Best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates: 25 ranked
An Intel Core i3 or i5, AMD FX or Ryzen 3, roughly a mainstream quad-core. These are grouped by the recommended processor, the higher bar the developer lists for a smooth experience, not the minimum to launch. Ranked by the GamingPickz Score. The CPU matters most in simulation, strategy and multiplayer games; for raw frame rate the graphics card usually matters more.
The short version
- Top pick: Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition, GamingPickz Score 9.3/10 from 205,637 player reviews and a critic aggregate of 93.
- 17 score 8.5 or above out of 30 ranked games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates.
- Price range free to $59.99, median $19.99, with 5 free to play.
- 12 are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing.
- 3 declare six or more accessibility features. Listed per game below.
Why trust this list
Most "best games" lists are either one person's taste presented as fact, or an affiliate feed with the highest commission at the top. This is neither. It is a ranking of 30 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates computed from two third-party signals we did not generate, using a formula printed below.
Our team has played and reviewed games for over twenty years, somewhere around 3,000 titles across every generation since the PS1. That experience is what lets us tell you which of these numbers are worth trusting, but it is not what set the order. The formula did, and that is the right way round: a list ordered by one person's memory you have to take on trust, and this one you can check line by line.
The order comes out of the grid. Every game in the catalogue is placed on measured axes, each a number read from a named source rather than an opinion: player sentiment and its sample size, the critic aggregate, review volume, Wikipedia language editions, price, install size, Steam Deck rating, accessibility features. A ranked list is that grid collapsed to one dimension. The map further down this page plots these same 25 games on two of those axes, so you can check the ranking against where each game actually sits.
None of the entries on this page carry a full written review from us yet. The score reflects how other people received the game. Where we do publish a review, it is marked and linked.
At a glance
The top 12 side by side. Full entries below.
| # | Game | Recommended CPU | Score | Players | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition | Intel Core i7 | 9.3 | 96% (205,637) | $44.99 |
| 2 | Tomb Raider Game of the Year | Quad core CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955, Intel Core i5-750 | 9.1 | 96% (269,396) | $2.99 |
| 3 | Buckshot Roulette | Intel Core i5 | 9.1 | 95% (125,085) | $1.49 |
| 4 | Tomb Raider | Quad core CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955, Intel Core i5-750 | 9.0 | 96% (269,385) | $2.99 |
| 5 | My Summer Car | Intel Core i5 | 9.0 | 95% (117,158) | $14.99 |
| 6 | Persona 4 Golden | Intel Core i5-650 | 9.0 | 97% (87,112) | $19.99 |
| 7 | Tomb Raider | Quad core CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955, Intel Core i5-750 | 8.9 | 96% (269,385) | $2.99 |
| 8 | Teardown | Intel Core i7 | 8.9 | 96% (135,539) | $29.99 |
| 9 | Supermarket Together | Intel Core i7 | 8.9 | 94% (98,337) | Free |
| 10 | Dying Light | Intel® Core™ i5-4670K @3.4 GHz / AMD FX-8350 @4.0 GHz | 8.8 | 95% (494,569) | $24.99 |
| 11 | Little Nightmares | Intel CPU Core i7 | 8.8 | 95% (116,529) | $19.99 |
| 12 | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition | Intel i5-2400/AMD FX-8320 | 8.7 | 92% (376,171) | $39.99 |
How the ranking works
This ranking is a projection of the same axes the grid plots, not a second scoring system. A game cannot be high on the grid and low here for a reason nobody can point at, because both read the same values. Every ranked game gets a GamingPickz Score out of 10, a weighted blend of the axes below, read directly from the code that computes the ranking so the published formula cannot drift from the applied one.
| Component | Weight | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 55% | The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000. |
| Critics | 25% | Metacritic and OpenCritic aggregate, normalised to 0 to 100. |
| Popularity | 20% | A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it. |
Shrinkage is the part that matters most. Without it a game with nine reviews at 100 percent outranks a classic with 278,000 at 98. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average of 84 using a 400-review prior, in proportion to how thin the evidence is. Games with fewer than 50 reviews are excluded outright. No paid placement, no sponsored slots dressed as editorial, no hidden weighting.
