Best CPUs for AMD HD 7970

Top 15 CPUs ranked by performance and balance with the AMD HD 7970 at 1440p. Balanced pairings ranked by power, then by bottleneck %.

Core i3-3245

Score: 21/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended

Balanced ~10%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Core i3-2130

Score: 20/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended

Balanced ~9%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Core i3-3220

Score: 20/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended

Balanced ~9%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Core i3-3225

Score: 20/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended

Balanced ~9%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Core i3-4170T

Score: 20/100Socket: LGA1150Not recommended

Balanced ~9%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Intel Pentium Gold G6400

Score: 20/100Socket: LGA1200Not recommended

Balanced ~9%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Core i3-2120

Score: 19/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended

Balanced ~8%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

AMD Athlon 3000G

Score: 18/100Socket: AM4Not recommended

Balanced ~7%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Core i3-2100

Score: 18/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended

Balanced ~7%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Core i7-875K

Score: 18/100Socket: LGA1156Not recommended

Balanced ~7%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

AMD Athlon 200GE

Score: 15/100Socket: AM4Not recommended

Balanced ~5%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Intel Celeron G6900

Score: 15/100Socket: LGA1700Used market only

Balanced ~5%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Core i7-920

Score: 15/100Socket: LGA1366Not recommended

Balanced ~5%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Core i3-2120T

Score: 14/100Socket: LGA1155Not recommended

Balanced ~4%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Core i3-540

Score: 12/100Socket: LGA1156Not recommended

Balanced ~2%

See current builds→Used on eBay

CPU

GPU

~FPS 1440p:8Ultra|12Bal|17Perf

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CPU for the AMD HD 7970?

The Core i3-3245 is the best CPU for the AMD HD 7970 with only a 10% bottleneck at 1440p. It has a gaming score of 21/100.

What is the cheapest CPU that won't bottleneck the AMD HD 7970?

The Core i3-3245 is well-balanced with the AMD HD 7970, at only 10% bottleneck at 1440p.

Does the AMD HD 7970 need a high-end CPU?

Not necessarily. The AMD HD 7970 has a gaming score of 10/100, so a mid-range CPU will pair well. You don't need the most expensive CPU to avoid bottlenecking.

Check Your Own Combo

Test any CPU/GPU pair with our free bottleneck calculator.