Best CPUs for RTX 3080 Ti in 2024 – Our top picks

If you’re looking for the best CPUs for your RTX 3080 Ti build, then we have you covered right here.

As you might know, the RTX 3080 Ti is a tweaked and more powerful iteration of the RTX 3080. When the GPU rolled out, it was considered a “high-end” option. With its 10240 CUDA cores, 12GB GDDR6X VRAM, and 1.67GHz boost clock speed, this card can handle 1440p and 4K gaming.

Now, to get the most out of your GPU, you need to pair it with an equally powerful CPU. Choosing something with lower capabilities will cause bottleneck issues. And picking something with a lot more power might cause you to overspend – so we need to strike a balance.

With that being said, we’ve rounded up the best processors to match this GPU. Buckle up for our guide to the best CPU for RTX 3080 Ti.

Products at a glance

How we selected the best CPUs for RTX 3080 Ti

To choose the best CPUs that can match the speed and power of the RTX 3080 Ti, we had to look among the old-gen and the new-gen CPUs. From clock speeds to core count and memory support, we’ll explore the features that make these CPUs stand out and help you make an informed decision when building your dream machine.

Plus, we have gone a step beyond and reviewed these CPUs ourselves to give you better insights into real-world performance. You can learn more about our in-house testing process by checking out our dedicated page.

Whether you’re a competitive gamer looking for the edge or a content creator pushing the limits of your creativity, this article will guide you to the perfect CPU for your needs.

01

AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

Hands-on Review

4.5 /5

Editor’s Rating

How We Review

Specifications

• Cores: 12
• Threads : 24
• Boost clock speed: 5.6 GHz
• Base clock speed: 4.7 GHz
• L3 Cache: 64 MB
• TDP: 170 W
• Platform: AMD Socket AM5

Reasons to Buy

• The strongest single- and multi-thread performance
• High boosted frequencies
• Great overclocking capability
• DDR5 and PCIe 5.0

Reasons to Avoid

• DDR5 is pricey
• Maybe too much for the 3060 Ti in some cases
• Needs an AM5 motherboard

• Shop on Amazon

Although from the previous generation, the RTX 3080 Ti still has a lot of raw power for the CPU to match. For this reason, a high-end CPU is the top choice. With the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, you’ll have access to the newest AMD technology to perform any program, tool, app, or game at the best possible metrics.

The Ryzen 9 7900X is the ultimate choice for those who demand top-tier performance from their CPUs. Not only does it provide smooth and fast gaming experiences, but it also has the power to handle even the most demanding content creation tasks.

With a price point of $549, it falls in the mid-range between Intel’s premium Core i9 and Core i7 chips, yet its performance surpasses the competition, making it a great choice for those who want to maximize their value.

One of the standout features of the Ryzen 9 7900X is its 12 cores and Zen 4 architecture, which results in a significant 13% improvement in IPC. It is manufactured using the advanced 5nm process, ensuring efficient and fast performance. With a peak clock speed of 5.6 GHz, it is nearly on par with the top-of-the-line Ryzen 9 7950X and even surpasses Intel’s fastest offerings, setting a high bar for future releases.

The high clock speed and cores provide smooth gaming experiences, allowing gamers to enjoy sandbox games without any bottlenecks. Meanwhile, the powerful performance makes it ideal for content creators who demand the best performance from their CPUs.

What users say

Most users on online praise the Ryzen 9 7900X’s overall performance. Furthermore, reviewers highlighted the ease of installation and gaming prowess of this CPU. With 87% of 5 star ratings, this product is pretty universally acclaimed amongst those who bought it. One user even noted it “destroys everything I throw at it with ease. An excellent purchase”.

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Intel Core i9-13900K

Hands-on Review

4 /5

Editor’s Rating

How We Review

Specifications

• Cores: 24 (8P-16E)
• Threads: 32
• Boost speed : P-Core 5.8GHz / E-Core 4.3GHz
• Base speed: P-Core 3.0GHz / E-Core 2.2GHz
• L3 Cache: 36 MB
• TDP: 253 W
• Platform: Intel Socket 1700

Reasons to Buy

• Blazing-fast gaming performance
• Fast base and boost clock speed
• A good set of cores

Reasons to Avoid

• Replaced by 14900K
• Heating issues

• Shop on Amazon
• Shop on Best Buy

From Intel’s 13th-gen comes the i9-13900K, one of the strongest CPUs that has ever reached the market. This unit is the product of the technology that helps Intel re-consolidate as one of the best processor brands in the world.

