The Best CPUs for the RTX 5090

It is AMD's second-generation X3D eight-core chip with 96MB of L3 cache. On boost clock it sits mid-pack at 5.6GHz: the Core i9-14900K offers 6GHz, and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D comes in at 5.2GHz. It matches the Ryzen 7 9800X3D on core count (8 cores).

It matches the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the Ryzen 9 9900X3D on rated power (120W). 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. Its price falls between the Core i9-14900K and the Ryzen 9 9900X3D, based on our last check.

AMD moved the cache below the cores on this generation, which lets it clock higher than the 7800X3D. Its 5.2GHz boost clock is the lowest in this group; the Core i9-14900K leads at 6GHz. On core count it ties with the Ryzen 7 9850X3D at 8 cores.

On rated power it ties with the Ryzen 7 9850X3D and the Ryzen 9 9900X3D at 120W. You also get 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. No other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the Core i9-14900K was closest.

It is the chip for players who also render, compile or encode on the same machine. On boost clock it ties with the Core Ultra 9 285K at 5.7GHz. Its 16 cores core count ranks third of 6 here, behind the Core Ultra 9 285K (24 cores) and ahead of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D (8 cores).

Its 170W rated power is the highest in this group; the Ryzen 7 9850X3D leads at 120W. It also comes with 3D V-Cache on one of its two core dies and a design aimed at both games and content creation. It was the highest-priced of the 6 picks at the time of writing, so the case for it rests on what it adds over the Core Ultra 9 285K and the rest.

It sits between the eight-core X3D chips and the 9950X3D on core count and price. On boost clock it sits mid-pack at 5.5GHz: the Core i9-14900K offers 6GHz, and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D comes in at 5.2GHz. Its 12 cores core count ranks fourth of 6 here, behind the Core Ultra 9 285K (24 cores) and ahead of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D (8 cores).

It matches the Ryzen 7 9850X3D and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D on rated power (120W). 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 fourth of 6, between the cheaper Ryzen 7 9850X3D and the pricier Core Ultra 9 285K, at the time of writing.

It targets heavy creative work more than frame rates alone. It matches the Core i9-14900K on L3 cache (36MB). It matches the Ryzen 9 9950X3D on boost clock (5.7GHz).

On core count it ties with the Core i9-14900K at 24 cores. On rated power it ties with the Core i9-14900K at 125W. It is the only pick here with an LGA1851 socket; the Core i9-14900K has an LGA1700 socket instead.

You also get 8 performance and 16 efficient cores and a built-in NPU for AI features. 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. When we checked, only the Ryzen 9 9900X3D and cheaper picks cost less, and the Ryzen 9 9950X3D cost more.

Check your board has the latest BIOS for Intel's stability microcode. On L3 cache it ties with the Core Ultra 9 285K at 36MB. Nothing else here matches its 6GHz boost clock; the Ryzen 9 9950X3D comes closest at 5.7GHz.

It matches the Core Ultra 9 285K on core count (24 cores). An LGA1700 socket is unique to it among these picks, while the Core Ultra 9 285K uses an LGA1851 socket. You get DDR4 or DDR5 memory here, which sets it apart from the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and its DDR5 memory.

It also offers 8 performance and 16 efficient cores. 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. On price it sat second of 6, between the cheaper Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the pricier Ryzen 7 9850X3D, at the time of writing.