Best CPUs for NVIDIA RTX 3080

Top 15 CPUs ranked by performance and balance with the NVIDIA RTX 3080 at 1440p. Balanced pairings ranked by power, then by bottleneck %.

1
Intel Core i9-12900KF
Score: 85/100Socket: LGA1700$359.99
Balanced ~10%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
2
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Score: 85/100Socket: AM5$157.5
Balanced ~10%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
3
Intel Core i9-12900K
Score: 85/100Socket: LGA1700$359.99
Balanced ~10%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
4
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D
Score: 84/100Socket: AM4$447.28
Balanced ~9%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
5
Intel Core Ultra 5 245K
Score: 84/100Socket: LGA1851$159.99
Balanced ~9%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
6
Intel Core i5-14600
Score: 84/100Socket: LGA1700$246.99
Balanced ~9%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
7
Intel Core Ultra 7 265
Score: 84/100Socket: LGA1851$249.99
Balanced ~9%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
8
Intel Core Ultra 5 245KF
Score: 84/100Socket: LGA1851$159.99
Balanced ~9%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
9
Intel Core i9-12900F
Score: 84/100Socket: LGA1700$389.99
Balanced ~9%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
10
AMD Ryzen 5 7600
Score: 83/100Socket: AM5$157.5
Balanced ~8%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
11
AMD Ryzen 5 7500F
Score: 82/100Socket: AM5$119.35
Balanced ~7%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
12
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
Score: 82/100Socket: AM4$370.53
Balanced ~7%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
13
Intel Core i7-12700K
Score: 82/100Socket: LGA1700$263.46
Balanced ~7%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
14
Intel Core i9-12900
Score: 81/100Socket: LGA1700$359.99
Balanced ~6%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf
15
Intel Core i5-14500
Score: 80/100Socket: LGA1700$359
Balanced ~5%Buy on AmazonNewegg
CPU
GPU
~FPS 1440p:62Ultra|90Bal|124Perf

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CPU for the NVIDIA RTX 3080?

The Intel Core i9-12900KF is the best CPU for the NVIDIA RTX 3080 with only a 10% bottleneck at 1440p. It costs $359.99 and has a gaming score of 85/100.

What is the cheapest CPU that won't bottleneck the NVIDIA RTX 3080?

The Intel Core i9-12900KF at $359.99 is well-balanced with the NVIDIA RTX 3080 (only 10% bottleneck at 1440p).

Does the NVIDIA RTX 3080 need a high-end CPU?

Not necessarily. The NVIDIA RTX 3080 has a gaming score of 75/100, 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.