Want new Brainrot Evolution codes? We can help you keep up your dependency on the latest and greatest memes out there. Get free EXP Potions, coins, gems, and everything else you might need to evolve your favorite brainrot character with the latest codes.
If you’re on the lookout for other Roblox adventures, check out the latest codes for other huge games on the platform. We’re always hunting for new Blue Lock Rivals codes, Blox Fruits codes, and Meme Sea codes. We have well over 100 Roblox games we’re always keeping a watchful eye on to ensure we have the latest freebies ready to go.
Brainrot Evolution codes
Here’s a list of active Brainrot Evolution codes:
EASTER – EXP Potion (NEW)
i2perfect1 – 2x EXP Potion (NEW)
Expired codes
No Brainrot Evolution codes have expired.
How do I use codes in Brainrot Evolution?
Though you won’t find a dedicated codes button on the main Brainrot Evolution screen, that doesn’t mean there isn’t one buried around the user interface.
Follow these steps to redeem new Brainrot Evolution codes on Roblox:
Launch Brainrot Evolution on Roblox.
Click the Shop icon on the left side of the screen.
Tap the Codes button on the right edge of the Shop window.
Enter a working Brainrot Evolution code in the ‘Enter Code’ box.
Click the green Verify button underneath to claim a working code.
Items like potions earned through Brainrot Evolution codes appear in your inventory and must be activated manually. You’ll find the inventory button just left of the Shop button, illustrated by a box featuring the Crocodilo.
How do I get more Brainrot Evolution codes?
Brainrot Evolution codes appear on both the game studio’s X page and the Brainrot Evolution Discord. New codes drop with updates, events, and social milestones. With that said, you could save yourself the hassle and check back here every few days. We’re always on the hunt for new codes, and we test each one to see if they may have expired.
Tired of feeling your brain sizzle as it turns into a fine goo? Check out the best Roblox games we’ve rounded up over the years. And if you’re serious about moving on from the platform, even just for a bit, check out our list of the best free PC games for something new.
It’s rough out there, even for video game characters. It looks like Sackboy, from the beloved Little Big Planet series of games, has been removed from the PlayStation Productions intro sequence. This was discovered by Twitter user Radec who sat down to watch the Until Dawn movie, a horrific start to an already shocking movie.
To see this content please enable targeting cookies.
As such, Sackboy isn’t the star of the office like he used to be. A newer generation of Sony stars are in the office, and old man Sack has sort of been pushed to a desk in the corner of the room. With his face off the PlayStation Productions intro, it’s as if he’s been removed from the office entirely. His stuff in a cardboard box as he waits for a taxi. Or maybe it’s all in a big sack, who knows.
Upon hearing the news, folks were obviously upset. There’s a range of responses that sum up the final nail in Sackboy’s career coffin rather well, from usersr on Twitter called ‘LittleBigPlanet™ for the Playstation®3’ or what have you. I’d like to personally jump in here to say don’t lose hope just yet. Instead, you should wait to see if Sackboy gets dug up for an Adi Shankar adaptation.
Are you sad about Sackboy being thrown out into the street like this? I am. Let us know below, as well as whether you think Sackboy will every come back!
The MurderbotDiaries, Martha Wells’ popular series of darkly comedic science-fiction books, are coming to Apple TV+ in the form of a new series starring Alexander Skarsgård and created/written/directed by Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz. As with any adaptation, however, some pretty big changes are being made, and after watching the series, I wanted to know why. So when I got the chance to ask the creators, I did just that.
For anyone who has read the first Murderbot novella, All Systems Red, you know that the book is both short and yet somehow packed full of wonderful story moments and character traits. The story of Murderbot, a hacked rogue security bot who just wants to be left alone to watch TV shows but ends up being a hero, should fit perfectly into the length for a TV series or film, leading to the idea that the Weitz brothers had the opposite challenge of most adaptations. Whereas most require changes by cutting down the storyline, Murderbot needed fleshing out. Of course, any of those changes went through Wells first, and it was important to respect the source material.
“I think everything that’s in the book is in the show basically,” explained Paul Weitz. “We early on got in touch with Martha Wells kind of as fans and, so there are things that are added to the story, sort of like filling in the cracks, but anytime that we had an idea like that, we would call up Martha and say, ‘Hey, here’s what we’re thinking of, what do you think?’ And she’d either say, ‘Oh, that’s a cool idea’ or ‘Well, maybe think about this instead. That was a huge, huge relief.
“I think that part of the thing for us was never feeling like we were like we were padding stuff,” he continued as he explained why they made the changes they did.
To be clear, the series follows the first book’s story as a whole and does an incredible job adapting the tone and themes of the first novella, but there are a few major key moments that are different. This includes a very sudden and violent moment that’s a major change from the story. The Weitzs said they made such a big, impactful change to help maintain the tone of the books.
“Well, one thing that Alexander was very conscious of, even more so in a way than we were, was that you don’t want things to thaw completely,” Chris Weitz said when discussing the change. “Possibly ever, but even to appear to thaw until the very end. So I think at the very point at which everybody’s thinking, ‘Oh, it might not want to look at us or give us a hug, but it’s part of the team.’ Murderbot does something which reminds everyone that it’s a being that has done violence and that that’s part of their experience and their DNA.”
It wasn’t just the storyline of Murderbot that needed to be tweaked, however. The directors felt they should dive deeper into the lives of the rest of the characters, with particular attention given to fleshing out Garathin, who is played by David Dastmalchian.
“Part of it, in a way, was looking at the characters in the book, which might not have much said about them, and being like, ‘OK, these people exist, so why are they behaving this way? Why are they doing this?’” explained Paul Weitz.
“Doing a lot of work on that,” Chris Weitz commented. “Like, Garathin has a backstory in this, but we checked with Martha whether that was cool, and we also checked with David (Dastmalchian) whether that was cool because it’s trading on a little of his personal, you know, his personal experience. Just playing with the characters with utter respect and belief that they actually exist. (The characters) act in worthy ways, but they have neuroses, they have idiosyncrasies, and that was part of the interest (making changes).”
Murderbot will premiere on Apple TV+ on May 16.
