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.
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 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.
Some users can't live without the Core i7 or Ryzen 7, whether for overclocking or other high-performance reasons, while others find that the Core i5 and Ryzen 5 options have more than enough power for smooth 1440p gaming. We've included a collection of new and aging Intel and AMD chips here, allowing all users to get exactly what they need to best complement the NVIDIA RTX 4070.
1. AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
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. It's usually available for around $500.
2. AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
Best Zen 5
Want the latest and greatest from AMD's Zen 5? The Ryzen 7 9700X is an efficient 65W CPU from the Ryzen 9000 series, offering blistering single-core and stellar multi-core performance. It might not be as good for dedicated gaming as the 7800X3D, but it's perfect for multi-use systems. You can usually pick it up for about $345.
3. Intel Core i5-14600K
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 $300 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.
4. AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Best mid-range AMD
Coming in regularly at around $200 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.
5. Intel Core i5-13600K
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 $230, much less than the 14th Gen chip.
6. AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
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 5800X3D 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 4.5GHz, all running at a 105W base TDP. DDR4 RAM and PCIe 4.0 support are included. Compared to the newer Ryzen 7 7800X3D, you can usually find this chip for a lot less money.
Choosing the best CPU for NVIDIA's RTX 4070 GPU
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NVIDIA's GeForce 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 9700X 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. This collection of high-performance AM5 motherboards might have what you need.
In Windows Central 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."
Most people, however, are going to have great success with the Core i5-14600K (or Core i5-13600K if you can get a better deal) and AMD Ryzen 5 7600X chips. 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/Ryzen 7 siblings, making them even more desirable for an RTX 4070 PC build. Former Windows Central Senior Editor Rich Edmonds reviewed the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X, noting that "even more demanding PC games and software will be able to take advantage of the higher clock speeds, so long as you have adequate cooling."
You'll still have to upgrade to an AM5 motherboard for the Ryzen 5 7600X, and if that doesn't work for you, you can always check out the Ryzen 7 5800X3D as an AM4 alternative.
- AMD Ryzen 5 7600X | View at Newegg
- AMD Ryzen 5 7600X | View at Best Buy
- AMD Ryzen 5 7600X | View at Amazon
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?
While I'm still recommending some Intel hardware to pair with the RTX 4070, you should be — at the bare minimum — aware of what's going 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 rolling out via motherboard BIOS updates, should stop a microcode bug that causes 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 isn't issuing a recall, and it instead urges 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.
AMD's Ryzen 9000 CPUs are here, but what about X3D?
AMD's Zen 5 desktop CPUs were delayed shortly, but the first run has now launched including two Ryzen 7 and two Ryzen 9 9000 chips. Windows Central Senior Editor Ben Wilson reviewed the Ryzen 7 9700X featured in this list, saying:
"AMD is delivering a multi-punch knockout with the Ryzen 7 9700X, as it drops the MSRP from its previous-generation 7700X and even returns to the 65W power draw of its 5700X."
If you're looking to build a system focused primarily on gaming, you might want to wait for AMD's Ryzen 9000 X3D chips. Like the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, my top choice for an RTX 4070, the expected 9000 chips with AMD's 3D V-Cache will boost gaming performance significantly.
We still don't have a firm release window for the next-gen X3D chips, but I'm expecting AMD to announce something in the coming months.
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Cale Hunt
Contributor
Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than eight years of experience writing about laptops, PCs, accessories, games, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.
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