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Looking for the best GPUs for the Ryzen 5 9600X?
If you don’t want to overspend, the Ryzen 5 9600X with its 6 cores and 12 threads build offers the best of both worlds – incredible single threaded performance as well as strong multithreaded performance
To help you pick the right GPU, I’ve done the research and picked the 2 best options for the 9600X. One for those who need a very affordable but decent GPU and another one which I consider the best GPU to pair with this CPU.
Our Top Picks
- Acer Nitro OC Arc B570 – Best Budget GPU For Ryzen 5 9600X
- GIGABYTE Gaming Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB – Our Top Choice
Before moving on make sure you check the following detailed tutorial on how to choose the best GPU for you: How to Choose a Graphics Card
Things To Consider When Buying a GPU for the Ryzen 5 9600X
The Ryzen 5 9600X is a potent 6-core, 12-thread CPU that excels at both gaming and light productivity. To harness its full potential, selecting the right GPU involves balancing performance, efficiency, and future-proofing. Here’s what to focus on:
1. Target Resolution and FPS
- 1080p gaming: Ideal pairing with budget or mid-tier GPUs offers smooth performance and high frame rates.
- 1440p: Best sweet spot for the 9600X—balances visuals and performance without overtaxing the CPU.
- 4K gaming: Possible with higher-end GPUs, but the 9600X may limit performance; better suited for HD or 1440p.
2. VRAM Size
- 8 GB is still okay for esports and older games—but increasingly pushed by modern titles.
- 10–12 GB VRAM (e.g. Arc B570, RX 9060 XT 16 GB) is better for newer games and helps future-proof your build.
- 16 GB VRAM provides optimal longevity, especially for content creators or heavy textures.
3. Value vs. Features
- Intel’s Arc B570 is a standout at its price point due to 10 GB VRAM, efficient media encoding, and competitive raster performance.
- For ray tracing and AI-enhanced performance, Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5070 bring DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation benefits.
4. Power & Efficiency
- Combine the 9600X with efficient GPUs like the Arc B570 (~150 W) to keep system power draw modest.
- Mid-range GPUs like the RX 9060 XT or RTX 5060 Ti (~160–200 W) require a solid 600–650 W PSU.
5. Avoiding Bottlenecks
- At 1080p, the GPU often pushes frame rates, risking CPU limitation with very powerful cards.
- At 1440p, the balance is clearer; the GPU becomes more performance-critical—you get the most out of both the 9600X and GPU.
GPU Tier Comparison for the Ryzen 5 9600X
| Tier | Recommended GPUs | Best For | Why It Works with the 9600X |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget (<$250) | Intel Arc B570 | Competitive 1080p, media work | Affordable, 10 GB VRAM, efficient raster. |
| Mid-Range ($250–$400) | RX 7600, RTX 5060 Ti (16GB), RX 9060 XT 8GB | 1080p high FPS, entry 1440p, ray tracing | Excellent balance of cost, features, and modern GPU tech. |
| Upper Mid-Range ($400–$500) | RX 9060 XT 16GB, RTX 5070 | 1440p ultra, RT, streaming | 16 GB VRAM ensures future performance; valued for smooth 1440p gameplay. |
| High-End ($500+) | RTX 4070, RX 7700 XT | 1440p ultra, some 4K | CPU is strong but may limit UHD performance; excellent for high refresh and creative workflow. |
Quick Take:
- For best 1080p value, the Intel Arc B570 stands out due to efficiency and VRAM.
- For most gamers—especially at 1440p—the RX 9060 XT 16 GB or RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB are the optimal match, delivering power, modern features, and excellent longevity.
2 Best GPUs For Ryzen 5 9600X Reviews
Acer Nitro OC Arc B570 – Best Budget GPU For Ryzen 5 9600X
Who would’ve thought a few years ago that the best combo for a budget PC would be an AMD CPU with an Intel GPU. Yet, here we are. The Ryzen 5 9600X and the Acer Nitro OC Arc B570 make up quite a good pairing as a budget gaming and workstation combo.
In the looks department, the Acer Nitro B570 awkwardly reminds me of Sapphire’s Nitro series of cards, but it does have an identity of its own. I’m not sure whether it was a coincidence that it looks like Sapphire’s design, but I am glad that Acer has learnt the best lessons and put them to good use. Not only is the Nitro B570 a good looking card, the cooler itself is impressive, keeping the GPU under 56 degrees Celsius under a full load while the fans only make about 35 decibels of noise.