The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
As a new month dawns, we’re taking a look at the most played Steam Deck games for April 2025, and it’s surprising to see Oblivion Remastered storm up the charts despite having become a bit of a meme for its poor performance. In the monthly data, however, Balatro still reigns supreme.
Each month, it’s fun to look at which games are performing well on the best handheld gaming PC and look for any surprises. The chart of top played games on Steam Deck lists, quite simply, the games with the most hours played from one to 100, and there are some big debuts in this month’s list.
In April, while it’s no great surprise to see indie games such as Schedule 1 and R.E.P.O continue to climb the rankings, the inclusion of Oblivion Remastered is somewhat puzzling. This is because of the ongoing performance issues affecting the game on the Steam Deck. It’s even become a meme, with players posting to Reddit saying they’ve finally got Oblivion to run well on the Deck, before posting a screenshot of the original game.
While players were always going to try to get Oblivion Remastered running on the Steam Deck, the controversy comes from Valve’s decision to give it a Verified rating, despite it failing on the core criteria that a game needs to earn this status.
We already tested the best Oblivion Remastered settings and found that, on the Steam Deck, you need to at least consider changing the upscaling method, as well as the level of upscaling from balanced to performance. This crucial change alone should relegate Oblivion to a Playable rating, but this hasn’t happened.
Despite the Oblivion Remastered system requirements suggesting that the game would be difficult for the Steam Deck to run, players are clearly just pushing through and running the game however they see fit. Given that the game only released late in the month, the fact that it’s already the number two game on Steam Deck is quite the achievement. It didn’t have quite enough plays to dethrone Balatro for the monthly stats, but it is currently the most played game over the last week.
Other notable inclusions on this month’s top-played list are Clair Obscur Expedition 33 at 26, a game that launched as Unsupported but has already been upgraded to Playable. The Last of Us Part 2 has debuted at 41 while the first game has reappeared at 60, likely due to renewed interest thanks to season two of the TV show.
Finally, there was another strong indie debut in the list as Blue Prince, the intriguing roguelike puzzle game, debuted at 16 for the monthly list, although it did appear inside the top 10 briefly during its release week.
If you want to read more about some of the Steam Deck’s biggest competition, check out our Ayaeno 3 review and Asus ROG Ally X review to see where they Windows handhelds stack up.
You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.
Days Gone occupies a weird place in gaming culture. It sold nine million copies, but barely made a dent in day-to-day culture and gaming discussions. In a strange way, that makes it perfect for a remaster. Old fans get to replay the game optimized for PS5, while new ones can discover it for the first time.
A common criticism – and one that rings true, to an extent – is that Days Gone has an identity crisis. The open world exploration brings to mind Red Dead Redemption. The focus on biking is very Sons of Anarchy. The zombie apocalypse and day/night cycle bring to mind Dying Light, while the emotional beats are reminiscent of The Last of Us. However, Days GoneRemastered manages to feel distinct from all of these.
Image Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment via The Escapist
You play as Deacon St. John – a violent but ultimately good-hearted biker whose beloved wife, Sarah, dies in the opening hours of a zombie outbreak. Two years later, Deacon ekes out an existence living in the wilderness of Oregon, doing jobs for the various survivor camps dotted around the wilderness.
A Bloody Good Time
Gameplay largely consists of travelling around the countryside and abandoned towns, fighting freakers (Zombies, in classic “Not-using-the-Z-word” fashion) and human enemies, ranging from marauders to the deadly Rippers. There’s plenty of side content to enjoy, ranging from clearing outposts to taking down hordes of up to 500 freakers.
While taking down hordes seems impossible at first, it’s a huge moment when you clear your first one. It’s always fun to race through obstacles, waiting for the perfect moment to spring a trap.
Along the way, you’ll find various encampments filled with survivors, which offer an interesting, if ultimately shallow, morality system. Most camps will offer either guns or upgrades to your bike, and early on, you’ll be forced to choose whether to send any survivors you find to a work camp or one under martial law and run by a conspiracy nut. It’s a dilemma, but one that’s instantly solved as soon as you unlock the third camp. Lost Lake offers bike upgrades and guns, and quickly cements itself as the good option. While you might need to send survivors elsewhere from time to time, sending them here just feels right.
Image Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment via The Escapist
Compared to a lot of post-apocalyptic worlds, the Farewell Wilderness feels alive. Everywhere you go, you’ll see deer darting across the path, enemy camps, or survivors to rescue. Deacon will meet plenty of people he can interact with and do missions for. While none of the bonds feel as strong as one like Joel and Ellie’s, these characters still feel important and deep. You’ll see his annoyance at a happy-go-lucky addict, or his protectiveness of a mentally broken young woman. Missions are separated not just into what they are but who they focus on, so you can see these relationships progress; however, there are no choices to make here, and many of them are story-mandated, so you’ll complete most of them as you play the game.
Blood, Bikes, and Booms
The best new addition is Horde Assault mode, an endless game mode where you’ll face progressively bigger and bigger hordes until you eventually die. There are different zones for the mode, each of which thrusts you into a different section of the map. Unlike something like The Mercenaries it’s a frankly huge chunk of the map, and there’s no time limit – you just keep going until your inevitable death.
However, Days Gone Remastered isn’t quite as beautiful or as detailed as many of its contemporaries. It’s pretty, but doesn’t look as good as the games it emulates. The remaster improves the lighting, the number of enemies on screen, and the skybox is gorgeous, but it doesn’t quite look as good as it wants to. There are a few floating textures from time to time, or somewhat cheap visual effects.
Image Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment via The Escapist
As good as the story is, it does make an odd habit of cutting things out. Cutscenes will occasionally jump from Point A to Point C, going from cause to effect without showing us the action. Deacon will frequently discuss the bounties he’s picked up as if we’re supposed to know who they are.
There were also a few glitches – nothing major, but it was annoying to see an aura around a character. A few times, I saw freakers flying through the air or fighting with nothing while I took potshots at them. Most annoyingly was a recurring glitch where the music would play so loudly that it drowned out the dialogue. It only happened a few times, but it was always frustrating, despite the gorgeous soundtrack.
