Both the Ryzen 5 3600 and the 3600X are great choices for any gamer or creative professional who wants solid performance from a budget-friendly build. These CPUs have very similar configurations, with both offering 6 cores and 12 threads. However, the 3600X has higher clock speeds (4.2GHz vs 4.4GHz), so you should expect better numbers out of it. In any case, if you’re after a graphics card to go along with either of these GPUs, then worry not as we have got you covered.
For the Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X, our focus wasn’t on the latest generation GPUs, as they would be overkill for these processors. Instead, we looked at last-gen cards that still perform well with the latest AAA titles. Plus, being a generation old, these cards have seen significant price drops, offering great value for money.
With that said, we have selected a handful of GPUs based on their price, features, brand, and the performance they showcased during our in-house testing. We test all our components, such as CPUs, motherboards, CPU coolers, and more, in-house to check for their real-world capabilities.
Products at a glance
- Best GPUs For Ryzen 5 3600 And 3600X
MSI RTX 3070 Gaming X Trio
- GPU: GA104
- CUDA cores: 5,888
- VRAM: 8GB GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 256-bit
- Base clock speed: 1500 MHz
- Boost clock speed: 1725 MHz
- Best AMD GPU For Ryzen 5 3600 And 3600X For 1440p
XFX Speedster SWFT319 Radeon RX 6800
- GPU: Navi 21 XL
- Stream Processors: 3840
- VRAM: 16 GB
- Bandwidth: 512.0 GB/s
- Base Clock Speed: 1700 MHz
- Boost Clock Speed: 2105 MHz
- Best high-end GPU for Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X
ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 OC Edition
- GPU: GA102
- CUDA cores: 8,704
- VRAM: 10GB GDDR6X
- Bandwidth: 760.3 GB/s
- Memory bus width: 320-bit
- Base clock speed : 1440 MHz
- Best budget GPU for Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X
SPARKLE Intel Arc B580 TITAN OC
- GPU: BGM-G21
- Shading units: 2,560
- VRAM: 12GB GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 192-bit
- Bandwidth: 456GB/s
- Base/Boost clock speed: 2,670/2,740 MHz
How we selected the best GPUs for Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X
To round up the best GPUs for the Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X, we looked at performance benchmarks to see how different GPUs handle real-world gaming and applications, making it easier to find the best match for these processors. Since gaming, especially at high resolutions like 1440p and 4K, depends a lot more on the graphics card than the processor, we focused on how many framerates you can expect from these GPUs.
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Additionally, user feedback and reviews contribute invaluable insights. By understanding the experiences of others who have paired these specific CPUs with various GPUs, potential issues or advantages come to light, which might not be evident from benchmarks alone. Factors such as noise levels, heat output, and driver stability all come into play.
If you’re interested in learning how we test and review products, you can check out our PC Guide Testing Lab, which has information on how the testing is conducted, test bench specifications, and more.
Our top picks
- GPU: GA104
- CUDA cores: 5,888
- VRAM: 8GB GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 256-bit
- Base clock speed: 1500 MHz
- Boost clock speed: 1725 MHz
- Bandwidth: 448 GB/sec
- Great for 1440p performance
- 256-bit memory bus for optimized speeds
- Equipped with MSI’s cooling system
- May seem pricey for a last-gen GPU
- 8GB VRAM may feel limiting
As Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X are both entry-level CPUs, you don’t need to pair them with advanced or high-end graphics cards. This is why we think the RTX 3070 is a good pick for your build. We’ve reviewed the RTX 3070 and saw that the card delivered excellent framerates for 1080p and 1440p gaming. For Cyberpunk 2077, we were able to get 98 FPS at 108op and 62 FPS at 1440p.
To start with, the mid-range RTX 3070 comes with the previous-gen Ampere architecture. The card offers DLSS and ray tracing, which should give you boosted framerates as well as realistic image quality. Upon release, this was the best RTX 30-series card from a price-to-performance ratio.
