The Best CPUs for the RTX 4080 Super

It targets players who want the most gaming headroom AMD offers in an eight-core chip. It is AMD's second-generation X3D eight-core chip with 96MB of L3 cache. On L3 cache it ties with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the Ryzen 7 7800X3D at 96MB.

On boost clock it ties with the Core i7-14700KF at 5.6GHz. It needs an AM5 board (A620, B650, B850, X670 or X870 series) and DDR5 memory; a 600-series board may need a BIOS update first, so check the maker's CPU support list for the minimum version. Budget for a dual-tower air cooler or a 240mm-plus AIO, since none is included. On price it sat fifth of 6, between the cheaper Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the pricier Ryzen 9 9900X3D, at the time of writing.

It is the chip to pair with a high-end graphics card when the CPU would otherwise hold frame rates back. Its 5.2GHz boost clock ranks fifth of 6 here, behind the Ryzen 7 9850X3D (5.6GHz) and ahead of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (5GHz). It also offers second-generation 3D V-Cache placed under the cores and an unlocked multiplier, a first for AMD's X3D chips.

It needs an AM5 board (A620, B650, B850, X670 or X870 series) and DDR5 memory; a 600-series board may need a BIOS update first, so check the maker's CPU support list for the minimum version. Budget for a dual-tower air cooler or a 240mm-plus AIO, since none is included.

On the same AM5 socket, it is the way into X3D gaming for less. On boost clock it trails the group at 5GHz, while the Ryzen 7 9850X3D offers 5.6GHz. It matches the Ryzen 7 9850X3D and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D on core count (8 cores).

It also offers first-generation AM5 3D V-Cache and the Zen 4 architecture. It needs an AM5 board (A620, B650, B850, X670 or X870 series) and DDR5 memory; check the board's CPU support list for the minimum BIOS version. Budget for a dual-tower air cooler or a 240mm-plus AIO, since none is included. On price it sat third of 6, between the cheaper Core Ultra 7 265KF and the pricier Ryzen 7 9800X3D, at the time of writing.

It sits between the eight-core X3D chips and the 9950X3D on core count and price. On L3 cache it leads this guide at 128MB, ahead of the Ryzen 7 9850X3D (96MB). On boost clock it ties with the Core Ultra 7 265KF at 5.5GHz.

Its 12 cores core count ranks third of 6 here, behind the Core Ultra 7 265KF (20 cores) and ahead of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (8 cores). It needs an AM5 board (A620, B650, B850, X670 or X870 series) and DDR5 memory; a 600-series board may need a BIOS update first, so check the maker's CPU support list for the minimum version. Budget for a dual-tower air cooler or a 240mm-plus AIO, since none is included. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the Ryzen 7 9850X3D.

It costs less and needs a graphics card for any display output. Its 30MB L3 cache is the smallest in this group; the Ryzen 9 9900X3D leads at 128MB. It matches the Ryzen 9 9900X3D on boost clock (5.5GHz).

On core count it ties with the Core i7-14700KF at 20 cores. On rated power it ties with the Core i7-14700KF at 125W. No other pick in this guide offers an LGA1851 socket; compare the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, which has an AM5 socket.

It also offers 8 performance and 12 efficient cores and an unlocked multiplier. It needs an LGA1851 board (Intel 800-series chipset) and DDR5 memory; LGA1700 boards and coolers without an LGA1851 mounting kit will not fit. Budget for a dual-tower air cooler or a 240mm-plus AIO, since none is included. It was priced above the Core i7-14700KF and below the Ryzen 7 7800X3D at the time of writing.

It suits a gaming PC that already has a graphics card. Its 33MB L3 cache ranks fifth of 6 here, behind the Ryzen 9 9900X3D (128MB) and ahead of the Core Ultra 7 265KF (30MB). It matches the Ryzen 7 9850X3D on boost clock (5.6GHz).

On core count it ties with the Core Ultra 7 265KF at 20 cores. It is the only pick here with an LGA1700 socket; the Core Ultra 7 265KF has an LGA1851 socket instead. No other pick in this guide offers DDR4 or DDR5 memory; compare the Ryzen 9 9900X3D, which has DDR5 memory.

It also offers 8 performance and 12 efficient cores and an unlocked multiplier. It fits LGA1700 boards (600 and 700 series) with either DDR4 or DDR5, depending on the board; 600-series boards may need a BIOS update for 14th-gen chips. No other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the Core Ultra 7 265KF was closest.