Overall, Days Gone Remastered is a fantastic, if flawed, game. It isn’t quite as good as the games it emulates, but if “It’s not The Last of Us” is a valid complaint, then it’s one you can throw at most titles. It’s a game that absolutely deserves your time, either as a replay or for the first time.
The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
What is the best gaming CPU? Your choice of processor will fundamentally affect your PC’s frame rates, so you want to make sure you buy the very best gaming CPU you can afford when you’re speccing up a new rig. It’s your CPU that sets up the frames for your GPU to render in games, making it the foundation of your gaming PC hardware.
Our current top choice is the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. It’s the fastest chip available for gaming and is powerful for other tasks too, yet has quite low power consumption and a reasonable price. For a more budget choice, the Intel Core i5 12400F is a great option. Or, you can opt for the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X that lets you upgrade to a 9800X3D later on. For more options, including high-end and powerful integrated graphics choices, check out the list below. Also see the how to choose and FAQ sections of this guide for more help in learning what to look for in your next CPU.
Why you can trust our advice ✔ At PCGamesN, our experts spend hours testing hardware and reviewing games and VPNs. We share honest, unbiased opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.
Best gaming CPU:
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Best gaming CPU overall
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D specifications:
Socket
AM5
Cores
8
Threads
16
Base clock
4.7GHz
Boost clock
5.2GHz
L3 cache
96MB
TDP
120W
Pros
Phenomenal gaming performance
Overclockable
Significantly faster than 7800X3D in multi-threaded software
Cons
Expensive price
You only get eight cores
Draws more power than 7800X3D
AMD has pulled out all the stops for its latest X3D chip, meaning the best gaming CPU right now is the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. This eight-core CPU isn’t cheap, but it takes the winning formula of its predecessor, the 7800X3D, and runs with it.
The 9800X3D is quite simply the fastest gaming CPU we’ve ever tested, and it absolutely obliterates the current Arrow Lake competition from Intel. This CPU tops our frame rate charts in Cyberpunk 2077 and Far Cry 6, and it’s also much quicker than its predecessor in application software.
The secret to this CPU’s success is its use of 2nd-gen AMD 3D V-cache, a large 64MB slice of silicon that sits under the CPU cores, providing a big boost in cache that saves your CPU having to access slower RAM for its data.
This cache massively improves gaming performance, and the fact that it’s underneath the CPU cores on the 9800X3D (as opposed to on top of them as in the 7800X3D) means your CPU cooler now directly cools those cores, rather than cooling the cache first. This not only means cooler operating temperatures than the 7800X3D, but it’s also enabled AMD to up the clock speeds, with a top boost clock of 5.2GHz.
Add in AMD’s latest Zen 5 architecture and you have a formidable gaming CPU, as well as a chip that can handle multi-threaded software without breaking a sweat. It doesn’t have loads of CPU cores, but it has enough for most people’s needs, and it’s a fantastic chip for gaming.
While the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D has now been usurped by the superior 9800X3D, there are still reasons to consider buying the previous champion, particularly if you can’t quite afford the new chip. The saving isn’t huge – sadly the 7800X3D still hasn’t been heavily discounted, despite the newer 9800X3D being around – but can often be had for around $50 less.
The 96MB of L3 cache inside the 7800X3D does wonders to boost the floor and ceiling of frame rates, ensuring that you’re getting all the pixel-pushing juice out of your graphics card. Its effects are most keenly felt at resolutions like 1080p, making it an ideal choice for competitive gamers.
It will concede ground where clock speeds are king, but these instances are few and far between in our experience. Plus, the AM5 motherboard you pick up to seat the 7800X3D will serve you well for a drop-in upgrade, futureproofing your build.
If you’re looking to build a gaming PC on a very tight budget, the Intel Core i5 12400F is a bargain CPU. The price is amazing for the gaming performance on offer. Unlike newer budget CPUs, such as the Core i3 13100, the Core i5 12400F has six P-Cores under its heat spreader, rather than just four, giving it plenty of raw horsepower in games.
Don’t be fooled by the ’12’ in this CPU’s model number either – the Alder Lake architecture used by this chip is very similar to the Raptor Lake architecture used in Intel’s latest 14th gen CPUs, and we’ve found it more than capable when it comes to gaming. Unlike AMD’s AM5 CPUs, you can run the Core i5 12400F with your old DDR4 memory if you have some in an existing system, and it will happily run an old motherboard with a B660 chipset.
With its TDP of just 65W, this CPU also doesn’t need a massive AIO cooler to keep it in check – a decent air cooler will do the job fine. There are a few catches. One is that this ‘F’ model has no integrated GPU, but that’s not an issue if you buy a separate graphics card for gaming. It also doesn’t have any of Intel’s E-Cores, which provide a boost in multi-threaded work, but these are largely irrelevant when it comes to performance in most games.
The peak clock speed of just 4.4GHz could also be higher, and this isn’t a K-series CPU either, so it’s not easy to overclock, but you can’t have everything at this price. This is the best option if you want a decent gaming CPU for the cheapest price possible.
If you want to get a decent gaming CPU on a tight budget, but also want a bit of a boost in multi-threaded work such as video encoding and rendering, the Core i5 13400F is a solid candidate. It features six of Intel’s latest Raptor Lake P-Cores and a 4.6GHz boost clock, making it a capable processor for gaming, but it also has an added bonus over the 12400F.
Unlike its predecessor, the 13400F also has four of Intel’s low-power E-Cores under its heat spreader, giving you a total of ten cores, which gives it a boost in multi-threaded software. It’s an ideal choice for anyone who does more than just game with their system but doesn’t have a huge amount of money to spend.
Like the 12400F, this chip doesn’t have a K in its model name, which means it can’t officially be overclocked by changing the multiplier, and the F means it doesn’t have an integrated GPU either. However, the latter enables you to save some money if you’re buying a dedicated graphics card anyway.
You won’t need one of the best AIO cooler options to keep this CPU in check either, and if you buy the retail version you’ll even get an adequate Intel stock air cooler included in the box.
The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a great choice for those seeking to build a new gaming PC but without spending too much. This Zen 4 processor has just six cores but that’s plenty enough for most gaming scenarios, especially as AMD’s cores all support handling two threads per core, so the chip appears like a 12-core chip to the rest of your PC.
