When building a gaming machine, it is crucial to choose both a good CPU and a good GPU to go with it. By pairing two appropriate components (CPU and GPU), you will get the best performance out of your machine.
Some games use up more CPU, and other games use up more GPU.
One of the best CPUs on the market for gaming, in terms of value for money, is the Ryzen 5 2600. At just a couple of hundred dollars, it is hard to beat the outstanding performance and smooth gaming experience you will get with this processor.
However, just as important is the GPU — choosing the right GPU for the Ryzen 5 2600 will help you avoid bottlenecking.
What Is Bottlenecking?
Bottlenecking is a term that you will often find online, in gaming forums and blogs targeted towards the gaming community. If this is your first time creating a build, you may not fully understand what it means, so let me explain it quickly.
Bottlenecking isn’t something you really have to worry about with the Ryzen 5 2600, regardless of which GPU you are getting — as long as you are getting a regular, mid market GPU.
What bottlenecking refers to is a situation in which the CPU and GPU are mismatched in terms of power, performance, quality, and market range. For example, if you have a high end CPU and a cheap, low quality GPU, the GPU will not be able to keep up with the CPU.
Conversely, if you have a low end processor and a high end, powerful GPU, the opposite will be true — the CPU will not be able to keep up with the GPU.
In either of those cases, one of the components will have to adapt and “wait” for the other component to catch up. In other words, either the CPU or GPU will have to underperform, thus leading to a lower quality gaming experience.
However, with a mid range CPU like the Ryzen 5 2600, you don’t really have to worry about this. It is powerful enough to handle almost all the regular GPUs you will find on Amazon, for almost all games.
Now, with any two components, there might be slight levels of bottlenecking. However, that doesn’t mean that the bottleneck will be very noticeable — indeed, in most cases, you will not notice it.
It is only in extreme situations, in which the differential between the GPU and CPU is very big, that you have to worry much about bottlenecking.
So, if you have been racking your brain using bottleneck calculators to figure out which GPU to use, stop worrying so much.
These calculators can definitely be useful when you are trying to buy a new GPU and you don’t know much about its performance and can not see any comments in any forums attesting to its compatibility. Still, take them with a grain of salt.
With that being said, here are the best GPUs for the Ryzen 5 2600.
Best GPU For Ryzen 5 2600
1. ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6 GB 192-bit
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 is a mid range GPU for the Ryzen 5 2600. It is not too expensive, so while there are other GPUs out there that might be somewhat better, they might not fit your budget.
This Zotac Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 is super compact and small, so it will fit almost all builds. It is 4k, HDR, and VR ready and is powered by the NVIDIA Turing Architecture.
With wide and curved fan blades, it is optimized for maximum airflow, keeping your machine cool and giving you an optimized, high level performance.
It’s worth noting that pricing on Amazon can vary. Now, due to shortages, scalper pricing, and an increased demand, the price has risen a bit more than the standard price, so do check the link above for updated pricing on Amazon.
Also Read: Best GPU For Deep Learning
2. AMD Radeon RX 560
With AMD LiquidVR technology, this particular GPU provides excellent gaming performance, as well as a well rounded virtual reality experience. With advanced clocking technologies, it is a high performance product that does not use up too much power or make a lot of noise.
It is on the cheaper end, costing only a couple of hundred bucks, making it an exceptional choice for those with more limited budgets. Despite that, it has a good display engine, allowing for HDR gaming.
Its heat dissipation shell, made entirely out of aluminum, and its heat dissipation fan ensure that the GPU does not get hot and overworked. The nine blade fan, which is pretty quiet, helps maintain airflow,
With VSR technology and 4k support, you can get a good gaming experience for very little.
Graphics cards from GPVHOSO are authorized by NVIDIA and AMD through its partnership with both of them. That means you can download drivers from those sites.
For more advanced needs, this GPU might not be the best option. It is a lower budget choice, and it does well for its price range, but if you can afford a higher performance GPU for more advanced gaming, there are other options to choose from.
3. EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Black Edition Gaming
The GeForce RTX 2080 Ti is a good option, as it offers high performance without much risk of bottlenecking. While it can be quite a bit more expensive than some other options, it’s well worth it.
Nevertheless, you may also find used offers on Amazon (third party sellers selling used GPUs), which can allow you to save some money by giving up a bit of performance.
In addition, you may be able to apply for a payment plan if you qualify for the Amazon Visa Card, which can allow you to pay for this GPU over the course of 18 months, without any interest.
There are actually two options available on Amazon: The regular option and a Renewed option.
Renewed products come with the Amazon Renewed Guarantee, and they are tested and cleaned by a team vetted by Amazon to ensure they meet quality assurance.
They will have no cosmetic damages when viewed from an arm’s length, and they will meet 80 percent capacity, at the minimum, when compared to the original.
With Dual HDB fans and a powerful cooler, the GPU uses advanced technology to ensure it doesn’t get overheated.
