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NVIDIA has finally released its long-awaited RTX2060 graphics card. This amazing card finally brings to life Artificial Intelligence as well as ray tracing technology, giving gamers an incredible and unmatched graphics experience. For gamers, it’s a game-changing piece of hardware.
CPUs for Nvidia RTX2060 Comparison Table
PRODUCTFEATURESLATEST PRICE
1. AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler 
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2. Intel Core i9-9900KS 
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3. AMD Ryzen 7-3700X 
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4. Intel Core i7-9700K 
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5. Intel Core i5 9600K 
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6. Ryzen 5 3600X 
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However, it’s the CPU that allows this amazing graphics card to work. Using this graphics card with a sub-par CPU will leave a gamer frustrated from bottlenecks, dropped frames, and the inability to experience full 1080p HD.
In this article, we researched the top CPUs for use with the RTX2060.
CPUs for Nvidia RTX2060 Buying Guide
1. AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler
Product Highlights
With AMD historically ignored for the more well known and reputable Intel processors, the Ryzen 5 series is rapidly closing the gap between AMD and Intel. Consumers rate this chip as the best to work with the RTX2060, for both its price point and performance offering.
Features
- A 64-bit Hexa-core
- 12 cores and 24 threads in Desktop mode
- Operates at 3.4 GHz
- Comes bundled with a fan and thermal paste
What We Like About AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler
The AMD Ryzen 2600, offers a number of significant benefits over its competitors. The price of the Ryzen CPU is half of that of its closest competitor, the Intel I7-8700.
The Ryzen comes bundled with an included fan, the Wraith Stealth cooler, which is designed to be super quiet. As a rule, AMD offers a cooling system with its chips, while Intel does not. This makes the AMD chip more attractive to consumers from a value point of view.
Overclocking is no problem for this beast. The AMD Ryzen 5 truly lives up to its hype.
Read Related Topic: CPU for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070
What We Don’t Like About AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler
Despite all the benefits of this CPU, it does have its drawbacks. Firstly, AMD provides a cheap thermal paste together with the fan, which is packaged with the CPU. Many users who have commented have mentioned the lack of a decent thermal paste as a significant sore point.
Users have also complained that the out-of-the-box fan itself is also inadequate, and temperatures of the CPU and inside the case rise too quickly. While the attraction of the bundled fan and paste is an advantage over it’s Intel counterparts, heavy usage gamers find that they are forced to replace the fan with a liquid-cooled unit.
Users have also commented that it may be necessary to flash the BIOS before the chip will work properly.
Finally, seating the fan is difficult, and requires a great deal of force to install. The fan is built with spring-loaded screws, and users found it very hard to push them into their respective holes in the motherboard.
PROS
- PCIe 4.0 support
- High thread and core count
- Excellent price to performance ratio
- Comes bundled with a fan as a standard configuration
CONS
- Power consumption is extremely high
- Performance still lags behind an Intel processor
- The bundled thermal paste is inadequate for this fan/chip configuration
2. Intel Core i9-9900KS
Product Highlights
This is a top of the line processor and is a member of the latest Intel processor family. This processor is the fastest for 1080p gaming applications, however, power consumption and high heat are a concern with this chip.
Features
- Boost clock of 5 GHz
- 8 cores and 16 threads
- Supports up to 128 GB DDR4-2666 memory
What We Like About Intel Core i9-9900KS
If you are using a gaming configuration, and want the best CPU that you can get to work together with the RTX2060, this is it. In tests, this chip rated a 100% when used in a gaming configuration. This CPU clearly beats its competitors in terms of performance. With its 8 cores and 16 threads, this CPU is well set to work with the newest gaming technologies making their appearances on the market.
What We Don’t Like About Intel Core i9-9900KS
As with any powerful CPU, the power consumption and heat development are big drawbacks to this particular CPU. Intel does not provide a fan or thermal paste with this CPU, so you’re on your own to ensure you purchase the correct cooling system for use with this CPU.
The other drawback with this CPU is that it has fewer cores and threads than other competitors. While this doesn’t cause significant degradation in performance than other CPUs, for applications that require complex computations, there could be a noticeable difference in the speed.
PROS
- 8 cores & 16 threads
- Fastest CPU for use with 1080p gaming
- 5 GHz one core clock performance, virtually unheard of
- Great for multitasking
CONS
- Does not come bundled with a cooling system
- Pricewise, it’s a bit on the expensive side considering the number of cores
- Only works with motherboards based on Intel 300 series chipset
3. AMD Ryzen 7-3700X
Product Highlights
The AMD Ryzen 7 can be found at the front of the pack in terms of savings, performance, and power usage. With a 90% five star rating from 5,982 reviews, this CPU is a favorite of consumers and gives Intel a run for its money.
Features
- 8 cores/16 threads
- Low power output
- Significantly cheaper than its competitors, with almost the same results
What We Like About AMD Ryzen 7-3700X
We love the cost of this CPU. Considering it’s almost $250 cheaper than the top of the line i9-9900ks, and contains the same number of cores, you are really paying an amazing price for some hefty hardware.
The performance is also very close to other CPUs that can be found at the top of the list.
