Best CPU for ~$200 to pair with RTX 3060 (mid-range build)

[DeathMetalJedi]

I don't have a preference for Intel or AMD. Whatever has the best bang for the buck around that price range. I'd just like something that will pair well with the 3060 for gaming and visual studios which is what I use most for my programming projects in university.

[Illusion of Progress]

Let's rule out AM5 based on CPUs starting above that, and the necessary DDR5 RAM being costly.

That means for AMD, your option would be about the 5600X or even 5700X (slightly above budget). the 5600 (non-X) might even be a better deal if it can be found cheaper than the 5600X, as it's not much slower.

For Intel, you'd be looking at a Core i5 12400 (or 12400F) or similar, and using DDR4 instead of DDR5 (this can hurt the platform performance some so keep in mind to note what RAM its using if you consult benchmarks/reviews).

So I'd try and do research around those models and see which is better. I know that normally the 12th generation is typically a bit faster than Ryzen 5000 series, but I'm not sure if that applies to the 12400 (I say that because the same thing was true of the 10th generation being a bit faster than the Ryzen 3000 series, but the 3600X was typically a bit faster, or at least not slower, than the 10400F due to the latter having some limits).

Both the 5600, 5600X, and 12400 are hex cores (6 cores) with Hyper-threading/SMT (so 12 threads total). The 12400 doesn't have any additional "e-cores". It's just a strict hex core with only performance cores.

The 5700X might be a "dark horse" consideration in that it allows you to step up to an octo core by barely breaking the budget. It's an excellent value for an octo core and is what the 3700X was in 2020. If any of your software scales well with additional cores/threads, I'd probably recommend considering this.

Lastly, any of these CPUs would pair well with an RTX 3060.

Edit: Oh, I should mention, but the 12400 and Ryzen 5 5600/X seems to include a heatsink/fan cooler. The 5700X would not, so this would raise the total price of going with it unfortunately.

[Haruspex]

A Ryzen 5 5600x would be a good fit for that card with little to no bottleneck. 0% bottleneck at 1080p and less than 5% bottleneck at 1440p.

Illusion of Progress の投稿を引用：

That means for AMD, your option would be about the 5600X or even 5700X (slightly above budget). the 5600 (non-X) might even be a better deal if it can be found cheaper than the 5600X, as it's not much slower.

Yep, from what I could tell the 5600x was only $10 more than the standard 5600.

[DeathMetalJedi]

Illusion of Progress の投稿を引用：

Let's rule out AM5 based on CPUs starting above that, and the necessary DDR5 RAM being costly.

That means for AMD, your option would be about the 5600X or even 5700X (slightly above budget). the 5600 (non-X) might even be a better deal if it can be found cheaper than the 5600X, as it's not much slower.

For Intel, you'd be looking at a Core i5 12400 (or 12400F) or similar, and using DDR4 instead of DDR5 (this can hurt the platform performance some so keep in mind to note what RAM its using if you consult benchmarks/reviews).

So I'd try and do research around those models and see which is better. I know that normally the 12th generation is typically a bit faster than Ryzen 5000 series, but I'm not sure if that applies to the 12400 (I say that because the same thing was true of the 10th generation being a bit faster than the Ryzen 3000 series, but the 3600X was typically a bit faster, or at least not slower, than the 10400F due to the latter having some limits).

Both the 5600, 5600X, and 12400 are hex cores (6 cores) with Hyper-threading/SMT (so 12 threads total). The 12400 doesn't have any additional "e-cores". It's just a strict hex core with only performance cores.

The 5700X might be a "dark horse" consideration in that it allows you to step up to an octo core by barely breaking the budget. It's an excellent value for an octo core and is what the 3700X was in 2020. If any of your software scales well with additional cores/threads, I'd probably recommend considering this.

Lastly, any of these CPUs would pair well with an RTX 3060.

Awesome. Really great and in depth answer, thanks!

[Lunch-b0x]

8bitbeard の投稿を引用：

A Ryzen 5 5600x would be a good fit for that card with little to no bottleneck. 0% bottleneck at 1080p and less than 5% bottleneck at 1440p.

Illusion of Progress の投稿を引用：

That means for AMD, your option would be about the 5600X or even 5700X (slightly above budget). the 5600 (non-X) might even be a better deal if it can be found cheaper than the 5600X, as it's not much slower.

Yep, from what I could tell the 5600x was only $10 more than the standard 5600.

Do you mean 0% bottleneck at 1440p and less than 5% at 1080p? The higher resolution you render at, the less the CPU matters and bottlenecks the GPU.

[Haruspex]

CLAYT0N の投稿を引用：

Do you mean 0% bottleneck at 1440p and less than 5% at 1080p? The higher resolution you render at, the less the CPU matters and bottlenecks the GPU.

It's GPU bottleneck. 95% CPU utilization and 100% GPU utilization at 1440p.

[Lunch-b0x]

8bitbeard の投稿を引用：

CLAYT0N の投稿を引用：

Do you mean 0% bottleneck at 1440p and less than 5% at 1080p? The higher resolution you render at, the less the CPU matters and bottlenecks the GPU.