Crucially, this mid-range chip not only packs enough of a punch on its own to make for a solid gaming PC but it uses AMD’s AM5 socket that also supports the 7800X3D and 9800X3D (and AMD has committed to supporting the platform for several more years too) making for lots of easy future upgrade options.
All this and the chip sips power, making it economical to run and easy to cool. It won’t be the last word in multi-core CPU performance but for most gaming setups, it’s a great starting point.
For those needing a single chip that can handle CPU and GPU duties, perhaps for building a small system, or if you’re just on a tight budget where spending another $200 on a graphics card just isn’t an option, look no further than the Ryzen 5 8600G. With six Zen 4 cores and a Radeon 760M integrated GPU, it’s a perky performer as a processor and stand-in graphics card.
The 8600G shines brightest in less demanding games, but it’s still capable of playing the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 at 30fps if you’re comfortable with playing at 1080p using low settings. It’s compatible with FidelityFX Super Resolution too, which can help boost frame rates further through upscaling and frame generation.
You’ll need to pair the 8600G with DDR5 RAM clocked at 6,000MHz or above to get the most performance out of its integrated graphics. While this does add to the total cost of putting together a system, you can use the same RAM if you upgrade your CPU in the future. Plus, even fairly fast DDR5 RAM is now relatively affordable.
If you plan to upgrade to a dedicated graphics card in the not too distant future, the 8600G isn’t an ideal processor, as it’s not as fast as equivalently-priced CPUs without powerful integrated graphics and has a limited number of PCIe lanes. However, unless you’re upgrading to a particularly fast graphics card, chances are it will still be your GPU that holds back gaming performance, rather than this CPU.
Easily handles 120fps ‘x264 Slower’ encoding in real time
Great gaming and creative application performance
Cons
Can be beaten by AMD Ryzen 7000 processors
Runs a touch hot
The 13700K is something of a champion for streamers and creatives alike, offering an all-in-one solution that doesn’t carry an overly premium price tag. Featuring 16 cores and 24 threads, the chip is more than capable of handling real-time 120fps encoding using the ‘x264 Slower’ preset.
This is especially useful if you have a Radeon graphics card but it can act as a great replacement for ‘NVENC’ on GeForce GPUs, should the need arise. The chip can keep up with top-tier pixel pushers too, maintaining solid maximum, average, and minimum frames per second.
It’s plenty useful for exporting and editing VODs too, boasting fast export times and rendering capabilities in Adobe suite applications such as Premiere Pro and After Effects.
Sitting at the top of Intel’s gaming CPU stack is the Core i9 14900K, one of the few chips out there capable of hitting 6GHz clock speeds.
It packs the usual makeup of 24 cores and 32 threads that have defined every Core i9 for the past three generations. The only other LGA 1700 processor capable of competing is the Core i9 13900KS, but the 14900K is essentially identical to the more expensive CPU.
The Core i9 14900K is best suited for systems that serve both as a gaming rig and workstation, as its strengths are best realized in multi-core workloads. Just make sure you have a capable power supply and cooler to hand, as it’ll guzzle electricity like nobody’s business.
There is a word of warning with this CPU, though, which is that there have been problems with voltage fluctuations, causing crashes in games, and even permanently damaged CPUs. If you want to run this CPU, make sure you flash the BIOS in your motherboard so it has the latest microcode first.
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is one of Team Red’s most powerful processors, thanks to its 16 cores and Zen 4 architecture. In this chip lies the very best that Zen 4 has to offer, with the flagship hiding some surprising tricks up its sleeve.
While this chip doesn’t boast a higher core or thread count compared to previous generation offerings, they are clocked much higher. This not only translates into higher frames per second but also greatly improves performance in just about every application that can make use of multiple CPU cores.
Its greatest trick, however, is its ‘Eco Mode’, which can force the processor to draw a maximum of 65W. Even with such low power consumption, it can still trade blows with top-tier processors. Naturally, you’ll get the most out of the chip while running at its standard 170W TDP, but it makes the prospect of a small form factor build featuring the 7950X more possibility than a dream.
The place to start when looking for a new CPU is considering whether you’re upgrading your system or buying a new one. If you’re running an older system, there could still be several upgrade options open to you that make a lot of sense. The most obvious of these is anyone running an older AMD AM4 system. If you are, there’s a good chance you can upgrade to the last generation of chips made for those systems, with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 7 5800X3D being great choices.
Meanwhile, if you’re running an older Intel system, the last few generations of Intel Core i CPUs, from 12th through to 14th-gen could fit in the same motherboards, though the generational performance upgrades weren’t huge. Still, if you’re rocking an Intel Core i5 12600K, upgrading to an Intel Core i7-14700K could be a great option.
These upgrade paths aside, if you’re looking to build a new system, your next consideration should be cost. If you’re on a tight budget, mid-range and high-end chips simply aren’t a sensible choice – save the money, buy a budget CPU and spend your saving on one of the best graphics cards instead. You can always upgrade your CPU later. You can get a super entry level CPU for just over $100 while mid-range options are between $200-$400 and high-end chips can cost over $700.
Once you’ve figured out your budget, choosing the right CPU for your system comes down to what you plan to use it for. If gaming is your main focus, with your PC otherwise only really used for casual web browsing, email, and video watching then an eight-core CPU is more than enough for your needs, with six-core chips mostly being ample too.
We recommend AMD’s X3D chips for these situations as the extra stack of cache they have has proven to make a big impact on gaming performance in our tests. The current top-dog X3D chip for gaming is the 9800X3D but the 7800X3D is excellent too. Or, if you’re on an older AM4 system, the 5800X3D is the best gaming CPU option.
If you’re on a budget, though, X3D chips can be a bit expensive, so opting for the six-core AMD Ryzen 9600X or the six-performance-core Intel Core i5 14600K are good choices.
If you want more of an all-round powerhouse of a CPU to provide massive multi-core processing power for tasks other than gaming then you may want to consider a CPU with more than eight cores. The 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the best overall CPU right now but the Intel Core i9 14900K is also a mighty powerful chip.
