Best CPU for RTX 3060 Ti in 2025 – our top picks
Table of Contents
The RTX 3060 Ti is a mid-range GPU – halfway from the entry-level and the real mid-high-end GPUs. This is a graphics card that you can easily buy and use for gaming, working, studying, and introducing yourself to the world of building PCs. If you’ve got a GPU of this caliber and are considering building your rig on it, in this article, we’re presenting some of the best CPU options for you.
This is not a super strong GPU, but the GA104 processor and the Samsung 8nm node found on the GPU have given this Ampere unit enough power to run any game you need, and it’s stood the test of time, too, still standing as a reliable unit despite being on the older side.
With an RTX 3060 Ti, you are looking at solid performance at 1080p. However, unlike higher resolutions like 1440p and 4K, where gaming performance heavily relies on the GPU, 1080p gaming is more CPU-dependent, and having a good processor can make a significant difference in performance.
So, we’ve selected a handful of processors based on their price, features, platform, and the performance they showcased during our in-house testing. This way, we have a clear idea of what kind of performance these processors can offer, especially in CPU-bound areas like 1080p gaming.
That said, the top of that list is the Core i5-13600K because of the value it brings to a system equipped with a 3060 Ti, but you should find any of these processors to be more than capable pairings.
Products at a glance
- Best CPU for RTX 3060 Ti
Intel Core i5-13600K
- Cores: 14 (6P-8E)
- Threads: 20
- Boost speed : P-Core 5.1GHz / E-Core 3.5GHz
- Base speed: P-Core 3.5GHz / E-Core 2.6GHz
- L3 Cache: 24MB
- TDP: 181W
- Best gaming CPU for 3060 Ti
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
- Cores: 8
- Threads: 16
- Boost clock speed: 5.2GHz
- Base clock speed: 4.7GHz
- L3 cache: 96MB
- TDP: 120W
- Best Future-proofing CPU foir RTX 3060 Ti
AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
- Cores: 12
- Threads : 24
- Boost clock speed: 5.6 GHz
- Base clock speed: 4.7 GHz
- L3 Cache: 64 MB
- TDP: 170 W
- Best AM4 CPU for RTX 3060 Ti
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- Cores: 6
- Threads : 12
- Boost speed : up to 4.6 GHz
- Base speed: 3.7 GHz
- L3 Cache: 32 MB
- TDP: 65W
- Best Intel CPU for RTX 3060 Ti
Intel Core Ultra 5 245K
- Cores: 14 (6x P, 8x E)
- Threads: 14
- Boost clock speed: 5.2GHz P-core, 4.6GHz E-core
- Base clock speed: 4.2GHz P-core, 3.6GHz E-core
- L3 cache: 24MB
- TDP: 125W base, 159W max
How do we select the best CPU for RTX 3060 Ti?
When choosing the best CPU for the RTX 3060 Ti, several factors must be considered. First, you need to make sure that the CPU is compatible with your motherboard and other components. Then, consider the processor brand and architecture. Intel and AMD are the only two brands to choose from, but they each have a plethora of different motherboard generations associated with them.
One of the main considerations to remember is that the processor speed, measured in GHz, will also impact performance, with a higher speed generally leading to better performance. The number of cores a CPU has is also important, as more cores allow for better multitasking. Additionally, the cache size, a high-speed memory used by the CPU, is another imperative factor, with a larger cache size improving performance.
Of course, more importantly than specs, we value hands-on experience and have prioritized CPUs that we’ve reviewed in-house to give you a bit more of a guarantee that you know exactly what you’re getting – and that it’s been approved by our expertise. You can read in more detail about precisely how we test our CPUs in the PC Guide Testing Lab.
If you're looking for more RTX 3060 Ti recommendations, you can check out our opinions on the best GeForce RTX 3060 Ti unit overall, then head over to our Best Motherboard for RTX 3060 Ti guide for more hardware recommendations.
