Best CPU For RX 6800

Atif Liaqat | Last Updated On July 18th, 2022

AMD released the Radeon RX-6000 series a year ago, and it was after many years, AMD was able to compete with NVIDIA in the high-end graphics card market. AMD RX 6800 is a high-end graphics card of this generation that competes against the NVIDIA RTX 3080. If you are interested in what PSU you should get for the NVIDIA RTX 3080, check this article here.

Now, coupling a high-end graphics card with a good processor is can necessary because the performance of the rig highly depends on the processor. If you use a low-end processor with a graphics card like RX 6800, you will have a bottleneck situation in the system.

Intel released the 11th-generation processors this year, while AMD released the Ryzen 5000-series processors last year. Despite being older, the Ryzen processors are more popular than their Intel counterparts due to higher multi-core and single-core performance. The most prominent Ryzen processors these days are Ryzen 7 5800X and Ryzen 5 5600X. Both these processors compete against the Core i7 and Core i5 processors from the 11th and 10th-generation Intel processors. If you want motherboard suggestions for Core i5 11th generation processors specifically for 11400 and 11400F , we have an article for that.

This article will check some of the best processors that can be used with AMD RX 6800.

Quick CPU Recommendations for RX 6800

Award Model Price
Best Mainstream CPU for RX 6800 Intel Core i5-10600K Check Price Read Customer Reviews
Best Budget 4K CPU for RX 6800 AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Check Price Read Customer Reviews
Best Mid-Range CPU for RX 6800 Intel Core i7-10700K Check Price Read Customer Reviews
Best Overall CPU for RX 6800 AMD Ryzen 7 5800X Check Price Read Customer Reviews
Best Enthusiast CPU for RX 6800 AMD Ryzen 9 5900X Check Price Read Customer Reviews

Quick Buying Tips

There are dozens of processors from AMD and Intel in the market, which boggles the mind of an average user. That is why we have created this buying guide for those who do not have enough knowledge about the processors.

Architecture: The first thing that you should look at in a processor is its architecture. It is not worth buying a processor based on an old architecture because even if the processor’s clock rate is high, it will perform slower than the modern processors. The latest architecture by AMD is the Zen3 architecture, while Intel’s 11th and 10th-generations processors are based on the Rocket Lake and Comet Lake architectures, respectively.

Number of Cores: The number of cores in a processor is the most significant factor in its performance. The more cores a processor has, the better it will perform and the more expensive it is. Modern gaming processors come with at least four cores, while high-end processors have eight or more cores.

HT and SMT Technology: Some processors by Intel come with Intel Hyper-Threading technology, while most of the Ryzen processors come with Simultaneous Multithreading technology. Both these technologies enable the processors to have twice the number of threads compared to cores, increasing the multi-core performance by up to 25%, which is a significant margin.

Clock Rate: The clock rate of a processor governs the overall throughput of a processor, and that is why it is always good to have high clock rates as long as the cooling solution can handle all the heat. Modern processors have around a 4.5 GHz clock rate, going as high as 5.3 GHz on a single core.

Best CPU For RX 6800 Reviews

When you’re looking for mid-range performance without spending a lot of money, you might be interested in the Intel Core i5 10600K. Both the RTX 3070 and 3080 can be paired with this processor, making it capable of running the latest titles smoothly at 1440p and 4K resolutions. Furthermore, this processor has more overclocking headroom than other Intel CPUs since only the ones with the K suffix support overclocking. It is an excellent CPU to consider when using the RX 6000 graphics cards, but only when you are short on budget; otherwise, there are many better options.

Comet Lake processors come with hyperthreading since Intel removed it from their Coffee Lake CPUs, which was disappointing. However, the decision to increase the core count was a good one, as 7th generation mid-range CPUs come with only four cores. There are six cores and twelve threads on this processor, which is plenty to play any latest title at high resolutions, and it’s also well optimized for streaming and multitasking.

