In The List
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel CPU BX8070110100F Core i3-10100F / 3.6GHz /... | $69.89 | Order On Amazon | |
| Intel® Core™ 12th Gen i3-12100F desktop... | $81.95 $76.52 | Order On Amazon | |
| Intel Core i5 Core 12400F Desktop Processor 18M... | $206.25 $111.34 | Order On Amazon | |
| AMD Ryzen 5 5600 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked... | $199.00 $107.98 | Order On Amazon |
The Geforce RTX 3050 was officially launched on 27th January 2022 and with this, we have one more budget gaming GPU that can play games perfectly on 1080p resolution. Although the pricing of this card is high compared to other budget cards, if you can get it under $250, then it is certainly not bad.
In order to squeeze the maximum performance out of this GPU, you will need to consider a few things. The most impact comes from the main processor of your gaming rig. If you can get your CPU-Combo to deliver the best value without bottlenecking any of these, you are building the best possible gaming PC for your money.
Therefore, based on the various tests and benchmarks by different sources, the following list contains the best gaming processors you should combine with your RTX 3050. Each of these has a different price and hence, you will get different performance with each combination.
3 Best CPUs For RTX 3050
Intel Core i3 10100F
- 10th Generation Intel Core i3 Processor
- 4 Cores; 8 Threads
- 4.30 GHz Max Turbo Frequency, 3.60 GHz Processor...
- 6 MB Intel Smart Cache
The Core i3 10100F is now two years old but despite that, it brings an ideal value for its money. The reason is quite simple. Intel already has its 11th and 12th gen Core i3 processors in the market and this has led to the price decrease of i3 10100F. But do not underestimate its performance.
It is currently the fastest gaming processor under $100 and thus, it is one of the finest choices for the RTX 3050. It won’t bottleneck the RTX 3050 in the least as it comes with 4 cores and 8 threads clocked at 3.60GHz. Moreover, it has an awesome turbo boost of 4.3GHz which the games love.
For this CPU, you will have to use an LGA 1200 motherboard and if you want to upgrade to a higher-end processor you can only do so with an Intel Core 10th gen processor like the i5 10600K or i7 10700K. But in case you want better performance and easy upgradability, then consider the next option.
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
Core i3 12100F was launched the early 2022 and it is as capable as some of the Core i5 processors from the previous generation. This CPU is a decent upgrade over the i3 10100F and can deliver a noticeable boost in gaming performance. While its productivity applications, it completely annihilates the 10100F.
This makes it an ideal option for RTX 3050. It comes with 4 cores and 8 threads with clock speeds of 3.30GHz and 4.3GHz which on paper look lower than the i3 10100F but being manufactured on new process technology and better architecture, it gets the job done with a little less power consumption.
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
In the Alder Lake family, we have the Best Budget Gaming Processor considering all the options from AMD and Intel. The Core i5 12400F is priced at $180 and it delivers higher performance than previous Core i5s while also competing with the latest Ryzen 5000 processors.
This will give you an upper hand as it will save a decent amount of cash in many ways. The first one is that it doesn’t require any aftermarket CPU cooler as it comes with a Laminar RM1 CPU cooler which is fine for daily use and is quieter than the older Intel stock cooling solution.
The second one is that you won’t need an overclockable chipset motherboard as it is a locked chip. You can just install it on an H610 motherboard or if you want more features, you can get the B660 and you will have the perfectly balanced gaming system that will deliver the highest possible gaming performance for the money.
AMD Ryzen 5 5600
- Item Package Dimension: 5.40L x 5.27W x 2.90H...
- Item Package Weight - 0.95 Pounds
- Item Package Quantity - 1
- Product Type - COMPUTER PROCESSOR
No doubt that AMD was forced to cut its CPUs prices when the Alder Lake series was launched and now almost every Ryzen 5 processor from the 5000 series is under $200 including the Ryzen 5600X and the 5600.
Ryzen 5600 was launched in the later batch and is identical to the 5600X except for a few specs. However, one of the best reasons to buy it for any budget or mid-range GPU is its value for the price.
It provides even better value than the i5 12400F because of its current pricing which remains mostly under $150. Its performance is also identical to the 12400F but unlike the i5 12400F, it can also be overclocked.
While the i5 12400F users can upgrade to the latest Rocket Lake CPUs, Ryzen 5600 users can only upgrade in the same series. This might be a disadvantage for some but if you are not planning to upgrade for the next 3-4 years, then the 5600 is going to be a better option anyways.
Final Words
There are almost a dozen CPUs that I could have listed here but these four are the only ones I believe to be the perfect match for the RTX 3050. Even among all of them, I consider the Ryzen 5600 to be the best CPU for various reasons like value, specs, and performance.
Let me know which processor you think will be the best match for the RTX 3050 in the comments below.
