Best CPUs for RTX 3070 Builds of 2021

The RTX 3070 offers similar performance to the 2080Ti for more than half the price. The card sits just below the flagship 3080. In other words, with its reduced memory buffer (8GB) compared to the RTX 2080Ti ( 11GB ) and RTX 3080 (10GB), the RTX 3070 is a card perfect for 1440p games with high refresh rates. This kind of performance demands a capable CPU, but the reality is that you don’t need to get a flagship gaming CPU to get the most out of the RTX 3070.

When it comes to the best CPU for the RTX 3070, the favorites are pretty clear. The new Ryzen 5000 series CPUs excel at both gaming and productivity, making them the obvious choice for the RTX 3070. Then we have the older Ryzen and Intel CPUs, which still have a lot of impact on gaming (Intel) and productivity (Ryzen). The gist is that you don’t have to spend a fortune on a CPU for the RTX 3070 to get incredible gaming performance. To get the best productivity performance, you will have to pay a little more. Now, let’s review the best CPUs for the RTX 3070 .

Best Overall Gaming CPU for RTX 3070

AMD’s Ryzen 5000 CPUs have taken Intel’s gaming performance throne and out of the four CPUs you can get right now, the Ryzen 5 5600X is the best choice for gaming. If you don’t use any demanding productivity apps and spend time playing games on your PC or doing light work (Office, web apps, etc.), buying a top-tier Ryzen 5000 CPU doesn’t make much sense at the moment.

You’ll make minimal profits (around 1 to 3 percent, up to 10 percent on select titles like Death Stranding) at 1080p while paying a 50 percent higher minimum price if you choose the 5800X over the 5600X. And when it comes to the 10900K, the 5600X offers nearly the same performance for a 50 percent lower price.

And that’s 1080p. At 1440p, where the RTX 3070 shines, the performance gap between the 5600X and faster CPUs almost completely melts away, making the 5600X the best option for future RTX 3070 owners.

How much faster is the RTX 3070 compared to the RTX 2070?

The RTX 3070 is in line with the RTX 2080Ti’s gaming performance, making it 30-35 percent faster than the RTX 2070 on average. Note that while you get faster gaming performance, the memory buffer remains the same, making the RTX 3070 a less than ideal choice for 4K gaming .

Is the RTX 3070 PC 4.0 compliant and will it work on a PCIe 3.0 motherboard?

Yes, the RTX 3070 supports PCIe 4.0 technology. Don’t worry though, the card will work fine on a PCIe 3.0 motherboard. When it comes to performance differences, there is practically no difference in gaming performance between PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 when it comes to the RTX 3080. And since the RTX 3080 is more powerful than the 3070, you shouldn’t expect any performance hit if you plan to plug the card into a PCIe 3.0 x16 slot.

Does the RTX 3070 support HDMI 2.1 and will it work with older HDMI standards?

Yes, the RTX 3070 offers full HDMI 2.1 compatibility. The thing is, no gaming PC monitor supports the HDMI 2.1 standard at the moment. The first HDMI 2.1 compliant model should arrive in early 2021. Some TVs support HDMI 2.1, and on these models you can play at 4K and 120Hz.

The RTX 3070 will work fine on older HDMI standards. But, depending on the standard, its maximum frame rate and resolution may vary. You should see which HDMI port you have on your monitor and then check out this handy guide that explains each version of the HDMI standard and the specifications it offers.

For what resolutions is RTX 3070 better?

The RTX 3070 targets 1440p resolution. You will be able to play any game at maximum settings and around 70-100 fps at 1440p. Lowering some visual settings a bit on select AAA titles, it should hit 144Hz at 1440p on almost all titles today. When it comes to esports titles, this card should perform very well at 1440p and 240Hz.

That said, the RTX 3070 is a less than ideal option for 4K gaming. Its 8GB memory buffer is perfect for 1440p, but at 4K, 8GB of memory may prove inadequate in future titles. On top of that, the most demanding AAA titles right now won’t run at 4K and 60fps with all (or most) settings maxed out. If you play 4K, consider the RTX 3080 or the upcoming AMD RX 6000 GPUs to visit- What In PC.