The RTX 5090 was announced recently at CES 2025, and is heading our way soon, so it’s a good time to start considering which CPUs to pair with it.
Now of course, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is also on the way for March, and promises to be the world’s best CPU for gaming – but there are many options available right now that should get the most out of the RTX 5090.
The RTX 5090 will be making its way through our testing labs soon, so stay tuned for our review. So you can get a head tart on your RTX 5090 build, we’ve selected these reviewed CPUs that we think will pair well with the 5090 based on our expertise and understanding of the card’s specs.
Here are what we think are the best CPUs for the upcoming RTX 5090, so far.
Products at a glance
-
-
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
- Cores: 16
- Threads: 32
- Boost clock speed: 5.7 GHz
- Base clock speed: 4.3 GHz
- L3 Cache: 64 MB
- TDP: 170 W
-
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
- Cores: 24
- Threads: 24
- Boost clock speed: 5.7GHz
- Base clock speed: 3.7GHz P-cores/3.2GHz E-cores
- L3 Cache: 36MB
- TDP: 125W base/250W max
How we picked
When picking out the best CPU for the RTX 5090, there are plenty of factors to discuss, such as architecture, platform, cores, threads, frequencies, and other factors. With that, we can create a range of options that you can decide from that best suits your needs while also fitting the capabilities of the RTX 5090.
We have also tested these processors in our PC Guide testing lab, putting them through their paces and ensuring they’re up for the job. So, with no more delays, here are our top choices for the RTX 5090.
Our top choices
- Cores: 8
- Threads: 16
- Boost clock speed: 5.2GHz
- Base clock speed: 4.7GHz
- L3 cache: 96MB
- TDP: 120W
- Platform: AM5
- Incredible gaming performance
- Now capable of bein overclocked
- Great power efficiency
- Still falls behind in some multi-core tasks
- Priced nearly as much as Ryzen 9 CPU
Regarding something that would match the RTX 5090 in performance and capability, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the one to go for. As we found in our review, the gaming king reaches up and beyond where it sits in tier lists, going even above the Ryzen 9s in its generation and making it one of the few worthy options in the 9000 series of processors.
In our tests and using an RTX 4070 Ti, it did well in gaming performances compared to the likes of the 7800X3D, 9700X, and 265K. It can even run PBO, giving it an even more significant overclock and boost over the factory settings, something not possible on previous X3D processors. That makes it great, too; with the redesigned structure and 96MB L3 cache, it can reach these new heights.
As for its specs, it comes with eight cores and 16 threads for setup, and these have a base clock of 4.7GHz and a default boost of up to 5.2GHz. These can go higher with any overclocking changes if you were to make them.
The 9800X3D has unlocked its potential and become the leading processor in the market. The 2nd generation V-Cache gives it the ability to run the CPU core faster and at higher voltages pushing its performance even further over the 7800X3D and on par with non-X3D chips in non-gaming tasks.
Sebastian Kozlowski, PC Guide
However, the 9800X3D has some detriments, too, and it can fall behind in productivity tasks, as we see it fall behind the 265K in some of our tests. However, AMD has made progress compared to the 7800X3D. It is much improved and a strong consideration for the task if you need it for the job, meaning it’s not just for gamers anymore.
However, it does come at some cost as the price does increase compared to the other Ryzen 7 CPUs. As it jumps up to a price of $479, it does come close to the Ryzen 9 in the 9000 series. But that’s still a quarter of the price of the RTX 5090, meaning it’s probably not that big of a comparison, and it makes sure that it performs at its best.
It also comes on the AM5 platform with a focus on longevity and solid spec in terms of memory and capabilities. That should last you a while, along with an upgrade path down the line with some new hardware that might be released in the years after you buy it.
What users say
With Amazon reviews sitting at 4.8 out of 5 on Amazon with 197 ratings, it’s a fan-favorite option, and it sold out upon its release. With most of the praise coming for the performance cooling, value for money, efficiency, and plenty more, there’s little this CPU can’t do.
One user, Stephen, praises the CPU, stating, “The AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3D is an absolute powerhouse. From the moment I installed it into my system, the performance leap was palpable.”
- Strong multi-core performance
- Can be boosted a lot with PBO
- 16 cores can tackle heavy workloads
- An expensive CPU outright, best to be bought on sale
- Still suffers from AMD’s efficiency obsession
If, instead of just gaming performance, you need some more productivity, the processor with more cores, threads, and hyperthreading is what you need. That’s where the 9950X is best suited, as we found in our review. With a total of 16 and 32 cores and threads, respectively, it is greatly suited to those productivity tasks and rendering that can load them all up and take advantage of it.
