RTX 3070

Best Monitors for the Nvidia RTX 3070

October 5, 2020 by Alex Leave a Comment

The last of the recently announced Nvidia RTX Ampere 30 Series GPUs to be released is the RTX 3070; which will be coming out sometime in October. This ray tracing, mid-range, GPU is set to cost only $500, yet (if some of the early benchmarks are to be trusted) (jives should we put in a benchmark image ourself?) it appears to be able to perform similarly to the last generation flagship: the Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti. If this is the case, then the RTX Ampere 3070 will allow mid-end users to enjoy gaming at resolutions and framerates that were once reserved only for elite PC gaming enthusiasts – which is awesome, especially for entry-level PC builders.

Of course, it is not just the GPU that allows a rig to perform to the level necessary for processing games at 4K resolutions, or 144 Hz framerates. Thankfully, the release of the RTX 3070 falls within the same month that AMD will also be announcing more information about their Ryzen 4000 CPUs (which will be AM4 compatible); meaning that a high-power PC build will be possible even for lesser-budget builds. Capable AM4 compatible motherboards, paired with a Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 CPU, an RTX 3070, and 16 to 32 GB of dual channel 3,200 MHz CL14, or 3,600 MHz CL16, RAM will make a PC capable of high-end gaming, video editing, and other production related tasks for only a fraction of the cost of what it used to be.

Now, this is not to knock on Intel and their 10^th generation CPUs, as their i7 and i9 variants have proven to be very powerful processors, especially for gaming. However, the LGA1200 chipset requires a new motherboard to be purchased, which costs far more than the available AM4 motherboards, while not being compatible with PCIe 4.0 and high RAM speeds in the mid-range. It is due to this, that AMD has a clear advantage within the given price range of this market.

Building a new PC, or upgrading an existing one, with a GPU that can process graphics at such a high capacity, like the RTX 3070, requires an equally impressive monitor that can actually display its capabilities. The PC monitor industry seems to be well in sync with the release of PC hardware (and perhaps even somewhat ahead of it), as there are monitors that can keep up with recent technological advancements, and even allow room for improvement if one were to further upgrade their setup. That is why investing in the proper monitor is just as important as purchasing a new hardware component, like the GPU for example. Whether you love competing in online multiplayers, or enjoy immersing yourself in the story of single player triple-A title, choosing the right monitor that perfectly fit your needs is of paramount importance.

Thus, in accordance with the capabilities of the RTX Ampere 3070, we have selected four monitors for different resolutions, framerates, and preferences, in order to help you choose the best monitor to complement your new gaming rig.

Best Monitors for the RTX 3070

Best 1080P 144Hz Monitor for the RTX 3070

If you are satisfied with an FHD resolution, then the least framerate worth having is 144 Hz. Having a 1080p 60 Hz monitor will, ultimately, sell the power of the RTX Ampere 3070 short. Also, if you enjoy competitive gaming and want to ensure that you won’t have to sacrifice framerate for a higher resolution, then a 1080p 144 Hz monitor is a safe choice to make.

ASUS is a top contender in the PC monitor market, as they have a reputation for releasing quality monitors at competitive prices – and this they have done with the ASUS VG279Q. This monitor has an AHVA IPS panel, with an 8-bit depth, that is capable of showing 1.68 million colors (24 bits) on its 27-inch display. It can cover 99% of the sRGB range, 75% of the Adobe RGB color space, and 72% of the NTSC color space; with a static contrast of 1,000 to one and a brightness of 400 nits. Due to the IPS panel, it has a 178-degree viewing angle (horizontal and vertical), and it has an extremely low input lag of only 4 milliseconds, with a 1 ms grey-to-grey and a 3 ms average response time.

Its exterior frame features an anti-glare, matte, coating, and offers great versatility in terms of ergonomics. It can pivot and swivel (both to the left and the right) by 90 degrees, it can be adjusted in height by 130 mm, it can be tilted forward or backwards by 5 and 33 degrees, and it can be removed from its stand in order to be mounted with its VESA compatible mounting interface.

