Recently Nvidia launched its RTX 4060 Ti 8GB card and the 16GB is pending for July. Unfortunately, the card has disappointed almost everyone because it brings very minimal improvements over the 3060 Ti but costs way more.
Still, if this card can reach at around $300, I think it would be safe to buy it at that price point and if this ever happens, you need to take care of the other most important component which is the CPU.
In this post, we are going to take a look at how powerful and demanding the RTX 4060 Ti is, how you should choose a CPU for this card, and a list of the best CPUs we recommend.
Our Picks
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel® Core™ 12th Gen i3-12100F desktop... | $83.60 $76.52 | Order On Amazon | |
| AMD Ryzen 5 5500 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked... | $159.00 $83.58 | Order On Amazon | |
| AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-core, 12-Thread Unlocked... | $127.00 $105.00 | Order On Amazon | |
| Intel Core i5 Core 12400F Desktop Processor 18M... | $206.25 $111.34 | Order On Amazon | |
| AMD Ryzen 5 7600 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked... | $229.00 $178.99 | Order On Amazon |
Nvidia Geforce RTX 4060 Ti Overview
The RTX 4060 Ti belongs to the Ada Lovelace family and is based on the 5nm process node. It uses an AD106 GPU featuring a 128-bit memory bus and a memory configuration of 8GB/16GB.
4060 Ti replaces the RTX 3060 Ti from the previous generation and delivers 5-8% higher performance at 1080p but throttles due to the narrow memory bus at 1440p resolution.
The card does feature some improvements like significantly better power efficiency with only 160W of TDP, AV1 encoding support, and DLSS 3 support in compatible games.
Nvidia launched the 4060 Ti 8GB for $399 and the 16GB is priced at $499.
Understanding RTX 4060 Ti’s CPU Requirements
The RTX 4060 Ti is a mid-range card that Nvidia calls a 1080p gaming GPU. Although the previous gen 60 series cards have always been targeted at 1440p resolution, the 4060 Ti can surely game at both resolutions.
It’s not a very powerful card that requires an 8+ core CPU but a 6-core CPU is the best choice for it. It is important to note that some 4 cores 8 threads CPUs can definitely run it properly but if you want to game at 1440p, I recommend going with at least a 6-core CPU with hyperthreading.
Buying a 4-core CPU with no hyperthreading or something even worse than that will bottleneck the 4060 Ti but fortunately, we have a lot of affordable CPUs these days that will get the job done even if you have $100 in your pocket.
However, the following list contains CPUs that range from as low as $100 all the way up to $250 if you want a no-compromise solution for the future.
The Best CPU for RTX 4060 Ti
Intel Core i3 12100F
- Intel Core i3-12100F Desktop Processor 4 (4P-0E)...
- Item Package Dimension: 10.469L x 10.30W x 6.72H...
- Item Package Weight - 1.49 Pounds
- Item Package Quantity - 1
Intel Core i3s have come a far way in the past few years and with the Alder Lake family, you get one of the fastest yet one of the cheapest i3 CPU that features 4 performance cores and 8 threads.
This chip is very capable of handling even mid-range cards and can compete with CPUs with more cores due to featuring faster single-core performance. It has got a base/boost clock of 3.3/4.3GHz and features 12MB of L3 cache which is a big uplift from previous generations.
Being a locked chip, you don’t need to worry about doing additional stuff and all you need to do is throw it on a budget H610 chipset motherboard and install the stock cooler. Not only this will be one of the best choices for an affordable mid-range build but it will also pave the path for upgrading to a faster Alder Lake or Rocket Lake CPU.
AMD Ryzen 5 5500
- Item Package Dimension: 5.43L x 5.27W x 2.86H...
- Item Package Weight - 0.97 Pounds
- Item Package Quantity - 1
- Product Type - COMPUTER PROCESSOR
If there is something that is closer to the i3 12100F, it is Ryzen 5 5500 from the Zen 3 lineup. This processor is even a better choice if you also consider productivity. This is due to the fact that it features 6 cores and 12 threads and is also overclockable.
Even though it initially launched for like $150, currently it is available for the price of 12100F i.e., below $100 which is why it is currently one of the top sellers on Amazon.
As far as its specs go, it is clocked at 3.6/4.2GHz and comes with 16MB of L3 cache. It is also more power efficient than the 12100F with 65W of default TDP and in real gaming tests, both these CPUs are almost identical in power consumption.
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- AMD's fastest 6 core processor for mainstream...
- Can deliver elite 100 plus FPS performance in the...
- Bundled with the quiet, capable AMD Wraith Stealth...
- 4.6 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 35...
To step up one level above, you can go with the Ryzen 5600X which boasts even more powerful specs than the 5500. Essentially it is similar to the Ryzen 5500 but features higher clock speeds and more headroom for overclocking.
Not only that but it also features a double L3 cache of 32MB while the TDP remains the same at 65W. There are 6 cores and 12 threads clocked at 3.7/4.6GHz that help get some good boost in gaming and considering that you already have more L3 cache, many games will benefit from it.
Intel Core i5 12400F
- Intel Core i5-12400F Desktop Processor 6 (6P+0E)...
- Item Package Dimension: 4.92L x 4.33W x 3.18H...
- Item Package Weight - 0.99 Pounds
- Item Package Quantity - 1
For Intel lovers, we have the Core i5 12400F for $150 which provides performance as good as the Ryzen 5600X. It also features 6 cores/12 threads clocked at 2.5/4.4Ghz but features 50% more L3 cache than the i3 12100F.
In gaming, it ties with the Ryzen 5600X but is not overclockable. However, it does feature a dynamic TDP range of 65-117W that helps it retain higher clock speeds that improve its performance.
Furthermore, one of the best benefits of using it is the choice of going with either DDR4 or DDR5 memories. With DDR5 memory, its performance gets a little noticeable boost and if you are on a tight budget, then you can opt for the DDR4 platform.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600
- The processor features Socket AM5 socket for...
- Ryzen 5 product line processor for better...
- 5 nm process technology provides dependable...
- Hexa-core (6 Core) processor core helps processor...
Lastly, we have the latest gen Ryzen 7600 from AMD’s Zen 4 lineup which is perhaps the best value gaming CPU under $250. Even though it’s fine if you want to go even higher for something like a 7600X or i5 13600K, I believe that the Ryzen 7600 is sufficient for maxing out the 4060 Ti.
The CPU comes with 6 cores and 12 threads clocked at 3.8/5.1GHz. One of the best feats of this CPU is the high L2 and L3 cache combo of 38MB and the refresh die design that can access all the cache memory pretty quickly.
Still, 50% of its performance boost comes with its high clock speeds that can easily go beyond 5.0GHz and with overclocking you can even cross the 5.1GHz mark.
Final Words
For the 4060 Ti, I don’t think you need to spend $300+ on a CPU because there are plenty of great chips under $200 that will get the job done but if you still want to go one step further, then consider going with the i5 13600K which has significantly more cores and threads compared to any other processor on the list.
