Best CPU for RTX 2080 [Top 6 Picks] 2023

The RTX 2080 Super is the next fastest graphics card after the RTX 2080 Ti. The card will max out games at 1440p and 4K, so you’ll need a strong CPU to match. A Pentium or i3 9100 will not cut it. Check out our list of the best CPU for RTX 2080 Super to get the most bang for your buck!

If you’re going to buy a graphics card, the best CPU for it will be the one that doesn’t bottleneck it. The i3 9100 or Pentium won’t be sufficient. Instead, you’ll need a processor with a higher clock speed, such as an i7 or a Ryzen. AMD recommends a 3.6-GHz core clock with a boost clock of 4.6GHz. The i7 processors are more powerful than their counterparts, but they tend to be more expensive.

When purchasing a new gaming PC or upgrading your current one, consider the resolution and refresh rate of your primary gaming display when making a graphics card selection. When combined with a suitable CPU, the RTX 2080 Super is an excellent option for resolutions such as 1080p 240Hz / 1440p 60Hz / 1440p 144Hz, and 4K 60Hz.

The RTX 2080 Super is the most powerful graphics card on the market, but because it’s overkill for 1080p 60Hz and 1080p/144Hz resolutions, its performance level will be wasted; 4K 144Hz is still rather uncommon, even among NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti-class GPUs.

This is why, based on your desired gaming resolution/refresh rate and price range, we’ll recommend the best CPUs to go with the RTX 2080 Super. The CPU value changes depending on the gaming resolution and refreshes rate, as shown in the tables below.

Our Recommendations for the Best CPU for RTX 2080

AMD Ryzen 7 3700X – Best Processor for RTX 2080

Brand:	AMD
CPU Model:	AMD Ryzen 7
CPU Socket:	Socket AM4
CPU Manufacturer:	AMD

The AMD Ryzen 7 processor is a multi-core super-processor designed for the ultimate in performance. The three-core Ryzen 7 3700X processors can handle the most demanding tasks and still have enough power to play your favorite video games. However, if you’re looking for something a little more modest, the cheaper Intel Core i7-3700X will probably do the trick. This is the ideal processor for gamers and people who need a fast, powerful machine.

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X isn’t quite as fast as expensive third-generation Ryzen parts but is capable of handling most tasks. The processor is 15 percent faster than the previous generation Ryzen 7 2700X in gaming performance and is ten percent faster overall. If AMD manages to fix the turbo, this processor could be even better. It has an average clock speed of 3.6GHz. But, if you’re looking for a high-performance gaming processor, look for something a bit faster.

Related: Best Graphics Card for 1080P 144Hz

If you’re looking for a cheap, entry-level processor, you may want to consider an Intel i7 9700K. This chip has a higher base clock speed and is better for gaming. Moreover, you’ll be getting a beefy stock cooler, which is very important if you’re planning to overclock your processor. And as far as overclocking is concerned, the i7 9700K is the superior option. Regardless of which one you choose, it’s worth a look at your budget and whether the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is the right choice for your needs.

Intel Core i7 9700K – Best CPU to Pair with RTX 2080

Brand:	Intel
CPU Model:	Core i9
CPU Socket:	LGA 1151
CPU:	Intel
CPU Speed:	5 GHz

The Core i7-9700K is a high-performance processor that comes with a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz. It has Intel’s Turbo Boost 2.0 technology and can reach a maximum turbo frequency of 4.9 GHz. It has 8 cores and eight threads. The processor has an LGA 1151 socket and 12MB of cache memory. It is compatible with many motherboards and can be found at most computer stores.

This new processor is very powerful and is great for gaming. It has eight cores and eight threads, and a max boost clock of 4.9GHz. If you’re looking for an affordable chip with plenty of power and performance, then this is the one to buy. With its RTX 2080 Ti graphics card, it offers superior 4K/UHD gaming performance. In addition to its dual memory channels, the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X also supports PCIe 4.0 and is compatible with 64GB of DDR4 memory. Its TDP is 105W, so it’s a bit on the high side compared to Intel’s offerings. But if you’re looking for an affordable, powerful, and powerful processor that can perform a wide range of tasks, the Ryzen 9 3900X might be the right choice for you.

