Recommended SYSTEM for Nvidia GTX 1060

[generalmolotof]

Good afternoon,

CPU
Well i found quiet a number of threads discussing about what CPU NOT to pair with a GTX 1060, because of bottlenecks etc. So here i am asking which CPU would be ideal for this card? I am at the early planning stages for a new rig, so both Intel and AMD suggestions are welcome (even though this time, i would rather prefer an Intel CPU 😉). This site: http://www.game-debate.com suggests that an Intel Core i5 6600K would be ideal, of course i want as many opinions as possible! I would also like to go for the latest generation of CPUs (7th for Intel and Ryzen for AMD, so keep that in mind).
As of now the three Intel flagship models are: i3 7320, i5 7600K and i7 7700K, i would like to know your opinions considering how the card will perform with the various CPUs, and if there will be any huge bottlenecks? Is i7 really worth it for this card, or it is an overkill? Keep in mind that i settled for 1920X1080 as my desired screen size (i don't really like huge monitors, and i also think that the GTX 1060 is the perfect card for this size), when suggesting a processor. Future proofness also matters alot for me at this stage, so keep that in mind.

RAM
16GB of DDR4 will be enough to avoid bottlenecks? Details further down the line.

PSU
Propably somewhere betweem 550-650W? According to components?

I propably should not make this any longer! Thanks in advance for the replies! Right now i want to decide mainly upon the CPU, so the rest of the system will come latter. Also i would like to avoid any further upgrades for the near future, so don't be cheap with your suggestions (i want a quality build that will last and be strong enough for my desired 1920X1080 gaming without the need of updates for quiet some time), and have overclocking as a possibility that i like doing and will do if i have to, but don't propose overkills either. I would like a balanced setup.

Hope i didn't tire you too much reading this!
Regards,
Hector

 

[machfelon]

7700k or 7600k imho

 

[bboiprfsr]

your CPU depends on your budget, intended purpose of use besides gaming or solely gaming, what kind of case/motherboard you're using (atx/mini atx/micro itx), which can also affect what kind of aftermarket CPU cooler you want.

1080p along with a gtx 1060 seems mainstream to me. you may as well go with a ryzen 5 or i5 then, since it's mainstream. nothing too extraordinary. Cut costs down.

However, if you were into multi-tasking with 2x 1440p monitors, video rendering, encoding and processing movies; content productivity, etc... then 8 cores 16 threads would make sense. Current generation games ideally use 4 cores 4 threads at best at 1080p high settings. At max settings, extra threads do offer benefits in certain high end game titles, such as GTA V. Furthermore, streaming and/or recording video games could also find usages in higher end CPUs.

However, you made it clear you wanted simply 1080p - an i5 7600k or i7-7700k would do fine depending on your needs. If you like AMD as a brand (underdog, value), a 1600x would do fine, too. Regardless, one day, maybe you can afford a 1440p big screen monitor around 30"+ inches above 120hz. That's crazy.

 

[generalmolotof]

Hi there and thanks for the answers!
Well 1080p and gtx 1060 might seem mainstream to you (and it is actually) but for me it is something completely new and high-end (never went above 200€ for a card, and this one is 300€), so I am quiet excited! I will get now into some details since those were missing from the OP. The main purpose of the build will be gaming. Games vary. I am really into total war RTS, paradox games as well. But I play also games like assassin's creed and war thunder and I intend to buy kingdom come deliverance when it comes out, so yes that's about it. Also I am into video editing with Sony Vegas pro, but only as a hobby so the build won't be made around it.
Now about the mobo. I am really thinking about a mini ITX build. Never tried it before so it is a completely new world for me as well. I want the portability it offers but I am really not in mood spending 3000€ on a gaming laptop. It is nonsense. That's why I want a mediocre screen. Let aside that I don't want a bigger screen, it won't be practical as well.
I was also leaning towards the i5, it seems the best choice. I always thought the i7s to be an overkill, never had one though so I can't be sure. The best CPU I had till now was a AMD athlon ii x4 760k, so yeah I had bad experiences with it. It never failed me but it never meet my expectations as well.
Anyways, I wrote this through my cell phone so it won't be as consistent.
Thanks in advance,
Hector

 

[bboiprfsr]

yeah i'd just go with the i5.

On the contrary, i7 isn't overkill if you utilize the processor in certain circumstances - given it's higher cache size and 8 threads, it's more suited for productivity. Example: I'm doing a 12-part series gaming walk through at 1080p that is 60minutes long. I have to edit a long of video clips and transcode (video format)/render (combine different video clips together), and compress (lossless to smaller file size). That takes a lot of CPU processing. Given that you're asking if an i7 is worth it or not, simply means you haven't done enough research on the i7's applications. There actually are some tangible benefits.

Regardless, the money you save on an i5 versus an i7 could allow you to invest in an extra hard drive, an SSD, et cetra. Each person must manage their own budget, which it seems like that's the best fit for you right now.

 

[generalmolotof]

Thank you my friend. Indeed i never got into searching seriously about the i7s i have to admit, but either way the i5 seems to be the sweet spot.
Thanks for your time!