Nvidia’s RTX 4070 is the fourth most powerful GPU in the ADA series and is perhaps a fairly priced GPU compared to the 4080.
There is no doubt that the 70 GPUs used to cost lower but here we are, in 2023 seeing a 4070 GPU costing $600. Nonetheless, it still provides better value than the 4080 and competes with the $700 RTX 3080 from the Ampere family.
RTX 4070 is capable of maxing out most games at 1440p resolution and requires a powerful CPU that would not max out at 100% usage before the GPU itself.
In this post, we will take a look at the CPU requirements for the RTX 4070 followed by the list of CPUs we recommend and the reasons for why you should go with them.
Our Picks
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel i5-13400F Desktop Processor 10 cores (6... | $241.25 $151.21 | Order On Amazon | |
| AMD Ryzen 5 7600 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked... | $229.00 $197.93 | Order On Amazon | |
| Intel Core i5-13600K Desktop Processor 14 (6... | $329.00 $194.95 | Order On Amazon | |
| AMD Ryzen 7 7700X 8-Core, 16-Thread Unlocked... | $399.00 $309.99 | Order On Amazon | |
| AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 8-Core, 16-Thread Desktop... | $475.97 | Order On Amazon |
Nvidia Geforce RTX 4070 Overview
Geforce RTX 4070 is the 4th fastest GPU in the ADA lineup featuring an AD104 GPU die made on TSMC’s 5nm process node. The card features 5888 Cuda Cores and a 12GB GDDR6X VRAM on a 192-bit memory bus.
The card matches the performance of the RTX 3080 from the last gen and officially costs $599 for the Founders Edition. With a TDP of 200W, it’s one of the most power-efficient cards and features a dual-slot design with a compact PCB.
Understanding RTX 4070’s CPU Requirements
RTX 4070 being a mid to high-end GPU, it is pretty hungry for CPU power. Going with a 4 core CPU with it is a big no. High-end GPUs like this will easily get bottlenecked with a 4-core CPU in most titles. So, it’s the best fit for a 6-core CPU and above.
If the CPU features 6 cores, it’s better to have hyperthreading as many modern titles can take benefit from the virtual cores to run faster. Also considering the fact that the Windows processes are increasing day by day, more cores will only help you achieve better performance in gaming.
Any mid-range to high-end CPU from the Ryzen 7000 and Intel Raptor Lake lineup will be good to go. However, processors from the same tier from a generation older will also do the job perfectly.
The Best CPU for RTX 4070
Intel Core i5 13400F
- 10 cores (6 P-cores + 4 E-cores) and 16 threads
- Performance hybrid architecture integrates two...
- Up to 4.6 GHz. 20M Cache
- Compatible with Intel 600 series and 700 series...
Intel’s i5 locked CPUs are generally the best chips for gaming on a budget. Even though the i5 13400F is not necessarily the cheapest CPU to handle the 4070, it is surely one of the best if not the best processor under $200.
It comes with a good 10 cores in a hybrid design where 6 cores are Performance cores and 4 Efficient cores that were absent in the 12400F. These efficient cores help a lot in reducing the overall CPU consumption by handling all the background tasks while your main 6 cores work dedicatedly in gaming.
Not only the 13400F is better in specs with more cores and cache memory, but it is also roughly 10% faster than the 12400F in real-world gaming tests. So, definitely, one of the decent choices if you don’t have the budget to spend over $200.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600
- The processor features Socket AM5 socket for...
- Ryzen 5 product line processor for better...
- 5 nm process technology provides dependable...
- Hexa-core (6 Core) processor core helps processor...
While the Ryzen 5 7600X is more popular due to the success of “X” processors, the non-X 7600 is perhaps a better choice for a high-end gaming build. One of the reasons is the lower price for the same performance you get with the 7600X.
Both 7600X and 7600 are identical in gaming performance and you won’t necessarily see any noticeable improvements by paying $40-$50 more on the 7600X. The second reason is the lower TDP. While it is true that the 7600 features a lower base and boost clock, it also helps reduce its power consumption and still has no effect on gaming performance.
Intel Core i5 13600K
- 13th Gen Intel Core processors offer revolutionary...
- 14 cores (6 P-cores + 8 E-cores) and 20 threads
- Up to 5.1 GHz unlocked. 24M Cache
- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770 included
The Core i5 13600K is not necessarily the best value gaming CPU but it is noticeably faster than the 7600. Most games see 5-10% higher performance but some games like Warzone can see up to 31% higher performance if combined with a powerful GPU like 4090. So, with 4070, you will also see noticeable gains for sure.
Nonetheless, there are more advantages you will have with the 13600K other than gaming like better productivity. The 13600K comes with 14 cores and 20 threads. As it features a hybrid architecture, you will have 6 Performance and 8 Efficient cores to complete your tasks quickly.
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
- This dominant gaming processor can deliver fast...
- 8 Cores and 16 processing threads, based on AMD...
- 5.4 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 80...
- For the state-of-the-art Socket AM5 platform, can...
After a good price drop, the Ryzen 7700X is now close to the price of 13600K. At $30 more, the 7700X features better power efficiency with a TDP of just 105W and features 8 cores/16 threads.
The base/boost clock is 4.5/5.4GHz which is high enough to have great performance in both games and applications. Compared to the i5 13600K, the 7700X is just 2-3% slower in games but ties in productivity where the 13600K wins in some and the 7700X in others.
The advantage it has over the 13600K is that it consumes 20-30% less power in gaming/productivity and therefore, is a good alternative if you prefer AMD over Intel.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- Processor provides dependable and fast execution...
- Ryzen 7 product line processor for better...
- 5 nm process technology for reliable performance...
- Octa-core (8 Core) processor core allows...
The 7800X3D is without a doubt the fastest gaming CPU right now. For $450 official MSRP, it is not cheap but if you already own a $600 RTX 4070, there is nothing to complain about if you don’t want to compromise.
The 7800X3D is easily 15-20% ahead of the non-3D editions and is also way ahead of the 13600K. It features 8 cores on a single CCD that features a 3D cache die on top that enhances its gaming performance.
Normally the non-3D edition would come with 32MB of L3 cache like the 7700X but the 7800X3D comes with 96MB of cache that has way more space to store the game data.
Clocked at 4.2-5.0GHz, this CPU doesn’t even need overclocking and performs as good as the Ryzen 7950X3D while costing $250 less and consuming 1/3rd of the total power consumed by the i9 13900K.
Final Words
Even though RTX 4070 is not the flagship ADA GPU, it is still sufficient for 1440p gaming. The only thing that can hinder it from achieving its full potential is a bad CPU. Any of the listed CPUs above will do the job perfectly and in our opinion, going with the Ryzen 7600 will do better justice to the 4070.
