NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card (GPU) was announced in April 2023, with promises of near-RTX 3080 performance with far more efficient running. It's a stalwart choice for 1440p PC gaming, especially with extra goodies like DLSS 3, strong ray tracing support, and much more. It's a very popular graphics card thanks to a fine balance of price and performance, and a few people here at Windows Central rely on one for a great gaming experience.
I've included a collection of new and aging Intel and AMD chips here, allowing all users to get exactly what they need to complement the NVIDIA RTX 4070 best. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday heading our way and plenty of deals already live, the best time to buy PC hardware is upon us.
Recent updates
November 12, 2024: I added the Ryzen 7 9800X3D as a top pick to pair with the RTX 4070. I also added the 5700X3D for those sticking with an AM4 build. Information and buying advice surrounding Black Friday/Cyber Monday has also been added. — Cale Hunt
Top choice
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a great choice for anyone who wants a ton of performance at a 120W TDP. It has 8 cores, 16 threads, and a boost clock up to 5GHz, otherwise sitting at 4.2GHz. The AM5 chipset is required, so older AMD systems will need a motherboard upgrade, but PCIe 5.0 compatibility and DDR5 RAM support are key for modern systems. Like the 9800X3D, it's very popular and often sold out.
Best Zen 5
Want the latest and greatest from AMD's Zen 5? The Ryzen 7 9800X3D brings AMD's 3D V-Cache to the latest CPUs for gaming dominance. It's an octa-core CPU with a 96MB L3 cache, and it's unlocked for overclocking. Its popularity and recent release mean it's not at the moment easy to find, but new stock is always emerging. Expect to pay about $479.
Best mid-range Intel
While the Core i7-14700K offers better performance, the Core i5-14600K is a better choice for many users thanks to its lower $252 price. That's true even for quality 1440p gaming. It's reasonably priced, it has 14 cores and 20 threads, and it can hit a 5.3GHz Turbo clock. It has a base 125W TDP, it supports DDR5 memory, and it offers PCIe 5.0 compatibility. The same LGA1700 socket as the previous couple of generations is in use, making it an easy upgrade for many systems.
Best mid-range AMD
Coming in regularly at around $224 on sale, AMD's Ryzen 5 7600X is an affordable option that can nevertheless keep up with an RTX 4070 in 1440p gaming. It boasts 6 cores, 12 threads, and a boost clock up to 5.3GHz (otherwise running at 4.7GHz). DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 support are included. The new AM5 socket is used, so you'll probably need a motherboard upgrade if working on an older PC.
Budget Intel pick
The 14th Gen Core i5-14600K is hardly an upgrade over the 13th Gen Core i5-13600K. The older chip offers the same 14 cores, 20 threads, and 125W base TDP on the LGA 1700 socket, with a slightly lower 5.1GHz Turbo boost. It's almost the same CPU, but due to its age, you might be able to get the Core i5-13600K for a discounted price. I've seen it as low as about $210, much less than the 14th Gen chip.
Best for AM4 PCs
The jump to AMD's AM5 socket means you'll need a motherboard upgrade for older systems. If that's not an option for you, AMD's Ryzen 7 5700X3D remains a stellar AM4 CPU for the RTX 4070 even for 1440p gaming. It has 8 cores, 16 threads, and a boost clock up to 4.1GHz, all running at a 105W base TDP. DDR4 RAM and PCIe 4.0 support are included. Compared to the newer Ryzen 7 7800X3D and 9800X3D, you can usually find this chip for a lot less money.
I've been tinkering with and building PCs for decades, and my time spent testing and writing about PC hardware allows me to give you informed buying advice. All of the CPUs I've included here are easy recommendations, with different options for budget and performance.
Choosing the best CPU for NVIDIA's RTX 4070 GPU
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If you aren't building an entirely new PC, there's a good chance that you're upgrading one or two parts at a time. Let's say you've already decided on the RTX 4070 GPU as your next upgrade, or it's already in your system. Choosing the best processor (CPU) for NVIDIA's RTX 4070 really comes down to how much you can spend and what sort of hardware is otherwise in your PC.
The RTX 4070 GPU was only released last year, and it's expected to remain a powerful option for 1080p and 1440p gaming at high framerates for years to come. That's especially true thanks to NVIDIA's DLSS 3 technology and strong ray tracing support.
The RTX 4070 comes with 12GB of GDDR6X VRAM to set you up nicely for most game requirements, and it boasts 67 TFLOPS of ray tracing power and 29 TFLOPS of shader core power. It even has 466 TOPS of AI acceleration power thanks to its Tensor cores.
If you're looking to pair the RTX 4070 with a capable CPU, any of the options I've listed above will do the trick. However, there is some nuance to be aware of.
