Currently priced at less than 300 bucks, this Navi architecture based GPU is launched by AMD in order to break Nvidia’s dominance in 1080p gaming market. This situation has put it against the likes of GTX 1660 Ti and 1660 Super cards.
It beats them in real-world testing done by other reviewers as well as us.
We played games like GTA V, The Division 2, and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and found 5600 XT to score 10% more points (on average) than 1650 Ti/Super cards in these games at 1080p. Actually, we found its performance to be quite closer to RTX 2060’s, which is kinda surprising because RTX 2060 is more powerful as well as more expensive than 5600 XT.
3 Best CPUs For Radeon RX 5600 XT
My Top Pick CPU AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT 6-core, 12-threads unlocked desktop processor with Wraith Spire cooler Intel Core i5-9400F Desktop Processor 6 Cores 4.1 GHz Turbo Without Graphics AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Spire Cooler Cores / Threads 6 / 12 6 / 6 6 / 12 Base Frequency 4.0 GHz 2.9 GHz 3.8 GHz Boost Frequency 4.5 GHz 4.1 GHz 4.4 GHz Hyperthreading Yes No Yes TDP 95W 65W 95W Check Price Check Price Check Price My Top Pick CPU AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT 6-core, 12-threads unlocked desktop processor with Wraith Spire cooler Cores / Threads 6 / 12 Base Frequency 4.0 GHz Boost Frequency 4.5 GHz Hyperthreading Yes TDP 95W Check Price CPU Intel Core i5-9400F Desktop Processor 6 Cores 4.1 GHz Turbo Without Graphics Cores / Threads 6 / 6 Base Frequency 2.9 GHz Boost Frequency 4.1 GHz Hyperthreading No TDP 65W Check Price CPU AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Spire Cooler Cores / Threads 6 / 12 Base Frequency 3.8 GHz Boost Frequency 4.4 GHz Hyperthreading Yes TDP 95W Check Price
As a response, Nvidia has lowered the more powerful RTX 2060’s price in order to make it more compelling. It makes the situation even more complex, and we will have to wait for a few months to find a clear winner.
All in all, Rx 5600 XT is an excellent GPU for a $800-$1000 gaming PC. It excels if you play games even at 1080p ultra settings, and unlike what AMD has billed it to be, you can use it for 1440p gaming as well but would have to downgrade some other settings.
In this post, we’ll discuss the best processors from both AMD and Intel that you can pair up with this card. Having a suitable CPU-graphics card combo is essential for any PC build because you’ll be facing bottleneck-related issues otherwise.
1. AMD Ryzen 5 3600X or 3600 XT
Best AMD CPU For RX 5600 XT: Ryzen 5 3600 XT
The most powerful CPU for RX 5600 XT you can pair is the Ryzen 5 3600X as it will help you in getting most power out of this GPU.
It’s the latest midrange CPU by AMD and is aimed towards those who’re looking to build/upgrade their gaming PC within $750-$1000 price range.
It comes with 6 cores, 12 threads, 95 Watt TDP, and features a base clock of 3.8 GHz and boost clock of 4.4 GHz. Its predecessor, the Ryzen 2600X, had the same core and thread count, but 3600x still offers a lot of improvement in the form of 7nm process, Zen microarchitecture, and PCIe 4.0 connectivity.
We played different games (The Witcher III, Battlefield V, and Far Cry 5), and got good results on each of them.
In fact, it performed better than previous-gen Ryzen 2700X in all of those tests. Even in tests related to productivity, it managed to beat the likes of Ryzen 2700X and i7-8700K, but predictably performed poorer as compared to its big brother 3700X.
One thing I like is that you do get a stock cooler out of the box, which helps in keeping your overall build within the budget you’ve allocated at the start.
The one turn-off for me is that while you can overclock it very easily, thanks to AMD’s Ryzen Master software, there’s only a slight headroom for that. Also, an x570 motherboard is required to utilize PCIe 4.0 connectivity. And even the cheapest of these x570 motherboards costs more than 150 bucks.
You can install it on older x470 and B450 motherboards as well, but there’ll be no PCIe 4.0 then.
Overall, this is the best CPU you can have for RX 5600 XT if you want some productivity on top of 1080p/1440p gaming. It does good job in both single and multi-threaded tasks, and offers a good price-to-performance ratio.
According to PCGamesN.com
The Ryzen 5 3600X poses a solid one-size-fits-all solution for gamers. It’s undoubtedly a convincing upgrade over previous generation chips and the competition’s fare, capable of both multithreaded every day workloads, a modicum of content creation, and, crucially, fantastic gaming performance.
For the more current generation of the Ryzen 5, check out the XT model. 
AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Spire Cooler
- The world’s most advanced processor in the desktop PC gaming segment
- Can deliver ultra-fast 100+ FPS performance in the world’s most popular games system memory specification 3200 MHz
- 6 Cores and 12 processing threads bundled with the powerful AMD Wraith Spire cooler
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2. Intel Core i5-9400F
Best Intel CPU For RX 5600 XT
In case you want to keep yourself in the $150-$165 price range for a CPU but don’t want to be in team RED, you can take a look at the Intel’s Core i5-9400F.
