NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card (GPU) remains a top option for many gamers looking to land a premium 1080p experience with extra features like DLSS 3 and ray tracing support. The RTX 4060 was released in June 2023, bringing improved efficiency and performance compared to its 30-series predecessor.
Coming in generally at around $300, the RTX 4060 is also a great graphics card if you want to take a step into 1440p gaming and don't mind lowering some in-game settings to push framerates. However, you shouldn't land on the RTX 4060 if you want to game at 4K.
Those building a new PC have some tough choices to make, especially when it comes to pairing hardware. If you've already settled on an NVIDIA RTX 4060 to handle the graphics workload, you're no doubt also looking for a processor (CPU) that can keep up with the GPU to prevent bottlenecks. You also don't want to overspend on a CPU unnecessarily.
With all that in mind, we've rounded up the best CPUs for NVIDIA's RTX 4060 right here, including high-end, mid-range, and budget options, to help you make the right decision in your next PC build.
Recent updates
November 14, 2024: I checked all retailers and prices to ensure these CPUs are still in stock and with the best prices. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are quickly approaching, so I added some buying advice and pricing history below my top picks. — Cale Hunt
Best AMD
AMD's Ryzen 5 7600X is an awesome pairing for the RTX 4060, especially if you only want to spend around $207. It'll keep up even with 1440p gaming, though you will have to be sure that your system's motherboard uses AMD's AM5 socket for proper compatibility. The CPU has 6 cores, 12 threads, boost frequency up to 5.3GHz, and support for DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0. If you'd rather stick with AMD's AM4 socket, check out the Ryzen 5 5600X instead as an even more affordable alternative.
Best Intel
If you'd rather stick with Intel, the 13th Gen Core i5-13600K remains a top option despite the 14th Gen release. The Core i5-13600K, compared to the 14600K, has the same 14 cores, 20 threads, and 125W TDP, working with the LGA 1700 socket. The Turbo boost is slightly lower at 5.1GHz, but that won't matter much in everyday gaming performance. Considering you can often find the i5-13600K for about $70 less than the i5-14600K, it should pair very well with the RTX 4060.
Best AM4 AMD
There are still plenty of PCs using a motherboard with AMD's older AM4 socket, and not everyone wants to spend on an upgrade. In that case, AMD's Ryzen 5 5600X remains a top AM4 option to pair with the RTX 4060 even if you want to try out 1440p gaming. DDR4 RAM and PCIe 4.0 support are included, and it boasts 6 cores, 12 threads, a 4.6Hz boost clock, and a 65W TDP. It's also the cheapest option in this collection at about $130, perfect for budget builds.
Best 14th Gen Intel
If you'd like to go with Intel's latest desktop chips, the Core i5-14600K should be the best choice for the RTX 4060. It's available for around $236, a much lower price compared to the i7-14700K, and it will easily keep up with 1080p and 1440p duties. It runs on the LGA 1700 socket for easier compatibility with older Intel systems, boasting 14 cores, 20 threads, and a 5.3GHz Turbo clock. DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 support are included.
Best AMD upgrade
If you'd like to maximize your CPU performance without overspending, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D should be considered. It's competitively priced but will easily crush 1080p and 1440p gaming duties when paired with an RTX 4060. The AM5 CPU has 8 cores, 16 threads, and a boost clock up to 5GHz, and it offers PCIe 5.0 compatibility and support for DDR5 RAM. Find it for around $459.
14th Gen Intel upgrade
The Core i7-14700K is one of Intel's latest desktop CPUs, great for those who want the latest generation and some extra processing power. Intel's Core i5 chips are no doubt still the best pairing for an RTX 4060, but the i7's 20 cores, 28 threads, and 5.6GHz Turbo boost will suit some users with about $348 to spend. It works on the LGA 1700 socket, and it has DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 support.
I love building gaming PCs, and writing for Windows Central gives me access to lots of the latest hardware. With in-house reviews and my decades of experience in tow, I can confidently recommend these CPUs to pair with your RTX 3060.
Getting the best CPU for NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4060 GPU
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The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 was released in 2023 as a successor to the RTX 3060. It remains a popular option for PC gamers who use a 1080p resolution with high framerates, but it's also capable of quality 1440p as long as you don't mind tweaking some in-game settings here and there to land a smoother experience.
I used an RTX 3060 paired with a Ryzen 5 CPU for a long time for 1440p with no issues, which is why I've selected the Ryzen 5 7600X as a top choice for anyone with an RTX 4060.
