The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 is engineered to dominate 1080p gaming and bring you smooth framerates in open-world adventure and competitive games. Achieving ultra/max settings in games with 1080p is quite decent and playable.
Nowadays buying a GPU is more crucial for a future-proof smooth gaming experience. And there’s either GTX or RTX Turing Architecture GPUs which are brand new in the market.
One of the most common black-spot in a CPU is the bottleneck in a modern-age PC. Still, you don’t need a glorious Ryzen Threadripper CPU to rebel against all bottleneck factors which means every hardware must be able to fully communicate with each other under the equivalent amount of data bandwidth.
You can find the best CPU for RTX 2060 at a more reasonable price that provides excellent performance.
Best CPUs for RTX 2060 – Our Recommendations
So, here is the list of one of the best CPUs for RTX 2060 that you should buy for optimal performance without any bottleneck.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | Rating | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Intel Core i5-9400F |
9.8
|
Check on Amazon |
|
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X |
9.8
|
Check on Amazon |
|
Intel Core i5-9600K |
9.8
|
Check on Amazon |
|
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 |
9.9
|
Check on Amazon |
|
Intel Core i7-9700K |
9.8
|
Check on Amazon |
|
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X |
9.9
|
Check on Amazon |
Intel Core i5-9400F
Best Budget Intel CPU For RTX 2060
One of the newest released CPUs from Intel is the Intel Core i5-9400F and it is the cheapest six-core processor from Intel. This CPU has six cores and six threads. It is one the best CPU to pair up with the RTX 2060 GPU, especially if the value-to-price is considered because the Intel Core i5-9400F has a high-speed single-core performance, and it also comes with Turbo Boost Technology.
The Intel Core i5-9400F is not like the older generation locked Intel Core processors. It has a base clock speed of 2.9GHz. With the Turbo Boost Technology, the clock can go up to 4.1GHz, which will increase the performance in gaming significantly.
It is not an unlocked processor but you can still take benefit from it just like an unlocked chip. You don’t have to buy a Z390 chipset motherboard, which is the best part of getting the i5-9400F processor because this way, you save more money on your build. You can just get the B360 or H310 chipset motherboard, and you are good to go.
This CPU lacks an integrated graphics processor, but that is nothing to worry about as long as you are pairing it up with a GPU, especially a GPU like the RTX 2060 will be excellent. Intel Core i5-9400F beats the Ryzen 5 2nd gen processors without having any hyperthreading when it comes to gaming.
However, when it comes to multitasking and other intensive applications, the Ryzen processors are faster. So, if you just want gaming performance and want the maximum fps at a budget-friendly price then Intel Core i5-9400F is one of the best processors for RTX 2060.
Specifications
| Cores | 6 |
| Threads | 6 |
| Socket | LGA1151 |
| Base Frequency | 2.90 GHz |
| Boost Frequency | 4.10 GHz |
| Cache Memory | L1 Cache: 6 x 32 KB6 x 32 KB L2 Cache: 6 x 256 KB L3 Cache: 9 MB Intel Smart Cache |
| Architecture Size | 14 nm |
- Excellent gaming performance
- Great price-to-performance ratio
- Budget-friendly
- Does not draw much power
- No integrated graphics
- Not overclockable
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
Best Budget AMD CPU For RTX 2060
Since the Ryzen CPUs launched back in 2017 and after the release of the 2nd generation, AMD has been very successful. AMD has managed to force gamers and enthusiasts to think twice when buying a new CPU.
AMD has managed to pull itself together, and now, AMD and Intel are in a head-to-head competition to compete for the top brand.
The AMD Ryzen 5 2600X is equipped with six cores and 12 threads as compared to the Intel Core i5-9600K. It makes the Ryzen 5 2600X a better choice for overall performance, whether it is productivity or gaming. If you pair up the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X with the RTX 2060 then it will provide you with excellent performance. Also, the Ryzen 5 2600X is an affordable option if compared with the Intel processors.
You should use an adequate motherboard for the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X processor to get all of the benefits from it. It does not have any integrated graphics, but that is not something to worry about because you can pair it up with a powerful GPU to get impressive performance, especially with the RTX 2060 GPU.
The AMD Ryzen 5 2600X processor is a deal-breaker as it has a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz and a boost clock speed of 4.2 GHz on all of the cores without going over 95 watts of power consumption.
