Introduction
AMD’s Radeon 6000 series of cards have seen a bit of a resurgence in the past few weeks. These cards have been considered ‘hidden treasure’ for quite some time due to the massive optimisations to the drivers, resulting in performance uplifts that can rival many of NVIDIA‘s finest options. With the very recent release of the Radeon RX 7600, these cards have dropped in price even further (presumably this was done purposefully by AMD), allowing consumers to pick up these incredible options for very reasonable price points.
The RX 6750 XT in particular, is one of these cards that can compete with some RTX 3000 options in 1440p and 1080p gaming, making it an incredibly competitive choice, versus the rest of the market. Consumers can expect to pick up this GPU for considerably less than $400, which is well below the original MSRP price point of this GPU.
But with any new graphics card purchase we often ask ourselves, which CPU is the best choice to pair up with our shiny new gaming powerhouse? Is one of Intel‘s newer budget options such as the Core i5 13400F a superior choice if you’re looking to spend the least amount of money? Or is a CPU like the Ryzen 7 7700X a better processor so that we can get the max amount of frames in all of our favourite games? We’ll be answering these very questions, and more with a roundup of the best CPUs to pair up with the Radeon RX 6750 XT!
Suggested Article: AMD Radeon RX 7600 Review – Gigabyte Gaming OC Edition
Our Recommendations
1. Intel Core i5 13400F
👑 The best budget option for the Radeon RX 6750 XT.
Introduction
First off in our roundup is the Core i5 13400F from Intel. This is one of Intel’s more recent additions to the market and is one of their stronger mid-range/budget options within the 13th-Gen line-up. I’ve always had mixed feelings about this particular CPU, but after comparing it against the rest of the market, this processor offers a pretty strong value-proposition, especially if you’re looking to make a price conscious purchase. This CPU sits just below the $200, which makes it one of the cheapest mid-range processors on the market.
Performance wise the 13400F is geared towards the 1080p and 1440p market when it comes to gaming. This CPU might be able to handle 4K, but we wouldn’t recommend it based on the lower clock speed, especially when there are AMD options that can easily handle 4K. The 13400F can also handle some productivity applications, but will run into similar issues that 4K gaming is likely to have.
Key Specs
| Key Specs | Intel Core i5 13400F |
|---|---|
| Total Cores | 10 |
| Total Threads | 16 |
| Max Boost Clock Speed | 4.6GHz |
| Cache | 29.5MB |
| Max Turbo Power | 148W |
| Socket | LGA1700 |
Things We Like
Great 1080p and 1440p gaming performance: The 13400F is a solid option for those looking to play their favourite games at 1080p and 1440p. This CPU is a worthwhile option to consider if you’re looking for a budget gaming processor.
Excellent price point: The Core i5 13400F is one of the the cheapest mid-range/budget options on the market, coming below the $200 price point. If you’re a price conscious buyer, this will definitely be the CPU choice to look at.
Things We Don’t Like
Only good for gaming: Due to the lower core count and clock speed, the 13400F won’t be a great choice for those building a workstation system. We’d recommend looking at stronger options with a higher core count if you’re looking to utilise more intense workloads.
Not ideal for 4K: The Core i5 13400F is a great choice for 1440p and 1080p games, but when it comes to 4K, this CPU can’t quite cut it. There are alternative options such as AMD’s Ryzen 7000 range, that will be better for this higher resolution.
Summary
Intel’s Core i5 13400F is a strong CPU ideal for 1080p and 1440p gaming. Whilst this CPU won’t be particularly ideal for 4K and productivity applications, I’d argue that the competitive price point is a huge win that will be a huge decider for the vast majority of consumers.
Features: 4.2/5
Thermals: 4.5/5
Performance: 4.3/5
Value for Money: 4.2/5
Pros
- Excellent 1080p and 1440p performance.
- Strong price point.
- Can be installed on 12th-Gen motherboards.
Cons
- Not ideal as a workstation CPU.
- 4K gaming can be a bit of a struggle.
Where to Buy
Buy the Intel Core i5 13400F on:
2. AMD Ryzen 7600/7600X
👑 The best modern budget CPU for the Radeon RX 6750 XT.