The games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates on a map
Compare the whole catalogueThe same 25 games, plotted rather than listed. The two axes below are the ones the ranking is built from, so a game sitting high and right is a game the formula placed near the top. Change either axis to see the field a different way. Where we hold a publisher wordmark, the game is drawn as its mark rather than a dot.
25 games have both
Axes are fitted to these 25 games rather than the full 0 to 100 scale, because a filtered list shares a narrow band and would otherwise sit in one corner. End values are marked. A point on the left edge is the lowest of thesegames, not a low score.
Players. The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000.
Popularity. A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it.
- Mobile
- Multi-platform
- Nintendo
- PC
- PlayStation
- Xbox
Every point links to that game's entry. The value map and the reception map are fixed views of the same data.
How positions are decided
No paid placement, no favouritism, live third-party data
- Placed by the published method, not by us. Every coordinate is computed from the axis definitions and weights printed on this site. Nobody moves a point. See the axes.
- Nothing here is paid for. No sponsored placements, no promoted slots, no arrangement of any kind affects a position. If that ever changes it will be labelled and sit outside the ranking.
- No favouritism, including our own. The 16 games we have written full reviews of are scored by exactly the same formula as the other 1,510, from the same third-party inputs, and they land where it puts them. Our own opinion of a game does not enter its coordinates.
- A position is not an endorsement. It says how a game was received and what it costs, not that we recommend it. Where we do recommend something, it carries a written review with a name on it.
- Fetched from live third-party data. Player sentiment from Steam, critic aggregates as published on store pages, prices checked hourly, attention from Wikipedia. Each figure carries its source and the date it was read, and we do not adjust any of them.
How to choose between these
25 entries, six things that separate them
The ranking answers "which is best received". It cannot answer "which is best for you", because that depends on things no formula knows. Here is what actually separates these 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates, in the order worth thinking about it.
Check the sample size before the score
A score is only as good as the evidence under it. 25 of these have more than 50,000 player reviews, which makes their number very hard to move.
Look at where critics and players disagree
The widest gap here is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, where players sit above critics by 18 points. A gap that size usually means the game changed after launch, or that it does something critics undervalue. It is worth reading why before deciding which number you trust. The disagreement map plots this across the catalogue.
Decide what you are actually willing to spend
The median here is $24.99, and the cheapest paid entry is Buckshot Roulette at $1.49. Prices move constantly, so a game a place or two down the list is often the better buy this week. Filter by price below rather than assuming the top pick is the right purchase.
Match it to the hardware you own
11 of these are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing, and install sizes vary by more than an order of magnitude. If you are choosing for a handheld or a drive that is nearly full, that narrows the field faster than any score.
Check it supports how you want to play
Solo, with a friend online, or two people on one sofa are different requirements, and a well-reviewed game that does not support yours is the wrong game. The filters below answer this directly.
Look for the things a score hides
1 declare six or more accessibility features, and 3 carry in-game purchases. Neither shows up in a review score, and both change the experience substantially. Each entry lists its own.
Choose one if…
Tick what matters to you. This filters the ranking above rather than reordering it, so the order you see is still the order the formula produced, minus the games that do not fit. Every filter reads a field from the game's own store listing.
Nothing selected, so all 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates are shown below. Pick one or more above to narrow it.
The best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates for a specific need
The ranking answers "which is best overall", which is rarely the actual question. These are the answers to the narrower ones, computed from the same scores, so a single pick is named for each.
- What is the best free games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
- Supermarket Together, top of 3.
- What is the best cheap games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
- Tomb Raider Game of the Year, top of 13.
- What is the best co-op games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition, top of 8.
- What is the best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate for the Steam Deck?
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition, top of 11.
- What is the best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate for a small hard drive?
- Buckshot Roulette, top of 12.
- What is the best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate to play with a controller?
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition, top of 15.
- What is the best offline games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
- Tomb Raider Game of the Year, top of 17.
- What is the best single-player offline games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
- Tomb Raider Game of the Year, top of 17.
- What is the best cheap games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate for the Steam Deck?
- Tomb Raider Game of the Year, top of 5.
- What is the best Steam Deck co-op games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition, top of 3.
- What is the best highly rated cheap games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
- Tomb Raider Game of the Year, top of 13.