Thanks to its hybrid architecture that divides the cores into Performance and Efficient Cores, the processor can handle demanding multitasking tasks, making it one of the best CPUs for the RTX 3080 Ti.

The Intel Core i9-13900K is a powerful processor that promises to deliver performance to demanding applications such as gaming and content creation. This processor packs a punch with its 24 cores, 34 threads, and a maximum turbo frequency of up to 5.8 GHz.

And as gaming relies a lot on single-core performance, you can be assured that this CPU will run your games without a hitch. Plus, you’d also be able to do other CPU-intensive tasks like streaming smoothly.

In our review of the Intel Core i9-13900K, we saw that the CPU delivered excellent performance in demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077, Resident Evil Village, CS2, and Days Gone. To give you an example, we got 340+ FPS in both Cyberpubk 2077 and Resident Evil: Village.

What users say

The Intel Core i9-13900K has a rating of 4.6 stars on Amazon, and more than 1,400 people have rated the product. As per the user reviews, people seemed to be pleased with the CPU’s speed. They mentioned that the processor can render projects really fast and the PCIe lanes were speedy. That being said, users had mixed opinions on thermal management.

It’s always good to have a budget option to choose from, and it’s even better if that budget option is one, not say the least, of the best gaming CPUs that have ever been around.

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D to this day sits on the gaming throne due to AMD’s 3D V-cache technology, and thanks to the price cuts that it has been through, you can get it for around $300. This CPU competes against high-end modern CPUs and you’ll see why.

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a top-performing gaming CPU designed to deliver an outstanding gaming experience when paired with the RTX 3080 Ti. This CPU is specifically optimized for gamers and offers advanced 3D V-cache technology for enhanced performance in demanding applications, including games.

The 5800X3D boasts a large, high-speed cache that is optimized for 3D rendering and other GPU-intensive tasks, providing quick and efficient access to data. This results in improved performance, especially in games with complex 3D models and textures.

Aside from its impressive gaming capabilities, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D also features advanced power-saving technologies, including the 3D V-cache. This reduces the frequency of the GPU accessing the main system memory, leading to reduced power consumption and a more efficient gaming experience.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a gaming CPU that delivers unrivaled performance and features, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the ideal choice for you. This CPU offers exceptional performance when paired with the RTX 3080 Ti and is sure to deliver a memorable gaming experience.

What users say

On Amazon, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D has a rating of 4.8 stars, and more than 5,300 people have reviewed it. As per the customer reviews, the CPU seems to be fast, delivers excellent performance for gaming, and comes at a good price. A few said that this was one of the best AM4 CPUs. With that being said, a few users mentioned having issues with the thermal management.

04

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Intel Core i7-13700K

4 /5

Editor’s Rating

How We Review

Reasons to Buy

• Strong performance in productivity apps
• Excellent pricing
• Supports either DDR4 or DDR5
• Overclockable

Reasons to Avoid

• No bundled cooler
• High cooling requirements

• Shop on Amazon
• Shop on Shop on Best Buy

There’s always a mid-way between the top-notch option and the id range. Although with GPUs that line is thinner, with CPUs the concepts work a little differently. When it comes to price-to-performance balance a new gen i7 can overcome the tasks easily that a high-end CPU from an old generation. The Intel Core i7-13700K is one of the best choices to help your 3080 Ti perform at its best.

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a powerful CPU that offers versatility and impressive performance for gamers and content creators alike. With its hybrid architecture, the Core i7 provides a balance between gaming and content creation, making it a great choice for those who need a CPU that can handle both tasks with ease.

The Core i7 features 16 cores and 24 threads divided into 8 P-cores and 8 E-cores, providing excellent workload efficiency, and allowing the CPU to handle demanding applications with ease. The CPU is capable of reaching boosted clock speeds of up to 5.4 GHz and a base frequency of 3.4 GHz, making it a powerful performer.

When compared to AMD’s offerings, the Core i7 provides better performance at a lower price, with the only exception being the Core i9, which comes with a hefty premium.

