The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is the best CPU you can buy for The Division 2 in terms of performance and value.
Who should buy this CPU?
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Looking to play The Division 2 and are thinking about building a new PC? You'll want to include the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 in that build spec. Not only is it affordable, but it's also fantastic for games and productivity.
Is it a good time to buy this CPU?
Now is a great time to buy this CPU. AMD refreshed its lineup of Ryzen processors last year and the 2600 is part of this second generation of Ryzen. Even once successors have been released at a later date, this six-core and 12 threads processor will continue to be relevant.
Great value CPU
AMD lost vast amounts of market share over the last decade or so to Intel, but the company has returned with some excellent processors and the second generation of Ryzen is a substantial step in the right direction. The Ryzen 5 2600 is one of our favorite CPUs, thanks to the value offered by AMD.
Exceptional performance for the price.
This processor is usually compared to the Intel Core i5 9600K and earlier SKUs. For gaming, there's not a whole lot of difference between it and rival processors, especially in demanding games today that rely heavily on available GPU performance.
The Division 2 will likely see similar results on either processor, making it more of a decision as to whether you wish to save money or enjoy slightly better performance elsewhere. Just remember you'll need around 16GB of RAM and a capable GPU to play The Division 2 at higher settings.
A highlight of the Ryzen 5 2600 is the ability to overclock the processor, allowing you to go far beyond the factory set clock speeds if you have adequate cooling installed. Even if that's not interesting to you, it's still a great processor that should be able to handle heavy PC gaming.
Alternatives to the AMD Ryzen 5 2600
While we believe the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 to be the best CPU to play The Division, you may not have a compatible motherboard or desire more performance, which is where these alternative options come into play.
Intel fans and those with Intel motherboards already will need to look at team blue, and we'd recommend the excellent Core i5-9600K. Not only is this processor slightly quicker (and more expensive) than the Ryzen 5 2600, but it's also unlocked, meaning you can overclock it and enjoy even more performance.
The Threadripper 2950X comes rocking 16 Cores and 32 threads, a massive 40MB cache and a maximum boost frequency of 4.4 GHz. It's a beast of a processor and one you should consider if your budget can accommodate it (and a new motherboard).
Bottom line
To play The Division 2 on PC, you'll need a decent processor, but if you really want to enjoy the game AMD's Ryzen 5 2600 is the best option for those on a tighter budget.