It's GPU bottleneck. 95% CPU utilization and 100% GPU utilization at 1440p.

That's not quite how that works. It's incredibly unlikely you'd have 100% CPU usage and 100% GPU usage at the same time in any scenario other than specifically stress testing. Especially with the hardware combination you've suggested.

Could you please explain your rationale behind giving that (I assume) example? What makes you think that there would be 100% CPU Usage and 100% GPU usage at 1080p? Do you have any sources or references?

[Haruspex]

CLAYT0N の投稿を引用：

8bitbeard の投稿を引用：

It's GPU bottleneck. 95% CPU utilization and 100% GPU utilization at 1440p.

That's not quite how that works. It's incredibly unlikely you'd have 100% CPU usage and 100% GPU usage at the same time in any scenario other than specifically stress testing. Especially with the hardware combination you've suggested.

Could you please explain your rationale behind giving that (I assume) example? What makes you think that there would be 100% CPU Usage and 100% GPU usage at 1080p? Do you have any sources or references?

Generally speaking under theoretical ideal conditions. This is as calculated by one of those bottleneck calculator sites. I understand that under real-world conditions the usage would be very different, and it largely depends on the game.

Don't focus too hard on the hasty, unconfirmed, and non-scientific numbers I posted. Doesn't change the fact that the Ryzen 5 5600 is a very good match for the 3060 and at about $135, it's within OP's budget.

[AmaiAmai]

If you live in America, check out:

https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/?f=flair_name%3A%22CPU%22

To see some CPU sales. If you live near a Microcenter, you can get the 5600 for around 100 USD with the cooler following the advice here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/comments/yijpck/cpu_amd_ryzen_5_5600_vermeer_35ghz_6core_am4/

Otherwise it is 129 ... If you can get it at near 100, don't think anything can beat the value.

[Rumpelcrutchskin]

https://www.newegg.com/amd-ryzen-7-5700g-ryzen-7-5000-g-series/p/N82E16819113682?Item=N82E16819113682

[🦜Cloud Boy🦜]

Buy the cheapest one you can find. Ryzen 5600x is currently only $158 on Newegg.
For RTX 3060, you won't get any noticeable gain by buying more expensive CPUs.

[Lunch-b0x]

8bitbeard の投稿を引用：

CLAYT0N の投稿を引用：

That's not quite how that works. It's incredibly unlikely you'd have 100% CPU usage and 100% GPU usage at the same time in any scenario other than specifically stress testing. Especially with the hardware combination you've suggested.

Could you please explain your rationale behind giving that (I assume) example? What makes you think that there would be 100% CPU Usage and 100% GPU usage at 1080p? Do you have any sources or references?

Generally speaking under theoretical ideal conditions. This is as calculated by one of those bottleneck calculator sites. I understand that under real-world conditions the usage would be very different, and it largely depends on the game.

Don't focus too hard on the hasty, unconfirmed, and non-scientific numbers I posted. Doesn't change the fact that the Ryzen 5 5600 is a very good match for the 3060 and at about $135, it's within OP's budget.

I'm not disputing that the pairing is a good and fair pairing. I'm disputing the notion that there will be a bottleneck between the two at 1440p instead of 1080p. The most ideal situation while gaming is that you have 100% GPU usage. Unless a game is framerate capped, or just not intensive enough to clock the GPU above idle speeds (Plants VS Zombies).

I just think what you said regarding bottlenecks is misinformation and citing a "bottleneck calculator site" as a source of valid information or correct information is pretty...well for lack of better words, ignorant and naive.

[Illusion of Progress]

8bitbeard の投稿を引用：

This is as calculated by one of those bottleneck calculator sites. I understand that under real-world conditions the usage would be very different, and it largely depends on the game.

Yeah, I agree with the above. I'm all for not nit-picking over broad numbers that might be inaccurate but are close enough to get the message across, but bottleneck calculators should possibly be given less credence than Userbenchmark, and that is saying something.

The real world of software is simply way too variable for something like that to apply. Averaging it also doesn't work well when even the same program won't be static in its balance from moment to moment. Now take that and add that many games are VASTLY (I can't overstate that enough) different from the next, and then who knows how the things you may be interested in compare to the collection of software they use to "average" the calculation out. Certain things, and "bottleneck calculators" are among them, are honestly things I despise and wish didn't exist, because they just give users wrong ideas about how tech works.

[kilésengati]

I would get one with an half-way decent iGPU. 6 cores should be possible with both AMD and Intel at that price, but AMD seems to be the more rounded option with iGPUs.

For one as a fall-back and then for better efficiency and keeping the dGPU clear for heavy lifting.

More importantly, I wouldn't cheap-out on the mainboard and get one with GPU passthrough, to give you more versatility using a VM - especially should you be into games from the 2000s and early 2010s (due to DRM incompatibility) or considering switching to Linux.

[kwi kwi]

Intel is good with Nvidia

[kilésengati]

TEA2111 の投稿を引用：

Intel is good with Nvidia

That's an urban myth.