Connectivity-wise, the VG279Q has one HDMI 1.4 port, one DP 1.2 slot, 1 DVI-D Dual Link port, one 3.5 mm audio-in, and one 3.5 mm audio-out. It also comes with two integrated 2W speakers. Plenty of features are also included, like a 5-way OSD joystick, ELMB (Extreme Low Motion Blur) Sync, GamePlus, Trace Free technology, Flicker-free technology, a blue light filter, and SPLENDID Video Intelligence technology. The 1080p, 144 Hz, 27-inch ASUS VG279Q has an MSRP of $299.99, which is quite costly for a 1080p monitor, but still a worthy purchase.

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Best 1080p 360 Hz Monitor for the RTX 3070

Now, I know you’re probably thinking… 360 Hz, really? Can the RTX 3070 handle such framerates? Well… not really. At least not for most games. But it doesn’t really have to. It only needs to be able to achieve high enough framerates for certain popular competitive multiplayer that are negatively impacted by input lag, as this is where these monitors excel. There have been four 360 Hz monitors announced, and they have all been made in partnership with Nvidia – in order to make full use of Nvidia’s new Reflex feature. Thus, all these monitors will include a specialized piece of hardware called the Latency Analyzer, which actually measures your end-to-end input lag in real-time and displays it for you on-screen in real-time. This is a feature that is possible for the very first time and will result in an overall drop of input latency by the likes of over 15 ms, depending on the title of the game. For example, for the popular multiplayer Fortnite, Nvidia’s reflex (together with the 360 Hz monitor) will allow for a total end-to-end input lag of only 19 ms; down from the 53 ms of a GTX 1660 Super and a 60 Hz monitor. For professional competitors, this is a significant boost that is not to be ignored.

Of the four models set to become available by the end of 2020, the one releasing the soonest is the ASUS ROG Swift PG259QN. The ROG Swift will feature a 24.5-inch screen with an 8-bit in-depth, fast-IPS, panel that will be capable of displaying 1.68 million colors (99% sRGB coverage), with a static contrast of 1,000 to 1, a brightness of 400 nits, and a viewing angle of 178 degrees. With its 1 millisecond of grey-to-grey response time, as well as its G-Sync and ULMB (Ultra Low Motion Blur) compatibility, this monitor is specifically designed to give competitive users the edge in online multiplayer.

In order to avoid overheating during long gaming sessions, the ROG Swift will feature a custom-built heatsink that will better dissipate heat and keep the monitor cool.

In terms of looks, the ASUS ROG Swift has plenty of style, with a nearly borderless frame, an RGB-lit logo in the back (that can by synchronized with ASUS’s Aura Sync software), and an anti-glare coating on its bezel. The monitor can be adjusted in several ways to fit your viewing preference, as it can pivot by 90 degrees, swivel left or right by up to 25 degrees, tilt forwards or backwards by 5 and 20 degrees respectively, or adjust in height by up to 120 millimeters. The screen can also be removed and mounted, or clamped onto a desk (clamp is included), as it is VESA compatible.

Gaming and other utility features that are included with the ROG Swift are ASUS GamePlus, ASUS GameVisual, flicker-free technology, and a low blue light filter. The monitor will also have two USB 3.0 Type-A (all downstream) slots, two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DP 1.4 slot, and one 3.5mm audio jack. The price for the ROG Swift PG259QN was announced to be $699; which is quite expensive, but still worth the cost for extreme competitors and professional gamers.

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Best 1440p 144 Hz Monitor for the RTX 3070 ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ

A pleasant surprise with the early release of benchmarks for the RTX 3070 (though we must warn that they may not be very reliable), is that the GPU is primed to have the ability to process games at a 1440p resolution, and a 144 Hz refresh rate; as it did so for several of the titles tested. The average 1440p performance for the RTX 3070 – according to GPUCheck – was in the range of 136.5 FPS, on the highest quality settings. This, of course, through the use of an i9-10900K CPU, which is arguably the most powerful gaming consumer CPU currently in existence. Still, having the ability to play at this resolution and framerate with a $500 GPU, even if it means lowering game quality settings, is very impressive.

This sweet spot in resolution and framerate is perfect for those that love both single-player gaming, and competitive multiplayer alike. The monitor we recommend for the task is ASUS’s TUF Gaming VG27AQ. This 27-inch monitor features an IPS panel with an 8-bit depth and a framerate that can actually be overclocked to 165 Hz. It makes use of both Nvidia G-Sync and ELMB Sync. Due to its IPS panel, it has a wide, all-around, viewing angle of 178 degrees, while also having a low GtG response time of 1 millisecond. In fact, the TUF Gaming has an overall monitor input lag of only 5.3 ms, so it is perfect for competitive gamers. In terms of the amount colors it can display, the VG27AQ can show 99% of the sRGB color space, 71% of the Adobe RGB color space, 72% of the NTSC color space, and 77% of the DCI P3 color space. The monitor is also HDR10 compatible, has a brightness that can reach up to 350 nits, and has a, rather high, static contrast ratio of 1,200 to 1.