Powered by the NVIDIA Turing Architecture, this particular version has improved upon previous versions. It reduces noise by 15 percent, allowing for a quiet gaming experience.
4. GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 2080 Super Windforce OC 8 GB
Many people prefer the RTX 2080 Super over the RTX 2080 Ti, and it may even be cheaper. This particular option is renewed — see the previous item on our list for an explanation of what renewed means on Amazon.
The spinning, alternating fans from this product’s Windforce 3x cooling system ensure the GPU does not get overworked or overheated. Reviews on Amazon are good, with most complaints pertaining to the price; however, pricing varies based on supply and demand.
5. PowerColor AMD Radeon RED DRAGON RX 580 8 GB
This is another good option if you are looking for something a bit cheaper. At only half or a third of the price of some other options on this list, this particular graphics card is a good budget choice.
Coming with both 4 GB and 8 GB versions, you can save even more money by choosing the 4 GB version. I would suggest the 8 GB version if you can, however.
Using LiquidVR technology from AMD, you can play virtual reality games and enjoy virtual reality experiences on another level. The technology is designed to make you feel as if you are really there, in real life.
The GPU also comes with the AMD App Acceleration technology. That means that it uses its own compute processing potential to work together with your system’s main processor to accelerate apps and get more done.
With PowerPlay and PowerTune technologies, the graphics processor helps maximize performance under heavy loads and saves power.
With HD3D technology, you can enjoy a 3D experience, whether you are watching a 3D video, playing 3D games, or viewing or editing your 3D photos.
So, does this GPU go well with the Ryzen 5 2600? It depends on what your needs are.
It can play most games in 1080p, in both high and ultra. You can reach 60FPS, and you can probably even go a bit higher, but if you go much higher than that, this might not be the right GPU for your needs.
6. Nvidia GEFORCE GTX 1070 Ti — FE Founder’s Edition
![Nvidia GEFORCE GTX 1070 Ti - FE Founder's Edition [PN: 900-1G411-2510-000]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ObOUrf8DL._SL500_.jpg "Nvidia GEFORCE GTX 1070 Ti - FE Founder's Edition [PN: 900-1G411-2510-000]")
The GTX 1070 Ti is another good GPU for a Ryzen 5 2600. It’s a good NVIDIA card, and it’s particularly easy to install, making it a good choice if you find installation difficult.
The GTX 1070 Ti from NVIDIA is good quality and will likely last you a long time. You can play games in high resolution, and its performance is outstanding, making it hard to beat for the price, even if you may only be able to snag a used one.
7. SAPPHIRE Radeon Pulse RX 5600 XT 6 GB
You can also get the Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5600 XT for your Ryzen 5 2600. This product comes with a Boost Clock of up to 1750 MHz and a Game Clock of 1615 MHz.
With 6 GB of memory and AMD RDNA technology, this particular GPU offers a high level of performance, allowing you to enjoy games on another level.
It is best for 1080p games, with 60FPS, though you can go higher. With its Dual X Cooling System, it will stay cool even under heavy workloads, allowing you to enjoy a smooth gaming experience.
A cool feature is the TriXX Boost feature. It allows you to lower your resolution, with even custom inputs, to enjoy a higher FPS.
At the same time, you do not have to lose out on quality, as the Radeon Image Sharpening allows you to enjoy sharp graphics, even at lower resolutions and higher FPS.
The price is not too expensive, nor is it too cheap. You may find both used and renewed options on Amazon — the renewed option doesn’t cost that much more, and it comes with the Amazon Renewed Guarantee, making it worth the few extra bucks.
8. MSI Gaming Radeon RX 6700 XT 192-bit
Finally, you can consider getting the RX 6700 XT. According to the website Renewed, the combination of the RX 6700 XT together with the Ryzen 5 2600 is a good one.
You will be able to play most games with little bottleneck, with only around eight percent bottleneck in most games, which is not very noticeable. You will not have to lose out on FPS, either.
With a Boost Clock of 2424 MHz and a memory of 12 GB GDDR6, you can get good performance out of this particular GPU.
With the TWIN FROZR 8 thermal system, you will be getting a good GPU that has quality performance. It is neat and efficient, with low noise levels and a cooling effect that smoothes out your computer’s performance.
The fans from the TORX FAN 4.0 system work together to get cool air into the processor. And, with core pipes spreading the heat all around, you can’t really go wrong.
Of course, you can also pair this particular GPU with other CPUs. If you eventually upgrade from the Ryzen 5 2600, it should still work, as it is a long lasting piece of equipment.
There are a number of options available from Amazon and third party sellers. Both new and used options are available, at a variety of price points.
Is The Ryzen 5 2600 Still Any Good? When Was It Released?
The Ryzen 5 2600 was released by AMD back in 2018, several years ago. That may lead you to wonder whether it is still a good option for gaming.
