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There’s a whole lot of graphics cards launching this year. With AMD’s latest Radeon GPU entering the scene, it’s no wonder you’re considering what the best CPU for the RX 7600 XT is.
If you’re done deliberating over whether or not you want to buy an RX 7600 XT, then you’re probably already dreaming about what other hardware to pair with it. With a marginal increase in price over its predecessor (the RX 7600) and satisfactory changes to specs, the RX 7600 XT is a real force to be reckoned with when considered the best value GPUs. Priced at $329, you’re going to have a little bit of spend left over to invest in a processor that’s going the net you optimised gaming performance.
Best CPU for RX 7600 XT
In terms of choosing a CPU for the RX 7600 XT, we’re going to be recommending processors that hover in or around the same price bracket as AMD’s new graphics card. As it’s a budget component, we’re going to pair it with equally budget parts. Don’t be surprised if you don’t see an i9-14900K anywhere on this page.
Best CPU for the RX 7600 XT: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores
6
Threads
12
Base speed
4.7GHz
Boost speed
5.3GHz
Cache
32MB
TDP
105W
Overall, we’d have to insist that the best CPU you’re going to be able to find for the RX 7600 XT will be the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X. Having released deep into 2022, the processor has had a chance to establish itself with the hardware sphere. Not only that, but it’s also had its MSRP chipped at over recent months.
With six cores and 12 threads, the 7600X is a fairly simple piece of hardware. It makes use of the AM5 socket, and boasts a fairly inexpensive way to get a hold of Zen 4 architecture. One of the standout features of the processor happens to be the 4.7GHz clock speed it’s capable of running at.
Its DDR5 exclusivity does mean you’ll need to upgrade your motherboard if you’re still rocking AM4, so be aware of that.
There’s 6MB L2 cache, alongside 32MB of L3 cache, both of which are going to enhance your productivity drastically. However, where this CPU is really going to shine, is in its gaming performance and optimisation.
Paired with an RX 7600 XT, expect to see pretty decent gaming performance that dominates 1080p at high frame rates, with the potential to attack 1440p resolutions at times.
Best budget CPU for RX 7600 XT: Ryzen 7 5700X
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X
Cores
8
Threads
16
Base Clock
3.4GHz
Boost Clock
4.6GHz
Cache
32MB
TDP
65W
Upgrading your CPU to AM5 means a new motherboard and RAM too, both expensive investments. If you’re happy with an older socket, then the Ryzen 7 5700X is a great alternative to the 7600X.
Using Zen 3 architecture, there’s eight cores, 16 threads, 36MB cache and a maximum clock speed of 4.6GHz. The CPU is going to compliment your RX 7600 XT pretty well thanks to the very mid-range specs on offer here.
You will have full compatibility with DDR4 RAM, and you’re going to be limited to PCIe 4.0, which does limit the ‘future-proof’-ness of a gaming PC built with this processor, though it’s not a game changer.
In terms of gaming with the Ryzen 7 5700X alongside an RX 7600 XT, you can also expect to tackle 1080p gaming alongside low-impact 1440p.
This processor’s going to be sufficient for frame generation, and light ray tracing is going to make your games look extremely immersive too.
Best Intel CPU for RX 7600 XT: Intel i5-13400F
Intel Core i5-13400F
Architecture
Raptor Lake
Core count
10 (6 Performance, 4 Efficient)
Thread count
16
Base clock
1.80GHz (Efficient), 2.50Ghz (Performance)
Boost clock
3.30Ghz (Efficient), 4.60GHz (Performance)
Cache
20MB
If you’re using an Intel socket motherboard, then a budget friendly Intel CPU is going to be exactly what you’re looking for with the RX 7600 XT. The Intel i5-13400F is priced in a similar range to all of the other CPUs on this list, and features compatibility with DDR4 and DDR5 RAM. This is another reason why Intel’s processor’s are a popular choice, in that they’re compatible with older hardware while also being future-proof and highly upgradeable.
With 10 cores and 16 threads, this also happens to be one of the most efficient and capable processors available in this price-range too. Alongside that, the clock speed can be cranked up to 4.6GHz when needed.
There’s 20MB of L3 cache, and 20MB of L2 cache to increase efficiency, so if you’re using DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0, expect fast performance.
When it comes to gaming with the Intel i5-13400F, you’re also going to be hitting 1080p and 1440p at times with relative ease.
That’s as much as we have on choosing the best CPU for the RX 7600 XT. Overall, you’re going to want to make sure that you’ve picked up a processor with a adequate performance and compatibility. If you’re deliberating between the RX 7600 XT and RX 7600, or even the RTX 4070 Ti Super and RX 7600 XT, we’ve written up in-depth comparisons about them both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the RX 7600 XT need an AMD CPU?
You’re not going to need a specific CPU brand to use the RX 7600 XT, thankfully, so you can use either AMD or Intel chips here.