Meanwhile, if you really want to save some money, then it’s also worth considering an AMD APU, which not only has a CPU inside it, but also a basic-level Raden GPU, meaning you don’t need to buy a separate graphics card at all. These chips, such as the Ryzen 5 8600G, can cope with basic gaming at 1080p with low settings, but they’re not as quick as AMD’s full-fat CPUs if you do upgrade to a full graphics card at a later date.
Gaming CPU frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is a CPU?
The central processing unit or CPU is the main processing part of your PC. It does nearly all the calculations that allow apps and games to run. Graphics cards help out with all the processing required to create 2D and 3D graphics, but everything else is handled by the CPU. A CPU sits in a motherboard which connects it to your RAM, graphics card, and other parts, allowing everything to communicate and get power from your power supply. Without a CPU, your PC would cease to be.
The more processing cores a CPU has and the faster its clock speed, the more tasks it can get done and the faster your system. However, past a certain point, a faster CPU won’t get you a higher frame rate in your games. Once a game can run smoothly at lower graphics settings and resolutions, it’s nearly all up to the graphics card to deliver higher frame rates at higher graphical settings.
How we test the best gaming CPUs
There are a lot of gaming CPUs on the market, and it can be hard to know which processors are genuinely worth your money. To help you decide which CPU is right for your system and budget, we evaluate each chip’s gaming capabilities using a solid base spec for our test rig.
This comprises an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Founders Edition graphics card, a Corsair H100x Elite 240mm AIO cooler, a Corsair RM1000x PSU, 32GB of G.Skill TridentZ 5 Neo RGB 6,000MHz, CL28 RAM, and a 2TB WD Black SN850X SSD. We also test with the very latest version of Windows,
When we test gaming CPUs, our benchmarks include our usual suite ofPC games, including Cyberpunk 2077, Far Cry 6, F1 24, and Total War: Warhammer 3. We also test application performance using Handbrake for video encoding, and Cinebench R24 to assess rendering performance. In addition, we observe what temperatures the processor hits under load, and note how long it can maintain its advertised boost clock speeds.
Can I upgrade my CPU?
To upgrade the CPU in your gaming PC, you’ll need to physically swap it out for one of the more powerful processors in this list. It’s more straightforward than you’d think, provided you have a compatible chip, an adequate cooling solution, and the right tools.
Check that a new CPU is compatible with your motherboard before upgrading. Intel’s compatibility tool lets you look up any Intel processor and view all compatible motherboards, while AMD’s search tool does a similar thing.
When you’re ready, our seven-step CPU upgrade guide has plenty of advice on installing a new processor.
How do you install a CPU?
Installing CPUs is relatively simple but not without risk. You’ll need to verify that the CPU and motherboard you’re using are compatible so that they’re using the same socket (LGA 1700 or AM5, for instance) and that your motherboard supports the CPU. Some motherboards that can fit a CPU won’t support it for other reasons while some will require a BIOS update. You can generally check the list of compatible CPUs on the motherboard manufacturer’s website, which is where you can also find the BIOS update.
With these factors confirmed, slotting in a new CPU is generally as easy as opening up the locking clip that surrounds the CPU socket on the motherboard then gently placing the CPU in the socket, making sure the CPU is aligned correctly. Close the clip and you’re done, other than installing a CPU cooler. You can learn more about how to fit a CPU cooler in our how to build a gaming PC guide. Meanwhile, for a full explanation of how to install a CPU, check our CPU upgrade guide.
When to upgrade a gaming CPU
There isn’t a set amount of time that a CPU will last you, but there are several ways to determine the best time to replace your CPU. Either you’ll find that your current system has slowed and is no longer meeting your needs, you specifically want to boost the speed of certain tasks, or you want to futureproof yourself with the latest processor.
If you’re unsure whether the CPU is the weak link in your gaming machine, there are tools to help you figure it out. CapFrameX and Rivatuner Statistics Server can display CPU and GPU loads when you boot a game with it running in the background. If your GPU isn’t consistently hitting close to 100% usage but you’re still getting stutters or generally slow performance, there’s a good chance it’s your CPU (or possible RAM) that’s holding you back. However, if your graphics card usage does hover around 90-100%, upgrading to the best graphics card will likely be better than a CPU upgrade.
What should CPU usage be when gaming?
In a balanced system (i.e. a PC with a CPU and GPU of a similar caliber, think RX 7700 XT and Ryzen 5 7600 or RTX 4090 and Core i9 14900K) your CPU usage will largely depend on the types of games you’re playing.
Certain genres, such as RTS games, will lean more heavily on the CPU as more computational performance is required to manage features like artificial intelligence. That said, more often than not, your GPU usage will be at close to 100% long before your processor is, but higher frame rates (240+) will put more strain on your CPU.
For more ways to boost your gaming PC’s performance, check out our best gaming motherboard guide, which will give you the perfect place to plant your new CPU. Or, have a read of our best gaming RAM guide to find the best memory to match your processor.
Panic over. At least for now. Sort of. Fresh off of the news that Helldivers 2 is getting some fresh content in May, April’s closed with the Illuminate’s planet-eating death ball being stopped in its tracks – something players have been working towards for ages.
Yep, this is not a drill. The Illuminate have gone into hiding too. Take that, the colour purple! I’m sure this relative peace will last forever, and that “more exciting news to come” not long after the next Warbond won’t have a chance of kicking off more squid shenanigans.
To see this content please enable targeting cookies.
If you take a glance at the Galactic War map right now on April 30, you’ll see no trace of the faction the divers have been going at it with on the reg for the past few months – there are only Automatons and Terminids left, because those two old foes will never totally die out. Though, as Arrowhead explained in its latest briefing, neither have the Illuminate.
“The Meridian Singularity has come to a halt,” this briefing reads, “The Illuminate have disappeared completely; Ministry of Defense analysts have concluded this is likely explained by too few remaining to present a significant threat. The enemy is likely attempting to evade detection in order to survive a second total annihilation.”
MAJOR ORDER: The Meridian Singularity has come to a halt. The Illuminate have disappeared completely; Ministry of Defense analysts have concluded this is likely explained by too few remaining to present a significant threat. The enemy is likely attempting to evade detection in… pic.twitter.com/oF9Ohtlkml
To see this content please enable targeting cookies.