Introduction
Next up is one of AMD‘s newer options, the Ryzen 5 7600, or the 7600X. The reason why we’ve included two, is to provide consumers with some choices. Whilst the 7600X is very cheap at the moment and is an excellent processor for a budget or a mid-range build, the Ryzen 5 7600 is even cheaper. These processors at their base level are exactly the same, but the standard 7600 doesn’t offer overclocking, and is generally more power efficient because it basically has Eco Mode pre-applied. With the lower price of DDR5 RAM and AM5 motherboards, both of these CPUs are a compelling choice versus the rest of the market, especially in your favourite games.
Pricing wise the 7600X sits around $250, whilst the non-X SKU is around $200-$220. This means you can save a bit of money when picking out a CPU. In terms of performance, the 7600 SKU thrives in modern games within a vast array of resolutions. When paired up with the right graphics card, this CPU can handle 4K pretty well, but we’d definitely steer you towards 1080p and 1440p gaming, based on the lower price point.
Key Specs
| Key Specs | AMD Ryzen 5 7600/7600X |
|---|---|
| Total Cores | 6 |
| Total Threads | 12 |
| Max Boost Clock Speed | 5.1GHz/5.3GHz |
| Cache | 38MB |
| Default TDP | 105W |
| Socket | AM5 |
Things We Like
Can handle high resolution gaming: The Ryzen 5 7600 and 7600X can handle 4K gaming when paired up with the right GPU, and is a solid option for consumers that plan on upgrading later down the line.
Competitive price point: The Ryzen 5 7600 and 7600X are very well priced and compare quite well to the Core i5 13400F. If you’re a price conscious buyer looking to save some money, either of these CPUs is a solid option to choose from.
Things We Don’t Like
7600X can run very hot: The 7600X can run incredibly hot during all-core workloads. If you plan on pushing this CPU with some productivity applications you’ll want to pair it up with a solid cooler to ensure you don’t damage your CPU or any other components.
Not great as a workstation CPU: Although the 7600 or 7600X will have some legs in workstation applications, you’ll want to look at some alternative CPU options for rendering or video editing, as the higher core counts will cut down export and rendering times significantly.
Summary
AMD’s Ryzen 5 7600 SKU is a solid option for those looking to build a modern budget, or mid-range gaming PC with some room to upgrade in the future. These CPUs aren’t particularly adequate to use as a workstation option, but you’ve always got the opportunity to easily swap out your Ryzen 7000 CPU to something more powerful if you’re not happy with the performance metrics.
Features: 4/5
Thermals: 3.9/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Value for Money: 4.2/5
Pros
- Can handle 1080p all the way up to 4K gaming.
- Excellent price point.
- Ryzen 5 7600 is very power efficient.
Cons
- 7600X can run very hot.
- Not particularly ideal for a productivity-based PC.
Where to Buy
Buy the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 on:
Buy the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X on:
3. Intel Core i5 13600K
👑 The best value CPU for the Radeon RX 6750 XT.
Introduction
For our third selection we’ve picked out another CPU from Intel, the Core i5 13600K. This CPU is a bit of an underdog in the PC gaming space and is an incredible option for those looking to build a mid-range, or possibly even a high-end system, but at a fraction of the cost. This is one of the most impressive processors within the 13th-Gen range due to the exceptional performance metrics. On paper the 13600K has a set of specs that you would expect for a Core i5 of this calibre, but this CPU offers performance metrics that makes it comparable to a Core i9 12900K.
Both gaming and workstation performance are incredibly strong, making this CPU a very competitive option versus the rest of the market. In terms of pricing, the 13600K is around $300 with prices slightly varying between different vendors, but $300 is the main point of reference. We are expecting prices to potentially drop soon with there being rumours of an impending 13th-Gen refresh on the horizon.
Key Specs
| Key Specs | Intel Core i5 13600K |
|---|---|
| Total Cores | 14 |
| Total Threads | 20 |
| Max Boost Clock Speed | 5.1GHz |
| Cache | 44MB |
| Max Turbo Power | 181W |
| Socket | LGA1700 |
Things We Like
Unrivalled performance: The Core i5 13600K is one of the few mid-range CPUs on the market that has such incredible performance. There are very few options that can be picked up for a competitive price, whilst still offering similar performance metrics.
Works with older motherboards: If you’re the kind of consumer looking to save a bit of money and you’ve got a B660 board or a Z690 option, you can simply upgrade with a new BIOS update.
