Nvidia has recently launched a new Graphics Card called Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. This is the first-ever RTX 3000 series card with the “Ti” branding. The RTX 3060 Ti brings a lot of power and has comprehensively beaten the GeForce RTX 2080 Super. Also, the former comes at a lower price. The Founders Edition of RTX 3060 Ti costs around USD 399, which is much cheaper than the GeForce RTX 2080 Super’s USD 699 price.
However, the custom designs of the former GPU might cost a bit more. The GPU has been packed with 4864 CUDA cores, 1024 cores are less than the RTX 3070. Both GPUs seem to share an identical design with an 8nm GA104 architecture and 17.4 Billion transistors. The RTX 3060 Ti has 8GB of GDDR6 memory clocked at 19Gbps transfer speeds. The card went on sale via various e-commerce platforms.
Like most RTX 3000 series GPUs, the stocks were limited and got sold out in minutes. But if you were successful in grabbing one, then a lot of hearty congratulations to you. But now it’s time to pair this beat with an equally capable CPU. If you’re finding the best CPU options that can go hand in hand with your new RTX 3060 Ti without any bottlenecking, then you’re at the right place. In this article, we will discuss the best CPUs available in the market for your RTX 3060 Ti GPU. Now let’s get started.
Understanding the use of CPU in gaming performance
Before we dive into specific CPU options, it’s essential to grasp how the CPU and GPU work together in a gaming system. The CPU handles tasks such as physics calculations, game logic, and AI processing, while the GPU takes care of rendering graphics and visual effects. In modern games, both the CPU and GPU play integral roles, and a balanced combination is essential for optimal performance.
Several factors influence the choice of the best CPU for an Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti:
Gaming vs. Multitasking: If you primarily use your PC for gaming and light productivity, a CPU with strong single-core performance is more suitable. For heavy multitasking, content creation, or streaming while gaming, a CPU with higher core and thread counts is recommended.
Overclocking Considerations: Overclocking can be an option to further boost CPU performance, especially for Intel’s K-series CPUs or AMD’s CPUs with unlocked multipliers. However, it requires adequate cooling and a compatible motherboard. Keep in mind that overclocking might void the warranty and increase power consumption and heat output.
Future-Proofing and Upgradability: To ensure your gaming PC remains relevant for years to come, consider a CPU that offers a good balance between current performance and future-proofing. AMD’s AM4 socket and Intel’s LGA1200 socket motherboards provide a good upgrade path with support for future CPU releases.
Cooling Solutions: Adequate cooling is essential, especially if you plan to overclock. Invest in a high-quality air cooler or an all-in-one liquid cooling solution to keep the CPU temperatures in check.
User Reviews and Benchmarks: Before making a final decision, consult user reviews and benchmark comparisons for the CPUs you’re considering. Real-world experiences can provide valuable insights into a CPU’s performance and reliability.
Best CPU for RTX 3060 Ti in 2024
Here is the list of the best CPUs available right now in the market for RTX 3060 Ti:
1 AMD Ryzen 7 5800X (Overall Best Performance)
If your plan is not to compromise with the performance and has a good budget od around
$450, then I would recommend you to go with the AMD Ryzen 7 series’ 5800X CPU. The CPU is known for its performance and will go hand in hand with the RTX 3060 Ti GPU to provide flawless gaming and productivity tasks like Video editing. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X packs 8 cores and 16 threads and can crush any highly CPU-intensive task for sure. This chipset is fabricated on TSMC’s 7nm processing node, making it highly power-efficient while performing a heavy workload. This is the best-in-class fabrication from the Taiwanese tech giant.
- Cores/Threads: 8 Cores, 16 Threads
- Clock speed: 3.8GHz
- TDP: 105Watt
- Architecture: AMD Zen3
- Socket: AM4
- Integrated Graphics: No
Since TMSC is the original manufacturer of AMD chipsets, it takes advantage of this advanced fabrication. It is also nice for high-level video editing because more cores mean better workload management and better video editing. The CPU brings 20% performance improvements over its predecessor, Ryzen 7 3800X. Its TDP is 105 watts and hence requires proper cooling as well. The chipset generates a 3.8GHz base clock speed, which goes up to 4.7GHz in the burst mode. Undoubtedly, it reaches a very strong clock speed making it one of the finest choices for high-end tasks like gaming and extensive productivity. That is why AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is our primary choice for Nvidia RTX 3060/3060Ti GPU.
2AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (Affordable Option)
If you are low on budget and are looking to pair an affordable CPU with your 3060 Ti, then the toy can go for AMD’s Ryzen 5 3600 CPU. The CPU provides the best possible performance for $200. As low as this price, no other CPU can provide performance better than Ryzen 5 3600. Before the Ryzen 5000 series, the Ryzen 5 3600 was the best-selling CPU because of its low price performance. The Ryzen 5 3600 features 6 cores and 12 threads with core clock speeds of 3.6/4.2GHz 65W of TDP. Besides, This CPU provides an almost equal performance as is provided by the 9th Gen Intel Core i9.
- Cores/Threads: 6 Cores, 12 Threads
- Clock speed: 3.6GHz
- TDP: 65Watt
- Architecture: AMD Zen2
- Socket: AM4
- Integrated Graphics: No
Unfortunately, there is no integrated GPU provided by this processing. Since you are buying it for a dedicated GPU like RTX 3060Ti, it will take care of graphics performance. So, you don’t need to worry about it. Unlike the Ryzen 7 5800X, Ryzen 5 3600 uses the last generation 7nm processing node, which is slightly less power efficiant. Overall, it performs very well in various circumstances. Speaking of the core architecture, it is based on Zen 2 comparatively Zen 3 found on the 4000/5000 series. So, there is a clear generational gap. The reason behind buying this chip is its affordable pricing.
3AMD Ryzen 5 5600X (Value for Money)
If the Ryzen 3000 series is not suitable for you and you want to go with the 5000 series, then the Ryzen 5 5600X can be a nice option. The Ryzen 5 5600X can be considered a nice upgrade over the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU. The CPU costs are almost equal to the Ryzen 5 3600 but comes with marginally better technical performance upgrades. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X features a single CCX that enables all 6 cores to access 32MB of L3 cache. This leads to better performance and low latency.
- Cores/Threads: 6 Cores, 12 Threads
- Clock speed: 3.7GHz
- TDP: 65Watt
- Architecture: AMD Zen3
- Socket: AM4
- Integrated Graphics: No
The Ryzen 5 5600X also features 6 cores and 12 threads but is slightly highly clocked @3.7GHz with a boost of 4.7GHz. The TDP is the same as Ryzen 5 3600, i.e., 65Watts. In terms of efficiency, the chipset is manufactured on Zen 3 microarchitecture based on 7nm technology. It makes sure that this chipset is designed for saving a lot of energy by cooling down your desktop computer. All of these Ryzen processors are exclusively available for customized PC. Thus, there is no compromise in the core performance. Overall, the Ryzen 5 5600X is a worthwhile upgrade over its predecessor by letting you choose over Ryzen 5 3600 if you can spend slightly more money.
4Intel Core i9 10900K (Best From Intel)
If you want a cores-rich CPU for your 3060 Ti, you can choose the Intel Core i9 10900K blindly. The i9 10900K comes with whopping 10 cores and 20 threads. However, these many cores are not needed for 1440p gaming but can surely help you a lot during video editing, software development, and emulation.i9 10900K comes with a base clock frequency of 3.7GHz, whose hyperthreaded form can easily be overclocked at 5.2GHz. Surely the Intel Core i9 10900K is in the serious overclocking business.
- Cores/Threads: 10 Cores, 20 Threads
- Clock speed: 3.7GHz
- TDP: 125Watt
- Architecture: Comet Lake
- Socket: Intel FCLGA1200
- Integrated Graphics: Intel UHD 630 Graphics
This Intel CPU is slightly better than the previously listed Ryzen 7 5800X while available slightly lower price. The chipset is manufactured on a 14nm processing node, which doesn’t look as attractive as the TSMC’s 7nm processing node, at least on paper. But Intel uses a slightly different approach when it comes to power efficiency. That is why Intel chipsets are considered more stable than the AMD lineup. If power-efficiently is your prime objective, the Intel Core i9 10900K chip slightly lacks behind primarily focused on power and stability. But if you are a professional corporate user looking for running high-end applications such as Blender, AutoCAD, Solidworks, etc., you can surely go with it.
5Intel Core i7 10700K
Coming to the team Blue, the Intel Core i7 10700K is a great performing choice here. This CPU resembles the performance of the Ryzen 7 5800X but comes at a lower price. You can grab the i7 10700k for $80 while compromising about 2-5% performance in comparison to Ryzen 7 5800X. It could be a nice option for those under a $300 budget strain who can’t stretch it to $450.
