracing and path tracing to get a stable frame rate.

For the GPU, we recommend an NVIDIA RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT. These mainstream GPUs offer great performance in 1080p and 1440p gaming, and have dedicated ray tracing cores to handle ray tracing effects efficiently in games like Alan Wake 2.

For the PSU, aim for a quality 550-650W 80+ Gold certified unit from reputable brands like Corsair, EVGA, or Seasonic. This will provide plenty of clean and stable power for the Core i5-13400 and GPU, even if you decide to overclock them.

The Core i5-13400 costs around $300, which is a very reasonable price for its performance level. It also comes with a stock cooler, which is adequate for cooling the CPU at stock speeds.

5- Best Budget Processor For Alan Wake 2 : AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

Looking for a CPU that can handle Alan Wake 2 without breaking the bank? The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is an excellent budget option that delivers smooth performance in the latest games.

With its 6 cores and 12 threads based on AMD’s Zen 3 architecture, the Ryzen 5 5600X provides a major jump in both processing power and efficiency compared to previous generation Ryzen CPUs. It has a base clock speed of 3.7GHz and can boost up to 4.6GHz when needed, giving you responsive gameplay even in demanding scenes.

The Ryzen 5 5600X really shines for gaming thanks to its ample 32MB of L3 cache and improved instructions per clock compared to earlier Ryzen chips. This allows it to push high framerates in 1080p and 1440p in Alan Wake 2, even with settings maxed out and ray tracing enabled. You can expect well over 60fps at these resolutions with some smart tuning.

At just around $200, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X gives you terrific price to performance. It comes with a stock cooler that gets the job done, but you can upgrade to an aftermarket cooler for even better temperatures if you want to overclock. Overall, if you’re looking to build a new gaming PC on a budget, the Ryzen 5 5600X is a smart choice that won’t hold Alan Wake 2 back.