25 best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates, ranked
Ordered by GamingPickz Score. Every figure links back to the source that produced it.
- 1
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
9.3GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceDivinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2017 Studio Larian Studios Player sentiment 96% positive of 205,637 Critics 93/100 Price $44.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 60 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 205,637 reviews, then blends with the 93 critic aggregate, giving 9.3.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 205,637 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 2
Tomb Raider Game of the Year
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
9.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTomb Raider Game of the Year at a glance Released 2013 Studio Crystal Dynamics Player sentiment 96% positive of 269,396 Critics 86/100 Price $2.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 269,396 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 9.1.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 269,396 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Buckshot Roulette at a glance Released 2024 Studio Mike Klubnika Player sentiment 95% positive of 125,085 Critics No aggregate Price $1.49 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 0.49 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 125,085 reviews, giving 9.1. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 125,085 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Small install at 0.49 GB.
Worth checking first- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- 4
Tomb Raider
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
9.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTomb Raider at a glance Released 1996 Studio Core Design Player sentiment 96% positive of 269,385 Critics 86/100 Price $2.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 269,385 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 9.0.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 269,385 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 5
My Summer Car
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
9.0GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceMy Summer Car at a glance Released 2025 Studio Amistech Games Player sentiment 95% positive of 117,158 Critics No aggregate Price $14.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 1 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 117,158 reviews, giving 9.0. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 117,158 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Small install at 1 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 6
Persona 4 Golden
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
9.0GamingPickz Scorehigh confidencePersona 4 Golden at a glance Released 2020 Studio ATLUS Player sentiment 97% positive of 87,112 Critics 87/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 14 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 96.9 on 87,112 reviews, then blends with the 87 critic aggregate, giving 9.0.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 14 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 7
Tomb Raider
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTomb Raider at a glance Released 2013 Studio Crystal Dynamics Player sentiment 96% positive of 269,385 Critics 86/100 Price $2.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 269,385 reviews, then blends with the 86 critic aggregate, giving 8.9.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 269,385 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 8
Teardown
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.9GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTeardown at a glance Released 2022 Studio Tuxedo Labs Player sentiment 96% positive of 135,539 Critics 80/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 12 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 135,539 reviews, then blends with the 80 critic aggregate, giving 8.9.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 135,539 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 12 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 96 against 80. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- 9
Supermarket Together
Best for: Trying the genre without spending anything
8.9GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceSupermarket Together at a glance Released 2024 Studio DeadDevsTellNoLies Player sentiment 94% positive of 98,337 Critics No aggregate Price Free Steam Deck playable Install size 7 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 94% shrinks to 94.0 on 98,337 reviews, giving 8.9. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Free to download, so trying it costs only time.
- Small install at 7 GB.
- 10
Dying Light
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceDying Light at a glance Released 2015 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 95% positive of 494,569 Critics 87/100 Price $24.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 494,569 reviews, then blends with the 87 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 494,569 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 11
Little Nightmares
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceLittle Nightmares at a glance Released 2017 Studio Tarsier Studios Player sentiment 95% positive of 116,529 Critics 81/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 10 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 116,529 reviews, then blends with the 81 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 116,529 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 10 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 95 against 81. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- 12
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.7GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition at a glance Released 2016 Studio Bethesda Game Studios Player sentiment 92% positive of 376,171 Critics 74/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 12 GB Accessibility 5 declared features Raw 92% shrinks to 92.0 on 376,171 reviews, then blends with the 74 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- 92% positive across 376,171 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 12 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 92 against 74. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 13
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.7GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceOri and the Will of the Wisps at a glance Released 2020 Studio Moon Studios Player sentiment 97% positive of 146,084 Critics 88/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 20 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 146,084 reviews, then blends with the 88 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 146,084 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- 14
Subnautica: Below Zero
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.7GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceSubnautica: Below Zero at a glance Released 2021 Studio Unknown Worlds Entertainment Player sentiment 90% positive of 108,227 Critics No aggregate Price $29.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 15 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 90% shrinks to 90.0 on 108,227 reviews, giving 8.7. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 90% positive across 108,227 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Beat Saber at a glance Released 2018 Studio Beat Games Player sentiment 95% positive of 76,245 Critics 93/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size 0.2 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 95% shrinks to 94.9 on 76,245 reviews, then blends with the 93 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- Small install at 0.2 GB.
