Top 5 Best CPUs For RTX 3070 – [Buyers Guide]

When it comes to 1440p and 4K gaming, the RTX 3070 is one of the best GPUs from Nvidia. It crushes most AAA titles at those resolutions and has enough horsepower for live streaming. But to use it at its full potential, you need capable and best CPUs for RTX 3070 with it.

As you might know, not choosing your CPU wisely can potentially bottleneck your precious RTX 3070. Whether you already own an RTX 3070 and are looking for a good CPU to pair it with or are planning a new PC build from scratch, you’ll find plenty of guidance in this article.

RTX 3070 Specs

Before we get into which CPUs are best to pair with the RTX 3070, let’s take a look at its technical specs.

• Memory: 8GB GDDR6
• CUDA Cores: 5888
• Base Clock: 1.50 GHz
• Boost Clock: 1.73 GHz

Of course, the boost clock of the GPU could vary among partner models. I’ve kept these specs in mind when coming up with this list. So, let’s dive in…

Top 5 Best CPUs for RTX 3070 in 2022:

1. AMD Ryzen 5 5600 – Best Overall

SPECS:

• Socket: AM4
• Cores and Threads: 6C/12T
• Boost Clock: 4.4 GHz
• TDP Rating: 65W
• Cooler Included: Wraith Stealth

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is the latest and greatest CPU from AMD. Yes, the 5600X might be more popular and well-known, but in my opinion, the 5600 provides better value for money. Both CPUs differ only in clock speed. So, the 5600 is a better bang for your buck and will work great with your RTX 3070.

This CPU also comes bundled with the Wraith Stealth cooler, which should be sufficient for cooling if you’re not applying crazy overclocks, thanks to the 65W TDP. Speaking of that, this is an unlocked CPU and has a high overclock ceiling. So, you could get some extra performance out of it if you have an AIO or tower cooler. Check out Ryzen Master if you’re interested in this.

Since it has an AM4 socket, you probably don’t need to upgrade your motherboard if you’re upgrading from an older AMD build. But if you’re building from scratch and need a good motherboard recommendation, check out this article. All in all, the Ryzen 5 5600 is an awesome CPU to pair with your RTX 3070!

2. Intel i3-12100F – Best on a Budget

SPECS:

• Socket: LGA 1700
• Cores and Threads: 4C/8T
• Boost Clock: 4.3 GHz
• TDP Rating: 58W
• Cooler Included: Intel Laminar RM1

Sometimes you just want a CPU that can get the job done at a budget-friendly price. In that case, I would recommend the Intel i3-12100F. With four cores and eight threads, and a boost clock of 4.3 GHz, it doesn’t seem like much to write home about. But its power efficiency and low price are what make many gamers call it the “Budget King” of CPUs.

How well does it perform with the RTX 3070? As you can see in this video, it works fine. You might think there’s a risk of a bottleneck with this CPU, but don’t worry. The Intel i3-12100F is more than capable of handling the RTX 3070 without holding it back. Besides, if you’re going to be playing graphic-intensive games at a high resolution (1440p or 4K), then it’ll have even less of an impact.

With this being said, it can be tricky to find the right motherboard for your CPU. If you want a motherboard recommendation to work with this CPU, check out this article. In a nutshell, the Intel i3-12100F will pair excellently with your RTX 3070.

3. AMD Ryzen 5 3600 – Best Value for Money

SPECS:

• Socket: AM4
• Cores and Threads: 6C/12T
• Boost Clock: 4.2 GHz
• TDP Rating: 65W
• Cooler Included: Wraith Stealth

The Ryzen 5 3600 is basically a legend in the PC gaming space at this point. You probably already know the basic tech specs: 6 cores, 12 threads, and a 4.2 GHz boost clock. It might be a bit old, launched in 2019, but the wide and easy accessibility of the AM4 platform makes it highly relevant in 2022.

RandomGaminginHD paired the Ryzen 5 3600 with an RTX 3070, and, in his opinion, the 3600 “did a decent job of keeping up.” Although, he noted you might see some lag in CPU-intensive games like Cyberpunk 2077. So, that’s something to keep in mind. Overall, though, this CPU and GPU pair works without any hiccups.

It’ll run cool and silent with the bundled Wraith Stealth cooler. Since it’s unlocked, you can always get a better cooler to leverage the overclock ceiling. For motherboard recommendations, check out this article. Everything considered, the Ryzen 5 3600 works well with the RTX 3070 and might be a great value-for-money option.

4. AMD Ryzen 9 5900X – Best High-End from AMD

SPECS:

• Socket: AM4
• Cores and Threads: 12C/24T
• Boost Clock: 4.8 GHz
• TDP Rating: 105W
• Cooler Included: No

So far, we’ve discussed three mainstream gaming CPUs, and they’re the best for that purpose. But what if you need extra horsepower for other workloads? Besides gaming and live streaming, you might also be an editor or an animator. For that, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a better choice.

Let’s go over the basic specs: 12 cores, 24 threads, a 4.8 GHz boost clock, and a 105W TDP. Since there isn’t a stock cooler included, you’ll have to buy an aftermarket one, which adds to the overall cost. If you want to check performance with the RTX 3070, watch this video.

Apart from that, it also has 70 MB of cache and DDR4-3200 support. If you want to take advantage of PCIe 4.0, you can also get an X570 or B550 motherboard. Put together, the Ryzen 9 5900X will chew up any workload you can throw at it and provides good value for money.

5. Intel i7-12700K – Best High-End from Intel

SPECS:

• Socket: LGA 1700
• Cores and Threads: 12C/20T
• Boost Clock: 5.0 GHz
• TDP Rating: 125W
• Cooler Included: No

In my article about the best GPUs for the Intel i7-12700K, I listed the RTX 3070 as one of the best options from Nvidia. There are many reasons for that. Belonging to the latest Alder Lake CPUs from Intel, it packs 12 cores and 20 threads with an impressive boost clock of 5.0 GHz.

With a 125W TDP, all this processing power generates a lot of heat. Since this CPU doesn’t come with a stock cooler, you’ll have to get a capable aftermarket one. As you can see in this video, it performs amazingly well with the RTX 3070.

Other than that, there are also some additional features to get excited about. Best of all, it has DDR5 compatibility. So, it’s future-proofed in that way. Aside from that, it also has Intel UHD 770 graphics, the LGA 1700 socket, and 25MB of L3 cache.

Frequently Asked Questions

Intel or AMD, Which is Better for RTX 3070?

In this list, you can see CPUs from both Team Blue and Team Red. As I always say, don’t stick to one manufacturer or another. There might be some more specific considerations for you as a user based on your workload. But, that aside, just go with the CPU which matches your requirements and is within your budget.

I’ve given the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 the ‘Best Overall’ category. But if you’re more budget-conscious, you can also go for the Intel i3-12100F or the AMD Ryzen 5 3600. Beyond that, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and the Intel i7-12700K are good high-end CPUs.

Which is the Best Monitor for RTX 3070?

The optimal resolutions at which to use the RTX 3070 are 1440p and 4K. If you want some great monitor recommendations, check out this article. I know the title relates to the RTX 3070 Ti, but the recommendations are also relevant to the RTX 3070.

Wrap Up

So, these were the five best CPUs for RTX 3070 in 2022. If you’re on a budget, the Intel i3-12100F is your best bet. On the other hand, if you require more cores and threads for heavy workloads, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and the Intel i7-12700K are good options to look into. Overall, I hope I helped you take a step forward toward your dream PC with this article!

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