Best CPU for RX 7900 XTX in 2023 – our top Intel, AMD, and budget picks
AMD’s 7000-series is finally here – it was about time for us to see the expected RDNA 3 architecture. And if you’re opting for the bigger sibling you’ll want to pair it with a decent processor. So here’s our best CPU for RX 7900 XTX guide.
This new AMD GPU won’t be competing against the RTX 4090; instead, the 4080 seems to be its competition. Regardless of that, the XTX is certainly a high-end, top-notch component for your rig.
If you’re thinking about getting the RX 7900 XTX, you must be aware of the changes you should make to your rig. One of the main changes is the CPU of course, as you’ll need a processor up to the power this GPU provides.
That’s where this article, the best CPU for RX 7900 XTX, comes into play. But how did we pick the CPUs for this list?
Products at a Glance
How we picked the best CPU for RX 7900 XTX
Choosing the best CPU for your RX 7900 XTX can be an intimidating task. With so many options on the market, it can be hard to decide which one is right for you.
But don’t worry, we’ve done all the research and testing to provide you with a definitive list of the best CPUs to pair with your RX 7900 XTX.
We looked at a variety of factors such as processor power, cost, compatibility, and more in order to narrow down our selections. After careful consideration, we were able to pinpoint our top pick that offers great performance and value for money.
So gamers read on, to find out which CPU is ideal for your setup!
If you’re interested in more RX 7900 XTX articles, then head over to our Best RX 7900 XTX GPU guide. Looking for more CPU recommendations? Then check out our Best CPU for gaming piece.
Best CPU for RX 7900 XTX in 2023 – our top Intel, AMD, and budget picks
- Amazing performance
- Very high clock speeds
- Very good compatibility
- Can run hot
The best AMD GPU will be perfectly matched by the best AMD CPU. We prefer this one over any last-gen CPU mainly due to its pricing, compatibility, and overall performance.
A Ryzen 9 7950X is the pinnacle of AMD’s Zen 4 crowd, so it uses a cutting-edge architecture that allows this processor to deliver incredibly fast clock speeds.
The impressive quantity of cores this CPU has is enough to cover its swiftness. Along with its 16 cores, there are 32 threads. All clocked at a base speed of 4.5GHz and a boost clock speed of 5.7GHz.
One of the biggest enhancements of the Zen 4 architecture is the cache memory. The 7950X has 1 MB of L2 cache, while the previous gen cut off at just 512KB. The increase in this cache memory helps to improve the core performance, which improves single-thread task capacities.
In other words, games will run swiftly with this GPU, while productivity tasks will also benefit thanks to the L2 cache increase.
- 5.8 GHz max frequency
- Strongest gaming performance
- DDR5 and DDR4 support
- Overclockable
- High power consumption
If you don’t want an AMD processor, we couldn’t blame you. In fact, Intel has done an amazing job with its 13th generation.
The Intel core i9-13900K is the flagship processor of the series. With enough power and speed to endure not only high-end gaming but any other tasks that get in its way: video editing, machine learning, 3D rendering, you name it.
You will not find a better CPU able to compete in performance on the market today than this Intel super chip, so if you don’t want to go to Team Red for your CPU, this is the other best option.
The Core i9-13900K offers a maximum frequency of 5.8 GHz, so plenty of speed to keep up with the RX 7900 XTX. Along with that, the specs exhibit 24 cores and 32 threads, so you know that that the relationship between CPU and GPU will be supercharged and quick.
Intel’s CPU is hands down, the best CPU for the RX 7900 XTX available from team blue.
- LGA 1700 socket
- 4.90 GHz of boosted clock speed
- 150W TDP
- Core count not that high
The RX 7900 XTX is so strong that can it needs system requirements to back up its power. Most of the time all it’s going to need is a CPU strong enough to not cause bottlenecks.
Here’s when the best budget CPU comes in handy. The Intel Core i5-12600K is the most popular CPU from Intel’s Alder Lake previous-gen; a strong processor capable of punchy high-end activities.
That was the first Intel generation to integrate the now leading hybrid architecture, and the i5-12600K has 10 cores, 6 of which are efficiency cores and 4 performance cores.
This means that the P-cores will take care of every intensive processing task, leaving the background tasks for the E-cores, leading to better overall results.