Related: Best LGA1150 CPU

The new CPU also scores higher than AMD’s processors in gaming benchmarks. The i7 9700K has a slightly higher score than the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X but is still far behind the i9 9900K and AMD’s Ryzen 7 2700X. However, the price isn’t the only difference between these two processors. Once the stock runs out, the i7 9700K could become the de facto choice for most gamers.

Intel Core i9-9900K – Good CPU for RTX 2080

Brand:	Intel
CPU Model:	Core i9
CPU Socket:	LGA 1151
CPU Manufacturer:	Intel
CPU Speed:	5 GHz

This desktop processor is powered by Intel’s latest generation of Xeon chips, which provide up to 16-way multitasking. The new Optane memory increases responsiveness and overall performance. It supports up to eight cores and eight threads and is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems. It also has high-speed storage. With its powerful dual-core processor, the Intel Core i9 desktop processor is a great choice for any enthusiast.

This high-performance chip isn’t cheap, but it’s also available at a significantly lower price than the competitor. The CPU runs at its maximum factory temperature, clock rate, and power consumption, so it’s a good choice for gamers and power users. This CPU is also rated for up to 3.2GHz of turbo frequency, which means it’s perfect for gaming. The performance of this CPU is so good that it’s ideal for gaming and is cheaper than the i9 9900K.

Now if you are also looking for the best CPU for 3080 we have covered that topic as well.

overclocked, the Intel Core i9-9900K is still more expensive than the AMD Ryzen 7 1800X, but its price tag is worth it. This eight-core processor is priced at $499, which puts it in a good position to beat AMD’s Zen 2 chip. Its price is higher than the competition, but the i9-9900 K’s raw performance is more than adequate for most users.

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 – Best Gaming Processor for RTX 2080

 

Brand:	AMD
CPU Model:	Ryzen 5 3600
CPU Socket:	Socket AM4
CPU Manufacturer:	AMD
CPU Speed:	4.2 GHz

The AMD Ryzen 5 Desktop Processor is a quad-core desktop processor that delivers a true quad-core experience. Designed for gaming, streamers, and developers, this processor has a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz and a maximum boost clock of 4.2 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 has a base clock speed of 3.6GHz and a maximum boost of 4.2 GHz. It also has a 3.2-GHz Vcore, giving you a great gaming experience.

Related: Best CPU for LGA 1151

Related: LGA1155 Best CPU

If you’re buying a new processor, consider buying a high-end model that can bottleneck other chips. The Ryzen 5 3600 supports DDR4-3200 and is compatible with many current and cross-generation games. It’s also compatible with most next-generation GPUs, though it will bottleneck the highest-end flagship models. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 works fine with lower-end GPUs, like the RTX 3070 (Super).

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 offers some great features at a low price. Its processor cooler can keep the CPU cool, but you’ll need a larger air cooler or an AIO cooler to overclock it to super-high speeds. It’s a new generation of the AMD x570 chipset, but it can run on any AM4 motherboard that has a recent BIOS update. It isn’t the fastest, but it still packs a punch.

AMD Ryzen 9 3900X – High-Performance Processor

Brand:	AMD
CPU Model:	Ryzen 9 3900X
CPU Socket:	Socket AM4
CPU Manufacturer:	AMD
CPU Speed:	4.6 GHz

The AMD Ryzen 9 processor is designed to defy expectations and set the bar for high-performance processors. It uses advanced manufacturing technology and is fanless, making it the perfect choice for quiet and cool systems. Even better, it won’t affect the system’s air temperature. It will keep the entire system cool and quiet. So you won’t have to worry about a warm and stuffy machine.

In comparison, Intel’s i9-9900K has an overall advantage over AMD’s Ryzen 9 3900X. This is largely because of the i9-9900 K’s better performance in the Essentials category, which factors in low-level single-core tasks. That said, the Ryzen 9 3900X has an edge in the Productivity and Digital Content Creation categories, which cover photo editing and video rendering.

