Updated on August 14, 2022
The AMD Ryzen 5 3600X is a capable six-core processor with 12 threads for plenty of gaming performance. Matching this CPU with a decent graphics card is a sure way of enjoying even more demanding games at 1440p or 4K. We’ve rounded up some excellent options to get you started.
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estB AMD for 4K:XFX AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT RAW II
Staff Pick
The Ryzen 5 3600X isn’t the most powerful CPU AMD offers, but it’s more than capable of keeping up with the RX 5700 XT, which will allow you to go into solid 1440p gaming. It’s not quite as good as an NVIDIA RTX 2080 and RTX 2080 Ti, but it’s about as good as we’re to get from AMD for now and this XFX unit with 8GB of GGDR6 RAM is an excellent example.
Best NVIDIA for 4K:EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti XC Ultra Gaming
Staff Pick
The RTX 2080 Ti is a GPU you likely don’t technically need, but it’s a card everyone wants. It’s an absolute beast at 1080p and 1440p gaming, even taking the fight to 4K. This is one killer GPU that will keep your gaming rig current for many years to come, though you may find the CPU begin to struggle a little as games become even more complex.
Best AMD for 1440p:XFX AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT RAW II PRO
For 1440p gamers, the RX 5600 XT is more than good enough for most modern games. With 6GB of GDDR6 RAM, you’ve got more than enough scope to handle advanced high-res textures and lighting effects. Partnered with the Ryzen 5 3600X, and you’ve got one excellent gaming PC.
Best NVIDIA for 1440p:ASUS NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER
The RTX 2060 SUPER is our favorite mid-range card and is recommended throughout other PC building guides for good reason. It’s technically on par with a GTX 1070 Ti of last-gen (just shy of an RTX 2070) and comes rocking ray tracing support with an affordable price tag. There’s 8GB of GDDR6 RAM on-board for good measure.
Best AMD for 1080p:XFX THICC II Pro AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT
When talking 1080p and honestly budget-friendly PC builds, you’ll want to consider the RX 5500 XT. It’s an affordable GPU with PCIe 4.0 support and a whopping 8GB GDDR6 RAM. This thing will master most games at 1080p and can even push into 1440p territory if you upgrade your monitor at a later date.
Best NVIDIA for 1080p:MSI GAMING X NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER
You could spot a more affordable GPU than the GTX 1060 SUPER, but it won’t run well. This GPU is great for 1080p gaming or a workstation, allowing you to get more done through the day and let some hair down in the evening with a cheeky gaming session. 6GB GDDR6 RAM is present, allowing for reliable 1080p performance, as well as 1440p if you turn down some settings.
Choosing the right GPU
The resolution you intend to play at, as well as the monitor you intend to use, play a big role in determining which GPU you should choose. FreeSync display owners will need an AMD GPU to properly enjoy stutter-free gameplay, whereas NVIDIA display owners will need an NVIDIA GPU – but this is improving with NVIDIA supporting more FreeSync panels..
The XFX AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT RAW II or the EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti XC Ultra Gaming are excellent options if you intend to upgrade to 1440p or 4K resolutions in the future. Both of these GPUs support 4K gaming, but the 2080 Ti is significantly more powerful and pricey.
With our mid-tier options, you may save money without compromising too much performance. If you choose one of these two graphics cards, you’ll be able to play 1440p games in stunning detail at 60 frames per second. These cards aren’t going to cost you an arm and a leg, and they won’t slow down your Ryzen 5 3600X. It’s like they were designed for each other. You don’t notice anything that piques your interest? The greatest graphics card currently on the market may be found here.
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