It is necessary to overclock this processor with a Z series motherboard, which offers to overclock support for both processors and memory modules. This processor comes with integrated graphics thanks to Intel UHD Graphics 630, a feature missing most of the latest processors. There is a bundled CPU cooler that comes with this CPU, which is suitable for stock clocks, but we need to use an aftermarket cooler for overclocking, and we have a complete guide on doing so. The thermal profile changes in Comet Lake processors give this processor a significant overclocking advantage, making it one of the best options for the RX 6800.

With the launch of the Ryzen 2000 and 3000 series of processors, AMD started taking a sweet spot in the computer microprocessor market. These two series were known for their great overclocking power and the great value with their performance and budget-friendly price. There we’ve picked the Ryzen 5 5600X, which is the company’s latest mainstream CPU and let’s know if it’s worth pairing with RX 6800.

This CPU has a significant advantage over the competitors as it supports PCIe Gen4 slots that offer double bandwidth compared to the previous one. When it comes to budget-friendly processors that provides performance similar to other high-end CPUs, my first recommendation is Ryzen 5 5600X. This CPU somewhere performs identical to the Intel Core i9 10900K, as we’ve seen in several benchmarks.

The core layout of Zen3 CPUs has redesigned, and from now each core has better access to the cache memory, which leads to an additional performance boost. This makes it perform similar to the Intel i9 10900K at 1080p resolution, while the price difference between them is about 47% which is enough. Though at higher resolutions i9 10900K performs way better because of more cores and threads.

Casual gaming and productivity tasks can be easily done on this processor like Word, Excel or Microsoft PowerPoint. Still, it would be best to have something more potent for a high-end workload like Ryzen 9 5900X or even 5950X. With this CPU and RTX 3080, 4K gaming is still possible, but with a few titles, you may need to compromise on the in-game settings and maybe on refresh rate, too, because it’s a mid-range CPU.

There are six cores and twelve threads on this processor, which are enough, but modern games and applications require more or maybe in future, you need at least eight cores and respective threads. The overclocking support in AMD CPUs is what I appreciate the most as you don’t need a K series CPU (like Intel) to overclock, but all of the Ryzen CPUs support that to a great extent.

The bundled cooler is also a thing that increases the value of this processor as stocks clocks are 3.7 GHz which don’t demand an aftermarket cooler. Though going a little up may need a good aftermarket cooler, we’ve already made a guide. The gen-to-gen price difference and missing integrated graphics cards disappoint the users, but if we ignore these few things, it’s the best CPU for RX 6800 builds.

As the computer hardware is getting much powerful as they were before, but with the increasing power, they are also getting expensive, and not everyone can afford them. If you don’t want to compromise on resolutions or frame rates but also don’t want to spend much money on the latest Intel Core i9 processor, then there we’ve got a fantastic choice for you. This processor’s price is not that much compared to the previous generation, which seems overpriced, and Intel took that far away from the budget or mid-range user.

This processor’s single and multi-core performance is impressive; as you know, modern games demand more multi-core performance while also optimized for single-core performance. This processor’s cooling requirements are pretty low; however, it lacks a bundled cooler, and you must need to go with some aftermarket cooler. While comparing this processor in gaming, you may not found it much faster than the i5 from the same generation, but its overall performance is somewhere equals to the Intel Core i9 10900K. Again the PCI 4.0 slots are missing with these processes, but Intel confirmed that with the release of the next generation, these Intel 400 series motherboards would support Gen4; that’s only for a few mid-range and premium motherboards.

If you can’t afford Intel i9 10900K, then it is one of the best CPU for Rx 6800 because of its price to performance value.

Ryzen 5 5600X was great for gaming but not much powerful in productivity tasks, especially when compared with the Ryzen 7 5800X. Based on the Zen3 architecture, this processor is way powerful than the previous generation Ryzen 7 3700X (see also the best GPUs for Ryzen 7 3700x). At the same time, the boost clock of it is slightly lower than the most expensive and powerful processor Ryzen 9 5950. The base clock of this processor is 3.8 GHz while the boost clock is 4.7 GHz which is undoubtedly impressive but most important thing is this processor is fully unlocked for overclocking. You can push its clock without having any restriction.

