Intel Core i3 9100F was and is still a popular quad-core CPU that could power entry-level gaming machines. Even though we have come a few generations ahead, there are still numerous users across the world who run an i3 9100F in their systems.
It would not be a surprise if a lot of them both this a few years back for building a budget gaming build and even though this processor is still capable of gaming, several-year-old budget GPUs may not.
Hence, if you own this CPU and want to know if you can still game on it, then the answer is Yes. The only thing you need now is to upgrade your graphics card in order to play with smooth gameplay at 1080p.
Here are the top 5 GPUs I recommend using with this processor in 2023.
Best GPUs for Core i3 9100F
AMD Radeon RX 6400
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AMD’s RX 6400 debuted last year but didn’t appeal to a lot of gamers. However, at its current pricing of around $150, it is one of the coolest GPUs out there. Not only it beats most sub $150 GPUs but also comes in a low-profile structure.
It features 768 Stream Processors and 4GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus. 4GB VRAM will be sufficient for most games at 1080p and it will easily get you 40-60 fps in a lot of titles on medium settings.
If you are more into eSports games and older titles, then it can definitely play most of them on high settings. Keep in mind that it won’t max out modern AAA and if you want to do that, then consider the next few options.
Nvidia Geforce GTX 1650
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The GTX 1650 is the direct competitor to the RX 6400 but doesn’t have any PCI-E bandwidth limitation. Even though the RX 6400 performs as good as the GTX 1650, the latter has more capability due to featuring 4GB GDDR6 VRAM on a bigger 128-bit memory bus.
The GTX 1650 is running for a solid 3 years as one of the best budget graphics cards and is still owned by hundreds of thousands of gamers across the world.
AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT
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The card when released was hardly praised by anyone, however, with time it made a good impression on budget gamers. With RX 6500 XT, expect at least a 20% performance boost over both the RX 6400 and GTX 1650.
It features 1024 SPs, a clock frequency of up to 2815MHz, and 4GB GDDR6 VRAM on a 64-bit bus. Now, except for the narrow bus width, it is fantastic for 1080p gaming and can play almost every game on high settings with 60 fps.
With the i3 9100F, it would be an excellent choice if you want to build a system for $600.
Intel ARC A750
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When Intel launched its ARC Alchemist GPUs, they hardly impressed the gamer community and it happened mostly due to immature drivers. Since then, Intel has kept releasing new drivers every other week resulting in massive performance uplifts in newer and older titles as well.
With the ARC A750, you can easily play most games on ultra at 1080p without dropping below 60fps but of course, some games are exceptions. This card features a good 8GB GDDR6 VRAM on a 256-bit memory bus which is rare these days and costs just $200-$230.
AMD Radeon RX 6600
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Lastly, if you want fully mature drivers, then consider going with the RX 6600 which provides a sweet spot gaming experience at 1080p resolution. Compared to the A750, the RX 6600 may lose sometimes but in some games, it takes a big lead ahead.
The RX 6600 comes with 1792 SPs and 8GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus. It is even capable of Ray Tracing and can use FSR to uplift the frame rates.
With i3 9100F, this is the max I would suggest going with or there are chances that your CPU will be bottlenecked if the GPU is too powerful.
