Best CPUs for NVIDIA RTX 2060 12GB

Top 15 CPUs ranked by performance and balance with the NVIDIA RTX 2060 12GB at 1440p. Balanced pairings ranked by power, then by bottleneck %.

1
Intel Core i5-9600K
Score: 50/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~9%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
2
Core i7-7740X
Score: 50/100Socket: LGA2066Not recommended
Balanced ~9%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
3
Intel Core i7-8700
Score: 50/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~9%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
4
Core i7-9800X
Score: 50/100Socket: LGA2066$150.27 - price unverified
Balanced ~9%Check availabilityNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
5
Core i9-7900X
Score: 50/100Socket: LGA2066Not recommended
Balanced ~9%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
6
Core i9-9820X
Score: 50/100Socket: LGA2066Not recommended
Balanced ~9%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
7
Core i9-9920X
Score: 50/100Socket: LGA2066$190 - price unverified
Balanced ~9%Check availabilityNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
8
Core i9-9940X
Score: 50/100Socket: LGA2066$220.06 - price unverified
Balanced ~9%Check availabilityNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
9
Core i9-9960X
Score: 50/100Socket: LGA2066$200.06 - price unverified
Balanced ~9%Check availabilityNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
10
AMD Ryzen 5 4500
Score: 50/100Socket: AM4Out of stock - last seen $113 (Jul 27)
Balanced ~9%Check availabilityNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
11
Intel Core i5-9600
Score: 49/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~8%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
12
Intel Core i5-8600K
Score: 48/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~7%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
13
Core i5-9500
Score: 48/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~7%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
14
Core i5-9500F
Score: 48/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~7%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf
15
Core i7-6700K
Score: 48/100Socket: LGA1151Not recommended
Balanced ~7%
See current builds→Used on eBay
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:33Ultra|48Bal|66Perf

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CPU for the NVIDIA RTX 2060 12GB?

The Intel Core i5-9600K is the best CPU for the NVIDIA RTX 2060 12GB with only a 9% bottleneck at 1440p. It has a gaming score of 50/100.

What is the cheapest CPU that won't bottleneck the NVIDIA RTX 2060 12GB?

The Intel Core i5-9600K is well-balanced with the NVIDIA RTX 2060 12GB, at only 9% bottleneck at 1440p.

Does the NVIDIA RTX 2060 12GB need a high-end CPU?

Not necessarily. The NVIDIA RTX 2060 12GB has a gaming score of 40/100, 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.