The exterior is simple, yet functional. It has a stand that can adjust the screen in height by up to 130 mm, it can swivel to the right or to the left by 90 degrees, it can turn to either portrait or landscape position, and it can tilt forward or backwards by 5 and 33 degrees respectively. Its VESA compatibility and removable stand also allow it to be mounted, as well.

Not that many gamers would use them, but the TUF Gaming VG27AQ does come with two integrated 2-watt speakers; which are always nice to have. It also includes two HDMI 2.0 and one DisplayPort 1.2 slots, together with a 3.5 mm audio out. Furthermore, it comes with ASUS’s GameFast Input technology, GamePlus, GameVisual, a 5-way OSD joystick, Shadow Boost, and a low blue light filter. Due to its popularity, the ASUS TUF VG27AQ can be tough to find at times, but it is definitely worth keeping an eye out for, as it can many times be found below its MSRP of $429.

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Best 4K 60Hz Monitor for the RTX 3070 BenQ EL2870U

The RTX 3070 does begin to drop off, in terms of performance, when processing 4K resolutions (according to early benchmarks), but, for its price, it still does average 81.4 FPS. Still, with the possibility that games will become more and more demanding with the release of next generation titles, the RTX 3070 will most likely not be able to reach 60 FPS consistently at 4K. That being said, if you don’t mind overclocking your hardware, or lowering the game quality settings, then a 4K 60 Hz monitor is still a solid option – especially if you enjoy streaming videos/movies at this resolution.

The BenQ EL2870U is a 28-inch monitor that provides a quality 4K display without breaking the bank. It has a 10-bit depth TN panel with Frame Rate Control (FRC) and is capable of displaying over one billion colors (30 bits) with extremely low response times. It has an input lag of only 5 milliseconds and an MPRT response rate of only one 1 millisecond. The low latencies are the upside of the TN panel, but the downside is that it does not have a large viewing angle (170 degrees horizontal, 160 degrees vertical). The EL2870U has a 1,000 to one static contrast ratio and is capable of displaying 97% of the sRGB color space, 72% of the NTSC color space, and 70% of the DCI P3 color space, at a brightness level of 300 nits.

Because it is meant to be viewed from the front due to its TN panel, the EL2870 is very limited in terms of ergonomic flexibility. It is unable to pivot or swivel, and it cannot even be adjusted in terms of height. Fortunately, it can still be tilted forwards and backwards by 5 and 15 degrees respectively. It also has a removable stand, and mounted to a wall with its VESA compatibility.

Together with its two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DP1.4 slot, 3.5 mm audio-out jack, and HDCP 2.2 compatibility, this BenQ monitor also has two integrated 2W speakers and plenty of features: including AMA (Advanced Motion Accelerator), Brightness Intelligence Plus, Flicker-free technology, and Low Blue Light.

With its current low price point, any downside of the BenQ EL2870 can easily be overlooked. You can now find the EL2870 selling for only $299; down from its original $499 MSRP.

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5 Best Power Supplies for the RTX 3070 in 2020

September 25, 2020 by BuildPicker Leave a Comment

The release of the new mid-range king of GPUs – the RTX Ampere 3070 – is just around the corner. After the somewhat questionable release of the RTX Ampere 3080, which sold out in less than 10 seconds, one can only hope that the RTX Ampere 3090 and 3070s will have a bit more availability to meet the high demand.

Particularly, the timing for the release of the RTX 3070 could not be better, as during the start of the same month AMD will announce their new Ryzen Zen3 4000 series CPUs. If we also take into account the fact that DDR4 RAM has reached its peak in both performance and cost-efficiency, there has never been a better time to build a new setup.

Why choose a good PSU for the RTX 3070?