Unlike other Intel 9th Gen CPUs, it has the letter F at the end instead of k, which indicates that there’s no onboard graphics unit on this chip, and a discrete graphics unit is necessary. Functionality wise, it’s identical to the Core i5 9400, except the fact that 9400 actually comes with Intel integrated graphics.
Both of them are the successors to highly-successful 8th-Gen i5-8400. Supply shortage forced Intel to start shipping some of their chips without onboard graphics and this resulted in the F series of 9th Gen CPUs.
To test its perform, we decided to compare it with the Ryzen 3600 because, other than thread count, they have more or less same specs.
In most of the games, it was the Ryzen 3600 that won, by small margins mostly: while 9400F took the lead in some other games such as Far cry New Dawn, Rage 2, Hitman 2, and Total War: Three kingdoms – again, by small margins.
In productivity related tests though, the difference was more clearer in the favor of Ryzen 3600, due to more threads of the latter. Here we found Ryzen 3600 to be at least 25% faster than 9400F in most of those tests. To be fair though, 9400F also consumed 20% less power in those tests as well.
The one big thing I didn’t like in i5-9400F is the fact that it’s multiplier locked, which means that you cannot overclock this CPU.
This is exactly the reason why you get a stock CPU cooler with this processor because Intel mostly doesn’t ship coolers with their unlocked CPUs. Apart from this, there’s no hyperthreading and i5-9400f is just a minor improvement over the i5-8400.
Overall, if you want to do anything productive work beside gaming, then you should go for something like Ryzen 3600/3600X. For strict gaming though, it’s a decent option for $700-$800 PC build.
Intel Core i5-9400F Desktop Processor 6 Cores 4.1 GHz Turbo Without Graphics
- 6 Cores/ 6 Threads
- 2.90 GHz up to 4.10 GHz Max Turbo Frequency/ 9 MB cache, Bus Speed: 8 GT/s DMI3
- Compatible only with Motherboards based on Intel 300 Series Chipsets: Intel B360 Chipset, Intel H370 Chipset, Intel H310 Chipset, Intel Q370 Chipset, Intel Z390 Chipset, Intel Z370 Chipset
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Conclusion
These were some CPUs that we think to be most suitable for new RX 5600 XT graphics card. In case you want to check its compatibility with any other CPU, let us know in the comments below.
FAQ Best CPU AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT for Gaming on a PC Desktop 2023
What are the best GPUs for gaming PCs in 2024?
In 2024, top contenders for the best GPUs in gaming PCs include the Nvidia GeForce RTX series and the AMD Radeon RX series, known for their high performance and advanced features.
How does the Ryzen 5 5600 compare to other CPUs for gaming?
The Ryzen 5 5600 is a strong choice for gaming, offering excellent performance with multiple cores and efficient power consumption. It competes well with the Intel Core i5 and is suitable for high-performance gaming.
Is the Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 5600 XT a good option for a gaming desktop?
Yes, the Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 5600 XT is a great option for a gaming desktop. It offers excellent 1080p gaming performance and is often considered one of the best value graphics cards on the market.
What makes the Nvidia GeForce RTX series stand out among the best graphics cards for gaming PCs?
The Nvidia GeForce RTX series stands out for its advanced ray-tracing capabilities, AI-enhanced graphics, and overall high-performance gaming experience, making them some of the best graphics cards for gamers.
Which CPUs are recommended as the best CPUs for gaming in 2024?
In 2024, the best CPUs for gaming include the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, Ryzen 7 7800X3D, and the latest Intel Core i7 models. These CPUs offer high core counts, excellent CPU performance, and are optimized for gaming.
When choosing the best PC for gaming, what factors should be considered for the best overall experience?
When choosing the best PC for gaming, consider the CPU performance, GPU capabilities, at least 16GB RAM, a fast SSD (preferably 512GB or more), and a high-quality gaming monitor for the best overall experience.
For a budget gaming PC, what are the key components to focus on for the best value?
In a budget gaming PC, focus on a solid CPU (like Ryzen 5 or Intel Core i5), a decent discrete graphics card (such as Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 or RX 590), at least 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD to get the best value.
What are the advantages of having an SSD, particularly a 512GB SSD, in a gaming computer?
Having a 512GB SSD in a gaming computer offers faster load times, quicker data transfer, and overall smoother performance compared to traditional hard drives, enhancing the gaming experience.
What is the importance of RGB in gaming rigs?
RGB lighting in gaming rigs is primarily aesthetic, allowing gamers to customize the look of their setup. It doesn’t impact performance but adds a personal touch to the gaming experience.
Why is the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti a popular choice among PC gamers, especially when it comes to gaming performance?
The GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is popular among PC gamers for its excellent balance of price and performance. It offers great 1080p gaming performance, making it a top choice for gamers looking for high-quality graphics on a budget.