The RTX 4090 is undoubtedly one of the best GPUs out there, but just having this GPU is not going to be enough if you want to play the latest games at their full potential. Being a powerful flagship GPU, you need an equally strong CPU that compliments and enhances its performance even further.
A good processor will allow your RTX 4090 to run the latest games and most demanding applications smoothly. There are plenty of powerful CPUs that will make the RTX 4090 even more of a beast than it already is. The best CPU for RTX 4090 might cost you a lot, but if this is a sacrifice you are ready to make, then you are in for a good time.
Key Points:
- The importance of positive compatibility between PC components
- How much advantage your RTX 4090 can take when combined with the strongest CPU
- Making a good choice between cost and performance when it comes to purchasing a processor
Best CPU For RTX 4090 – Comparison Table
| Image | Name | Price | Rating | Specs |
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Intel Core i9-13900K |
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AMD Ryzen 9 7950X |
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Intel Core i7-13700K |
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AMD Ryzen 7 7700X |
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Intel Core i5-13600K |
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AMD Ryzen 5 7600X |
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A quick look at the best CPU for RTX 4090:
- Intel Core i9-13900K (NeoGamr’s Pick)
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (Pricey Beast)
- Intel Core i7-13700K (Premium Pick)
- AMD Ryzen 7 7700X (Best Value)
- Intel Core i5-13600K (Universal Pick)
- AMD Ryzen 5 7600X (Budget Pick)
Best CPU For RTX 4090
There is a lot of competition in the market between CPU manufacturers, so it can get a little confusing and intimidating when you are standing alone without any knowledge of what is best for you and what’s not.
Worry not; this is why we are here, to guide you on what’s the best choice you can make to get your lovely graphic card a sweet companion
#1- Intel Core i9-13900K
– Specifications:
- Cores (P+E): 8+16
- Threads: 32
- L3 Cache (Smart Cache): 36MB
- L2 Cache: 32MB
- Max P-core Turbo frequency (GHz): 5.8
- Unlocked: Yes
- Max PCIe lanes: 20
- Graphics: UHD Graphics 770
- Memory support (up to): DDR5 5600Mhz
- Processor Base Power (W): 125W
– Advantages:
- As far as performance goes, core i9-13900k is a beast that is exceptionally performant and rarely offers any complaints.
- It has a high core count, 32 threads, and the 8 p-cores are hyper-threaded, each with two threads a piece. It is up to any task offered.
– Drawbacks:
- The Intel core i9-13900k performs extraordinarily, but with the exceptional performance, it also becomes incredibly hot.
- The high temperature is the only major noticeable flaw.
The Intel core i9-13900k is one of the latest processors in the contemporary market, only being made available for purchase in the months of last year, i.e., 2022.
It is the highest and best of CPUs in Intel’s 13th generation series with the best possible innovations. As such, it has the required capabilities and modern technology to withstand the technical challenges of the present decade. More on that is below.
Cores and Threads
Every multi-core processor has two or more two separate processing units called Cores. The Intel core i9-13900k is a multi-core processor and boasts a total of 24 working cores.
Out of the 24 cores, 8 are performance cores with a base clock frequency of 3.0 GHz, which can be turbo-boosted up to 5.80 GHz.
While sixteen of the total cores are efficiency cores that have a base clock rate of 2.4 GHz, which can be boosted up to 4.3 GHz.
As for threads, they are a unit of utilization that distinguishable identities, the core i9-13900k has 32 working threads. The P-Cores even have hyper-threading.
Speed and Performance
The core i9-13900k has a base clock speed of 5.0 GigaHertz. If you keep yourself informed about new releases and such, you would notice that 5.0 GHz is 200 MHz less than the last intel core i9 CPU, which was clocked at 5.2 GHz.
This change is, however, intentional and was done by choice to adjust performance in turbo-boosted mode.
In performance, the core i9-13900k is exceptional; in performance, tests conducted, it was able to find 259 million prime numbers per second and sort 91 thousand random strings in a single second.
