Best CPU for NVIDIA RTX 3070 in 2023
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The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is a powerful GPU that appeals to gamers who want to crush high-end games without overspending. Of course, the best graphics cards are tough to find at a regular list price, but that’s beside the point; you already have the GPU and want to pair it with a proper processor! Here are a bunch of options for the best CPU for the NVIDIA RTX 3070 that won’t keep the card from achieving its true potential.
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU
AMD’s superstar
The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X might be overkill for most people, but if you have the budget, it will crush anything you throw its way. It has 16 cores, 32 threads, and a 105W TDP with a ceiling available for overclocking. It works with the AM4 socket and has DDR4 RAM and PCIe 4.0 support.
Intel Core i9-12900K CPU
Intel’s powerhouse
The i9-12900K competes with the Ryzen 9 with comparable performance and a lower price. Running at a 125W TDP, it’s overclockable with DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 support. It’s an LGA 1700 socket chip, meaning you will need to also invest in a motherboard to match.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X CPU
Best value AMD
The Ryzen 7 5800X isn’t quite as powerful as the i7-12700K, but it will still easily keep up with the RTX 3070. Eight cores, 16 threads, a 105W TDP, and it’s overclockable with DDR4 RAM and PCIe 4.0 support. You can even use older AMD motherboards, thanks to the AM4 socket.
Intel Core i7-12700K CPU
Best value Intel
The Core i7-12700K easily beats the Ryzen 7 5800X in most benchmarks but costs more. DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 support are future-proofed, but it requires a compatible motherboard for the LGA 1700 socket. It has 12 cores and 20 threads at a 125W TDP using Intel’s big.
LITTLE hybrid design.
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU
Best affordable AMD
The Ryzen 5 5600X vs. Intel Core i5-12600K shows it doesn’t bring as much power with six cores and 12 threads. Still, the lower 65W TDP, PCIe 4.0 support, and overclocking ceiling are appealing. The AM4 socket also means keeping your motherboard if upgrading an older AMD build.
Intel Core i5-12600K CPU
Best affordable Intel
The Intel Core i5-12600K beats the Ryzen 5 in most benchmarks, costing about the same amount too, but you must factor in an LGA 1700 socket motherboard. It benefits from DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 support plus the same big.LITTLE hybrid design as the other 12th Gen Intel CPUs.
Intel vs. AMD
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For the best value out there, the Ryzen 7 5800X and Core i7-12700K are both top options, and they’re also incredibly powerful CPUs that will crush modern gaming and specialized work. And if you’d rather spend a little less, the Ryzen 5 5600X and Core i5-12600K will get the job done at a mild performance cost.
When buying the newest 12th Gen Intel Core «Alder Lake» CPUs, you will need to invest in a motherboard with LGA 1700 socket. Older Intel motherboards will not work with these new chips. Our collections of the best motherboards for Core i5-12600K and best motherboards for Core i7-12700K can help you with that.
Choosing the best CPU for NVIDIA RTX 3070
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is a top choice for gamers looking for a high-end gaming experience without overspending. That disregards the history of the GPU market, rife with scalpers and insane prices. If you’re searching out new CPUs, chances are you already have an RTX 3070 and are now looking for further upgrades.
Any of the best CPUs in this list will do a great job accompanying the RTX 3070, and you have some choices depending on your budget. The Ryzen 9 5950X or the Core i9-12900K will set you up nicely for the future, with total overkill performance that will remain relevant years into the future. These chips are mostly reserved for enthusiasts, with a price tag reflecting performance.
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He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user, and spends most of his time either tinkering with or writing about tech.
Best CPU for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 in 2023
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The best processor (CPU) for NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3080 won’t bottleneck the absolutely monstrous power coming from the card. In this case, AMD Ryzen 5000 Series CPUs are a great match, but Intel is also up there with its 12th Gen «Alder Lake» Core chips. We’ve rounded up the best CPUs if you have an RTX 3080 that needs a partner.