Things We Don’t Like
Platform is going to be deprecated soon: Disregarding rumours, it is likely that the 13th-Gen platform is going to be deprecated within the next year or so. This means consumers wanting to pick up a potential 14th-Gen CPU are likely going to need a new motherboard and possibly new RAM.
There are better workstation options: Although the 13600K is a solid all-rounder option, if you’re the kind of consumer looking to push your PC with some all-core workloads, there are some considerably better CPUs that we’d recommend taking a look at.
Summary
Intel’s Core i5 13600K is one of the best CPU options that you can pick up on the market right now, and will make an excellent pairing for the Radeon RX 6750 XT. This processor can handle pretty much anything you throw at it, and will be ideal for those looking to build a multifaceted system, or just a 1440p gaming PC!
Features: 4.2/5
Thermals: 4.3/5
Performance: 4/5
Value for Money: 4.7/5
Pros
- Can handle 4K gaming with ease.
- Ideal for a mid-range workstation PC.
- Excellent price point.
Cons
- 13th-Gen platform will be deprecated soon.
- There are better CPU options for workstations.
Where to Buy
Buy the Intel Core i5 13600K on:
4. AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
👑 The best mid-range AMD CPU for the Radeon RX 6750 XT.
Introduction
For our final selection we’ve chosen a slightly more powerful option from AMD, the Ryzen 7 7700X. Much like the Ryzen 5 7600X, this CPU didn’t receive an incredible reception due to poor pricing for the CPU itself and the new motherboards and RAM that have spawned with the release of the 7700X. But since these have dropped in price a fair amount over time, the Ryzen 7000 range has become a more compelling choice for those looking to build a variety of different systems. The 7700X specifically sits around $350 which is a little bit more than the 13600K. We are expecting prices to drop further as time goes on, especially when new SKUs release.
Looking at performance, the 7700X sits just below the 13600K in multithreaded benchmarks, and single core benchmarks too. Whilst performance is weaker in comparison to the 13600K, gaming metrics are still very strong, and you also get the bonus of Smart Access Memory through AMD’s GPUs, which should provide some bonus frames and bandwidth in certain scenarios.
Key Specs
| Key Specs | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X |
|---|---|
| Total Cores | 8 |
| Total Threads | 16 |
| Max Boost Clock Speed | 5.4GHz |
| Cache | 40MB |
| Default TDP | 105W |
| Socket | AM5 |
Things We Like
Ideal for top-end gaming: The Ryzen 7 7700X is an excellent CPU option for those looking to play their favourite modern games, at max settings. Definitely worth considering if you plan on upgrading to a 4K capable system in the future.
Can handle some workstation applications: Much like the Core i5 13600K, the 7700X is a moderately decent option when it comes to productivity applications. Due to the solid core and thread count, you should be able to do some light video editing or 3D rendering without any major problems.
Things We Don’t Like
Overall build cost is expensive: Although the price of motherboards and RAM has dropped significantly, these components are still rather expensive at times. This means you’ll be spending more for your PC build versus alternative platforms.
CPUs run hotter: The Ryzen 7000 range of CPUs have a non-standard boosting behaviour which means they get very hot when boosting on all-cores. You’ll want to pick up a sufficient cooler to ensure you don’t damage your CPU or other components.
Summary
The Ryzen 7 7700X from AMD is a solid CPU option for those looking to pick up a decent mid-range gaming processor that can handle 4K in modern titles. This CPU isn’t particularly perfect for a workstation system, but it can handle slightly lesser loads if you plan on doing some light editing, 3D rendering and more.
Features: 4/5
Thermals: 3.9/5
Performance: 4/5
Value for Money: 4/5
Pros
- Solid 1440p and 4K gaming performance.
- Can handle lighter workstation loads.
- Plenty of room to upgrade in the future.
Cons
- Generally more expensive to build a Ryzen 7000 PC.
- 7700X runs quite hot.
Where to Buy
Buy the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X on:
What Does the Radeon RX 6750 XT Offer in Terms of Performance?
As I’ve alluded to above, the 6750 XT is one of AMD’s GPUs that has aged like ‘fine wine’ due to a bunch of driver optimisations and performance improvements. Initially the Radeon 6000 refresh wasn’t received very well due to disappointing metrics, but over time, this card (and others) are now offering insanely prominent and strong performance versus RTX 3000, and even RTX 4000 GPUs. This makes it an incredibly competitive choice if you’re looking for a cheaper option that still retains very solid performance across the board.
