Best CPU for RTX 4070 Ti in 2024 – Our top Intel and AMD picks

If you’re looking for the best Intel processor to pair with your RTX 4070 Ti, we recommend you check out the Intel Core i7-13700K.

According to Intel, the i7-13700K delivers 11% better performance as compared to AMD Ryzen 7 7700X in titles like Far Cry 6. So, this automatically puts it in a better place to be paired with the RTX 4070 Ti for a top-notch gaming experience.  That said, this CPU comes with 16 cores, which are evenly divided between 8 performance (P-Cores) and 8 efficient cores (E-Cores). How this works is that E-cores handle minor and background tasks that don’t require a lot of energy and processing power. What this does is it keeps the temperatures under control and doesn’t unnecessarily overwork the cores. On the other hand, when a heavy task comes along, the E-cores take the backseat, and the P-cores come into play with their larger size and more powerful processing capabilities.

This ingenious design helps provide a balance between performance and costs. So, whenever you fire up a game, you can rest assured that you’re getting the best out of your CPU. However, that’s not all. It has a max turbo boost of 5.4 GHz. What this means is that if you feel like the in-game performance is lacking or if multitasking could be a bit snappier, you can overclock this CPU to match your needs. That said, overclocking does come with its risks, as running a CPU for extended periods can cause it to overheat and get damaged. To avoid that, we recommend investing in a good cooler, and to help you cut through the clutter, we’ve got you covered in that domain as well with our best CPU cooler guide, which has the top picks.

A great aspect of this CPU is that it works with both PCIe 4.0 and 5.0. This means that if you have an older build, you can slap this processor on the motherboard and start gaming without worrying about compatibility issues. On the other hand, you can easily transport it to a newer build as well and experience what the next generation of gaming components is capable of.

On top of that, with this CPU, you should be able to stack up to 192 GB of RAM. While yes, that does sound like overkill, and it is, having an exponential overhead is always nice. This means you can take your build’s general and gaming performance to the next level. Lastly, this processor has a 30 MB L3 cache. What this means is that it should hold a good amount of data to be shared between the cores which should help gaming performance as well as the data won’t have to travel a lot to reach the desired destination for processing.

Overall, this Intel i7-13700K is a good match for the 4070Ti, comes at a reasonable cost, and is unlocked by the manufacturer. Due to these factors, we think this is the best CPU for the RTX 4070 Ti.

If you lean more toward Team Red and are looking for the best AMD CPU for your 4070 Ti, consider giving the Ryzen 7 7700 X a shot.

First, this CPU is compatible with the latest AM5 socket, which means that you’ll have to upgrade your motherboard and get new DDR5 memory sticks. However, you won’t have to go through the process of looking for a new motherboard and RAM, as we’ve got you covered with our best DDR5 RAM and best AM5 motherboard guides, which have the top picks.

That said, the performance of this CPU and the other components combined should be well worth the investment. It comes with 8 cores, 16 threads, and a 32 MB L3 cache. These specifications mean that the 16 threads should provide good multitasking performance, such as running multiple applications in parallel. Other than that, the single cores should deliver top-notch in-game performance at 1080p, 1440p, and even above. Although taking the resolution to 4K might deal a hit to the frame rates, NVIDIA’s DLSS 3 should be able to contribute to generating more frames, keeping things smooth.

This processor also has a base clock speed of 4.5 GHz, which can be taken to 5.4 GHz. What this means is that you should be able to squeeze more performance out of your build by putting your CPU in the highest gear. How this works is that since the CPU is working overtime and processing things faster, you should get better in-game performance since the access and lag times are reduced. On top of that, its huge 32 MB L3 cache should also help with your setup’s overall efficiency, transfer rate, and output, whether it’s for office tasks or hardcore gaming.

Also, when you consider its boost clock speed and the performance it should deliver while adding in the fact that the official TDP of this CPU is around 105W, it should strike the almost perfect balance between performance and keeping costs and temperature down. That said, there is a likelihood that the TDP goes above the 105W while under stress, leading to increased temperatures as well. On the flip side, it might sit at a comfortable temperature and low TDP if only one core is being used for a couple of background tasks.

Lastly, this AMD processor is unlocked, meaning it can be overclocked. While the maximum frequency is stated as 5.4GHz, which should be more than enough for any real-world tasks, you should be able to take it past that with the proper tuning and tools. However, going above the recommended frequency isn’t recommended, as even if you take it to the extreme, it won’t guarantee better gaming performance. This is because to get the best gaming performance, you need an optimal balance between the CPU and the GPU; if either component is too strong or too weak for the other, bottleneck issues will occur, bringing your entire setup down.

All in all, if you want the best performance while pairing your 4070 Ti with an AMD CPU, the Ryzen 7 7700 X shouldn’t disappoint in the slightest.

If you’re looking for a more affordable CPU to pair with your 4070 Ti, check out the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X.

This time around, let’s kick things off with some general specifications. This CPU sports 6 cores and 12 threads. While this may seem less than the Ryzen 7 7700X, we need to look at the price tags that both of these processors carry. However, fewer cores and threads don’t mean the performance will automatically go down the drain. The Ryzen 5 7600X still has a base clock speed of  4.7GHz, which can be increased to 5.3 GHz. The base clock speed is pretty fast as it is and should be able to handle any general and gaming tasks you throw its way.

Furthermore, this CPU comes unlocked, meaning you can take it past the 5.3 GHz mark and get your money’s worth from your build. That said, this should be a good option to pair with your 4070 Ti as it offers a good mix of performance and value, and you should be able to game comfortably at 1440p resolution.

Regarding compatibility, this CPU requires an AM5 motherboard and works with the PCIe 5.0 express configuration. What this means is that if you’re transitioning from AM4 to AM5, you’ll have to purchase a new motherboard and DDR5 RAM. While this may be an added expense, the performance of the next-gen components should boost the performance of your setup and lead to better processing and reduced lag.

So, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a good match for the RTX 4070 Ti and should be able to handle gaming at 1440p with high resolution. However, if you plan on gaming at higher definitions or upgrading your GPU, you might find that this CPU is beginning to bottleneck your GPU, leading to poor performance. On the bright side, if you don’t plan on doing that, this pairing should last you a good amount of years and handle all your gaming needs.