When paired with the RTX 3080 Ti, the Intel Core i7-13700K provides exceptional gaming performance, making it a great choice for those who are looking for the ultimate gaming setup. With its powerful performance, advanced features, and versatile architecture, the Core i7-13700K is a no-brainer for those who are looking for the best CPU in the market right now.

What users say

The user reviews on Amazon indicate universal acclaim for this CPU. The i7-13700K has 90% 5 star ratings which is pretty incredible if you ask us. One happy customer even said that this CPU was perfect for “serious gamers, demanding content creators, overclocking enthusiasts, those upgrading from older systems”.

The Ryzen 5 9600X is the entry-level processor of the Ryzen 9000 series, but don’t let its title fool you; it has enough power to handle the RTX 3080 Ti.

For starters, it is powered by six cores, which are all hyperthreaded, meaning it has 12 threads. So, it can handle multi-threaded tasks but not very resource-intensive ones due to its humble specifications. Each core of this processor has 4nm CPU processes, meaning it is efficient and has good single-core performance, which is needed in gaming. So, rest assured, you should be able to run even the most demanding titles with this CPU powering your rig.

It also has a base clock speed of 3.9 GHz, a boost clock speed of 5.4 GHz, and a 32 MB L3 cache. This is important because each core is running at a decent speed and can work even faster, given the circumstances. On top of that, the 32 MB cache should be more than enough to accommodate in-game and other elements for processing on board the chip to reduce access time and promote efficiency. That said, the Ryzen 9000 series L1 and L2 cache received a rework, making them faster by doubling their bandwidth.

This processor’s TDP is 65W, making it very power efficient, but that can fluctuate depending on what you’re running and if you’ve overclocked it. In that case, we recommend using the best PSU and CPU cooler for 9600X to ensure your system gets the right amount of power and runs cool because overclocking also increases the thermal output.

Overall, the Ryzen 5 9600X is a solid option for the RTX 3080 Ti. It has all the right specifications to handle games at low resolutions without causing bottleneck issues, and the 3080 Ti should handle the rest at higher resolutions.

Considerations for the best CPUs for RTX 3080 Ti

In this section, we’ll take a look at some things to consider before you get a new processor –

Performance

If you’re looking to pair a CPU with the powerhouse RTX 3080 Ti, it’s important to ensure that you choose a processor that can keep pace with its demanding performance requirements. The Ryzen 9 7900X from AMD and the Intel Core i9-12900K are two of the best options available, both offering fast clock speeds, numerous cores, and efficient memory support.

These CPUs make ideal choices for gamers and content creators looking to build a high-performing system. Regardless of whether you prefer the cutting-edge design of the Ryzen 9 or the well-established performance of the Intel Core i9, these CPUs will provide you with the power you need to get the most out of your RTX 3080 Ti.

Compatibility

The CPU needs to be compatible with your motherboard’s socket type. Modern high-performance CPUs like those mentioned use either the LGA1700 socket (Intel) or the AM5 socket (AMD). Make sure your chosen motherboard supports the chosen CPU’s socket type. Plus, you also have to ensure that the other components are

Overclocking

Not all CPUs are created equal when it comes to overclocking. In fact, some CPUs can be overclocked, and some not. So if you’re someone who wants to boost the processor’s performance to the highest level, you have to get an overclocked CPU. Usually, CPUs with designations like “K” (Intel) or “X” (AMD) typically have better overclocking headroom. Note that overclocking generates heat, so you will need a good cooling solution to counter that.

Is AMD or Intel CPUs better for Nvidia GPUs?

Both companies make excellent CPUs that pair well with Nvidia GPUs. However, depending on which games you primarily play, some may be better optimized for select CPUs. Prior research is recommended before making a purchase.

Is an RTX 3080 Ti enough for 4K Gaming?

At 4K resolutions, the graphics card may begin to bottleneck your system. A more beefy card is recommended for a rich, seamless gaming experience at 4K. Check out our guide to 4K gaming here.

What is a GPU-CPU bottleneck?

A bottleneck is when one component in your PC becomes the limiting factor and holds back the overall performance of your system. When gaming, most bottlenecking happens with either the GPU or CPU. When building a PC, it is important to pair two components that complement each other perfectly.