Esports pros report performance issues with Intel CPUs at tournaments

Professional players have raised concerns about the Intel CPU’s performance at sponsored tournaments, with multiple reports mentioning system crashes and noticeably lower frame rates compared to AMD’s processors.

The discourse, initially reported by PCGamer, began when Robin ‘ropz’ Kool, a professional Counter-Strike 2 player for FaZe Clan, responded to a content creator on X (formerly Twitter) about the game’s current state. Ropz stated that CS2 is ‘ass on anything else but a 9800X3D and not every tournament has that,’ highlighting significant performance differences between processor choices.

The discussion was revived by technology and gaming YouTuber Hardware Unboxed, who explained that pros use AMD X3D processors on their home PCs and then Intel CPUs for touranments, with some stating that they are ‘shocked’ by how slow Intel is by comparison.

“Pro players don’t care about hardware brands… unless they sponsor them, of course, but even then, they just want to use the best hardware possible, as that gives them the best chance of success,” the tweet continued. “So you won’t see them fanboying a brand for reasons.”

This reported performance disparity raises questions about competitive integrity in professional esports, where frame rates can directly impact player performance. In titles like Counter-Strike 2 and Fortnite, where reaction times are measured in milliseconds, maintaining consistent high frame rates is crucial for professional play.

Professional players typically drop graphics settings to their lowest levels to achieve the highest possible frame rates, shifting the performance burden from graphics cards to CPUs. This makes processor choice particularly critical in competitive environments where players aim for 300+ fps.

The crashes appear linked to Intel’s well-documented voltage issues with 13th and 14th generation processors, which the company addressed through microcode updates in 2024. However, processors that experienced degradation before the fix may continue to exhibit stability problems.

Including both team sponsorships and tournament sponsorships, Intel has been actively involved in the esports scene for quite some time. The company powers ESL events and runs Intel Extreme Masters — the longest-running global esports tour since 2006.

Intel has positioned itself as ‘the beating heart of esports’ for nearly two decades, pouring millions into tournament sponsorships and ensuring its processors power every major event. But when top pros publicly trash its products and claim they undermine competitive integrity, it could threaten to unravel years of carefully constructed brand dominance in one of gaming’s most visible arenas.

Reports indicate Intel haemorrhaged roughly $19bn (~£14.2bn) last year while dealing with leadership chaos, mass layoffs and missed opportunities in AI. The company’s semiconductor business lags behind competitors, and its foundry division has no major customers.

Now, even its supposed stronghold — gaming and esports — is facing problems.