Worth checking first- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
Saints Row: The Third at a glance Released 2011 Studio Not recorded Player sentiment 96% positive of 69,665 Critics 84/100 Price $2.49 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.9 on 69,665 reviews, then blends with the 84 critic aggregate, giving 8.6.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Paladins at a glance Released 2018 Studio Evil Mojo Games Player sentiment 85% positive of 345,436 Critics 83/100 Price Free Steam Deck unsupported Install size 30 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 85% shrinks to 85.0 on 345,436 reviews, then blends with the 83 critic aggregate, giving 8.5.
What the data supports- Free to download, so trying it costs only time.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
- 18
The Sims 4
Best for: Trying the genre without spending anything
8.4GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceThe Sims 4 at a glance Released 2014 Studio Maxis Player sentiment 86% positive of 199,663 Critics No aggregate Price Free Steam Deck playable Install size 26 GB Accessibility 5 declared features Raw 86% shrinks to 86.0 on 199,663 reviews, giving 8.4. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Free to download, so trying it costs only time.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
- 19
Mafia: Definitive Edition
Best for: A consistently well-received pick in this category
8.3GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceMafia: Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2020 Studio Hangar 13 Player sentiment 87% positive of 110,615 Critics 78/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 50 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 87% shrinks to 87.0 on 110,615 reviews, then blends with the 78 critic aggregate, giving 8.3.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Planet Coaster at a glance Released 2016 Studio Frontier Developments Player sentiment 91% positive of 72,148 Critics 84/100 Price $44.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 8 GB Accessibility 0 declared features Raw 91% shrinks to 91.0 on 72,148 reviews, then blends with the 84 critic aggregate, giving 8.3.
What the data supports- Small install at 8 GB.
- 21
Blasphemous
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.3GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceBlasphemous at a glance Released 2019 Studio The Game Kitchen Player sentiment 90% positive of 66,881 Critics 77/100 Price $24.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 4 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 90% shrinks to 90.0 on 66,881 reviews, then blends with the 77 critic aggregate, giving 8.3.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 4 GB.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 90 against 77. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 22
Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition
Best for: Playing through with a friend online
8.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceTotal War: ROME II - Emperor Edition at a glance Released 2013 Studio CREATIVE ASSEMBLY Player sentiment 88% positive of 88,148 Critics 76/100 Price $59.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 7 declared features Raw 88% shrinks to 88.0 on 88,148 reviews, then blends with the 76 critic aggregate, giving 8.2.
What the data supports- Declares 7 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 23
Batman: Arkham Origins
Best for: Sinking a long time into one world
8.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceBatman: Arkham Origins at a glance Released 2013 Studio Warner Bros. Games Player sentiment 90% positive of 65,305 Critics 74/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck unsupported Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 90% shrinks to 90.0 on 65,305 reviews, then blends with the 74 critic aggregate, giving 8.1.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 90 against 74. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
- Valve rates it Unsupported on the Steam Deck.
MORDHAU at a glance Released 2019 Studio Triternion Player sentiment 80% positive of 113,187 Critics 81/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 40 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 80% shrinks to 80.0 on 113,187 reviews, then blends with the 81 critic aggregate, giving 8.0.
What the data supports- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
- 25
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
Best for: Playing with other people
7.8GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceTom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands at a glance Released 2017 Studio Ubisoft Paris Player sentiment 78% positive of 113,815 Critics No aggregate Price $49.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 50 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 78% shrinks to 78.0 on 113,815 reviews, giving 7.8. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
Worth checking first- Carries in-game purchases. Check what they cost before committing.
- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates by the numbers
The figures below describe all 30 entries on this page together, not the top pick. They are recomputed on every build, most recently on 5 September 2026, from 5,378,564 player reviews.
What the pricing looks like
24 of the 30 carry a listed US price, with a median of $24.99 and a mean of $24.91. The mean sitting at or below the median tells you the field is evenly priced. The cheapest is Buckshot Roulette at $1.49, the most expensive Total War: ROME II - Emperor Edition at $59.99. 5 are free to download. 7 carry in-game purchases on top of whatever they cost. Prices are read hourly from the US Steam storefront and move constantly.