So, the big wormhole thing that was on its way to try and add the Helldivers’ home planet of Super Earth to the list of worlds it’s blown to smithereens has stopped in its tracks, and the squids have made a tactical retreat. Nice.
This is Helldivers 2 though, meaning the fighting’s never over and there’s still a fresh major order. “The Terminids and Automatons remain significant threats,” Arrowhead continued, “In the Illuminate’s final hours, they dealt significant damage to the defenses of multiple strategic sites across both battlefronts, granting the opportunity for our foes to capture formerly well-defended territory.” Damn. It can never be easy, can it.
So, players are now taking on the task of holding on those weakened sites – the planets Fenrir III, Turing, Claorell, Mastia, and Achernar Secundus. As of writing, the latter two are being battled for, while the first two are currently held by Super Earth with just over five days left on the order. So, by the time it runs its course, that next Warbond reveal on May 8 will be just around the corner.
Are you glad to see that the death ball has stopped rolling towards your Super loved ones? Let us know below!
Beaks just had its first major update, and with it came Quests. These are completely optional, but still a great way to earn some extra XP, currency, and even darts. We’re going to tell you how to start and complete every single one in this All Roblox Beaks Quests Guide.
All Benny Beaks Quests in Roblox Beaks
Screenshot by The Escapist
When you first start playing the game, you’ll be at Beakwoods Camp. On the Right of the sign, you should see Benny Beaks, who has a few tutorial quests for you. Even if you already have a high-level character in Beaks, you should still do these because they take less than a few minutes, and they give you a bunch of darts. You have to finish these in order.
Capture 10 birds Quest
Screenshot by The Escapist
Just like it sounds. Equip your gun and capture 10 birds. Any will do, so feel free to capture 10 Pidgeons or 10 Parrots, which are all over the place. Go back and talk to Benny when you’ve captured 10.
Reward: 50 Coins, 20 XP
The Bird Collector
Screenshot by The Escapist
After catching your 10 birds, Benny tells you to sell them to the Bird Collector. Walk up to the Bird Bazaar NPC (it’s just next to you), and ask to sell all your birds (or if you want to keep a few, just sell 10). Return to Benny for your reward.
Reward: 50 Coins, 20 XP
The Dartsmith
Screenshot by The Escapist
This is actually a great way to see how the Beaks developers reworked the Dartsmith. Before the update, you had to pay 200 Coins to get around 4-5 random darts. Now, you can pick the darts you need, and buy them in sets from just one to up to 10.
Visit the Dartsmith who is next to the notice board and craft any dart. We recommend you get 10 Iron Darts, but you only really need one for the quest. Return to Benny for your reward.
Reward: 15 Steel Darts, 100 Coins, 25 XP
The Gunsmith
Screenshot by The Escapist
This one can take a few minutes. You need to have 1,500 Coins to buy the Hunter Rifle from the Gunsmith at Beakwoods. So, go into the field and start gunning down birds and then selling them to the Bird Collector. This is a great way to learn the loop of the game. Once you have 1,500 Coins, buy the gun from the Gunsmith. Return to Benny for your reward.
Now, if you already bought the Hunter Rifle before the quest was added, simply talk to the Gunsmith, then unequip and equip the Hunter Rifle again. You won’t get the progress, but with your Hunter Rifle equipped, talk to Benny, and that should finish the quest.
Jimmy is the innocent-looking NPC just outside Beakwoods camp (on your way to Quill Lake). He has a few quests that further teach you about different kinds of birds.
Jimmy’s First Quest!
Screenshot by The Escapist
Jimmy wants you to collect 5 common and 2 uncommon birds. You’ve probably already figured out that birds like Parrots and Pigeons are really common, while Bulbuls, Sparrows, and Goldflinches are somewhat uncommon (but you really shouldn’t have a problem finding two of them). Once you capture the birds, talk to Jimmy for your reward and next quest.
Reward: 50 Coins, 25 XP
Beakwood’s Rare Birds!
Screenshot by The Escapist
Jimmy wants you to catch 3 rare birds. Rare birds (in Beakwoods) include: Crossbills, Woodpeckers, and Hummingbirds. Out of all of these, Crossbills and Hummingbirds are the easiest to notice. Just look for anything blue flying around or anything red flying somewhat high. If you can’t see them right away, try to shoot some common birds until these rare ones eventually spawn. It shouldn’t take you too long. Return to Jimmy for your reward and one more quest.
Reward: 75 Coins, 50 XP
Beakwood’s Mutated Birds!
Screenshot by The Escapist
Jimmy wants you to capture 3 mutated birds in Beakwoods. These can be of any rarity, so even 3 mutated Pidgeons are good. For this one, just look for any bird with weird colors or glowing eyes and gun it down. It shouldn’t take you much longer than the Rare Birds quest. Once you gun down the 3 mutated birds, report to Jimmy for your reward.
Reward: 30 Smoke Darts, 75 Coins, 50 XP
All Moon Quests in Roblox Beaks
Screenshot by The Escapist
Just before you arrive at the Quill Lake sign, you should spot Moon the Beakwoods Guardian.
Moon’s Quest
Screenshot by The Escapist
Moon wants you to complete the Beakwoods bestiary. Honestly, out of all bestiaries, the Beakwoods one is likely the easiest. Simply shoot birds until you fill it out (don’t forget about the birds that fly high above the trees) and return to Moon.
Reward: 25 Smoke Darts, 20 Golden Darts, 250 Coins, 100 XP
All Star Quests in Roblox Beaks
Screenshot by The Escapist
When you reach Quill Lake, you can find Star (Quill Guardian) standing on one of the elevated piers. She actually gives you a choice between two quests, and you can even repeat one (but you probably shouldn’t).
Lake Birds
Screenshot by The Escapist
Getting into some tougher quests. What you need to do is complete the Quill Lake Bestiary. Refer to our Roblox Beaks All Birds Guide for a list of all birds in the game. When you have the full bestiary, return to Star, and you can then accept the other quest. We recommend you pair this quest with other ones (such as Garden of Eden) because it can take a while.