#2- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
– Specifications:
- Cores: 16
- Threads: 32
- Socket: AMD AM5
- Max boost clock: 5.7GHz
- Base clock: 4.5GHz
- L2 cache: 16MB
- L3 cache: 64MB
- Memory support: DDR5-5200
- TDP: 170W
– Advantages:
- At the top of the list of benefits of buying The AMD Ryzen, 9 7950X is the ownership of the chipset itself. It is one hell of a product to own and put to good use.
- It is advanced and innovative, and most of all, it can do pretty much anything that you would ask of it, truly a contemporary pinnacle of a processor for gaming.
– Drawbacks:
- The severe drawback of the Ryzen 9 7950X are afflicted with is that its DDR5 memory has inflated its price; beyond that, you also need a motherboard with the new AM5 socket type.
- It runs hot.
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X was released on the 27th of September 2022 for the desktop platform. It comes from the product line of AMD Ryzen 9 processors and is categorized in the family of Ryzen processors.
It is one of the fastest Ryzen processors, very highly recommended for a gaming build. It can withstand temperatures even as high as 95 °C but more on the features below.
Cores and Threads
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is the pinnacle of AMD ‘Zen 4’ architecture. It has a total of 16 cores, all of which are hyperthreaded P-cores. It has no E-cores but doesn’t lack performance as the E-cores aren’t that powerful.
It has a total of 32 threads, which means they are divided into 2 per core. AMD and its ryzen series in the past had never been close in performance to intel and its core series, but with their new 7000 series, they seem to ever edge closer to intel’s i9.
Speed and Performance
All of the cores in the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X are performance cores (P-cores) that clock at a basic speed of 4.5 GHz and can be turbo-boosted up to 5.7 GHz.
As for performance, it is among some of the best processors to ever hit the market and with its range of abilities and features, producing 60 FPS on the latest games is but a mere chore. It can go above and beyond to give even 100 FPS, and that alone is enough to give you an idea of its performance.
#3- Intel Core i7-13700K
– Specifications:
- Cores: 16
- Threads: 24
- L3 Cache (Smart Cache): 36MB
- L2 Cache: 32MB
- Max P-core Turbo frequency (GHz): 5.34
- Unlocked: Yes
- Max PCIe lanes: 20
- Graphics: UHD Graphics 770
- Memory support (up to): DDR5 4800Mhz
- Processor Base Power (W): 125W
– Advantages:
- As for the benefits of Core i7-13700k, it is a good processor to hold and is often called the best thing of its type at its price point. The price tag it displays is perhaps one of its biggest pros.
- Its other benefits include that it can be overclocked and supports multiple memory types like DDR4 & DDR5 and overall strong performance in apps.
– Drawbacks:
- It is a power-hungry processor that always taps into memory for one reason or another, and so it runs hot.
The Intel Core i7-13700k is a 13th generation, formerly raptor lake product for the desktop platform released on the market in September of 2022 and can operate in a flexible temperature range reaching up to 60-70°C.
Like all the other i7s, it also has a reputation for seamless gaming experiences and good performance; the i7s also has integrated graphics but more on their abilities below.
Cores and Threads
The i7-13700k has a total of 16 cores. Out of the total 16 cores, 8 are efficient cores (E-cores), and the eight remainings are performance cores (p-cores).
The E-cores clock at a basic clocking frequency of 2.50 GHz and clock at 4.20 GHz when max turbo-boosted. The P-cores clock at the basic rate of 3.40GHz and 5.40 GHz when at max turbo boost.
It also has 24 threads. 8 threads for the 8 E-cores while the P-cores are hyper-threaded and enjoy two threads per core, i.e., 16 threads for 8 P-cores.
Speed and Performance
The Intel core i7-13700k has P-cores & E-cores. E-cores are less powerful and therefore need less voltage because their job is to handle background tasks in multitasking. The P-cores, at the base, clock at 3.40 GHz, which can increase up to 5.40 GHz.
As for the whole chip, when it is turbo-boosted, it clocks at 5.40 GHz. As for performance, it lags a bit behind its 9th-generation counterpart. It can find 212 million prime numbers in a second and sort only about 65 thousand strings in one second.