- Cores: 14 (6P-8E)
- Threads: 20
- Boost speed : P-Core 5.1GHz / E-Core 3.5GHz
- Base speed: P-Core 3.5GHz / E-Core 2.6GHz
- L3 Cache: 24MB
- TDP: 181W
- Platform: Intel (LGA 1700)
- Great price, and offers amazing gaming performance considering
- Supports either DDR4 or DDR5
- Overclockable
- Just as good as the 14600K, but costs less
- High power consumption, and needs sufficient cooling requirements as a result
- If you haven’t yet, you’ll need to upgrade to an LGA 1700 motherboard
- Performance isn’t as good when using DDR4
You need the power to match the 3060 Ti’s speeds, and the Core i5 13600K comes up as hands down the best option. With this CPU, your rig will be ready to take on 1080p gaming easily. In reality, you’d probably be able to handle some older games in 1440p, so you’d be on your way to climbing into the big leagues.
The Intel Core i5-13600K boasts an impressive 14 cores and 20 threads, making it a top contender in the CPU market. Its MSRP of $320 is incredibly affordable, given the level of performance it offers. It’s also important to note that this CPU can now be found cheaper, given its age, and even better deals can be found in the second-hand market. What’s more, our Intel Core i5-13600K review saw us award the processor 4.5 stars, so it’s got our seal of approval as one of our favorite CPUs from Team Blue.
Compared to its Alder Lake predecessor, the Core i5-12600K, the i5-13600K doubles the number of E-cores and comes equipped with a total of 8 efficient cores (E-cores) and 6 performance cores (P-cores). The P-cores also support Hyper-threading, which contributes to the total number of threads reaching 20. All this processing power is contained on a chip with a TDP of only 181W; it’s not too demanding, but you might want to invest in solid cooling, nonetheless, as the last thing you want is overheating.
The LGA 1700 and DDR4 + DDR5 compatibility makes it a fantastic choice no matter what rig you have.
PC Guide
In layman's terms, this design results in excellent performance for lightly threaded tasks such as gaming and competitive performance for multi-thread workloads. The improvement is due to the increased number of cores and better clock speeds. The single-core performance is superior to AMD alternatives and is not far behind the Core i9-13900K, with a higher base clock but a lower boost.
For gaming purposes, the performance is nearly comparable to the Intel Core i9 with only a slight drop in frames per second, but with a lower cost and power consumption that makes it perfect for an RTX 3060 Ti setup. It’s worth noting though, that the Intel Core i5-13600KF is a similar CPU without an integrated GPU and is priced at $30 cheaper. If you already have a graphics card in your setup, this is a cost-effective way to achieve the same performance.
What users say
Just like us, users on Amazon have highly praised the Intel Core i5-13600K, leading it to an average rating of 4.8 stars. As you’d expect, some favorite features include its value and performance, but also how easy it is to install, which is always an extra benefit.
One user in particular described it as having the “Best price-to-performance ratio in a CPU you would find today”, and another similarly commented that ” the price to performance boost is outstanding”. However, there are a few mentions of the CPU running hot under load, so as mentioned previously, cooling is an important consideration.
- Cores: 8
- Threads: 16
- Boost clock speed: 5.2GHz
- Base clock speed: 4.7GHz
- L3 cache: 96MB
- TDP: 120W
- Platform: AM5
- Better productivity performance compared to previous X3D CPUs
- The best gaming CPU on the market
- Energy efficient and can be overclocked
- No DDR4 support, and AM5 can be an expensive upgrade
- Fewer cores than Intel, so might not be strong for heavy workstations
The RTX 3060 Ti is a budget GPU that can handle most games at 1080p and 1440p. So, it requires a CPU that can easily handle low-resolution gaming requirements. For that, we recommend the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. This is the first “X3D” processor in the Ryzen 9000 series lineup and brings with it a handful of changes and excellent generational uplift.
To begin with, this processor is based on the Zen 5 architecture, meaning it has 4nm CPU processes, which give it a 16% IPC uplift compared to the previous generation. It has eight hyperthreaded cores, each with two threads, bringing the total to 16 threads. So, it should be able to easily handle multi-threaded workloads, but for the best productivity, we recommend opting for an “X” processor like the Ryzen 9 7900X or the Ryzen 7 7700X.
The 2nd generation V-Cache gives it the ability to run the CPU core faster and at higher voltages pushing its performance even further over the 7800X3D and on par with non-X3D chips in non-gaming tasks.
