Best CPUs for NVIDIA RTX 3070

Top 15 CPUs ranked by performance and balance with the NVIDIA RTX 3070 at 1440p. Balanced pairings ranked by power, then by bottleneck %.

1
AMD Ryzen 9 5900
Score: 77/100Socket: AM4$261.63
Balanced ~10%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
2
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X
Score: 76/100Socket: AM4$148.24
Balanced ~9%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
3
Ryzen 7 8700F
Score: 76/100Socket: AM5$219.87
Balanced ~9%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
4
Core i5-12600
Score: 76/100Socket: LGA1700$174.95
Balanced ~9%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
5
Intel Core i5-13400F
Score: 76/100Socket: LGA1700$190.99
Balanced ~9%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
6
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
Score: 75/100Socket: AM4$111.7
Balanced ~8%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
7
AMD Ryzen 7 8700G
Score: 74/100Socket: AM5$266.99
Balanced ~7%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
8
Intel Core i5-13400
Score: 74/100Socket: LGA1700$190.99
Balanced ~7%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
9
Core i5-12490F
Score: 74/100Socket: LGA1700$150.57
Balanced ~7%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
10
AMD Ryzen 5 5600
Score: 73/100Socket: AM4$111.7
Balanced ~6%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
11
Intel Core i5-12400F
Score: 72/100Socket: LGA1700$150.14
Balanced ~5%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
12
Intel Core Ultra 5 225
Score: 72/100Socket: LGA1851$153.99
Balanced ~5%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
13
Intel Core Ultra 5 225F
Score: 71/100Socket: LGA1851$153.99
Balanced ~4%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
14
AMD Ryzen 5 8600G
Score: 70/100Socket: AM5$188.99
Balanced ~3%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf
15
Intel Core i5-12400
Score: 70/100Socket: LGA1700$150.14
Balanced ~3%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:56Ultra|80Bal|111Perf

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CPU for the NVIDIA RTX 3070?

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 is the best CPU for the NVIDIA RTX 3070 with only a 10% bottleneck at 1440p. It costs $261.63 and has a gaming score of 77/100.

What is the cheapest CPU that won't bottleneck the NVIDIA RTX 3070?

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 at $261.63 is well-balanced with the NVIDIA RTX 3070 (only 10% bottleneck at 1440p).

Does the NVIDIA RTX 3070 need a high-end CPU?

Not necessarily. The NVIDIA RTX 3070 has a gaming score of 67/100, 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.