In our Ryzen 5 7600X review, former Windows Central Senior Editor Rich Edmonds remarked, "If you're looking to build a new gaming PC or a machine for doing some work and browsing websites, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X offers more than enough performance headroom. Even more demanding PC games and software will be able to take advantage of the higher clock speeds, so long as you have adequate cooling."
With prices now regularly hovering right around $207, it'll leave some money for you to upgrade other parts in your PC. Just be sure your PC already has a motherboard with AM5 socket; if you're still working with AM4 and don't want to upgrade, something like the Ryzen 5 5600X might be a better choice, especially if you're working with a tighter budget.
And if you'd like one of the newer AMD Ryzen 9000 chips, the Ryzen 5 9600X should be considered at about $247.
If you'd rather pair an Intel CPU with your RTX 4060, the 13th Gen Core i5-13600K remains the best option. It's not the latest Intel chip, but it's more affordable than its i5-14600K counterpart and delivers largely the same level of performance.
In our Intel Core i5-13600K review, Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino said:
"All that makes the [CPU] an easy recommendation for PC enthusiasts and anyone looking for a new custom or pre-built desktop computer. It’s the more affordable option, is flexible for RAM options, and it’s simply more performant whether you’re a gamer, video editor, or need it for office productivity."
It uses an LGA 1700 socket, so anyone working with a build currently using something older than Intel 12th Gen will need an upgrade. If you want to check out the 14th Gen Intel chips, the Core i5-14600K should be your first choice, with the Core i7-14700K acting as a higher-performance alternative.
Should I wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday?
It's that time of the year again when PC upgrade parts traditionally enjoy the lowest prices of the year. Black Friday lands on November 29, with Cyber Monday following up on December 2, 2024, but the deals have already started. It looks like the entire month of November is a great time to shop, and the deals will get more saturated as we approach the end of the month.
I've been covering Black Friday tech deals since 2016, and I always urge shoppers to wait until the event to buy PC upgrade parts. My top pick, AMD's Ryzen 5 7600X, is 31% off at Amazon for a $206.50 total at the time of writing, but I've seen it drop as low as $171.50 earlier in the year. I'd wait to see if it gets cheaper.
Intel's Core i5-13600K is enjoying its lowest price of the year at $210 at Amazon. It could drop lower on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but this is a great deal any day. Intel's newer Core i5-14600K is also on sale at the time of writing with a $236 total after discount. It was $217.60 at Amazon earlier this year, so it might drop further. Still, this is a great deal as is.
The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is no doubt at the top of many PC gamer wishlists, and it's currently sitting at a $459 price at Newegg. That's still above MSRP, but at least prices have leveled out compared to earlier in the year. The CPU dropped to $320.38 at Amazon earlier this year, and prices have traditionally been below $450. This is a big one to keep an eye on as we get closer to Black Friday.
Is NVIDIA's RTX 4060 good for 1440p gaming?
NVIDIA launched its RTX 4060 as a GPU focused on 1080p gaming, and that's where it excels. However, that doesn't mean you can't use it with a 1440p display. My previous build had an RTX 3060 that I used nearly every day for 1440p gaming, and I really had no complaints aside from not being able to max out in-game settings in all titles.
The RTX 4060 has improved on the RTX 3060, and DLSS 3 does a lot of heavy lifting to make up for the card's shortcomings in terms of raw performance at 1440p. However, if you want to get the best experience with a 1440p monitor, you might want to check out the RTX 4060 Ti or RTX 4070. We have a separate guide for the best CPUs for the RTX 4070 with plenty of familiar options.
What's going on with Intel's 13th and 14th Gen instability issues?
Since 2022, some users of Intel's 13th Gen "Raptor Lake" and 14th Gen "Raptor Lake Refresh" reported BSOD and crashing issues. It took awhile for Intel to acknowledge the problem, but it has since rolled out motherboard BIOS updates that should fix the issue.
Intel's Thomas Hannaford explained on the Intel community board that the instability is caused by a microcode bug that causes the chips to pull too much voltage. The bad news is that any chips already suffering from the crashes most likely have permanent damage. While Intel didn't enact a full recall, it does say that even those who have had RMA claims denied in the past can reach out to the Intel support team for help.
If you're concerned about these problems going forward, my only advice is to go with Team Red and its Ryzen chips featured here. If you're unsure whether your Intel chip is affected, this awesome Robeytech YouTube video can help.