PC Guide
That said, the 9800X3D is the best gaming processor available right now, and, paired with the RTX 3060 Ti, it should deliver excellent in-game results at 1080p or 1440p. On top of that, it has the capability to be paired with newer and more powerful GPUs like the RTX 4090 or the RX 7900 XTX, without either component holding the other back. So, the AM5 platform is supported till 2027, and your path for further upgrade is also open, given the performance of this processor.
The Ryzen 7000 series ran hot, but the Ryzen 9000 processors are energy efficient and deliver better performance. The same is the case with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, as it has a 120W TDP. However, depending on the workload and if you’ve overclocked it, the power draw can increase, which will also generate in more heat generation. So, to ensure the processor keeps operating optimally, we recommend using the best CPU cooler for the 9800X3D.
Overall, this is an excellent processor that costs almost the same as the Ryzen 7 7800X3D but has a significantly better performance. That said, you will have to purchase an AM5 motherboard and DDR5 RAM to work with this processor. If you’re interested in exploring some options, we’ve got you covered with the best motherboards for Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
What users say
Unsurprisingly, buyers on Amazon are also praising the 9800X3D gaming performance, with the processor earning an average of 4.8 out of 5 ratings.
One user mentioned “Absolutely love this CPU. Removes any sort of CPU bottlenecking for games such as CS or Civilization. Super happy with the over clocking features, the more power efficient chip, and the cooler temps.”, another commended the CPU’s power consumption, saying “Uses barely any power while destroying any other CPU on the market”. Buyers also appear to appreciate the CPU’s productivity performance, which was one of the major shortcomings of the previous 7800X3D.
- Cores: 12
- Threads : 24
- Boost clock speed: 5.6 GHz
- Base clock speed: 4.7 GHz
- L3 Cache: 64 MB
- TDP: 170 W
- Platform: AMD Socket AM5
- The strongest single and multi-thread performance
- High boosted frequencies
- Overclockable to up to 5.6 GHz
- DDR5 and PCIe 5.0
- DDR5 is pricey, and AM5 can be a costly upgrade
- Maybe too much for the 3060 Ti in some cases
- Can run hot under load, and doesn’t come with a stock cooler
There's always that one person who loves putting a high-end component to the budget rig. Let's say that one person is each one of us, and the minimum chance we have to build a Ryzen 9 7900X into our rig will be taken.
With this processor, you can forget about any possibility of any bottlenecking; the CPU is so strong that, at some point, it'll carry out the GPU! In big sandbox games, you'll have no regret about having purchased this processor. If you do content creation tasks, you'll no doubt be feeling the boost, too.
The Ryzen 9 7900X by AMD is a top-of-the-line CPU with a price point of $549, which falls between Intel's premium Core i9 and Core i7 chips. But it can be found for cheaper now, especially as it’s getting a bit older and there’s a potential of new Ryzen chips on the horizon.
However, despite its upper mid-range placement in terms of price, the Ryzen 9 7900X boasts performance that surpasses the competition with its 12 cores and 24 threads, delivering powerful gaming performance that matches or exceeds that of Intel's best CPUs. What’s more, it’s still more power efficient than the i5-13600K with a TDP of 170W – no stock cooler, though.
This CPU can work hard, and play hard too. It is just as comfortable gaming as it is in workstation and productivity scenarios.
PC Guide
In addition, it performs well in desktop PC applications. With its combination of affordability, gaming performance, and powerful desktop application capabilities, the Ryzen 9 7900X is a strong contender for our list of the best CPUs and our CPU benchmark hierarchy.
When it comes to choosing the best CPU, there is much more to consider than just the price. Of course, we weighed in on all these things and more in our Ryzen 9 7900X review, so it can be worth checking that out for the full details of this processor—and why we awarded it 4.5 stars.
The Ryzen 9 7900X boasts impressive specifications with its 12 cores and Zen 4 architecture, which results in a ~13% improvement in IPC manufactured on the advanced 5nm process. This allows for remarkable peak clock speeds of 5.6 GHz, nearly reaching the 5.7 GHz of the top-of-the-line Ryzen 9 7950X. The high clock speed is even ahead of Intel's current fastest offerings and sets the bar for future releases.