So, what are the best components to pair with the new RTX Ampere 3070? Firstly, anything in the Intel 10^th generation i5 to i7 range, or AMD Ryzen 5 and above, should more than suffice to avoid throttling the GPU; while we also suggest a Noctua NH-D15 CPU cooler to keep your CPU’s temperatures low. The other key component to ensure high framerates and performance is the memory. For any new build featuring the RTX Ampere 3070, we would recommend a set of dual-channel, 16GB and above, 3200 MHz of C14, or 3600 MHz of C16, RAM – the latter speeds are better for those that won’t make use of overclocking. For those that do look forward to overclocking their GPU and RAM, a good case and case-fans are crucial for keeping the temperatures manageable. It’s hard to go wrong with Fractal cases and Noctua case-fans, which are both great for accomplishing this task.

Lest we forget, the heart of the PC build, the PSU. The power supply is what pumps the appropriate amount of electricity throughout all the internal hardware components, and is therefore crucial for avoiding unnecessary shutdowns and stuttering, all the way to actual electrical damage. Now, Nvidia has stated that they recommend a 650W PSU for the RTX Ampere 3070, but that should be the minimum recommended wattage. Going slightly higher (but not too high) keeps the PSU at low to medium loads, which is where the PSU performs at its peak efficiency (loads that are too high or too low will negatively impact the efficiency).

Other aspects that need to be taken into account include the level of cable allowed by the PSU (whether or not it is modular), how much noise the fan makes, its cooling ability, the quality of the fan’s bearings, the capacitors, and, of course, its efficiency.

80 PLUS Efficiency Ratings

In order to ensure that consumers receive the exact specifications advertised by the manufacturer – as well as to hold a high standard when it comes to energy efficiency for computers – 80 PLUS provides a certification for any PSU that performs at 80% efficiency and above.

In order to achieve this rating, PSUs are tested in a room temperature setting, and if they achieve an efficiency above 80%, then they will attain a special 80 PLUS classification. These classifications begin with the Bronze rating, for efficiencies of 82%-85%, Silver for 85%-88%, Gold for 87%-90%, Platinum for 89%-92%, and Titanium for 90%-94% (all values pertain to 115V internal non-redundant). Now, of course, the higher the efficiency that the PSU is able to achieve the better, as higher percentages translate to a more environmentally friendly PC, lower electricity bills, and less heat being transferred to other hardware components (the energy lost during conversion is heated, which can negatively impact the hardware inside your case).

The sweet spot between efficiency ratings and price is usually found within the Gold to Platinum range, though even a Bronze PSU can be okay if the PC is not meant to be used too often. Titanium rated PSUs can also justify their price if the PC is used for several hours a day – especially at high loads.

Taking efficiency into account, as well as all the other aforementioned power supply aspects, we have compiled a list of the four best PSUs available to pair with the GeForce RTX Ampere 3070 – separated into the best budget PSU, the best RGB PSU, the best silent PSU, and the best SFX Platinum rated PSU, which is also the option to go for those looking to build a small form factor (SFF) PC.

Best Budget PSU for RTX 3070

EVGA 750BQ

If you intend to use your PC on a casual basis, then a Bronze rated PSU will suffice and save you some initial cost. The best power supply to fulfill this role is EVGA’s 750BQ, which provides great quality and value at a low price.

In terms of how much power it can supply, this PSU has a single +12V rail that can output up to 62 amps, or 744 watts; which is more than enough for any +12V rail dependent hardware. The cables that transfer this electricity are separated into two categories: the essential cables, and the peripheral cables. Due to the semi-modular nature of the EVGA 750BQ, the essential cables are integrated, yet the peripheral cables are detachable – so you can attach and remove them depending on your needs. The integrated cables are sleeved, while the peripheral cables are flat black. To protect your hardware from any potential damage, this PSU has under-voltage protection, over current protection, overpower protection, and short circuit protection.

Next, when it comes to cooling, the EVGA 750BQ has a large, 140mm, fan which has Teflon nano steel ball bearings that EVGA states offers better longevity and less noise emissions when compared to standard ball bearings. The noise levels of this PSU can reach relatively high levels, ranging from 35 to 40 dB when the fan is actually spinning. With EVGA’s Intelligent Auto Fan technology, this will not always be the case, as the fan will only spin when the PSU is under mid to high loads, meaning that when it is under low loads it will be inaudible. The PSU itself is rated to last 100,000 hours on average (MTBF), and this is backed up with a five-year limited warranty.