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X CPU is one of the best processors for RTX 2060 as it provides excellent performance and is a budget-friendly option.
Specifications
| Cores | 6 |
| Threads | 12 |
| Socket | AM4 |
| Base Frequency | 3.6 GHz |
| Boost Frequency | 4.2 GHz |
| Cache Memory | L1 Cache: 576 KB L2 Cache: 3 MB L3 Cache: 16 MB |
| Architecture Size | 12 nm |
- Excellent overall performance (whether gaming or productivity)
- Big L3 Cache memory
- Great price-to-performance ratio when compared with Intel
- It has more cores and threads than competing Intel CPUs
- The overclocking is limited
- Runs a bit hot
Intel Core i5-9600K
Great Value Intel CPU For RTX 2060
The Intel Core i5-9600K can be the first priority for many gamers and enthusiasts but its performance to money ratio is an issue here. Although the Intel Core i5-9600K is able to provide similar performance to that of the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X but the price of the Intel Core i5-9600K CPU is higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X CPU.
Furthermore, it is equipped with six cores and six threads, and it is also the latest 9th gen CPU that has the highest core clock (boost clock) ever observed in an Intel Core i5 processor.
The price of the Intel Core i5-9600K is more than that of the Intel Core i5-8600K. But, the Intel Core i5-9600K features a base clock speed of 3.7 GHz and a boost clock speed of 4.6 GHz, which is quite impressive for a six-core CPU. It also features a 9MB of Intel Smart Cache memory and a TDP of 95 watts. When paired up with the RTX 2060 GPU, it will provide excellent performance.
Since the Intel Core i5-9600K CPU is an unlocked processor, so make sure that you pair it up with a motherboard that allows overclocking. Because if you don’t, then there will be some potential of the CPU going to waste.
And if you pair up the Intel Core i5-9600K CPU with almost any mid to high-end GPU then you can expect better performance than most of the Ryzen processors. That is because of the faster single-core performance of the Intel processors and their ability to boost the clock speeds automatically, which makes the Intel Core i5-9600K one of the best processors for RTX 2060.
Specifications
| Cores | 6 |
| Threads | 6 |
| Socket | LGA1151 |
| Base Frequency | 3.70 GHz |
| Boost Frequency | 4.60 GHz |
| Cache Memory | L1 Cache: 64 K (per core) L2 Cache: 256 K (per core) L3 Cache: 9 MB Intel Smart Cache |
| Architecture Size | 14 nm |
- It is overclockable
- Excellent gaming performance
- Excellent single-core performance
- No CPU cooler comes with the package
AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Best Value AMD CPU For RTX 2060
The next CPU that you can get to pair up with the RTX 2060 is the AMD Ryzen 5 3600. It gives impressive and can handle almost every game at 1080p. It offers the best price-to-performance ratio out of all the Zen2 processors. It is equipped with 6 cores and 12 threads, which are more than enough for most of the new AAA titles today.
When it comes to speed, the Ryzen 5 3600 is not slow at all, and it features a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz and the ability to boost up to 4.2 GHz.
The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is not the best when it comes to overclocking but it still does provide impressive performance. The CPU cooler that the Ryzen 5 3600 comes with is able to keep it cool for light overclocks but those who want super-high speeds should consider getting a larger air cooler or an AIO cooler.
It also uses the new AMD X570 chipset, which offers nice features. However, this CPU will run on any AM4 motherboard as long as the BIOS is up to date. Also, keep in mind that Ryzen runs a lot better with faster RAM, so try to get a memory kit that is at least 3000MHz.
Specifications
| Cores | 6 |
| Threads | 12 |
| Socket | AM4 |
| Base Frequency | 3.6 GHz |
| Boost Frequency | 4.2 GHz |
| Cache Memory | L1 Cache: 384 KB L2 Cache: 3 MB L3 Cache: 32 MB |
| Architecture Size | 7 nm |
- Excellent overall performance
- Great price-to-performance ratio
- Big Cache memory
- Does not match Intel in gaming
- It offers mediocre overclocking
Intel Core i7-9700K
Top Tier Intel CPU For RTX 2060
The next CPU that you can get to pair up with the RTX 2060 is the Intel Core i7-9700K. It is a little bit of a premium price processor but the performance that the Core i7-9700K provides is no short of premium. If the Intel Core i7-9700K is paired with RTX 2060, it can provide very high performance, especially in gaming.
