Core i5-3470 + NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB Bottleneck Analysis

The Core i5-3470 pairs excellently with the NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB at every resolution (5% at 1080p, 7% at 1440p, 10% at 4K) - buy this combo for anything from competitive 1080p to 4K gaming.

Balance across resolutions

1080p

Balanced

1440p

Balanced

4K

Balanced

Benchmark data updated July 2026 · prices sync daily from retail feeds · how we score

Component scores below are out of 100 on our gaming-performance scale, weighted by how much each resolution leans on the CPU vs the GPU - the closer the two weighted scores, the more balanced the pairing.

1080p (Full HD)

Well Balanced
CPU: Core i5-3470Score: 32/100
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GBScore: 24/100
CPU Weight: 60%GPU Weight: 40%

Estimated AAA Game FPS

Based on gaming scores. Actual FPS varies by title.

perf

50

FPS

balanced

40

FPS

ultra

30

FPS

Great pairing! The Core i5-3470 and NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB are well-matched at 1080p (Full HD). Both components will be utilized efficiently with minimal performance waste. This is an ideal combination for this resolution.

1440p (Quad HD)

Well Balanced
CPU: Core i5-3470Score: 32/100
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GBScore: 24/100
CPU Weight: 40%GPU Weight: 60%

Estimated AAA Game FPS

Based on gaming scores. Actual FPS varies by title.

perf

40

FPS

balanced

29

FPS

ultra

20

FPS

Great pairing! The Core i5-3470 and NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB are well-matched at 1440p (Quad HD). Both components will be utilized efficiently with minimal performance waste. This is an ideal combination for this resolution.

4K (Ultra HD)

Well Balanced
CPU: Core i5-3470Score: 32/100
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GBScore: 24/100
CPU Weight: 20%GPU Weight: 80%

Estimated AAA Game FPS

Based on gaming scores. Actual FPS varies by title.

perf

25

FPS

balanced

17

FPS

ultra

12

FPS

Great pairing! The Core i5-3470 and NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB are well-matched at 4K (Ultra HD). Both components will be utilized efficiently with minimal performance waste. This is an ideal combination for this resolution.

Core i5-3470 + NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB

We do not recommend buying every part in this pairing today - the ones worth buying link out to retailers, and the rest point to current alternatives instead:

Core i5-3470

CPU · Score 32/100

Core i5-3470

LGA1155 · 77W TDP

NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB

GPU · Score 24/100

NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB

6GB VRAM · 120W TDP · used / remaining stock

The NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB is discontinued - its price is an estimate of the used / remaining-stock market, not current new-retail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Core i5-3470 a bottleneck for the NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB?

No, the Core i5-3470 and NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB are well-matched at 1440p with only a 7% difference. This is an excellent pairing.

What resolution is best for the Core i5-3470 + NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB?

The Core i5-3470 and NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB are most balanced at 1080p with only a 5% bottleneck. At 1080p, bottleneck is 5%. At 1440p, it's 7%. At 4K, it's 10%.

Should I upgrade from the Core i5-3470 or NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB?

Neither - this pairing is well-balanced. Only upgrade when you want to target a higher resolution or need more performance in specific games.

Try Different Components

Want to test other parts? Use our free bottleneck calculator to compare any CPU and GPU pair.