The price for the EVGA 750BQ will vary depending on its availability, as it’s currently selling for $117.25, but can be found for as low as $90-$95 when on sale.

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Best gold-rated power supply for the RTX 3070

Corsair RM750x

Corsair has always been a giant in the PSU manufacturing industry, as they have set a standard in regards to performance and reliability with their wide range of power supplies that can be utilized for personal, to strictly professional, use. Their higher-end consumer-grade model is the RMx – which is not to be confused with the RM, as the RMx has higher quality components and will usually cost slightly more.

The 80 PLUS Gold-rated RM750x has a single +12V rail that can output up to 62.5 amps, or 750 watts – and does so with an efficiency level up to %90. Integrated within it are industrial-grade, all Japanese capacitors from Nippon Chemi-Con and Nichicon; rated for temperatures up to 105 degrees Celsius. This PSU is fully modular, meaning that all cables can be removed and attached depending on your needs, so there will be no unnecessary cables that have to be crammed within the case. Of these cables, the essentials ones are sleeved, and the peripheral cables are simply flat black.

Corsair has included their own-built 135mm fan for the RM750x, which makes use of rifle bearings that emit low noise and which have an increased level of durability in comparison to both sleeve bearings and regular ball bearings. Under low to medium loads the fan will not spin, so the PSU will remain silent, while under mid to high loads, Corsair makes the rather bold claim that, the fan will only reach noise levels of 20-22 decibels. If that is the case, it will be virtually inaudible at all times. The PSU and its fan are rated to last for 100,000 hours on average, and this is backed up by a, rather impressive, 10-year warranty.

The Corsair RM750x is currently selling for only $134.99, which is an excellent price given its power output, 80 PLUS Gold level efficiency, and overall quality of internal components.

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Best RGB-enabled Power Supply for RTX 3070

Thermaltake Toughpower iRGB Plus

Buying the RTX 3070 means that you are probably, at least to some capacity, a gaming enthusiast, so why not add a bit of extra RGB flair to your setup? Thermaltake’s iRGB illuminated Toughpower Plus offers style, without sacrificing quality and efficiency, and does so at a respectable price. 18 addressable LEDs capable of displaying 16.8 million colors, with Thermaltake’s patented Riing Duo design, are situated onto the PSU’s fan and offer a host of interchangeable effects that can be synchronized to your liking via PC software, a mobile application, and even Amazon’s Alexa voice controls! In fact, if you are a fan of Razer peripherals, this PSU can even by synced with Razer’s Chroma.

The Toughpower Plus has a single +12V rail that can supply up to 62.5 amps (or 750 watts) to your RTX 3070 and CPU, so you don’t have to worry about an insufficient power supply. All capacitors within are high quality, 105 degree Celsius certified, and are manufactured in Japan. The PSU is fully modular, with all cables being detachable, and the essential cables are individually sleeved while the peripheral cables are just flat black.

The 140mm fan included, which is RGB lit, is situated onto an anti-vibration mounting system, and, surprisingly enough, comes with bearings of the highest quality you can find in PSUs: hydro-dynamic bearings. These bearings are the most silent (second only to magnetic levitation bearings, not usually found in PSUs) and allow for Thermaltake to rate this PSU with a MTBF of 120,000 hours; backing it up with a 10-year warranty.

The downside of this PSU is its excessive amount of software, which many users have found to be dysfunctional, to the point of ultimately hurting their experience with the product. If this software is to be ignored, the Toughpower Plus has top-quality components, an 80 PLUS Gold rated efficiency, and can be found at the $175 range – an overall great price for both style and function.

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Best Silent Power Supply for RTX 3070

Be Quiet! Straight Power 11

If you would rather trade the RGB lighting displays for some peace and quiet, then it is hard to find a better choice than the company focused on creating products with, particularly low noise outputs: The Listen GmbH brand has created, perhaps, the quietest PSU available in the market: Their 80 PLUS Platinum-rated Straight Power 11.

This power supply has a unique design with multiple +12V rails. These rails, four in number, are separated into two pairs: one pair outputting 20 amps each, the other pair outputting 24 amps each for a total of 84 amps and a maximum power output of 820 watts. The capacitors within are all 105 degree C certified and Japanese manufactured, whilew the other internal components are all designed to be wire free in order to keep thermals low. The Straight Power 11 is also fully modular, and all the cables are fully sleeved.