What users say
As you’d expect from AMD’s top-end CPUs, the performance and gaming capabilities of the Ryzen 9 7900X were highly commended in its reviews on Amazon.
One user in particular commented that the “core clocks scale to system demands instantly and running multiple programs and monitor windows is effortless”, and another highly praised this processor as “an absolute BEAST at gaming and anything else you can throw at it”. If you can, it might be worth holding out to get this CPU at a discounted price just to make sure you’re getting the most value for your money.
- Cores: 6
- Threads : 12
- Boost speed : up to 4.6 GHz
- Base speed: 3.7 GHz
- L3 Cache: 32 MB
- TDP: 65W
- Platform: AMD (AM4)
- Good gaming performance, and is still overclockable too
- Strong single and multi-threaded, with a TDP of only 65W
- IPC gain, boost frequency
- Doesn’t come including integrated graphics
- Unfortunately, not compatible with the latest AM5 tech
You can always find a better price, and if you need the best budget CPU for the 3060 Ti, then you can choose the Ryzen 5 5600X. This CPU from the previous generation has ensured great gaming capabilities in rigs for a long time and has never disappointed, and we were able to thoroughly test it for our 5600X review. You'll have the power to run 1080p games, but if you want to go for the 1440p resolution, you'll find it a bit of a struggle.
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is the best budget option for those who want to save money. Despite having a larger bottleneck of around 12%, the price of this CPU is significantly lower, especially if you can find it on sale under $150 due to the release of the 5000 series CPUs.
Overall, the Ryzen 5 5600X is a formidable force in the mid-range market, boasting six cores and twelve threads powered by the advanced Zen 3 architecture and manufactured using 7nm process technology. This combination leads to a significant improvement of ~19% in instruction per cycle (IPC) throughput, making the 5600X a top pick for the best budget CPUs list.
This CPU from the previous Gen has ensured great gaming capabilities into rigs for a long time and has never disappointed.
PC Guide
The 5600X still offers impressive core speeds of up to 4.6 GHz max. However, it may limit the performance of your GPU at lower resolutions. Surprisingly, it’s actually recommended to use this CPU and GPU combination for 1440p resolution for optimal performance.
Further optimizations, such as an improved boosting algorithm, better memory overclocking, and revised cache topology, eliminate Intel’s remaining performance advantages and deliver a new level of power efficiency. In fact, the Ryzen 5 5600X is one of the most energy-efficient desktop PC chips tested to date.
What users say
In its Amazon user reviews, the Ryzen 5 5600X is praised for being a stellar CPU that “strikes an excellent balance between price and performance”, and is described as a “powerful and affordable CPU” for pairing with the RTX 3060 Ti. What’s more, this is one of the only CPUs included in this list that has been praised on Amazon for running cool and consuming less power, and it comes with a decent stock cooler too to further keep temps down.
- Cores: 14 (6x P, 8x E)
- Threads: 14
- Boost clock speed: 5.2GHz P-core, 4.6GHz E-core
- Base clock speed: 4.2GHz P-core, 3.6GHz E-core
- L3 cache: 24MB
- TDP: 125W base, 159W max
- Platform: LGA 1851 (Arrow Lake)
- Plenty of cores and threads with a good split into performance and efficiency
- Great temperatures even under full loads
- Impressive multi-core performance
- No longer supports DDR4 like its predecessors
- Not the best gaming performance
- Falls behind the 14900K in plenty of scenarios
The RTX 3060 Ti and the Core Ultra 5 245K should make for a great pairing as they are both entry-level components and should deliver good gaming and synthetic performance. We’ve reviewed the 245K and it has better gaming performance than the 13600K but makes for an expensive upgrade given its based on the new LGA 1851 platform.
This processor has 14 cores, 14 threads, a 3.6 GHz base clock, a 5.2 GHz boost clock speed, and a 24MB Intel Smart Cache. What this means is that it has fewer threads than the 13600K. However, it uses 3nm CPU process technology, which gives it better performance and efficiency. Also, the clock speed means it should be able to handle almost anything you throw its way since it has good multi-core performance.
Its efficiency is also showcased with its maximum turbo power of 159W, which means it should also be easier to keep cool with an air cooler, if you’re aiming for a budget build. If not, you also have the option of using the best AIO CPU cooler to keep the temperature under control, especially if you’re overclocking this CPU.