It features 5,888 CUDA cores, a base clock of 1.5 GHz, a boost clock of 1.73 GHz, and 8GB of GDDR6 RAM with a 256-bit memory interface width. While this may be an old card, it packs plenty of power to handle modern AAA graphics. Its 256-bit memory interface should ensure a smooth transfer of data to and from the GPU for processing.
That said, if you feel like you could do with more performance, you can always overlock the GPU but remember that will also increase its power draw and thermal output. According to Nvidia, it has a graphics card power of 220W and a 650W PSU is recommended. If you’re looking for a PSU to power your RTX 3070 build, we recommend opting for the best PSU for RTX 3070.
The RTX 3070 is closing in on four years old but the performance capabilities are still as strong as ever.
PC Guide
Overall, the RTX 3070 is a good option if your target resolution is 1440p. In the future, if you decide to opt for a more powerful processor, RTX 3070 will give you the scope for it. Plus, if you manage to get your hands on the card with a discount, we think this is a worthy pick.
What users say
On Amazon, the MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3070 has a rating of 4.5 stars, at the time of writing, and more than 400 people have rated it. Most customers were happy with the performance and price of the product. “This GPU is great my frames increased significantly coming from an RTX 2060,” one of the customers wrote in a review.
- GPU: Navi 21 XL
- Stream Processors: 3840
- VRAM: 16 GB
- Bandwidth: 512.0 GB/s
- Base Clock Speed: 1700 MHz
- Boost Clock Speed: 2105 MHz
- Excellent for 1440p gaming
- High VRAM benefits multitasking
- Good value for money
- Nvidia does better ray tracing
- Replaced by RX 7800 XT
The Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X are by no means new processors, so we looked at GPUs in and around the same time period and found that the RX 6800 should be a good fit. In our 6800 review, we found out that the card excels at 1080p and 1440p gaming.
We ran Cyberpunk 2077 on this GPU, and it delivered 129 FPS for 1080p and 81 FPS for 1440p. This means you can run most of the demanding games at these two resolutions. For 4K, the graphics card gave us 33 FPS, which is not bad, but the card struggles.
The 6800 XT has 3840 Stream Processors (similar to NVIDIA’s CUDA cores), which handle graphics rendering, parallel processing, and overall graphics performance. A higher number of stream processors translates into better performance for your games. Further, the GPU comes with an 1815 MHz game frequency and a boost frequency of 2105 MHz, which are enough to run modern video games.
That said, AMD has also internally tested this card paired with a Ryzen 9 5900X and 16GB DDR4-3200MHz, and it delivered good results with 4K max settings, like 117 FPS in Doom Eternal and 88 FPS in Death Stranding. However, the results can vary depending on different variables, such as how much RAM you have and the frequency it is running.
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 may be a little long in the tooth but it still offers excellent performance in 1080p and 1440p even if ray tracing isn’t quite its biggest strength.
PC Guide
As far as VRAM configuration goes, the GPU comes with a massive 16 GB of GDDR6 of memory, which is a testament to what modern GPUs can achieve, especially when targeting the 1440p domain. With this beast in your arsenal paired with the Ryzen 5 3600 or 3600x, you’re looking at buttery smooth frame rates in 1440p across the board.
This GPU is suitable for gamers, especially those with a penchant for competitive gaming, where high, stable frame rates can make all the difference. But it’s not just for the gamers. If you’re into heavy-duty content creation, 3D rendering, or video editing, the RX 6800 XT, combined with the multitasking prowess of the Ryzen 5, will ensure your tasks are completed without a hitch.
What users say
On Amazon, the XFX Speedster SWFT319 RX 6800 XT has a 4.6-star rating, and more than 10,000 people have reviewed this range of XFX GPUs. As per the reviews, most people were happy with the performance and quality of the GPU. One of the reviewers says, “95% satisfied. Works as advertised but is overpriced with 359$ I paid for.” A few more users thought that the card was slightly overpriced.