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
Best overall AMD
The AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is a killer CPU that will have no issues keeping up with the RTX 3080. 16 cores, 32 threads, and a boost speed up to 4.9GHz with 105W TDP. Crush QHD and UHD gaming with this chip, but expect to pay dearly for all that power.
Intel Core i9-12900K
Best overall Intel
The Intel Core i9-12900K is a beast of a CPU, with 125W stock TDP, DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 support, 16 cores (8 performance, 8 efficiency), and 24 threads, with a Turbo frequency of 5.2GHz. It costs more than the Ryzen 9 5950X, but it scores better on many benchmarks.
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Runner-up AMD
The Ryzen 9 5900X is a great alternative that will still handle quality modern gaming and heavy workloads. It has 12 cores, 24 threads, and a boost speed up to 4.8GHz with a 105W TDP. You should be able to handle QHD and UHD gaming with ease.
Intel Core i7-12700K
Runner-up Intel
The Intel Core i7-12700K is a significant upgrade over the i7-11700K and pairs nicely with the RTX 3080 for less money than an i9.
It supports DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0, operates at a 125W TDP, and has 12 cores (8 performance, 4 efficiency) with 16 threads and a max Turbo clock of 5GHz.
Intel Core i5-12600K
Best budget Intel
The Intel Core i5-12600K is an affordable 10-core (6 performance, 4 efficiency) CPU with a 125W TDP and a boost clock up to 4.9GHz. It’s compatible with PCIe 5.0 and DDR5 RAM and will excel at QHD and FHD gaming.
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
Best budget AMD
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X budget chip can provide substantial numbers when gaming at QHD. You get 6 cores, 12 threads, a 4.6GHz boost clock, and a low 65W TDP. It costs a bit more than the Intel Core i5-11600K, but if you’re on Team Red, it’s well worth the money.
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Any of the above CPUs will do an excellent job with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, depending on the level of performance you’re looking for, but the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X or Intel Core i9-12900K are at the top. If you want to push 4K resolutions in modern AAA games, either of these will do a great job, and they’re priced similarly. Even the Ryzen 9 5900X will do a fantastic job if you want to save some money.
AMD’s Ryzen 5000 desktop processors have been available a lot longer than Intel’s 12th Gen Core desktop CPUs, but that doesn’t mean they’re still not potent options for high-end gaming builds. You will pay more for similar Intel chips, but you can access the phenomenal new hybrid architecture with performance and efficiency cores.
For more buying options, check out our picks for the best processor for your custom PC.
Get the best of Windows Central in in your inbox, every day!
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
Cale Hunt is formerly a Senior Editor at Windows Central.
He focuses mainly on laptop reviews, news, and accessory coverage. He’s been reviewing laptops and accessories full-time since 2016, with hundreds of reviews published for Windows Central. He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user, and spends most of his time either tinkering with or writing about tech.
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The student took a few seconds to examine the symbolic order of her election.
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They, as the time required, let me report the slander, and they kept my eyes peeled.
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There is such a wonderful practice for dealing with an overly strict inner critic, it helps not to burn out, not to fuss and appreciate yourself more: at the end of the day you need to write out fifteen tasks for which you should praise yourself. Washed the dishes — well done. Cooked food — well done again. He gathered everyone to the garden, to work — twice well done. I read a little book, because you need to relax at least sometimes — no doubt well done! And it becomes so easy))) A very effective thing, I advise everyone. Why am I?More
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The first part of this epic epic is here: https://author.today/post/14095 Since then, I have taken into account the comments made and finalized the cover to «Metamorphoses of Consciousness», in particular, replacing Helena Morgensen’s hair and correcting the contrast of the image. Here’s what happened: However, time moves inexorably forward, and we need to keep up with it.Details
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While the main and intermediate results of the «New Fiction» contest were being summed up, the author literally and figuratively worked like a grandfather on his mortgage with a heavy, armor-piercing, canon-epic novel. For what? Yes, of course, for the sake of immortality, digital. Only copyright. Let’s leave the results of the competition itself without comment, because they have the character of «external motivation». Is there a result. Product. The novel «Battleship in the Darkness», according to the canons of the «space opera» genre.
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