The 135mm fan included is of equally high quality to its internal components, as it has be quiet!’s Silent Wings 3 technology – which is marketing’s way of stating that it has custom, static pressure optimized fan blades, fluid dynamic bearings, and a 6-pole fan motor. These three aspects translate to an overall operating noise level that ranges from 8.6, to only 20.8 decibels for loads ranging from 1-100%. That means that no matter what load the PSU is under, it will be virtually silent from less than a foot away.

Given the quality components and the Platinum 80 PLUS rating, you would expect this PSU to cost upwards of $200. Surprisingly enough, it is currently selling for only $149.90; making it an excellent deal to pair with the RTX 3070, for an overall PC build that operates silently.

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Best SFX SFF PSU for RTX 3070

Since the RTX Ampere 3070 will have a 2, to 2.2, slot heatsink, while being under 250mm in length (depending on the aftermarket model) it should easily fit into several of the more popular, fully-sized GPU compatible, small form factor (SFF) cases. If you’re looking for a PC that is small in footprint, but great in power, then the RTX Ampere 3070, and the mITX motherboard within, will need an SFX PSU to power it. For that, Corsair has you covered with their SF750. Note that, due to the cramming of hardware in such a small case, thermals may quickly become a problem that can also negatively influence the efficiency of the PSU. This is why we have chosen the SF750 which has a Platinum 80 PLUS rating, to compensate for this discrepancy.

This SF750 has a single +12V rail that can output 62.5 amps or 750 watts. Crucial for SFF cases, this model is fully modular and has flexible paracord sleeves for each individual cable. The capacitors within are all high-quality, Japanese manufactured capacitors. Also, if at some point you would rather transfer the SF750 onto a full-ATX rig, an SFX-to-ATX bracket is also included.

The cooling fan used in the SF750 is 92mm in diameter, and will not operate at low to medium loads. Like the RM750x, this PSU also has rifle bearings – which are great, but not the best. They still do allow for an MTBF of 100,000 hours, which is backed by a respectable 7-year warranty.

Due to its impressive specifications, despite its small size, the SF750 can be difficult to find. Its price usually ranges around the $185 mark; though the price will ultimately depend on its availability.

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4 Best CPUs to Pair With The RTX 3080

September 23, 2020 by BuildPicker Leave a Comment

Nvidia has captivated the gaming and PC world with the announcement of the hotly anticipated new line of Ampere processors. Amongst this line, Nvidia announced a release date of September 17th for their flagship GPU the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080.

Not only is the RTX 3080 reported to clock speeds nearly twice as fast as previous models like the RTX 2080 and perform considerably better than the top of the range old generation models like the RTX 2080 Super. But the RTX 3080 also has a slew of impressive performance benchmarks; like the new GPU which boasts 10GB of GDDR6X memory and a 1.71Ghz boost clock.

These impressive hardware feats are coupled by a number of new and improved technologies like that of the second generation ray-tracing cores – which will allow ray tracing enabled games to run much smoother than ever before. The advancements seemingly made in this new GPU offering not only surpass older models but allows the RTX 3080 to eclipse the likes of the RTX 2080 Ti for a reasonable $699.

Even if all these hardware and technological advancements don’t do it for you. Something has to be said for the sleek design of the new Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080. Elements like the seamless integration of the heat sink within the GPU, allow this model to really look the part in any serious gaming setup.

It’s hard not to see the new Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 as truly representing the next generation in graphics technology. Centrally, however, to utilize the full power of such a GPU, you will need appropriate accompanying components, that don’t throttle performance.

To ensure that your system is RTX 3080 ready. Here are our custom recommendations, for the most seamless pairing to allow you to get the most out of Nvidia’s flagship GPU.

Best CPUs for RTX 3080 Builds – Our Selections

Best Enthusiast Gaming CPU for RTX 3080 – Intel i9-10900K

If you want to pair up your top of the range RTX 3080 with a CPU worthy of being placed in the same high echelon of tech performance, then look no further than Intel’s recently released ‘Comet Lake’ i9-10900k. This CPU pushes the boundaries of processing performance forward. Boasting an eye-watering 5.3 boost clock and 16 cores, which allows the CPU to boast the single highest output of any current CPU on the market.