This card is also small and compact taking up just 2 PCIe slots without extending into the third and is under 11 inches long so it should easily fit inside any PC case.
In terms of performance, the ARC B570 puts up a great fight against the much more expensive RTX 5060 and RX 9060 XT (8 GB), and the best part about the B570 is that it has a total of 10 GB of VRAM. Despite being slightly less powerful than both the GPUs, the B570’s extra VRAM always comes in handy as games have started to use more than 8 gigs of VRAM. The B570 also makes slightly older AMD and Nvidia cards like the RX 7600, and RTX 4060 look bad. It is a shame that Nvidia and AMD are still stuck with 8 gigabytes for such a long time, but thankfully this gave Intel the opportunity to swoop in and save the day.
In seriously demanding games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 and Black Myth Wukong, the B570 can average between 60 to 70 FPS at 1080p with medium settings and XeSS enabled. This is simply due to the nature of unoptimized Unreal Engine 5 games; you need to stick to medium settings for the best performance while maintaining visual fidelity. Thankfully, most games play really well on the B570 – Cyberpunk 2077 runs at 1080p with high settings at around 80 FPS and The Last of Us plays well at 60 FPS with a mix of high and medium settings.
The B570 even has room for ray tracing, which means that if you need to play a game that has mandatory ray tracing, like DOOM: The Dark Ages or Indiana Jones And The Great Circle, the B570 can easily play them at high settings with around 45 to 50 FPS.
Other than just gaming, the B570 has the Intel Media Encoder, which is undoubtedly one of the fastest 4K video encoders. You get excellent AV1 support for both encoding and decoding, along with the large 10 GB VRAM to fit in larger project files that may crash 8 GB cards.
Now even with all of the great things about the B570, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Firstly, since this is still Intel’s early attempt at making GPUs, the drivers may not be the most stable compared to AMD and Nvidia. The drivers also have significant CPU overhead and the performance scales up or down depending on how powerful your CPU is. If you pair the B570 with an older CPU like the Ryzen 5 3600, you may see half the potential performance. Pairing the B570 with something super fast like the Ryzen 5 9600X or Core i5 14400 is the way to go.
In conclusion, if you need a budget GPU to pair with the Ryzen 5 9600X, the best choice right now is the Acer Nitro OC Arc B570. At its price point, it is one of the absolute best GPUs out there for new budget gamers.
To sum up, what I like is that it’s …
- Excellent at 1080p even with ray tracing
- 10 GB VRAM buffer
- Super-fast media encoder for 4K video editing
On the downside…
- Poor performance on older systems
- Driver overhead requires a decent CPU
GIGABYTE Gaming Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB – Our Top Choice
The Ryzen 5 9600X and the Gigabyte Gaming RX 9060 XT are a match made in heaven. Together, they offer the best possible combo for building a top notch 1440p monster for around $1000.
The design of this card is pretty much exactly what I ask for; if you need to add more metal to the heat sink, just make the card longer instead of making it thicker. So this card is not thicker than two PCIe slots and is 11 inches long. It has 3 fans with an air passthrough cutout which helps reduce temperatures a lot while keeping the card nice and quiet. The card never goes above 60 degrees Celsius and even stays closer to 50 degrees in most games.
Performance-wise, the 9060 XT is quite a game-changer. You can easily run any game at 1440p with maxed out graphics settings and enjoy a smooth 60 FPS in any game. And it isn’t just good at rasterization – it is the perfect entry card for ray tracing without sacrificing performance. Cyberpunk 2077 runs incredibly well at around 50 FPS with ray tracing enabled at 1440p with the ultra quality settings and FSR enabled.
Not only is the 9060 XT superb for 1440p ray tracing, it also has two more goodies: FSR 4 and AMD’s new media encoder. FSR 4 is a huge leap in visual clarity because it is AI-based unlike AMD’s older upscaling tech, which means almost no difference in quality from native resolution with extra performance. Combined with AMD’s latest media engine, this is sure to become a popular card for professional creatives and especially game streamers. No more blocky streams from now on!