#4- AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
– Specifications:
- Cores: 8
- Threads: 16
- Socket: AMD AM5
- Max boost clock: 5.4GHz
- Base clock: 4.5GHz
- L2 cache: 8MB
- L3 cache: 32MB
- Memory support: DDR5-5200
- TDP: 105W
– Advantages:
- It is hard to see the word ‘expensive’ as a benefit, but the speed of 7700X is worth it, some people believe.
- The processor is good as far as performance goes, but you can get even better ones in the Ryzen 9 series
– Drawbacks:
- It requires the AM5 socket only found in the latest motherboards. It doesn’t support DDR4 and only supports DDR5
- it heats up a bit.
The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X hit the market shelves on the 27th of September, 2022, for the desktop platform. It comes from the family of AMD Ryzen processors and is classified under the Ryzen 7 series.
It is a good processor, one of the AMD tops, and supports the 64-bit editions of both windows 10 & 11. Apart from that, it can also sustain operating capabilities until a temperature (Tjmax) of 95°C.
Cores and Threads
The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X has a total of 8 cores. Like all the other AMD processors, the Ryzen 7 series also doesn’t incorporate low-voltage E-cores in their build.
All of their cores are high-voltage performance cores, and these performance cores handle both main and background processes.
There are a total of 16 threads in Ryzen 7 7700X. All of the P-cores are hyper-threaded, and each core is allowed 2 threads. It also has integrated graphics capabilities and a graphics core count of 2 with a GPU base of 400 MHz.
Speed and Performance
All of the 8 cores of The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X are multi-threaded Performance Cores that have a base clocking frequency of 4.5 GHz and can be turbo-boosted up to the overclocked frequency of 5.4 GHz with a default TBD of 105 watts.
As for the performance, the ryzen 7 7700X has come out with strong gaming results as expected and compared with other processors of similar price and value, it is better in speed, calculations, and sorting and overall offers better and seamless performance than its peers.
#5- Intel Core i5-13600K
– Specifications:
- Cores (P+E): 6+8
- Threads: 20
- L3 Cache (Smart Cache): 24MB
- L2 Cache: 20MB
- Max P-core Turbo frequency (GHz): 5.1
- P-core base frequency (GHz): 3.5
- Unlocked: Yes
- Max PCIe lanes: 20
- Graphics: UHD Graphics 770
- Memory support (up to): DDR5 5600Mhz
- Processor Base Power (W): 125W
– Advantages:
- The core i5-13600k is not helpless at any task when it comes to performance, and I believe that counts as a big win. It has all the things that anyone can ask for, 300-350 dollars.
- It easily provides 60 game frame rates per second and even has integrated processor graphics, but by far, the best thing about it is the price tag which offers the best value for every penny spent.
– Drawbacks:
- The things people didn’t like about core i5-13600k were that overclocking doesn’t add as much performance as expected and that it runs hotter than the previous i5-12600k.
The Intel core i5-13600k is a 13th generation CPU of the i5 core line, which was released to the market in September of 2022, like the other intel products mentioned.
It used the raptor lake architecture in its build with a 1700 socket type. It is also flexible in its operating range in regards to temperature and can work until it reaches 70°C. More about it below:
Cores and Threads
The Intel core i5-13700k has a total number of 14 cores, and as we know with Intel, they like a mix of efficiency and performance cores, and this case is no different.
There are a total of 14 cores in i5-13600k, and 8 of them are efficient cores that run on low voltage and manage background processes, while 6 of them are performance cores built to handle the main task.
As for threads, there are a total of 20 threads in i5-13600k. Performance cores have multi-threading, so 6 of them enjoy 12 threads.
Speed and Performance
The core i5-13600k has a max turbo-boosted frequency of 5.10 GHz, and as for base speeds, the performance cores have a base clocking frequency of 3.50 GHz and can reach as high as 5.10 GHz when they are turbo-boosted.
The efficient cores have a base clocking of 2.60 GHz, which can be increased up to 3.90 GHz using the turbo-boosting feature. As for performance, the i5-13600k is good for its name and performs decently, but it is no i7 or i9, but that is compensated by the price tag that it bears.