- GPU: GA102
- CUDA cores: 8,704
- VRAM: 10GB GDDR6X
- Bandwidth: 760.3 GB/s
- Memory bus width: 320-bit
- Base clock speed : 1440 MHz
- Boost clock speed: 1905 MHz
- Great for 1440p gaming
- Decent performance for 4K gaming
- 10GB VRAM + 320-bit memory bus is a powerful combo
- May seem pricey
Just because the Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X are older processors, that doesn’t mean you can’t play games at 4K. When you play games at a higher resolution, they are GPU-dependent, meaning it all depends on your GPU, and for that, we recommend the RTX 3080. We’ve tested this GPU in-house for our RTX 3080 review, and it gave us excellent performance for 1080p and 1440p gaming. This is also why we picked it as one of the best GPUs for 1440p 144Hz in our buying guide. Plus, it also gave us decent framerates for 4K. For example, we played Far Cry 6 on Max Settings and got 77 FPS at 4K.
To start with, the GPU comes with 8,704 CUDA cores, which are directly related to the graphics performance – so more cores translate into better performance. Further, the Asus ROG Strix card offers a base clock speed of 1440 MHz and a boosted clock speed of 1905 MHz, which is around 200MHz higher than the founder’s edition card.
The RTX 3080 may be nearly four years old but it’s showing few signs of slowing down when gaming in native 4K.
PC Guide
As far as memory configuration is concerned, the GPU comes with a 10GB VRAM and a 320-bit memory bus, so you can expect it to handle all the latest gaming without breaking a sweat.
Overall, the RTX 3080 is an excellent GPU for action-packed gaming, even today. You can pair more powerful processors with it without worrying about bottleneck issues. If you’re interested in exploring CPU options for this CPU, check out our guide for the best CPUs for RTX 3080, which has the top picks.
What users say
On Amazon, the Asus ROG Strix RTX 3080 has a rating of 4.6 stars, and more than 260 people have rated it. Most people were happy with the performance and appearance of the card. “Card installed and works wonderfully. NO COIL WHINE!! I went from a gtx 1080 mini to this. Huge performance boost!!” one of the customers wrote in a review.
- GPU: BGM-G21
- Shading units: 2,560
- VRAM: 12GB GDDR6
- Memory bus width: 192-bit
- Bandwidth: 456GB/s
- Base/Boost clock speed: 2,670/2,740 MHz
- Great price to performance
- Plenty of VRAM in comparison to the competition
- Well-built and slim design
- Only Gen 4 x8 PCIe – may be an issue for older motherboards
- Slightly more expensive than reference card
- Still occasional troubles in older games specifically
If you’re looking for the maximum savings while getting good gaming performance at 1080p and 1440p, check out the Sparkle Intel Arc B580 Titan OC. This is the first release of Intel’s Battlemage GPUs and has quickly made its way as one of the best budget GPUs, giving tough competition to cards like the RTX 4060, RX 7600 XT, and even the RTX 4060 Ti in some cases.
In our Sparkle Intel Arc B580 Titan OC review, we ran a handful of games and benchmark software like 3DMark. In 3DMark, the B580 managed 6,916 points in Time Spy Extreme, while the RTX 4060 delivered 5,297 points. So there is quite a bit of difference, and it is even better than the RTX 4060 Ti, which got 6,174 points.
However, the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti had better performance in Blender, so it isn’t all one-sided. That being said, in gaming, we’ll take the results of Cyberpunk 2077, CS2, and Doom Eternal. In Cyberpunk 2077, the B580 managed 94 and 80 FPS at 1080p and 1440p, while the RTX 4060 got 62 and 47 FPS. The RTX 4060 Ti (8GB) managed 86 and 51 FPS in the same two resolutions. So, the B580 trumps that as well.