What We Don’t Like About AMD Ryzen 7-3700X
While the performance and pricing structure of this CPU are both definitely driving points for consumers, it’s still not an Intel processor. Intel does hold the top spot in terms of providing an unimaginable gaming experience.
Users have also found that some applications will bottleneck when using this CPU. It is estimated that approximately 10% of applications might experience some performance issues when using this CPU.
PROS
- Large L3 cache offers great performance
- Built-in cooling system included
- Price to performance ratio is incredible
CONS
- Overclocking isn’t the best
- Intel CPUs offer a better experience
4. Intel Core i7-9700K
Product Highlights
This CPU is closest to the AMD Ryzen 7-3700k in terms of cores and performance. However, being an Intel processor, the price point is much higher than you may find with the comparable AMD processor.
Features
- 8 cores/8 threads
- 4.9 GHz turbo
- 12 MB cache
- Supports up to 64 GB DDR4 memory
What We Like About Intel Core i7-9700K
It’s an Intel product, which means it’s got Intel performance powering its performance. It’s a superb CPU for gaming configurations. When paired with a separate, robust video card, such as the RTX2060, this CPU really shows its strengths.
It also handles a single core experience like a champ.
This CPU handles demanding 3D graphics nicely and maintains high frame rates when playing high refresh games.
What We Don’t Like About Intel Core i7-9700K
For a significantly lower price, chips from competitors provide a very similar experience for gaming users and offer more threads and cores than the 9700k. In the long run, it’s likely that more cores and threads will be the kingmaker when it comes to gaming applications and HD displays.
Unlike the AMD chips, a compatible cooling system is not included in the package. This means that a user who is building a computer using this Intel chip must shell out some extra bucks to purchase an adequate cooling system for this chip.
There’s also the issue of PCI Express support. This CPU does not provide PCI Express 4.0 support.
PROS
- It has excellent performance when in a gaming configuration
- It offers 8 cores and 8 threads, which is comparable with other CPUs in its class
- Soldered IHS allows for better heat release
CONS
- Very pricey for performance
- Cooler not included
- No hyperthreading support
5. Intel Core i5 9600K
Product Highlights
Continuing on in the mid-range group is the i5-9600k 9th generation CPU.
Features
- 6 cores/6 threads
- 3.7 GHz up to 4.6 GHz Turbo
- Unlocked and Overclockable
- Integrated UHD Graphics 630 support
- 9 MB L3 cache
What We Like About Intel Core i5 9600K
It’s an affordable CPU, and offers hyperthreading architecture. It also provides onboard UHD Graphics controller support, which offers improved graphics and visual quality.
Even though the hyper thread technology is built into the chip, it works flawlessly in single-thread applications.
Intel provides a solder-based thermal interface, which enables a higher multi-core Turbo Boost frequency.
What We Don’t Like About Intel Core i5 9600K
As is typical with most CPUs in this range, a cooler is not included. Additionally, this CPU doesn’t perform well with threaded workloads.
While the i5-9600k does provide 9 MB L3 memory, it’s not even close to its main competitor – the Ryzen 5 3600x, which offers 32 MB cache.
PROS
- Great for gamers
- Single-threaded performance
- Unlocked for overclocking
CONS
- A Z-series motherboard is required to overclock
- The cooler is not bundled with the processor
6. Ryzen 5 3600X
Product Highlights
A real powerhouse with significant advantages over its competitors. This chip has the most L3 cache memory of any of its competitors and offers 12 threads over the 8 of its nearest competition.
Features
- 6 cores/12 threads
- 3.8GHz
- 32 MB L3 cache
What We Like About Ryzen 5 3600X
This chip will work with prior AM4 motherboards, as well as AMD 300 and 400 models.
There is no need to overclock. The AMD Precision Boost overdrive feature manages any threading and overclocking automatically.
What We Don’t Like About Ryzen 5 3600X
If using an X-570 motherboard, you will lose PCIe 4.0 compatibility. But that’s an easy pill to swallow as the X-570 is more expensive than the AMD 300 & 400 boards.
PROS
- The PCIe 4.0 feature makes it more attractive than its competitors
- The L3 cache size of 32 MB is an unparalleled feature, not found in any chip in its price range
- Automatic overclocking and threading using the Precision Boost Overdrive feature
CONS
- Potential for overclocking is limited
- Does not include integrated graphics, so a dedicated graphics card will be needed
Final Verdict
The choice of what CPU to purchase boils down to cost, whether you want to stick with Intel as being the brand leader, and what you are doing with your computer.
With AMD the rising star of the CPU world – and quickly catching up with the Intel chips – we find that the AMD 5-3600X is the best of the pack. It’s affordable, has tremendous capabilities, and works with most current motherboards. In fact, none of the Intel chips are even comparable with the 3600X. The next closest chip is AMD’s own stable CPU.
It is also poised to work with soon-to-be-released games that use high core and thread counts. With the highest core/thread count of this family, games will have all the computing power to work with incredible frame rates, no dropped frames, and no bottlenecks.
In general, gamers should be looking at AMD as the new king of gaming. While they are still catching up from behind, the AMD chips are a formidable challenge to Intel’s status as king of gaming CPUs.
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