Reward: 25 Golden Darts, 20 Smoke Darts, 20 Steel Darts, 25 Iron Darts, 1,000 Coins, 500 XP
The Wishing Well
Screenshot by The Escapist
This one is entirely luck-dependent. You need to use a regular bird on a Wishing Well and (hopefully) get the Bio-Luminous mutation on this same bird. Refer to our Ultimate Roblox Beaks Beginner’s Guide to learn where the Wishing Well is. Essentially, grab any common bird (a Swan worked for us) and dunk them until you get the Bio-Luminous Mutation. Needless to say, this can take a while, so just be patient and if you get bored, just go and do something else. It’s RNG after all.
Note: this quest is repeatable (for some reason)
Reward: No reward (because reasons)
All Laken Quests in Roblox Beaks
Screenshot by The Escapist
Find Laken in Quill Lake, who is just under the Camp NPC.
Garden of Eden
You need to capture 10 vibrant birds that reflect the beauty of nature. What the game actually means is that it wants 10 birds with nature-like mutations. These are the Cherry and the Mossy Mutation. This can take a while, so we recommend you pair it with the
All Vito Quests in Roblox Beaks
Screenshot by The Escapist
Vito the Quill Lake Veteran is stationed in Silverstone Camp (the place where you can get the Night and Thermal Vision Goggles).
Big Birds of Quill
Vito’s first quest is for you to capture bigger birds. Pretty much, anything bigger than a Swan is considered a big bird on Quill Lake. So go and hunt down Flamingos, Storks, Sandhill Cranes, Pelicans, and Great Egrets. This shouldn’t take you too long.
Reward: 750 Coins, 500 XP
The Wishing Well (Vito)
Screenshot by The Escapist
After you finish the quest above, Vito wants you to “sacrifice” a bird to the Wishing Well, so go and do just that. Simply put ANY bird into the wishing well, and once it comes back, you’ll get the progress. Simple as that.
Reward: 100 Coins, 75 XP
Double Trouble
Screenshot by The Escapist
Vito wants you to capture 5 different species of birds, each with two different mutations. Honestly, just do this one as you do any other quest because you should get it naturally. We recommend you just shoot everything at Quill Lake, and eventually you should have all of them. You can also just go for the common birds like Swans, Black Swans, Ducks, Parrots, and Pidgeons and just focus on them until you capture two versions of each.
Alex the Wanderer is an NPC on the cliff above the Mount Beaks campsite.
Eye on the Skies
Screenshot by The Escapist
Alex wants you to buy your first set of binoculars. You can buy Binoculars from the Glider merchant. Night Vision Goggles or the Thermal Vision Goggles do not count as Binoculars (we thought we could get away with them). A regular pair of Binoculars costs 1,500 Coins, and an Advanced pair of Binoculars goes for 2,500. You only need the basic ones. Buy it and take it back to Alex for your reward.
Reward: 100 Coins, 50 XP
A Small Ask!
Screenshot by The Escapist
Alex wants you to capture 10 small birds at Mt Beaks. Believe it or not, this actually isn’t that straightforward. Most Mountain Beaks birds are huge and fly really high. Only occasionally can you see the really tiny birds, and they tend to stick low. So simply aim around the trees until you spot them. These include birds like the Chickadee, the Mountain Bluebird, the Brown Creeper, and the Snowfinch. Once you capture 10 small birds, report to Alex for your reward.
So, here’s a ridiculous one. You need to capture 10 (or 5) high-flying birds with a Golden or Gold-spotted mutation. Here’s where we would post info on how to do it… IF WE HAD ANY! The quest is bugged. Yep, we took down several Golden and Gold-Spotted birds that were definitely flying high, but none of them counted towards the progression. Many other players have been complaining about this, so it’s only a matter of time before it’s fixed. It also seems like this quest is preventing further quest progression.
Reward: 50 Golden Darts, 25 Crystal Darts, 500 Coins, 250 XP
Those are all the quests we have so far. We’ll keep updating the list as we discover the rest. In the meantime, check out our Beaks codes, and to stay up to date with Beaks, check out our Official Beaks Trello and Discord Links.
The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
While there’s still a huge appetite for competitive PvP shooters, we’re really in a golden age of co-op PvE experiences. Already you can play the likes of Helldivers 2, Space Marine 2, and Deep Rock Galactic, and the likes of Killing Floor 3 and FBC Firebreak will soon join the party. It’s a tough realm to break into, but Mycopunk is the latest to give it a go with a striking art style, surreal weapons with outrageous upgrades, and a humorous tone. Despite only just being revealed, you can try it out straight away thanks to a multiplayer demo that’s live right now on Steam.
Given the prominence of Borderlands in the genre (and with the Borderlands 4 release date on the way in a few months too) a co-op FPS game with cel-shaded visuals might seem like an odd decision. But from what I’m initially seeing of Mycopunk, it’s doing plenty to make sure it stands out. Its overarching premise initially sounds quite Helldivers 2-y, as you’re part of a squad aboard a space station orbiting an infested planet that gears up, enters a drop pod, and blasts down to the surface. The threat you’re facing? Fungus. Out of control, deadly fungus. It’s corrupting the entire planet, its wildlife, and its technology, and you’re part of the clean-up crew.
In squads of up to three players, you’ll head into battle with a loadout packed with futuristic weapons, tools, and abilities. In what is one of the most novel-looking gunsmith systems I’ve seen, you can configure several mods into one gun using an almost Tetris-like minigame. Mods have different numbers of nodes presented in different shapes, and you’ve got to piece them all together like a puzzle on a grid with a limited number of spaces.
While out on your mission, you’ll be mowing down fungal matter, bugs, and out-of-control robots as you look to stop the spread. You’ll also scavenge for resources that’ll go towards upgrading your gear. There’s also a light extraction element where you must return to your pod with everything you’ve gathered. While traversal happens mostly on-foot, there appears to also be environmental elements like jump pads and rails that add different dimensions, as well as vehicles.
Content-wise, there’s an impressive amount on offer given this is the debut game from Pigeons at Play, but it’s the art style that I’m really digging. The robot designs, the weapon details, the grimy and corrupted environments – all of it looks great with its cel-shaded approach.
The best part about Mycopunk is that, despite only being revealed for the first time today, you don’t have to wait to give it a go.