In Counter-Strike 2, the RTX 4060 started off with a good lead, with 189 FPS over B580’s 169 FPS. However, at 1440p, these GPUs stood face to face with 124 FPS each. At 4K, it was almost the same situation, with the RTX 4060 delivering 65 FPS and the B580 trailing behind with a 1 FPS difference of 64.
The Intel Arc B580 is a great budget graphics card with an MSRP of $250; it provides competition and an entry-level solution where it seems to be lacking. Coming in with a decent amount of VRAM for the ever-growing graphics requirements at a lower price, it even offers 1440p performance at times in a tier where the competition was a bit stale.
PC Guide
Doom Eternal is a very well-optimized title, and even budget GPUs managed to churn high framerates in this title. That being said, the B580 managed 225, 198, and 90 FPS at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. The RTX 4060 couldn’t run this game at 4K due to having limited VRAM, so for those who wanted more VRAM and the capability to push 4K on a budget, the B580 is the way to go.
With Ray Tracing enabled, the B580 produced 72 FPS at 4K. The RTX 4060 Ti had the same issue at 4K, but it also managed 226 and 188 FPS at FHD and QHD, still making the B580 the better pick given its much lower price tag.
All this performance is courtesy of its 20 Xe cores and 2,560 shading units running at a base and boost clock speed of 1,700 and 2,740 MHz, respectively. However, the Sparkle card can be overclocked to 2,800 MHz, which will increase its TDP to 210W. So, we recommend using the best 140mm PC case fans to dissipate the heat and keep the components cool efficiently.
It also supports PCIe 4.0 x 8, which is a downside for those who have Gen 3 or older boards, as they won’t get the full performance of the card. Besides that, it also can’t compete with Nvidia in the Ray Tracing department right now, but that aside, it is an excellent card for those operating on a budget and want raw performance at lower resolutions that can be enhanced by XeSS 2 and Frame Generation.
Overall, there is little reason to opt for Nvidia or AMD budget alternatives with this Battlemage GPU on the market; however, there are some issues that flare up with the drivers, but issues like that get ironed out with time as patches are released.
Considerations for a GPU and Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X
Here are a few things to consider before getting a new graphics card –
Complimenting GPU
When pairing a graphics card with the Ryzen 5 3600 or 3600x, it’s vital to consider a GPU that complements rather than overshadows or underutilizes the capabilities of these CPUs. These mid-range processors are well-suited for both gaming and multitasking, thus demanding a GPU that can keep up without causing unnecessary strain.
That means that while you may want to get a modern GPU like the RTX 4070, it would be a bit one-sided in terms of performance. So, it would be better to go for an older GPU as they’ll be more likely to complement the 3600 and 3600X, given the older hardware.
Resolution and refresh rate
Resolution and refresh rate aspirations also play a role in your decision-making. If you’re aiming for 1080p gaming at high refresh rates or venturing into 1440p territory, it’s essential to opt for a GPU that can comfortably manage these requirements without compromising on settings. Furthermore, the GPU’s VRAM, which affects texture loading and multitasking potential, and compatibility with software or games you regularly use should also be at the forefront of your considerations when building a PC around these parts.
Smart Access Memory
Additionally, when paired with an AMD GPU, the Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X will both gain access to Smart Access Memory. This feature, which is only available on AMD paired tech, allows your components faster access to memory, streamlining workflows and making your PC a powerful rig.
Price
Don’t let the ever-changing prices of GPUs and CPUs overwhelm you. Set a budget upfront to keep things under control. Then, prioritize the features that are most important for your use. The good news is that there are fantastic graphics cards available at a wide range of price points. By setting realistic expectations based on your budget, you’ll land the perfect card that meets your needs without going over budget.
To snag a GPU at the ideal price, track its history using a tool like Camelcamelcamel. This website shows you price fluctuations over time, allowing you to jump on a deal when the price dips. Additionally, consider buying during seasonal sales like Amazon Spring Sale or Black Friday to maximize your savings.