That’s where the 9950X smashes through the workloads and can achieve high scores in synthetic and productivity tasks. But even then, it’s no slouch in gaming tasks as it achieves great frame rates and great performance. Even if it comes at quite a cost, considering it has an MSRP of $649, it’s quite a big price to pay, even if it’s just a fraction of what the graphics card comes to.
The 9950X is certainly a capable CPU with a lot to offer those looking for strong multi-threaded performance. PBO can ramp this CPU up a few notches, but you’d better be ready to cool it. It eats 240mm AIOs for breakfast when PBO is enabled
Jack Howarth, PC Guide
As for the clock rates, it comes with a base clock of 4.3GH and can boost up to 5.7GHz, making it a top choice for speed and cores to perform well. It can get even higher with PBO, as Jack found out during his testing of the processor. This is all before the 9950X3D release it might be a good consideration too once it comes out to get a combination oof both cores and cache.
It has a TDP of 170W and 50W more than the 9800X3D, making it a bit more power-hungry to keep those cores and speeds in shape. Being able to power it shouldn’t be too difficult, considering the TDP of the 5090 is 575W. You’ll need a strong 1000W power supply either way.
What users say
When it comes to the reviews on Amazon, the 9950X sits slightly lower, with a 4.5 out of 5 rating and 96 ratings. The fast speed and functionality are some of the highlights of the processors. Having a questionable value for money means getting it in a sale, which is something to consider.
The likes of Peter praising the 9950X for its great data work as they say “My data processing use case improved only +50% from 5800x3D initially. I then assigned affinities manually to avoid overlap of each process to both CCDs, I also disabled SMT. I reached 2.6x throughput compared to 5800x3d. Obviously this CPU is not for gaming, but it does work well for parallel workloads.”
- Cores: 24
- Threads: 24
- Boost clock speed: 5.7GHz
- Base clock speed: 3.7GHz P-cores/3.2GHz E-cores
- L3 Cache: 36MB
- TDP: 125W base/250W max
- Platform: LGA 1851 (Arrow Lake)
The last of the lot is the Intel CPU; if you’re still after a processor from Team Blue, this is the best bet for the job. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is the top selection out of the processors available to it. As it’s on the new LAGA 1851 platform, it has the best opportunity for upgradability and support for the longest considering previous options will have lost support by now.
Intel’s restart is to get back on track with its CPUs, as we found in our review, so it’s the best bet for now. Considering it has 24 cores and 24 threads, it can adequately tackle tasks chucked at it. It does drop support for hyperthreading, but with all the resources on board, it can clearly get around it.
Its switch to TSMC’s much smaller process has led to improved temperatures as compared to its predecessors, that’s even though it still boasts the same high TDP without reaching boiling temperatures and throttling its performance.
Sebastian Kozlowski, PC Guide
The CPU can reach up to 5.7GHz of speed and with a base clock of 3.7-3.2GHz. This makes it speedy and capable of overclocking as well, similar to its AMD competition, and a top choice for getting the most out of your top GPU and pushing hardware to the limits.
However, it does fall behind many other options, especially AMD’s X3D chips. But there are reasons to go for Intel instead, which might be enough for you as its platform has plenty of other considerations to pick.
What users say
When looking at Amazon user’s scores, it gets 3.5 out of 5 from 7 ratings, which is definitely the lowest out of the lot but still above the average but with mixed reviews between the different users, so it depends on who you ask. As Dan points out “It is definitely a disappointment for gaming as of November 26, 2024.
But anyone into productivity, content creation, photo editing, etc the cpu is incredible.”
How to pick the best CPU for the RTX 5090
The Nvidia RTX 5090 is such a flagship graphics card that it needs all the support it needs. You don’t want to be bottlenecking it with underpowered processors, which means you want the best CPU for the job that can complement its capabilities and performance level with ease; that’s why most of the CPUs here are on the top level. The budget is going to be the least of your problems when picking a $2,000 graphics card.
Usage
There are two camps you can be in for the processor you go for, gaming or productivity. If it’s the former, then the 9800X3D and X3D chips, in general, are the best to go for as they provide the best performance in those tasks. But instead, if work and productivity are on the agenda, more cores and threads are the thing to go for, and a non-X3D chip on the high end is the better option.
