The GTX 16-series graphics cards are a great choice for budget gamers. They offer you excellent performance in games at 1080p resolution for an affordable price.
For these graphics cards to operate at their maximum potential, you need to pair them with the right CPU. If not, the CPU ends up limiting their performance in games by bottlenecking them.
In 2021, there are many CPUs that come at a pocket-friendly price and offer you great performance without any bottlenecks. In this article, I review the 3 best CPUs for GTX 1660 Ti, GTX 1660 Super, and GTX 1660.
Here are the 3 Best CPUs for GTX 1660 Ti, GTX 1660 Super, and GTX 1660 in 2021
| Best Pick | Editor’s Choice | Creative’s Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 | Intel i5-10400F | Ryzen 7 2700x |
  |   |   |
| ➕Best for 1080p 144Hz Gaming | ➕Affordable Price | ➕Best for Gaming and Productivity |
| ➕Bundled Cooler | ➕Great Value for Money | ➕Cooler Bundled |
| ➕Power efficient | ➕Bundled Cooler | ➕Best price-performance ratio |
| Check the Latest Price on Amazon | Check the Latest Price on Amazon | Check the Latest Price on Amazon |
Complete List of Best CPUs for GTX 1660 Ti, GTX 1660 Super, and GTX 1660 in 2021
| CPU Name | Preview | Cores/Threads: | Base Clock/Boost Clock: | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 | | 6/12 | 3.6 GHz /4.2 GHz | Check the Latest Price on Amazon |
| Intel i5-10400F | | 6/12 | 2.9 GHz /4.3 GHz | Check the Latest Price on Amazon |
| Ryzen 7 2700x | | 8/16 | 3.7 GHz /4.35 GHz | Check the Latest Price on Amazon |
Ryzen 5 3600 - Best CPU for GTX 1660 Ti, GTX 1660 Super and GTX 1660 in 2021
Cores/Threads: 6/12
Architecture: Zen 2
Integrated Graphics: No
Socket: AM4
TDP: 65W
What’s Good
- Best for 1080p 144Hz Gaming
- Bundled Cooler
- Power efficient
- PCIe 4.0 support
What’s Bad
- No integrated graphics
The Ryzen 5 3600 is a 6-core 12-thread CPU that is based on Zen 2 architecture. It has a base clock speed of 3.6GHz and a boost clock speed of 4.2GHz. It uses an AM4 Type socket.
It is the best choice for most 1080p gamers. In terms of performance in games, you get a similar FPS as that of the Intel i7 8700K processor. It is also a great choice for video editing and rendering.
When you pair it with the GTX 1660 Ti or GTX 1660 Super, you can easily hit 100+ FPS in most esports games without even lowering the graphics settings. Most older AAA games run at 60 FPS with some tweaks here and there.
The Ryzen 5 3600 has a TDP rating of only 65W making it a power-efficient CPU. It also comes with a Wraith Stealth cooler which is efficient and quiet. Unless you plan on overclocking your CPU, you won’t need an additional CPU cooler. This reduces your overall cost offering you a better value for money.
I had nothing but good things to say about the Ryzen 5 3600 when it was first released. Even in 2021, my opinion of it didn’t change much. It is still an excellent CPU for those looking for a powerful CPU at a reasonable price.
The combo of the Ryzen 5 3600 and GTX 1660 Ti or GTX 1660 Super is the perfect 1080p budget gaming setup in 2021.
Intel Core i5-10400F - Editor's Choice for GTX 1660 Ti, GTX 1660 Super & GTX 1660
Cores/Threads: 6/12
Architecture: Comet Lake
Integrated Graphics: No
Socket: LGA 1200
TDP: 65W
What’s Good
- Affordable Price
- Best for 1080p gaming
- Power efficient
- Cooler bundled
What’s Bad
- No integrated graphics
- No PCIe 4.0 support
- Multiplier locked
The Intel i5-10400F is a 6-core 12-thread CPU that is based on Comet Lake architecture. It uses LGA 1200 socket. It has a base clock speed of 2.9 GHz and a boost clock speed of 4.3 GHz.
It offers you excellent performance at 1080p resolution when you pair it with the GTX 16-series graphics cards. You can easily hit 100+ FPS in most esports games when you pair it with the GTX 1660 Super or GTX 1660 Ti. Most AAA games run smoothly without any FPS drops even at ultra graphics settings.
Its performance is similar to the Ryzen 5 3600 in games. If you’re looking for an intel alternative to the Ryzen 5 3600, The Intel i5-10400F is a great choice.
Just pair it with a decent Z490 motherboard to enjoy faster memory speeds. Do keep in mind that for video editing and rendering, the Ryzen 5 3600 offers you an edge over the Intel i5-10400F.
It has a TDP rating of only 65W making it a power-efficient CPU. It also comes with a cooler bundled that should be decent enough for most gamers. It does produce some noise after prolonged use which maybe not be an issue for most.
Overall, The Intel i5-10400F is a great choice for 1080p gaming. Its performance is more than satisfactory and for its price, I couldn’t ask for more. If you are on a strict budget, definitely check it out.
Ryzen 7 2700x - Best for Creatives
Cores/Threads: 8/16
Architecture: Zen
Integrated Graphics: No
Socket: AM4
TDP: 105W
What’s Good
- Best for Gaming and Productivity
- Cooler Bundled
- High core count
- Great Value for money
What’s Bad
- Limited overclocking headroom
- Consumes more power
The Ryzen 7 2700x is an 8-core 16-thread CPU based on Zen+ architecture. It uses an AM4 socket. It has a base clock speed of 3.7GHz and a boost clock speed of 4.35GHz.
It offers you the best performance in video editing, streaming, and video rendering applications. It beats the expensive i7 8700K in almost all professional applications. Simply pair it with a decent B450 motherboard and you’ll be good as gold.
In games, you get an amazing performance at 1080p resolution when you pair it with the GTX 1660 Super or GTX 1660 Ti. Most Esports titles hit 120+ FPS at ultra settings and most AAA games can run at 60 FPS with few graphical tweaks.
The Ryzen 7 2700x has a bundled Wraith Prism CPU cooler. It is more than enough for keeping it cool. This decreases the overall cost on your side. It has a TDP rating of 105W which is a bit on the higher side.
The Ryzen 7 2700x has a high core count, higher clock speeds, Better memory performance, and comes with a bundled cooler all for a reasonable price.
It offers you great value for money. No wonder it is a favorite among many professionals as well as gamers. I highly recommend you check out the Ryzen 7 2700x.
Vishwak is the man behind YourTechBro. He has been into technology ever since his dad brought him a PC when he was a 10-year old. He is an avid PC gamer, Android Fanboy, and a Tech geek.