AMD's latest Ryzen 7 9800X3D and last-gen Ryzen 7 7800X3D are the modern picks for enthusiasts who need more cores, higher clocks, and overall stronger performance for CPU-heavy games. While both chips run on the AM5 socket and won't work with AM4 motherboards, it's a worthwhile upgrade for gamers. This collection of high-performance AM5 motherboards might have what you need.
In Windows Central Senior Editor Ben Wilson's Ryzen 7 7800X3D review, he noted that he "could see it outlasting its two siblings and remaining a popular choice for years, assuming no sudden failures or future issues." Wilson also reviewed the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, stating:
"AMD continues the theme with its second generation of 3D V-Cache to deliver unparalleled gaming performance and middling productivity. Thankfully, most gamers do not care about the benchmark-breaking number crunching as long as they get their framerate boosts, and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers that sweet extra FPS. It's not a big enough jump to tempt those happy with a previous-gen Ryzen 7 7800X3D, but anyone on Ryzen 5000 chips or jumping ship from Intel will love it if the $30 MSRP hike and AM5 overhauls don't sour the temptation."
• AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | View at Newegg
• AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D | View at Best Buy
Those sticking with Intel should check out the Core i5-14600K or Core i5-13600K (if you can get a better deal. I've never used anything beyond a Core i5/Ryzen 5 for my own PC builds, and I've never had problems gaming at 1440p on an ultrawide display.
The mid-range chips are more affordable than their Core i7 siblings, making them even more desirable for an RTX 4070 PC build. Yes, Intel's new Core Ultra desktop chips have entered the market, but gaming performance changes are so minor that I recommend sticking with an older CPU to save money.
• Intel Core i5-13600K | View at Best Buy
• Intel Core i5-14600K | View at Best Buy
Are Black Friday and Cyber Monday good times to buy CPUs?
Absolutely. Black Friday and Cyber Monday — which fall on November 29 and December 2, respectively — are generally the two days when tech is at the lowest price of the year.
I've been covering Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events since 2016, and every year I find myself recommending processors and graphics cards to our readers (as well as some personal friends) who are looking to upgrade their PC for less money.
The popularity of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and 9800X3D means they won't likely see a huge discount during Black Friday/Cyber Monday. They're already hard to find, and scalpers are charging a lot more than usual. If you're searching for these chips during the sales events, be sure you're not getting ripped off by a reseller.
On the other hand, Intel's waning popularity in the gaming world means you might be able to snag a 13th or 14th Gen desktop chip for a lot less than usual. I've seen Intel chips drop significantly on Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the past, and I don't expect it to be any different this year.
Some of the older AMD chips, like the Ryzen 5 7600X and Ryzen 7 5700X3D should also be discounted in the coming weeks. Unless you want the latest AMD CPUs, they should remain a great pairing for the RTX 4070.
Is NVIDIA's RTX 4070 GPU good for 4K gaming?
NVIDIA designed its RTX 4070 to target 1440p PC gaming, and that's where it excels. You'll be able to enjoy high framerates in modern, demanding titles, all for quite a bit less than NVIDIA's stronger GPUs. Sure, it will also crush a 1080p resolution, but you could buy a cheaper GPU that's still well-suited to FHD gaming.
On the other hand, the RTX 4070 can run games at a 4K resolution but is not recommended as the go-to card for the extra pixels. You'd be much better off buying a high-end GPU with a wider bus and more VRAM; something like the RTX 4080 Super or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX immediately comes to mind.
Should you be worried about Intel's 13th and 14th Gen instability issues?
I'm still recommending some Intel hardware to pair with the RTX 4070, but you should be — at the bare minimum — aware of what went on with Intel's 13th Gen "Raptor Lake" and 14th Gen "Raptor Lake Refresh" desktop processors.
Since 2022, a growing number of users reported BSODs and crashes when using the CPUs, and Intel finally acknowledged the issue. Intel's Thomas Hannaford posted on the Intel community board that a fix was expected to roll out in mid-August.
The fix, which is now available via motherboard BIOS updates, stops a microcode bug that caused the CPUs to draw too high of a voltage, leading to instability. However, it was also revealed that previous damage to the Intel chips is most likely irreversible and that it can happen to any of the 13th and 14th Gen desktop chips running at 65W or higher.
Intel didn't issue a recall, and it instead urged affected users to reach out to its customer support team for help. That applies even if you've had an RMA attempt denied in the past. In the meantime, those already using the Intel chips should stick with Intel Default Settings and keep the motherboard BIOS current. Unsure if your CPU is affected? This insightful Robeytech YouTube video should be able to help.
I expect that as long as you have the latest BIOS you'll be OK, but you can avoid the entire situation by going with an AMD chip. And since the Ryzen X3D CPUs are easily the best chips on the market for gamers, your decision shouldn't be too tough.