The Intel Core i7-9700K is equipped with eight cores and eight threads because it does not have Hyper-Threading. It provides excellent performance in the modern AAA titles at very high clock rates.
It is a processor that is a recommendation for the users who are building a PC and have gaming in focus and do not expect titles to benefit from more than eight threads in the near future.
Since the Intel Core i7-9700K is an unlocked processor which means it can be overclocked. We recommend pairing it with a motherboard that allows for overclocking to get the most of the CPU.
The Intel Core i7-9700K is an amazing processor for the performance it provides the users with. It is one of the best processors for RTX 2060 especially because of the performance benefits that it provides in gaming.
Specifications
| Cores | 8 |
| Threads | 8 |
| Socket | LGA1151 |
| Base Frequency | 3.6 GHz |
| Boost Frequency | 4.90 GHz |
| Cache Memory | L1 Cache: 64 K (per core) L2 Cache: 256 K (per core) L3 Cache: 12 MB Intel Smart Cache |
| Architecture Size | 14 nm |
- It provides superb gaming performance
- It has a soldered IHS
- It has a boost clock of up to 4.90 GHz
- Excellent single-core performance
- It is a bit expensive
- It doesn’t come with a CPU cooler in the package
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
Top Tier Ryzen CPU For RTX 2060
The last pick for the best CPU for RTX 2060 is the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X.
It has eight cores and 16 threads at a mere 65 watts, which is extremely efficient and no less than amazing. It consumes very little power, but in return provides very high performance to the users.
With the Ryzen 7 3700X CPU’s price point, it almost on par with the Intel Core i9-9900K in applications, which costs more than the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X does. Since it is an AMD CPU, you should pick a motherboard that the Ryzen 7 3700X works easily on.
When you pair up the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, it will result in very high speed and performance. However, the performance may not be on part with the top CPUs that are available in the market, but for its price range, it does not disappoint at all.
The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU will have no problem running the latest AAA titles at buttery-smooth framerates of over 60 FPS. While it also provides users with excellent performance with daily-life software. Which makes the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU one of the best processors for RTX 2060.
Specifications
| Cores | 8 |
| Threads | 16 |
| Socket | AM4 |
| Base Frequency | 3.6 GHz |
| Boost Frequency | 4.4 GHz |
| Cache Memory | L1 Cache: 512 KB L2 Cache: 4 MB L3 Cache: 32 MB |
| Architecture Size | 7 nm |
- It has a great price-to-performance ratio compared to Intel
- It has a very big L3 Cache memory
- It has a lot of architectural improvements
- It comes with a CPU cooler included in the package
- It has limited overclocking
- Its gaming performance is not on par with Intel
Conclusion
The CPUs mentioned above are some of the best CPUs for Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060. All of the CPUs in the above list don’t have the bottleneck issue when paired up with the RTX 2060 GPU, and all of them will provide excellent performance.
The ideal CPU to pair up with RTX 2060 is the Intel Core i7-9700K for its absolutely amazing performance, especially in gaming. It is a little bit expensive, but it surely does not disappoint when it comes to gaming and performance.
After the Intel Core i7-9700K, the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X has the best performance when paired with the RTX 2060. It provides an overall amazing performance in gaming as well as in uplifting the daily-life usage experience. It also has a great price-to-performance ratio, so you will not be disappointed with the performance and will not have to pay as much as you would when buying an Intel processor.
Mid-range CPUs are the Intel Core i5-9600K and the AMD Ryzen 3600. Both of the processors do provide excellent performance when paired with the RTX 2060, but when it comes to gaming, the Core i5-9600K does perform slightly better. On the other hand, the AMD Ryzen 3600 is a bit cheaper than the Core i5-9600K and also is better at multitasking, thanks to more threads.
The Intel Core i5-9400F and the AMD Ryzen 5 2600X are also mid-range CPUs, but their performance is slightly lesser than the Core i5-9600K and the Ryzen 3600. Their performance is still excellent when paired with the RTX 2060 for the price point that the Core i5-9400F and the Ryzen 2600X come at.
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