For those with productivity in mind, a high core count CPU makes more sense, and the competition at this tier for gaming seems to put the Core Ultra in an awkward spot.
PC Guide
It also comes with Intel integrated graphics, which have a 300 MHz base frequency and 1.9 GHz boost frequency. That said, according to Intel, the integrated graphics can support up to 4K at 60Hz connected with HDMI 2.1. This is great, considering that you can run your system without needing a discrete GPU, and that can happen in the unfortunate case of your GPU dying or if you’re waiting for a new one to arrive.
As far as its in-game performance is concerned, we ran Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p low settings to make it more CPU intensive and paired it with an RTX 4070 Ti Super. This processor managed to deliver 189 FPS, which is better than the 13600K’s 179 FPS. However, if you’re getting this processor solely for gaming, the price-to-performance ratio isn’t justified given that it has better multi-core performance than single-core performance, meaning it is better off for resource-intensive workflows rather than gaming.
That said, while there are other CPUs with better gaming performance, this processor’s stand-alone performance isn’t bad. The only aspect you’ll need to consider is the cost of upgrading to the LGA 1851 platform, as the Z890 motherboard on release is all high-end options fetching a high price.
What users say
Since one of the biggest improvements in this year’s Arrow Lake series was power efficiency, reviews on Amazon also seem to praise the CPU in this aspect.
One user mentioned, “PC run colder than ever, congratulations Intel. Also is very fast, exactly what i was looking for”, which means you don’t have to spend too much money on expensive cooling. Another user backed the CPU’s power efficiency and gaming performance, saying “Run extremely cool. No issue with gaming either”.
Features and considerations
Here are a few things to consider before you get a new processor to match the RTX 3060 Ti –
Type of workload
The first thing you will need to consider is the type of workload you're going to be asking of your PC. This type of build is mainly for budgeted gamers. However, you can still apply plenty of day-to-day productivity tasks to it. If that's the case, you would need to consider which type of games you play.
Keep in mind that big sandbox games are more CPU-heavy than other AAA games. In that case, specifically, you will need a stronger unit, perhaps one of the best CPUs for gaming.
Cores and performance
So among all the things to check on a CPU, the first one would be the number of cores. The more cores, the better the CPU's ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. This should be paired with core speed to determine the effectiveness of the CPU.
Something else to consider is the architecture of those cores and the whole GPU. For example, at this level, AMD has a better architecture to perform on AAA games, thanks to its great rasterization power, while Intel is more capable of enduring sandbox games due to its multi-threading abilities. However, these factors obviously change when considering the CPUs and price.
Budget
This takes us to the next point. The 3060 Ti is an entry-level GPU, so the build will be based on a budget that can always allow the fanciest stuff. Keeping that in mind, you must consider price-to-performance balance. One of the best sensations when building a budget rig is knowing that you have the best piece for the best price.
Is it worth buying AM4 in 2025?
An interesting question from this guide arises: is it worth buying AM4 in 2025? Given that AMD is pushing toward AM5, they assured us that AM4 wouldn’t die immediately. To our surprise, 2024 brought us the last known AM4 CPU to release, the 5700X3D, showing us that even in 2025, AMD isn’t done supporting AM4.
It might be lagging a little behind in terms of technology, but it’s safe to say that immense value can be found in an AM4 system today. I still use AM4 in my personal gaming rig, and it’s not once felt like I needed to upgrade. You just have to decide whether PCIe Gen 5 storage and DDR5 memory speeds are more important to you than saving money.
What is the best Intel CPU for the RTX 3060 Ti?
Our top pick for the best Intel CPU this time around is the Intel Core i5-13600K. This CPU is a great budget option that offers a high base clock speed – perfect for your gaming needs while not reaching massive price points.
Is the RTX 3060 Ti still good?
That's a subjective question and depends on what games you play. The 3060 Ti does great in older titles at 1080 / 1440p, but it'll struggle on newer AAA titles, especially at 1440p. If you're someone who enjoys casual gaming, then yes, the 3060 Ti is still great. If you're someone who's into the latest games, then you might need to manage your expectations a little.