How much this field agrees with itself
Player sentiment spans 27 points across these 30 entries. That is a wide band, which means the position of an entry here genuinely matters rather than splitting hairs. 22 carry a critic aggregate, averaging 82 out of 100. Players rate this field 8 points higher than critics on average, which is worth knowing before you weigh either number. See where the two diverge.
Who makes them, and what they overlap with
The studios appearing most often here are Crystal Dynamics (2), Amistech Games (1), ATLUS (1), Beat Games (1) and Bethesda Game Studios (1). The genres these entries also sit in are open-world (12), rpg (12), sandbox (11), strategy (11), simulation (10) and horror (8), which is a fair map of what you are actually choosing between.
Which way attention is moving
We track Wikipedia pageviews over 28 days for 11 of these. 7 are gaining attention and 1 are losing it, with the rest flat. Attention is not quality, and we do not feed it into the ranking. The full monitor shows the movements across the catalogue.
The other 5 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates
The 25 above are the top of the ranking. These 5 are the rest: games that ranked below the cut, and games with too few reviews or no store listing to be ranked at all.
Also catalogued
5 more games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates, not yet reviewedNone of these carry a review yet. The rest are catalogue records: title, year, studio and platforms, sourced from Wikidata. They are not indexed by search engines, because a record is not a review.
Common questions
What is the best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates game?
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition ranks first, with a GamingPickz Score of 9.3 out of 10 drawn from 205,637 player reviews and a critic aggregate of 93. That is a statement about how it was received, not a claim that it is the one you personally will enjoy most.
How is this ranking calculated?
The GamingPickz Score is 55% player sentiment adjusted for sample size, 25% the critic aggregate published on the game store page, 20% popularity, from review volume and Wikipedia language editions. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average of 83.8% using a 400-review prior, so a game with a handful of reviews cannot outrank one with hundreds of thousands. Nothing on this page is paid for and no placement can be bought.
How many games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates are ranked here?
30 of them qualify. A game needs at least 50 player reviews to be scored, which excludes titles with too little evidence to place fairly.
Why is a game I love missing?
Three likely reasons. It has fewer than 50 player reviews, so it is excluded rather than ranked on noise. It has no Steam listing at all, which is normal for console and Nintendo exclusives. Or it is not in the catalogue yet.
Do you get paid for these placements?
No. Positions are computed from the formula above and nothing else. The site carries advertising, and advertisers can neither see nor influence this page. A position is not an endorsement, it is a measurement of reception.
How current is this?
Recomputed on every build from source data read on a stated date. This page was last rebuilt on 5 September 2026. Player review counts move daily, so positions in the middle of the list shift more than those at the top or bottom.
Does the CPU set the frame rate?
Less than the graphics card does, in most games. The recommended processor is the chip the developer tuned the game to run well on; it matters most in simulation, strategy and heavily multiplayer games.
What is the best free games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
Supermarket Together is the best free games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate, ranking 8.9 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 3 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
What is the best cheap games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
Tomb Raider Game of the Year is the best cheap games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 13 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
What is the best co-op games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition is the best co-op games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate, ranking 9.3 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 8 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
What is the best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate for the Steam Deck?
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition is the best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate for the Steam Deck, ranking 9.3 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 11 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
What is the best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate for a small hard drive?
Buckshot Roulette is the best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate for a small hard drive, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 12 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
What is the best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate to play with a controller?
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition is the best games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate to play with a controller, ranking 9.3 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 15 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
What is the best offline games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
Tomb Raider Game of the Year is the best offline games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 17 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
What is the best single-player offline games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
Tomb Raider Game of the Year is the best single-player offline games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 17 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
What is the best cheap games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate for the Steam Deck?
Tomb Raider Game of the Year is the best cheap games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate for the Steam Deck, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 5 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
What is the best Steam Deck co-op games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition is the best Steam Deck co-op games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate, ranking 9.3 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 3 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
What is the best highly rated cheap games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate?
Tomb Raider Game of the Year is the best highly rated cheap games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rate, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 13 of the 25 games recommending a core i3 / i5-class processor for good frame rates qualify.
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