Best CPU for Under The Waves (2026)
To get the most out of Under The Waves, pair your graphics card with a CPU at or above its recommended processor. A too-slow CPU caps your frame rate no matter how strong the GPU is. Below are our picks by budget, chosen from real benchmark data.
Recommended processors by budget
| Tier | Our pick | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Meets the recommended spec · 6 cores · ~$99.00 |
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| Sweet spot | AMD Ryzen 5 5500GT High-FPS headroom at 1080p/1440p · 6 cores · ~$109.00 |
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| High-end | AMD Ryzen 5 7600 1440p+, streaming & future-proofing · 6 cores · ~$199.00 |
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The CPU sets your frame-rate ceiling. For high-refresh (144Hz+) or 1080p competitive play, lean toward the sweet-spot or high-end pick; at 4K the GPU does most of the work and a budget-tier CPU is usually enough.
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Under The Waves system requirements
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i5 4th Gen/ AMD Ryzen 3 4100 4 cores 3.8 GHz | Intel Core i7 7thGen / AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core 3.6GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB/ AMD R9 290 HD 4GB | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 6GB/ AMD Radeon RX Vega56 8GB |
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
Building the whole rig? See the best GPU for Under The Waves, check for a CPU/GPU bottleneck, or test your current PC with Can I Run It.
Frequently Asked Questions
What CPU do I need for Under The Waves?
A AMD Ryzen 5 3600-class processor meets the recommended bar. For high frame rates a AMD Ryzen 5 5500GT gives more headroom. For 1440p+ gaming while streaming, a AMD Ryzen 5 7600 or better is ideal. Verify any chip with our free Can I Run It checker.
Does the CPU matter for Under The Waves, or just the GPU?
Gaming is GPU-bound, so the graphics card matters most for raw settings and resolution. But the CPU sets your frame-rate ceiling — it matters most at high refresh rates, at 1080p, and in CPU-heavy games (strategy, simulation, open-world). A weak CPU paired with a strong GPU causes a bottleneck.
Will my CPU bottleneck Under The Waves?
It can, if your CPU is much weaker than your GPU. Check the exact balance of your build with our free bottleneck calculator before buying either component.