- Cores/Threads: 8 Cores, 16 Threads
- Clock speed: 3.6GHz
- TDP: 125Watt
- Architecture: Comet Lake
- Socket: Intel FCLGA1200
- Integrated Graphics: Intel UHD 630 Graphics
The Intel Core i7 10700K comes with 8 cores and 16 threads, just like Ryzen 7 5800X, and shares the same 3.6GHz of clock speed. However, its boosted clock speed is 5.1GHz, which is pretty high. It can provide better performance than the counter AMD CPU when overclocked and asks for a good cooling amount.
6Intel Core i5 10600K (Value for money in Intel)
Intel Core i5 10600K is a good and affordable option from Intel. If you prefer to go with team blue and look for an affordable option, then the i5 10600K is a nice option over Ryze 5 5600X. The i5 10600K comes a bit costlier than AMD’s counter CPU and provides equally better performance improvements.
- Cores/Threads: 6 Cores, 12 Threads
- Clock speed: 4.1GHz
- TDP: 125Watt
- Architecture: Comet Lake
- Socket: Intel FCLGA1200
- Integrated Graphics: Intel UHD 630 Graphics
The Intel Core i5 10600K offers 6 cores and 12 threads with a better clock speed of 4.1GHz. This clock speed can be boosted to 4.8 with Intel’s Turbo Boost Technology 2.0. The CPU operates at a TDP of 65W only, in the normally clocked state. The Intel Core i5 10600K is a very nice option for Intel lovers looking for an RTX 3060 Ti companion on a mid-range budget.
7AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (Future-Proof)
Last but not least, if you want the best-in-class performance, AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is there to serve you. Some people have plans to upgrade to an even better GPU soon, then having a future-proof CPU is a wise decision. As a result, you can have a look at AMD’s Ryzen 9 5950X CPU for this purpose. The CPU is definitely an overkill option for the 3060 Ti. It will never put you in a bottlenecking situation. This extra powerful CPU is capable of handling the future-coming more powerful GPU like the RTX 3090.
- Cores/Threads: 16 Cores, 32 Threads
- Clock speed: 3.4GHz
- TDP: 105Watt
- Architecture: AMD Zen3
- Socket: AM4
- Integrated Graphics: No
The Ryzen 5950X is the most expensive CPU on this list and comes with 16 cores and 32 threads. I know these are extremely eye-watering numbers, but you’re also paying a hefty amount for this. The CPU has a base clock frequency of 3.6GHz, boosting up to 4.9GHz with a massive 72MB of cache memory. The CPU operates at a TDP rating of 105 watts and hence requires a proper cooling solution. Just like any other powerful Ryzen chip belonging to the 5000 series, it uses Zen3 microarchitecture based on TSMC’s 7nm processing node, providing it with great power efficiency. Despite being a very powerful chip, it also saves a lot of energy. Overall, it is one of the most powerful chipsets available right now.
Best CPU for RTX 3060 Ti: FAQs
Which CPU is best for RTX 3060 Ti?
Going with a value-for-money product is always a good option. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and Intel Core i5 10600K are the best CPUs for RTX 3060 Ti.
Is the RTX 3060 Ti worth it?
Yes, definitely. The new Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a superb option for no-compromise 1440p gaming. The RTX 3060 Ti is the right choice available at the right price with a flawless 1080p and 1440p performance. It can also provide 4k gaming as well if you are ok with slight graphic compromises.
Bottom Line
Selecting the best CPU for the Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti involves considering factors like core count, clock speed, architecture, socket compatibility, gaming performance, and budget constraints. CPUs like the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, Intel Core i5-11600K, and AMD Ryzen 7 5800X are excellent choices for different needs and budgets. By making an informed decision based on your requirements, you can create a well-balanced and powerful gaming rig with the RTX 3060 Ti as the centerpiece.
I have listed 7 different CPUs in the list of best RTX 3060 Ti CPUs. These 7 CPUs are mentioned based on the different needs of you guys. I have listed both Intel and AMD GPUs ranging from affordable to expensive ones. But going with a value-for-money product is always a good option. And in my opinion, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and Intel Core i5 10600K are the best CPUs for RTX 3060 Ti.