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Explore our top five CPUs to pair with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 for optimal gaming performance, productivity workloads, and future upgrades.
Nvidia has unveiled its lineup of 5000-series graphics cards powered by Blackwell architecture, GDDR7, and DLSS 4. The RTX 5060 Ti has already been launched and sold out on the first day despite its mixed reception. Priced at $299, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 will arrive in May, prompting prospective buyers to evaluate the best CPUs to pair with it for gaming and productivity tasks. Here is our list of the top processors to include in a build with the Nvidia RTX 5060.
Disclaimer: This article is subjective and reflects the writer’s opinion. The prices mentioned in the list are subject to market change. The single-thread and multi-thread ratings for the CPUs are provided by PassMark Software to help quantify their performance for comparative analysis.
1) Intel Core i5-14600K
Specifications
- Cores: 14
- Threads: 20
- Base Clock Freq: 3.5 GHz
- Max Boost Clock: 5.3 GHz
- TDP: 125 W
- L3 Cache: 24 MB
- Multithread Rating: 38849
- Singlethread Rating: 4278
- Price: $207
The i5-14600K is a powerhouse of multithread performance for productivity tasks like video editing, rendering, and 3D modelling. At the same time, it has high single-thread performance capable of ripping through the workload of most modern games at 1080p and 1440p, which are the intended resolutions for the RTX 5060. With Intel’s recent sale on their CPUs, the i5-14600K is bang for your buck in every metric, with its price often dropping below that of the i5-13600K.
2) AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
Specifications
- Cores: 6
- Threads: 12
- Base Clock Freq: 3.8 GHz
- Max Boost Clock: 5.5 GHz
- TDP: 65 W
- L3 Cache: 32 MB
- Multithread Rating: 30015
- Singlethread Rating: 4579
- Price: $229
AMD has won the crown of PC gaming processors by creating CPUs like the Ryzen 5 9600X, which is a top contender for the spot of best mid-range CPU. The processor is extremely efficient when it comes to gaming, and will leave enough room for a future upgrade to a 12 GB or 16 GB GPU.
3) AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Specifications
- Cores: 6
- Threads: 12
- Base Clock Freq: 4.7 GHz
- Max Boost Clock: 5.3 GHz
- TDP: 105 W
- L3 Cache: 32 MB
- Multithread Rating: 28445
- Singlethread Rating: 4137
- Price: $196
The Ryzen 5 7600X is more than capable of handling any workload thrown its way by the Nvidia RTX 5060, and is perhaps the best match for the card. With a lower price point than the Ryzen 5 9600X, the 7600X will deliver similar performance at 1080p and 1440p, without causing significant performance bottlenecks.
4) Intel Core i5-13400F
Specifications
- Cores: 10
- Threads: 16
- Base Clock Freq: 2.5 GHz
- Max Boost Clock: 4.6 GHz
- TDP: 148 W
- L3 Cache: 20 MB
- Multithread Rating: 25089
- Singlethread Rating: 3640
- Price: $134
If your goal is to build a gaming PC around the RTX 5060 with the least spending possible, the Intel Core i5-13400F is the ideal choice. It packs the best punch at its price range, and its “F” denotes a lack of integrated graphics, which you won’t be needing with an RTX 5060 on board. However, the processor will fall short for 1440p gaming on modern AAA titles, though the RTX 5060 may also struggle at that resolution in such titles.
5) AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D
Specifications
- Cores: 8
- Threads: 16
- Base Clock Freq: 3 GHz
- Max Boost Clock: 4.1 GHz
- TDP: 105 W
- L3 Cache: 96 MB
- Multithread Rating: 26303
- Singlethread Rating: 2969
- Price: $284.99
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D is a strong contender for gamers and creators when paired with an RTX 5060. With eight cores, sixteen threads, and AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology, this chip offers impressive gaming performance, especially in titles that benefit from large cache sizes. The CPU is a great fit for AM4 motherboards and significantly more affordable than its big brother, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.
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