The eight cores and the multi-threading enabled means you can use this processor for several years, and it will be futureproofed for upcoming games like Cyberpunk 2077 etc. Also, the high number of cores and threads makes you not to worry about background applications while gaming. Like the previous processor, this one also allows you to enjoy the bandwidth of PCIe Gen4 slots and Smart Cache Memory which will enable you to extract maximum power from your graphics card and the storage module.

If you are looking for some mainstream processor for your build and don’t want to spend much money on Ryzen 9 5900X or 5950, then this one is a great option to consider at least as of now. The performance gain of these processors over it is very minimal, and you might not found them much better in modern titles.

With the Zen3 architecture, AMD processors have greatly enhanced performance and overclocking since the core layout has been completely changed. Each core now has better access to the cache memory. In shortlisting the fastest and best gaming processor ever released, Ryzen 9 5900X would remain at the top. It is also possible to use the Ryzen 9 5950X (see here for motherboard suggestions for Ryzen 9 5950x), but it is designed specifically for multi-core tasks. The Ryzen 9 5900X offers 12C/24T, which is sufficient for today’s gaming needs and is also future-proof for at least the next two years.

Ryzen processors used to have difficulty with single-core performance, but now they have dramatically improved and offered excellent value for gamers and content creators. For overclocking, this processor requires a high-end B550 (see list of best budget B550 motherboards here) or X570 motherboard, and the good news is that its TDP is the same as that of the Ryzen 9 3900X. You can even overclock this CPU without a high-end cooler, and AMD CPUs are designed to handle the heat.

The base clock of this processor is 3.7 GHz. The clock for each core can be increased individually up to 4.8 GHz, but only with a good CPU cooler. Combined with a graphics card like the RX 6800, this processor can run most of the latest games at 1440p and 4K without requiring any compromises. When buying AMD CPUs, the two things most users look for are their exceptional overclocking headroom and their performance. Another benefit of PCIe Gen4 slots is that they provide double the bandwidth for GPUs and NVMe SSDs. It is, therefore, one of the best processors for the RX 6800 build.

Conclusion

Best Mainstream CPU for RX 6800
Best Budget 4K CPU for RX 6800
Best Mid-Range CPU for RX 6800

AMD Radeon RX 6800 is a powerful graphics card capable of providing more than 100 FPS at 1440P resolution with high settings in modern games. To use this graphics card optimally, it must be coupled with a powerful processor that does not cause a bottleneck in the system.

AMD Ryzen 5000-series processors are among the best gaming processors in the market, while Intel has released the 11th-generation Core-series processors. The single-core performance of the Ryzen processors has become better than their Intel counterparts, which is why more and more people are now being drawn towards the Ryzen processors.

For enthusiasts, an octa-core or deca-core processor will be best, as the latest games can utilize more cores than ever. Those with high-refresh-rate screens should also buy an octa-core or hexa-core processor, while a quad-core processor is the last choice for budget gamers. See this article for free steam keys.

If you wish to check how many CPU threads you have, you can check out this article.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best-valued AMD Ryzen processor for high-end gaming?

AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is the best octa-core processor in the market right now, and it is capable of handling any workload thrown at it. Eight cores ensure that you can stream along with gaming or do content creation in your free time, and that is why AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is among the most popular processors in 2021.

Is a hexa-core processor enough for a graphics card like AMD RX 6800?

A hexa-core processor such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Core i5 11600K is more than enough for someone who wants to enjoy modern games at high settings (see our motherboard recommendations for the 11600k CPU). These two processors are capable of streaming the games simultaneously, but if you buy a relatively older hexa-core processor, you might not be able to stream with a stable FPS.

What is the point of a processor with more than eight cores?

There are many processors by AMD and Intel with more than eight cores. These processors are mainly aimed at professional content creators which can utilize a large number of cores for their advanced workloads. The high performance of these processors allows them to be used for gaming as well, and that is why AMD and Intel are providing such processors in the mainstream market these days.

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