Speaking of performance, what can the RX 6750 XT offer for all of you budding gamers? Well, this card is best used at a 1440p resolution, allowing consumers to enjoy high refresh rates across the board. Due to the higher VRAM capacity this card is also perfect in modern games, and is likely to last much longer as we see performance demands increase over time.
The 6750 XT can also handle some games in 4K, but we wouldn’t necessarily recommend using this graphics card at this resolution, as some games will definitely chug to a degree. FSR can help boost framerates in certain titles, but the mixture of games is a bit hit and miss at times. Overall, I’d argue that the 6750 XT is one of the best options that you can pick up right now for 1440p, especially if you’re looking to reach that 144Hz sweet spot. Definitely worth considering if you’re a price conscious buyer looking to pick up a graphics card.
How Much VRAM is Enough?
More recently the ‘how much VRAM’ question has started to pop up more in light of the recent graphics card releases. With the increasing performance demands of modern games, VRAM is becoming pivotal in ensuring that you can actually enjoy the newest titles at reasonable framerates. And with both AMD and NVIDIA releasing GPUs with 8GB of VRAM, there is a clear disconnect between manufacturers and the rest of the market, which does raise concerns as to whether there is a focus on affordable high capacity cards.
Looping back around to the original question, how much VRAM do you need? Honestly it depends. For consumers playing Esports games, or older titles 8GB of VRAM will be perfectly fine. AMD’s RX 7600 is a prime example of a perfect card for budget 1080p gaming. It can easily handle modern competitive games without any problems, but starts to struggle when we throw it at more modern titles such as Hogwarts Legacy, Spiderman Miles Morales, or Jedi Survivor. But to summarise, these less intensive titles will only really need around 8GB, but this could change in the future.
For modern titles you’ll want to pick up a graphics card that has 10GB or more. As a general rule most of the modern, or previous generation options are 12GB GPUs ranging all the way up 24GB at the maximum. I’d argue that anything more than 12GB is probably overkill, but if you’re trying to find a GPU that is likely to last over 5 years, then these higher-end options will be a more suitable choice.
Why You Can Trust Us
After taking a look at our recommendations, you’re probably wondering why you should trust our input on this subject, allow us to elaborate. Our team of PC hardware experts are constantly benchmarking all of the new components and products that come into the GeekaWhat office. We put all of them through a massive range of tests including gaming and productivity benchmarks. We then take all of our benchmarking data and use this to forge a general overview of each product. More detail can be found out about our editorial team on the About Us page.
How We Tested the Best CPUs for the Radeon RX 6750 XT
In order to test and evaluate the best CPUs for the Radeon RX 6750 XT, there are a number of factors that we take into account, these are:
- Gaming and Workstation Performance
- Compatibility
- Thermals
- Value for Money
Conclusion
Best CPU for the Radeon RX 6750 XT: Intel Core i5 13600K
Finishing up this roundup, we’ve picked out the Core i5 13600K as the best option to pair up with the RX 6750 XT. This CPU, time and time again offers exceptional performance in modern titles, and in workstation applications. The 13600K can easily handle 4K games, and has strong legs in modern productivity benchmarks too. Although the platform isn’t likely to last as long, I can’t imagine many consumers will need to upgrade within the next three to five years, if this is your CPU of choice.
Read our full Intel Core i5 13600K review, or Buy the Core i5 13600K on Amazon
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Cores Do I Need for Gaming?
As a general rule, you only need one or two cores for gaming. This means that lower-end CPUs should suffice for 1080p, or even 1440p games.
Do I Need Fast Storage for Gaming?
Yes and no. We always recommend storing your favourite games on an SSD to ensure the best framerates. But you don’t need to pick up a modern Gen5, Gen4, or even a Gen3 option. A SATA SSD with a DRAM cache will be perfectly fine for modern games that have released recently.
Can the 6750 XT Handle 4K Gaming?
Not really. Although this card will be able to run some games at 4K, like older Esports titles, we wouldn’t recommend picking this GPU with the purpose of playing modern games at 4K.
Will My Motherboard Affect Gaming Performance?
No, it shouldn’t. Your motherboard only tends to affect power and voltage control on your board which is primarily for overclocking.