While it’s clearly not as good a productivity processor as the Core i9-13900K, the 12600K will have enough in its tank to pair with the the new 7900 series, making it our budget pick on our best CPU for the RX 7900 XTX list.
- Incredibly high L3 cache
- Amazing gaming performance
- Support for PCIe 4.0
- Falls behind in productivity
The Ryzen 7 5800X 3D is one of the most popular gaming-focus CPUs in the market. And AMD created such a powerful CPU that its power survives a lot of changes in the GPU market.
AMD’s 5800X3D provides a powerful and reliable performance. With 8 cores, 16 threads, and a base clock speed of up to 4.5 GHz, users can expect incredibly fast speeds for their computing tasks. And its advanced thermal design ensures that your system runs cool even under heavy loads.
Fans of gaming will appreciate the built-in Radeon Graphics engine, which allows for smooth graphics performance even at the highest settings. Overall, the Ryzen 7 5800X 3D offers an incredible combination of power, efficiency, and value – ideal for those who demand top-tier performance on a budget – handy if you’re spending $999 on a graphics card.
Even more impressive than that is the 96MB of L3 cache. This is what gave this CPU its name and power, and this cache speed allows the processor to enable 3D V-Cache which can provide over a 15% improvement in gaming performance over AMD’s fastest GPU at that time.
All that said, this finishes fourth on our list because an AM4 processor isn’t ideal for a newly released GPU. It’ll pair up okay, but the 5800X3D’s future won’t be as long as AM5’s.
- Great value for money
- Can be overclocked
- High power consumption
If you are looking for a processor that is the perfect balance between gaming and productivity, the Intel Core i7-13700K is your option. It has 8 p-cores and 8 e-cores, which gives it a total of 24 threads. It is powerful enough for both gaming and demanding productivity tasks.
The i7-13700K also has a high clock speed, with the p-cores reaching up to 5.3 GHz. This means that it can deliver fast performance in both single-threaded and multi-threaded applications.
Looking at power consumption and temperatures, the i7-13700K is a bit high. It has a max turbo power of 253W, so you will need a reliable and high-capacity PSU. The temperatures can also get high, so you will need a good cooling solution.
Nevertheless, the i7-13700K is a great value-for-money CPU. It is more affordable than some of the other high-end CPUs on the market, but offers great performance.
Features and considerations
The RX 7900 XTX is built using the 5nm RDNA 3 architecture, it features 12288 FP32 cores, and delivers a base clock of 1.9GHz and 2.5GHz boost. Besides, it offers 24GB GDDR6 memory and software aids such as FSR and SAM.
To have all of these features working as best as possible you need to choose a strong CPU. So here are some features to consider when purchasing a CPU for the RX 7900 XTX
Compatibility
The first thing you’ll need to consider is compatibility. The 7900 XTX is a new card and putting it beside an old CPU could end up throttling the GPU. To avoid that from happening, you should keep your considerations within newer gen CPUs.
Having a clear understanding of how old the CPU can be, you should consider the clock speed of the processor: This is the speed at which a CPU processes instructions, and is measured in gigahertz (GHz).
Clock speed and cores
A higher clock speed generally means that the CPU can process instructions faster, which can improve the overall performance of your computer.
Additionally, you’ll need to look at the cache and cores. If you’re mainly using the rig for gaming core count shouldn’t be a priority. On the other hand, if you’ll be using it for productivity, then you want a good number of cores ready to take the workload.
Cache
The cache goes down the same line. This is a small amount of very fast memory that is built into the CPU and is used to store frequently accessed data. A larger cache can improve the performance of the CPU, as it allows it to access data more quickly.
Our Verdict
There is a CPU for every RX 7900 XTX user out there. And, whether you’re an AMD fan or an Intel fan, you can expect great results with any of the CPUs listed in this article.
If you want the best performance, you’ll be amazed at what the Ryzen 9 7950X and the Intel i9-13900K can achieve. Both CPUs are capable of taking the GPU speed to the highest. Choosing between one or another is just a matter of pricing and preferences. And ours goes to AMD.
However, if you want the greatest performance spending as little as possible, the Intel i5-12600K is your choice. Your system won’t be bottlenecked and you get to save some money to spend on more RAM or perhaps a better PSU (you may well need it).