If you’re looking for an excellent gaming processor, then the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X is an excellent choice. It’s similar to the Intel Core i9-9900, but it’s more affordable. The AMD Ryzen has 8 cores and 16 threads, which are perfect for streaming and are faster than the Intel counterpart. It can also handle more complex tasks. Regardless of the processor, the AMD Ryzen is the best buy in its price range.

AMD’s latest processor, the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, is a 12-core, 24-thread beast. It has overkill capabilities and is an excellent choice for a PC with a powerful graphics card. When you consider its performance in gaming, the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X is a clear winner. If you’re looking for a high-end GPU, this processor is an absolute must.

Intel Core i5 9600K – Best Intel CPU for RTX 2080

Brand:	Intel
CPU Model:	Core i5
CPU Socket:	LGA 1151
CPU Manufacturer:	Intel
CPU Speed:	3.7 GHz

The Intel Core i5-9600K is one of the best processors in its class. It features a high-performance GPU and a super-fast main memory. Its dual-core architecture is also ideal for gamers. The new processor also features a revolutionary new class of memory known as Intel Optane Memory. It sits between the system’s memory and storage and enhances responsiveness and performance by managing multiple tiers of storage. It presents only one virtual drive to the OS, so data that is frequently used is stored on the fastest tier.

Related: Best CPU for 3070

The Intel Core i5 9600K is one of the most expensive processors available, but it offers excellent performance and overclocking. It can power a 1440p monitor, but it doesn’t have a graphical card port, which limits its use in gaming. Its high-performance single-core and multi-threaded CPUs are better for multitasking than their AMD counterparts.

Related: Best CPU Under $200

The Core i5 9600K is also a powerful CPU for gaming. It is similar to the Ryzen R7 3700X but has six cores and six threads. This combination is great for mid-range builds, as it has excellent overclocking potential and is ideal for demanding applications. In addition to being faster, the processor also integrates an Intel UHD Graphics 630 GPU, which can clock up to 1.15 GHz. The performance of the GPU is almost identical between the two chips, which makes it a good choice for a high-end gaming build.

Buying Guide

How to Choose a Gaming CPU: What You Need to Know

Gaming CPUs are an important element of any build since they will determine the type of motherboard, RAM, and even storage you’ll need.

Keep the following things in mind:

Price – I’d recommend putting a CPU at around 15-35% of your overall budget while planning for a build. It’s important to remember that adding a more powerful CPU will not necessarily improve your gaming performance.

Core Count – More cores are always beneficial since they allow you to run more programs at the same time.

If you want to watch Netflix, games, and listen to Spotify at the same time, a CPU with at least eight cores is probably essential. Six or even four cores may suffice if you’re only gaming. Another feature that’s found on most CPUs is the thread count. Threads are similar to cores. Every modern CPU has hyperthreading, which means it contains twice as many threads as cores and the same number of cores and threads.

Clock Speed – Two factors influence the CPU’s performance: the speed of a CPU and the number of cores it has. The base clock is the starting frequency at which a CPU is designed to run in light tasks. The boost clock, on the other hand, Turbo Boost clock is only a multiplier and always sets a somewhat higher value than the base clock.

What Is the Best CPU for an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080super or 2080 ti?

What is the difference in CPU performance in games from Full HD to 4K resolution, if current processors are matched with the Geforce RTX 2080 Ti, currently the fastest graphics card?

The company uses the fastest graphics card on the market at the time to construct a new CPU test platform. This is done to protect against any GPU bottlenecks that may occur with numerous processors.

For a long time, the Geforce RTX 2080 Ti was the fastest graphics card on the market, but the Geforce RTX 2080 Ti is now a faster video card. To make the most of it, we’ve retested the Core i9 9900K, Core i7 9700K, and Ryzen 7 3700X again. We’ll also do further testing with the Core i7 2600K in the future to show how well a CPU that is almost nine years old performs against our newest CPUs.