Coupled well with the RTX 3080 this CPU will provide the key components to jaw-dropping 4k 144Hz is possible at serious frame rates. If you feel like you need to juice even more power out of this processing monster, the CPU offers the option to overclock further, with better OC potential than its AMD counterpart. However, to facilitate this you’ll need a high-end cooling solution. This being said the i9-10900k boasts Intel’s own ‘Thermal Velocity Boost’ interface, in order to raise boost clocks when temperatures permit. Even if you’re not a fan of overclocking your CPU Intel also provides a custom safe overclocking ‘Thermal Velocity Boost’ system which allows the CPU to hit even higher levels of performance.

As the key components of any top-end gaming PC, the i9-10900K is the current top of the range option. If paired with the RTX 3080 and other central components like that of a 4k 240Hz monitor and a capable Z490 motherboard – this setup will handle any triple-A title with jaw-dropping frame rates and a smooth seamless picture. As such the i9-10900K is our choice for the best option for an ultimate no holds barred, gaming PC with the RTX 3080.

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Best High-FPS Gaming CPU for RTX 3080 – i7-10700K

If you are looking to pair up the RTX 3080 with a processor able to handle high frame rate gaming, then the 8-core i7-10700 is worth a look in. This processor has a 3.8GHz base clock and 5.1GHz boost clock, making this processor more than capable of handling high frame rates and smooth picture. Importantly, pairing this impressive GPU and CPU to a reliable and a capable Z490 Motherboard with a decent feature-set and VRM. Will allow you to enjoy high-performance frame rates and smooth images. A high frame rate is essential to competitive high-level FPS gaming, as it enables you to see the run of play in real-time and often before your competitors.

Paired with integrated technologies like that of Nvidias ‘lag reduction’ that has been reported to be integrated within the new line of GPUs and Nvidia’s commitment to giving serious gamers the best experience possible.

If you are looking for competitive FPS gaming. The combination of the RTX 3080 paired with the i7-10700k provides a lethal setup for any high-stress FPS games that will draw your competitor’s envy.

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Best VR-Gaming CPU for RTX 3080 – Ryzen 7 3800X

In the last few years, virtual reality gaming has progressed from a gimmicky side attraction and moved towards something that has gandered gamers’ attention worldwide. Namely, the release of games like that of Half-Life Alyx, a game that received stellar reviews from across the board. Releases of huge triple-A titles continue to support the idea that VR represents the future of gaming. Further, the release and popularity of headsets like that of the Oculus Rift S, only further support the idea that VR gaming is the way in which gaming is heading.

Virtual Reality gaming, however, places a unique demand on any PC. Despite the Nvidia RTX 3080 being a model that is a worthy match for HD VR gaming, you’ll need a worthy CPU that can match up to the high demands of VR gaming. That is why we recommend the Ryzen 7 3800X as the appropriate processor to meet your VR needs. Stats like that of an 8-core and additional 16 thread CPU, offers killer performance along with impressive boost clocks of up to 4.5GHz.

AMD has also managed to future proof their systems with the seamless integration of PCIe 4.0 slots on their motherboards. Meaning that you can utilize their forward-thinking in order to integrate NVMe SSDs to your setup, in order to allow fast transfer of data compared to the previous generation PCIe 3.0 devices. On top of this, the Ryzen 3800 goes for a modest $320 dollars, making it a much more affordable option than the processors previously talked about in this list.

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Best Content-creation CPU for RTX 3080 – Ryzen 9 3950X

While the majority of talk about the new release of the Ampere line has generally focused on the ability of the GPUs to handle games. Something has to be said for just how useful this new line of GPUs could be for content creators. Just looking at the advancements that the RTX 3080 provides in sheer computation power and rendering, it is hard not to see the benefit for the world of content creation.

Nevertheless, if you are looking to really render the power of such an impressive GPU, to really take your editing, rendering or 3D imaging to the next level. Then the Ryzen 3950x is our CPU recommendation for you.

Supported by stats like he 3950x eye watering stats like that of a 16 core 32 thread system, that will make high stress tasks like that of 3D rendering and high-quality video rendering much easier than before. Importantly, AMD’s seamless integration of PCIe 4.0 slots for integration of high end NVME SSDs will make transferring large files something that eclipses that of storage on older hard drive models.

Combined with the power of the RTX 3080 the Ryzen 3950 would go well in the arsenal of any content generator to perform a large amount of 3D animation or rendering and priced at a modest $400, it really is one of the best options on the market for content creators.

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