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.
Best Intel
Intel's Core i7-14700K is the most powerful Intel chip listed here. It brings 20 cores, 28 threads, and a Turbo Boost up to 5.6GHz; the base TDP hits 125W, climbing to 253W in Turbo. Support for DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 is included. It runs on the same LGA1700 socket as its two previous generations, making it an easy upgrade for newer motherboards. If you're into overclocking, this is a great way to go. You can usually find it for around $400.
Best AMD
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 often available for less than $400.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Intel's Core i7-14700K and AMD's Ryzen 7 7800X3D are the modern picks for enthusiasts who need more cores, higher clocks, and overall stronger performance for CPU-heavy games. While the 7800X3D runs on the AM5 socket and won't work with AM4 motherboards, the i7-14700K is still compatible with the LGA1700 socket for compatibility with older systems.
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 Intel hardware to pair with the RTX 4070, you should be — at the bare minimum — aware if 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 have reported BSODs and crashes when using the CPUs, and Intel finally acknowledged the issue. More recently, Intel's Thomas Hannaford posted on the Intel community board that a fix is expected to roll out mid-August.
The fix, which will roll 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 recently 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.
Where are AMD's Ryzen 9000 CPUs?
AMD also suffered a recent setback for its unreleased Zen 5 desktop CPUs. In this case, however, the upcoming Ryzen 9000 chips suffered from a less serious quality control issue. It resulted in the release date for the new CPUs being moved from July until at least August 8, 2024.
The problem? Some of the less powerful Zen 5 chips, including the Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X, were seemingly branded as Ryzen 9 hardware. It's not nearly as serious as what Intel is currently dealing with, but those eagerly awaiting Ryzen 9000 have to wait just a while longer.
Those eyeing a Ryzen processor to pair with their RTX 4070 might want to wait for Ryzen 9000 reviews to drop and the chips to officially launch. Even if they aren't what you need for your build, you might see a drop in price for the older Ryzen CPUs.