The Geforce RTX 2080 Ti is capable of resolving this question, as it is still a very powerful video card. In addition to the Geforce RTX 2080 Ti, we’ll be adding new benchmark results for the improved Maxwell-based graphics cards. We also increased the number of active resolutions: WQHD (2560×1440) and 4K (3840×2160) were discovered in addition to Full HD (1920×1080).

While we avoid using the standard CPU test system’s higher resolutions, as resolution rises, graphics card performance becomes increasingly limited in practice. They’re included to show how severe this limitation is in reality.

Due to the more recent Geforce driver being used for the testing, the values were determined to differ somewhat from previous findings. As a result of the more recent drivers, Wolfenstein II is the only game to show a significant boost in performance; however, differences are usually around one percent on average.

RTX 2080 Ti CPU Bottleneck

A “bottleneck” is a restriction in the PC architecture that prevents components from operating at full speed. In the gaming PC market, this phrase is frequently used. It implies that one component of a system is to blame for slowing down the other parts.

For example, consider the following scenario:

Imagine you’re creating a PC with an Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 CPU. Even though the 2080 TI is a capable graphics card that can achieve hundreds of frames per second, you may only be able to get 30 FPS. Because the E4500 bottlenecks the GPU, the whole system is operating slower.

The 2080 TI is a powerful GPU, so a strong CPU is required to match it. As a result, I wouldn’t recommend using any CPU slower than the Ryzen 5 2600 or Core I5-9400. The result is that you’ll be left with an underperforming PC. A slow CPU will reduce performance significantly, and your GPU will not be able to fully utilize it.

Is the RTX 2080 TI worth more than the 1080 TI?

Yes, it is. The 2080 ti, however, is approximately 30% faster than its predecessors and incorporates Nvidia’s new Ray-Tracing technology.

There are a lot of advantages to adopting support for ray-tracing and GPU rendering, but there’s also a negative consequence: frame rate. In some video games with rich graphics, ray-tracing is an advanced new technology that improves the lighting in certain scenes considerably while imposing a severe FPS penalty.

Conclusion

You’ve arrived at the end of this article. After you’ve made your decision, you should be able to tell if it’s the correct one. There are only a few alternatives for these few options. There’s an excellent Intel CPU for the RTX 2080 Ti if you like Intel. We live in exceptional times, with CPU performance at all price points being great, so we hope that this article has helped you build a better picture of the present CPU market.

The Intel Core i7-9700K is the greatest CPU compared to the RTX 2080 TI in this comparison, but it’s also one of the most costly. The time you invest must be compensated. AMD’s flagship Ryzen 9 3900X CPU is the best product. When purchasing the finest item, Ryzen 9 3900X should also be considered. This PC will not always be less expensive than a comparable Intel PC, but it will usually pay for itself. There is no significant benefit to spending a little extra on the I9-9900K over its predecessor, and there are several advantages that the Core i7 has over the more recent version.

FAQ

What CPU is best for RTX 2080?

Ray-Tracing is a cutting-edge light technology that, while offering amazing visual effects, comes at the price of reduced frame rates.

What specs do I need for RTX 2080?

The following are the minimum system requirements: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, AMD Radeon RX 570 or greater (4 GB VRAM). A 64-bit CPU and operating system are required. Windows 10 (64-bit version only) is necessary. Intel Core i5 6600 / Ryzen 5 2500X processor is needed. RAM of 8 GB is required

Is RTX 2080 good for gaming?

The Nvidia RTX 2080 Super is a great graphics card, but it isn’t nearly as powerful as the GTX 1080 Ti. It includes all of the same dependability and usefulness as its famous brother, including ray tracing and DLSS upscaling.

What is the best CPU for RTX 2080 Ti?

There are several excellent RTX 2080 Ti CPUs. The Intel Core i7 9700K is one of them. Ryzen 9 3900X from AMD, as well as the Intel Core i9 9900K and 9000 Series processors from AMD, also perform admirably.

Which Intel CPU is best for RTX 2080 Ti?

The finest Intel 9th generation Core i9 9900K CPU is the RTX 2080 Ti.