A Steam demo for Mycopunk, with multiplayer support enabled, is available right now. You can download it here.
You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.
Anime Power decided to give their players a real treat for this Easter: the Easter 2025 Easter Event is here, and below is everything you need to know about it. From new Champions to some amazing Accessories,
Anime Power Easter 2025 Event
The Easter 2025 Event in Anime Power is located on the Easter Island, a mysterious land covered in Easter Eggs of different colors and pink trees. It has a bunch of new enemies, new champions, and new items overall. First, we need to see how to get to the Easter Island.
How to go to Easter Island
Easy as pie.
To travel to the Easter Island, you simply need to click on the Teleport button and navigate to the Easter Island, which will be the first option from the top. Once you click on it, you will be instantly teleported to the Easter Island, where you can start your Easter adventure.
Good luck, indeed…
You will be greeted with a ‘Welcome!’ message that will explain that all of your power has been reset to 0 while you are on this island. But don’t panic, as this does not affect your Base Game level and power. You are allowed to bring your Champions, Swords, and Equipment, but your stats will be base-level. But do not worry, as leveling up on the Easter Island is fun and fast.
Easter Shop
I know you’re here for the Mask.
When you get teleported to the Easter Island, on your left, you will be able to see the Easter Shop, offering unique and powerful items in exchange for Chocolate Eggs, which can be collected from playing on the island and from the Bunny Pass. Below is a detailed explanation of each item in the Easter Shop:
Random Egg
Chocolate Potion
Dark Rabbit Mask
◉ Gives a Random Reward.
◉ Boost all of your stats by 2x for 5 minutes.
◉ 5.5x Coins ◉ 7x Power ◉ 7x Damage ◉ 2.5x Luck
The possible rewards from the Random Egg include: Gems, Fingers, Grimoires, Shadow Stones, Haki Shards, etc.
Easter 2025 Bunny Pass (Battle-Pass)
Some incredible rewards for the dedicated players.
Included in the new event is a unique new Battle-Pass, called the Bunny Pass. You can find this Battle-Pass right above the Power display on your screen by clicking on the icon. You can progress the Bunny Pass by completing Daily Quests, as well as Unique Quests. Here are the available rewards:
Gems
Chocolate Eggs
Sword Fragments
Haki Shards
Lineage Crystals
Shadow Stones
Fingers
Grimoires
Unique Accessories
Unique Champions
Wheel of Fortune Rolls (Normal & Easter)
Easter 2025 Wheel of Fortune
These things are always rigged, right?
The Wheel of Fortune makes a return with this Easter Event. You get a free spin every 2 Hours, but you can also purchase them with Robux. Here are the possible rewards and their drop rates:
Reward
Drop Rate
Random Gems
30.1%
Chocolate Egg
30.1%
Random Potions
23.4%
Chocolate Potion
13.3%
100x Diamonds
2.67%
Dark Rabbit Cover
0.33%
Anime Power Easter 2025 Enemies
The Easter 2025 Event in Anime Power introduces a bunch of new enemies to fight, but actually beating them is a challenge. As you start with zero power, you have to climb your way back up again in order to defeat them. But defeating them yields some very good rewards, so it is worth it.
Easter Island Enemy List
Below is a complete and detailed list of all new enemies on the Easter Island:
Enemy
Health
Marara
Extremely Easy 23,100,000,000,000 HP (23.1 Tr)
Obico
Easy 2,310,000,000,000,000 HP (2.31 Qq)
Sta Roza
Medium 231,000,000,000,000,000 HP (231 Qd)
Jigen
Hard 831,000,000,000,000,000 HP (831 Qd)
Brola
Insane 53,100,000,000,000,000,000 HP (53.1 Sx)
Some of these have a ludicrous amount of health for a normal enemy, so we recommend trying to kill them with some friends or other players who are on the island at the same time as you.
Easter Island Boss
Follow the yellow-stone road.
There is, of course, a Boss. To find the Boss Arena, you have to follow the right path that you will see right after you spawn. After a few Marara fights on the Easter Island, you reach a blue Portal. Entering the portal will teleport you to the Soruke Boss arena.
Better being a friend for this one.
The Boss of the Easter Island is Saruke, a behemoth with an unbelievable amount of HP: 20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 HP. Beating him usually requires 3-6 people fighting at the same time, unless you are a god of Anime Power and can solo it. After defeating him, you will have a chance to get one of his drops:
Easter Egg Necklace – 15%
Bunny Mask – 5%
Easter Bunny Hat – 1%
Anime Power Easter 2025 Champions
Who could they be?
As usual, the Easter Event brings us new Champions for which we can roll. They are, on average, better than their same-level counterparts from the base game. There is one that is the goal of everyone rolling: Vegega. He has a measly 0.034% drop chance, so if you want him, be ready to grind this area.
Easter Island Champions List
Below is a complete and detailed list of all the new Champions available on the Easter Island:
A weird mix, for sure.
Champion
Normal Luck Rarity
High Luck Rarity
Power
Namm
57.4%
42.9%
45
Sarura
26%
26.5%
60
Jivaya
13%
19.9%
110
Melioras
2.78%
7.67%
130
Ichito
0.653%
2.66%
150
Vegega
0.034%
0.197%
180
How do I Leave Easter Island?
Time to go back!
After you finish farming or you get everything you want, you can head back to the Base Game. To return, you need to find the ‘Back‘ gate. It is located on the left side of the spawn, and it teleports you back to the Shinobi World. If you don’t feel like walking or are in a hurry, you can also press the Teleport button and select where you would like to go.
And that is all for our Anime Power Easter 2025 Guide. Check out our Anime Power Codes article to grab some freebies and goodies that can help you progress the Easter Event more easily.
The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
![Anime Power Easter Event Guide (2025) [EASTER] – All Enemies and Rewards](https://histream.ir/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/anime-power-easter-2025-event-guide.png)
button and navigate to the Easter Island, which will be the first option from the top. Once you click on it, you will be instantly teleported to the Easter Island, where you can start your Easter adventure.
icon. You can progress the Bunny Pass by completing Daily Quests, as well as Unique Quests. Here are the available rewards:
button and select where you would like to go.
Published: Apr 30, 2025 12:01 pm