Best CPUs for NVIDIA RTX 2080
Top 15 CPUs ranked by performance and balance with the NVIDIA RTX 2080 at 1440p. Balanced pairings ranked by power, then by bottleneck %.
1
AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT
Score: 61/100Socket: AM4$399
Balanced ~10%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
2
Intel Core i7-10700K
Score: 60/100Socket: LGA1200$216.59
Balanced ~9%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
3
Intel Core i3-14100
Score: 60/100Socket: LGA1700$102.44
Balanced ~9%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
4
Intel Core i3-14100F
Score: 60/100Socket: LGA1700$102.44
Balanced ~9%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
5
AMD Ryzen 7 3800X
Score: 60/100Socket: AM4$263.99
Balanced ~9%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
6
Core i9-10900
Score: 60/100Socket: LGA1200$348.97
Balanced ~9%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
7
Core i9-10900F
Score: 60/100Socket: LGA1200$371.64
Balanced ~9%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
8
Core i5-11600
Score: 60/100Socket: LGA1200$132.3
Balanced ~9%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
9
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
Score: 58/100Socket: AM4$100.24
Balanced ~7%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
10
Intel Core i3-12100F
Score: 58/100Socket: LGA1700$89.98
Balanced ~7%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
11
Intel Core i5-11400F
Score: 58/100Socket: LGA1200$108.99
Balanced ~7%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
12
Core i5-11400
Score: 58/100Socket: LGA1200$108.99
Balanced ~7%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
13
Intel Core i9-9900KF
Score: 57/100Socket: LGA1151$290.72
Balanced ~6%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
14
Intel Core i9-9900K
Score: 57/100Socket: LGA1151$290.72
Balanced ~6%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
15
Intel Core i5-10600K
Score: 57/100Socket: LGA1200$149.36
Balanced ~6%Check Price
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:42Ultra|61Bal|84Perf
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best CPU for the NVIDIA RTX 2080?
The AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT is the best CPU for the NVIDIA RTX 2080 with only a 10% bottleneck at 1440p. It costs $399 and has a gaming score of 61/100.
What is the cheapest CPU that won't bottleneck the NVIDIA RTX 2080?
The AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT at $399 is well-balanced with the NVIDIA RTX 2080 (only 10% bottleneck at 1440p).
Does the NVIDIA RTX 2080 need a high-end CPU?
Not necessarily. The NVIDIA RTX 2080 has a gaming score of 51/100, so a mid-range CPU will pair well. You don't need the most expensive CPU to avoid bottlenecking.