#6- AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
– Specifications:
- Process: 5nm
- Socket: AM5
- Cores: 6
- Threads: 12
- Base frequency: 4.7GHz
- Boost frequency: 5.3GHz
- L3 cache: 32MB
- TDP: 105W
- PCIe: 5.0 x 24
- Max RAM: 128GB Dual-Channel DDR5
- Unlocked: Yes
- Integrated Graphics: 2-core RDN
– Advantages:
- There are a lot of benefits of the Ryzen 5 7600X because, like all other products, it’s the good features that forge a reputation and identity.
- It is still the best processor of its product line and has a lower price tag than processors which are from lines 7 or 9.
– Drawbacks:
- Ryzen 5 7600X suffers from the same drawbacks as Ryzen 9 7950X and Ryzen 7 7700X.
- They need the latest AM5 socket type and only support DDR5-type memory.
The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X is a product of the Ryzen processors family coming from the line of Series 5 Ryzen processors, which was made globally available for the desktop platform in the September of last year, i.e., 2022. It is resilient and can withstand temperatures up to 90°C.
More about its features and abilities are below:
Cores and Threads
There are a total of six CPU cores in the ryzen 5 7600X. We know AMD that they don’t make it a habit of itself to add efficient cores into their processors, unlike intel.
All of the 6 CPU cores are performance cores and handle both backgrounds as well as main tasks. The performance cores are also multi-threaded, and there are a total of 12 threads for 6 performance cores. There are also 2 graphics cores with a graphics frequency of 2200 MHz and a GPU base of 400 MHz.
Speed and Performance
The 6 performance CPU cores need high voltage to handle all the sorting and calculation and have a base clock of 4.7 GHz, at which it draws around 105 watts of power from the power supply unit You can push them further by turbo-boosting to a whopping 5.3 GHz because the 7600X is unlocked for overclocking.
As for performance, the 7600X rarely gives you a chance to complain because it is fast, efficient, provides an excellent frame rate for your games, and is just overall a very good challenge for any of its competitors.
Things You Should Know Before Buying The Best CPU For RTX 4090 Cards
A beefy giant powerhouse like RTX 4090 deserves a CPU that can handle it at its full might. Compatibility is necessary between computer components because, in the end, after spending thousands of bucks on high-end components, you don’t want bottleneck and throttling. Trust me, it’s not a good sight.
Frequency, Cores, and Cache
Frequency, Cores, and Cache are all three things that matter the most when it comes to judging a CPU by its performance. Because these things are responsible for influencing the performance of your game, maybe you don’t need all those cores and high boost clock speeds, but remember, if you are pairing a CPU with an RTX 4090, it’s going to be equally beefy, and power-hungry. Don’t expect a third gen processor to even accommodate RTX 4090
Thermal Design Power
or TDP, calculate the heat your processor can generate at its maximum load and then dissipate it through the cooling system. Because heat is the worst enemy of your PC components, it is safe to check the TDP of any processor you are going to buy, because a power-hungry chip will run hot.
Without any cooling arrangements, your PC will throttle along with your RTX 4090. Make sure you have enough power supply to juice your CPU with a stable voltage throughout high-load sessions
Cost and value
There is nothing wrong with being cost-effective, but in this case, you might have to spend a few bucks more than you are willing to do.
A graphic card like RTX 4090 needs a high-end processor to run, which can be quite expensive, and not just that, you also need a compatible motherboard with a chipset that supports your processor.
You need to carefully adjust your budget accordingly before purchasing or pre-ordering your CPU component.
My Final Verdict:
Every single one of these CPUs delivers an amazing performance that will keep this insanely powerful Graphic card in check. To be honest, you wouldn’t go wrong if you chose any CPU on this list, but for me, I would go for Ryzen 9 7950x.
The price-to-performance ratio is insanely good, and PCie 5.0 is a plus. With the higher clock speeds and with an insane amount of cores, I would say it’s a future-proof investment. CPU dependant games will have a field day with this one.