In terms of competition, the 9060 XT 16 GB stays neck-and-neck against the RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB. No matter what game you play, both of these GPUs are going to be nearly identical; Sometimes the 5060 Ti wins, sometimes the 9060 XT wins, but both with very slim margins. The biggest advantage of the 9060 XT is that it’s massively available at or close to the manufacturers suggested price, which is something that cannot be said for the 5060 Ti. The RTX 5060 Ti is consistently more expensive than the 9060 XT. If you were considering the 5060 Ti because you think that Nvidia’s implementation of certain features, like real-time ray tracing, AI-based upscaling, and video encoding, are better, then the good news is that AMD has seriously caught up (and this should really worry Nvidia).
Although I have been praising this card non-stop, I do think that there is no such thing as a perfect GPU. I think Gigabyte could’ve made a shorter card which would’ve made this 9060 XT even more accessible for smaller cases. And the other thing of note is that although AMD has improved a lot on their features that are not only limited to gaming, Nvidia is still the better choice if you need a reliable card not only for gaming, but for work as well. The AI capabilities of the 5060 Ti are immense and are on the same level as the RTX 4080.
At the end of the day, if you need a rock solid card for gaming with a massive 16 GB VRAM that is friendly on the wallet, then the Gigabyte Gaming RX 9060 XT is the clear choice. At its current price it is the best value being offered by any new graphics card right now.
To sum up, what I like is the…
- Incredible 1440p performance even with ray tracing
- Quiet and Cool operation
- AI-based upscaling with FSR 4
- Massively improved media encoder for 4K editing and streaming
On the downside…
- Still lags behind Nvidia in AI and productivity apps
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What type of GPU is best suited for the Ryzen 5 9600X?
The best GPU type for the Ryzen 5 9600X depends on your gaming resolution. For 1080p high refresh gaming, a mid-range GPU works perfectly. For 1440p ultra settings, you’ll want a stronger card with at least 12GB of VRAM. At 4K, the CPU becomes less important, but you’ll need a high-end GPU for smooth performance.
2. How much VRAM should a GPU have to pair well with the 9600X?
A GPU with 10–12GB VRAM is the sweet spot for pairing with the Ryzen 5 9600X. While 8GB cards are fine for esports and older titles, newer games already push past that limit. Going for 16GB or more ensures better longevity.
3. Can the Ryzen 5 9600X handle 1440p gaming?
Yes, the Ryzen 5 9600X is well-suited for 1440p gaming. It has excellent single-threaded performance that keeps frame rates high, especially when paired with a modern GPU designed for mid-range to upper mid-range gaming.
4. Will the Ryzen 5 9600X bottleneck a high-end GPU?
At 1080p, the 9600X can slightly bottleneck very powerful GPUs since the CPU will hit its limits first. At 1440p or higher, the GPU does most of the heavy lifting, so bottlenecks are minimal and rarely affect gameplay.
5. What PSU size do I need for a GPU paired with the 9600X?
For most mid-range GPUs, a 600–650W power supply is recommended. If you plan on using a higher-end card, such as one designed for 4K gaming, a 700W–750W PSU provides more headroom.
6. Is ray tracing viable with the Ryzen 5 9600X?
Yes, the Ryzen 5 9600X can handle ray tracing if paired with a GPU that supports it. Performance will depend on the GPU tier—entry-level cards can manage ray tracing at 1080p, while stronger GPUs allow for smooth ray-traced gameplay at 1440p or higher.
7. Should I choose AMD, Nvidia, or Intel GPUs for the 9600X?
All three brands work well with the Ryzen 5 9600X, but the choice depends on priorities. AMD GPUs often offer better price-to-performance. Nvidia GPUs excel in ray tracing, AI features, and creative workloads. Intel GPUs provide strong media encoding and competitive pricing but rely more on modern CPUs for stability.
8. Is the Ryzen 5 9600X good for high-refresh gaming monitors?
Yes, the 9600X shines in high-refresh-rate setups. With the right GPU, it can easily push 144 FPS or higher in competitive games at 1080p, making it ideal for esports and fast-paced titles.
9. What’s more important for the 9600X, GPU power or VRAM size?
Both matter, but it depends on your use case. For esports and lighter titles, raw GPU power (higher clock speeds and cores) matters more. For AAA and future titles, VRAM size is crucial to prevent stuttering and ensure smoother gameplay at higher settings.
10. Which GPU tier gives the best long-term value with the Ryzen 5 9600X?
The upper mid-range tier offers the best balance of cost, performance, and future-proofing. GPUs in this class generally include 12–16GB of VRAM, strong 1440p performance, and support for advanced features like ray tracing and AI upscaling, ensuring your system remains capable for years.
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