Best CPUs for NVIDIA GTX 1060 5GB

Top 15 CPUs ranked by performance and balance with the NVIDIA GTX 1060 5GB at 1440p. Balanced pairings ranked by power, then by bottleneck %.

1
Core i3-7300
Score: 33/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~10%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
2
Core i5-4460
Score: 33/100Socket: LGA1150Not recommended
Balanced ~10%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
3
Core i5-6500T
Score: 33/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~10%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
4
Core i3-7100
Score: 32/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~9%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
5
Core i5-2500K
Score: 32/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended
Balanced ~9%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
6
Core i5-3470
Score: 32/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended
Balanced ~9%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
7
Core i5-4430
Score: 32/100Socket: LGA1150Not recommended
Balanced ~9%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
8
AMD Ryzen 5 2400G
Score: 32/100Socket: AM4Not recommended
Balanced ~9%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
9
Core i5-3450
Score: 31/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended
Balanced ~8%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
10
Core i3-6100
Score: 30/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~7%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
11
Core i5-3330
Score: 30/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended
Balanced ~7%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
12
Core i7-2600S
Score: 30/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended
Balanced ~7%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
13
AMD Ryzen 3 3200G
Score: 30/100Socket: AM4Not recommended
Balanced ~7%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
14
AMD Ryzen 5 1400
Score: 30/100Socket: AM4Not recommended
Balanced ~7%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf
15
Core i5-2400
Score: 28/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended
Balanced ~5%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:18Ultra|26Bal|36Perf

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CPU for the NVIDIA GTX 1060 5GB?

The Core i3-7300 is the best CPU for the NVIDIA GTX 1060 5GB with only a 10% bottleneck at 1440p. It has a gaming score of 33/100.

What is the cheapest CPU that won't bottleneck the NVIDIA GTX 1060 5GB?

The Core i3-7300 is well-balanced with the NVIDIA GTX 1060 5GB, at only 10% bottleneck at 1440p.

Does the NVIDIA GTX 1060 5GB need a high-end CPU?

Not necessarily. The NVIDIA GTX 1060 5GB has a gaming score of 22/100, so a mid-range CPU will pair well. You don't need the most expensive CPU to avoid bottlenecking.

Check Your Own Combo

Test any CPU/GPU pair with our free bottleneck calculator.