Now, there are some better and newer options available. If you are looking for a new processor, you may want to consider them instead of the Ryzen 5 2600.
However, if you already have the Ryzen 5 2600, don’t worry! It is still an excellent CPU for gaming.
Furthermore, even if you are looking for a new CPU, you should not entirely discard the idea of buying the Ryzen 5 2600. While you might sacrifice a bit of performance compared to a newer version, the additional performance of a newer model might not be enough to justify the increase in price.
It’s all about the cost value ratio and the budget you can afford. Of course, it also depends on the games you’re playing — the Ryzen 5 2600, paired with any of the GPUs mentioned in this article, should be just fine for 1080p gaming.
It is not entirely future proof. However, it will still be good for quite a while more.
How To Choose The Best GPU For Your Ryzen 5 2600 Or Any Other Processor
All the GPUs in this article are currently in stock. However, stock availability can always vary, especially as newer models come out.
In addition, you may not like any of the ones listed here. That’s okay, because I will be giving you some tips and things to look for when choosing a GPU for your Ryzen 5 2600, regardless of your needs.
1. Understand Your Computing Needs
Throughout this article, I have been assuming that you will be buying the GPU for gaming purposes. However, some people are now looking for a GPU with crypto mining in mind.
You may also need a GPU for simple purposes, such as basic web browsing or work. Or, you may need it for high end needs, like video game development or video editing.
For simple purposes, the exact GPU does not matter as much. For gaming, it is important to know the type of gaming you will be doing and the strain you will be putting on your system.
For higher FPS with very high resolution, you will need a high performance GPU. In that case, however, a Ryzen 5 2600 may not even be enough.
The same goes for advanced needs like film editing or video game development. For mining, it really depends on the crypto coin you are mining — try going for a GPU that does not use up too much electricity or power, as the more electricity you use and the more you spend on that, the less you will earn from mining.
2. Decide On NVIDIA Vs AMD
While Ryzen is from AMD, that does not mean you can not use NVIDIA GPUs with it. You may use both NVIDIA and AMD GPUs with an AMD CPU.
In general, you may want to opt for NVIDIA instead of AMD, despite having a Ryzen AMD CPU. NVIDIA is known to be better overall, using up less power.
For both gaming and mining, that is important. The more power you use, the more your bills will go up, and the more likely you are to experience a drop in performance.
At the same time, AMD GPUs are often cheaper.
As you may have noticed while perusing this list, AMD and NVIDIA aren’t necessarily the only manufacturers of GPUs. Companies like MSI create their own GPUs using the technology of NVIDIA or AMD.
As such, quality can still differ from one company to another. That is why it is critical to check reviews on Amazon first.
3. Look At Memory
It’s good to get a GPU with a RAM of 6 GB or more. For 1080p gaming, 6 GB is often enough.
However, the more, the better. GPUs with more memory may cost more, but they will enable you to game more smoothly while enjoying a higher resolution.
4. Watch YouTube Reviews Or Check Forums
There are many people with the same CPU as you — the Ryzen 5 2600. You can see what others recommend for that CPU and other CPUs by checking reviews on YouTube.
YouTube reviews may allow you to see first hand how a specific GPU works with the Ryzen 5 2600.
Alternatively, you may look on forums, especially Reddit and Tom’s Hardware, to see what others are using.
If you can not find anything related to the GPU you want, you can always start your own thread and ask others what they think.
5. Check GPU Benchmarks
Fortunately, there are websites out there ranking GPUs and comparing them to each other. You can check out scores and other details on Tom’s Hardware.
UserBenchmark is another useful site.
Remember, while the Ryzen 5 2600 is a powerful CPU, you don’t want the most powerful GPUs, either, as that can lead to bottlenecking.
6. Check Bottleneck Calculators
If you are really worried about bottlenecking, there are a few calculators that can help you figure out the realistic chances of bottlenecks occurring. Here are two such calculators: PC Build and CPU Agent.
Why Are GPUs Hard To Get And So Expensive?
You may have noticed that even mid range GPUs are suddenly hard to get, with lower stock availability. Also, you may have noticed how prices have surged — while a few years ago, you might have paid just $150 for a specific GPU, it can now easily cost $1,000 or more.
The reason for that is that due to cryptocurrency mining, there has been a greater demand for GPUs. As such, demand has gone up, and supply has gone down, leading to increased prices.
There is also a general silicon shortage, affecting a few industries.
People, known as scalpers, have also been buying GPUs in bulk and selling them at marked up prices.
Nevertheless, don’t worry! When Ethereum switches to proof of stake with the full adoption of Ethereum 2.0, the demand for GPUs may go down, and the GPU shortage may be no more.
Final Thoughts: What Is The Best GPU For The Ryzen 5 2600?
I recommend the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660, either from ZOTAC or some other brand.
It is a good mid range GPU that will fit most budgets, all things considered, and it offers excellent performance when paired with the Ryzen 5 2600.
