ERELEN

GPU & CPU gaming tier list · 2026

Which CPU should you pair with your graphics card?

We ranked graphics cards and processors by real gaming performance and worked out, for every GPU, which CPU drives it without a bottleneck. The numbers come from the same FPS model we use for every PC on this site.

Build a PC in the configuratorPCs in stockUpgrade quote

How to read it

  1. 1Tiers S–E rank raw gaming performance, not price or age. Same tier = similar FPS.
  2. 2Every GPU shows the resolution it is good for and the CPUs from our range: sensible minimum, our pick and no compromises.
  3. 3Open a GPU for a table of every CPU (older ones too) with average FPS and the percentage the CPU costs you.

Graphics card tier list

Score = raw performance (RTX 3080 Ti = 100 at 1440p), in line with TechPowerUp's relative performance database.

S

Tier S

Top performance · 4K Ultra

A

Tier A

High-end · 1440p Ultra to 4K

  • GeForce RTX 4080 SuperNVIDIA

    16 GB · 2024 · previous generation

    1421440p
    Sensible minimum
    Ryzen 5 7500F · −12 %
    Our pick
    Ryzen 5 7500X3D · −6 %
    No compromises
    Ryzen 7 9850X3D · −0 %
    Details & CPU table
  • GeForce RTX 5070 TiNVIDIA

    16 GB · 2025 · current generation

    1361440p
    Sensible minimum
    Ryzen 5 7500F · −11 %
    Our pick
    Ryzen 5 7500X3D · −5 %
    No compromises
    Ryzen 7 9850X3D · −0 %
    Details & CPU table
  • Radeon RX 7900 XTXAMD

    24 GB · 2022 · previous generation

    1361440p
    Sensible minimum
    Ryzen 5 7500F · −10 %
    Our pick
    Ryzen 5 7500X3D · −4 %
    No compromises
    Ryzen 7 9850X3D · −0 %
    Details & CPU table
  • Radeon RX 9070 XTAMD

    16 GB · 2025 · current generation

    1301440p
    Sensible minimum
    Ryzen 5 7500F · −10 %
    Our pick
    Ryzen 5 7500X3D · −4 %
    No compromises
    Ryzen 7 9850X3D · −0 %
    Details & CPU table
  • GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SuperNVIDIA

    16 GB · 2024 · previous generation

    1221440p
    Sensible minimum
    Ryzen 5 7500F · −9 %
    Our pick
    Ryzen 5 9600X · −5 %
    No compromises
    Ryzen 7 9850X3D · −0 %
    Details & CPU table
  • Radeon RX 7900 XTAMD

    20 GB · 2022 · previous generation

    1171440p
    Sensible minimum
    Ryzen 5 5600 · −13 %
    Our pick
    Ryzen 5 9600X · −4 %
    No compromises
    Ryzen 7 9850X3D · −0 %
    Details & CPU table
  • Radeon RX 9070AMD

    16 GB · 2025 · current generation

    1171440p
    Sensible minimum
    Ryzen 5 5600 · −14 %
    Our pick
    Ryzen 5 9600X · −4 %
    No compromises
    Ryzen 7 9850X3D · −0 %
    Details & CPU table
B

Tier B

Upper mid-range · 1440p

C

Tier C

Mid-range · 1080p Ultra / 1440p

D

Tier D

Entry gaming · 1080p

E

Tier E

Older & esports · 1080p medium

Gaming CPU tier list

Score = how many frames the CPU can prepare when the GPU is not the limit (Ryzen 5 5600 = 100). “Drives up to” is the strongest GPU the CPU holds back by at most 10 % at the resolution where the CPU matters.

ProcessorPlatformGaming scoreDrives up toIn configurator
SFastest gaming CPUs
Ryzen 7 9850X3DAM5 · DDR5
197
RTX 5090· −0 %€490
Ryzen 7 9800X3DAM5 · DDR5
189
RTX 5090· −1 %€430
Ryzen 9 9950X3DAM5 · DDR5
180
RTX 5090· −2 %€655
Ryzen 9 9900X3DAM5 · DDR5
175
RTX 5090· −3 %—
AHigh-end
Ryzen 7 7800X3DAM5 · DDR5
162
RTX 5090· −6 %€330
Core i9-14900KIntel LGA1700 · DDR4/DDR5
155
RTX 5090· −7 %—
Ryzen 5 7600X3DAM5 · DDR5
154
RTX 5090· −8 %—
Core i9-13900Kprevious generationIntel LGA1700 · DDR4/DDR5
152
RTX 5090· −8 %—
Ryzen 5 7500X3DAM5 · DDR5
148
RTX 5090· −9 %€240
BUpper mid-range
Ryzen 9 9950XAM5 · DDR5
144
RTX 4090· −5 %—
Core i7-14700KIntel LGA1700 · DDR4/DDR5
143
RTX 4090· −5 %—
Ryzen 7 9700XAM5 · DDR5
141
RTX 4090· −5 %—
Core Ultra 9 285KIntel LGA1851 · DDR5
138
RTX 4090· −6 %—
Ryzen 9 9900XAM5 · DDR5
137
RTX 4090· −6 %—
Ryzen 5 9600XAM5 · DDR5
136
RTX 4090· −6 %€185
Ryzen 7 5800X3Dprevious generationAM4 · DDR4
134
RTX 4090· −7 %—
Core i5-14600KIntel LGA1700 · DDR4/DDR5
134
RTX 4090· −7 %—
Ryzen 7 7700AM5 · DDR5
133
RTX 4090· −7 %—
Ryzen 7 7700XAM5 · DDR5
132
RTX 4090· −7 %€230
Core Ultra 7 265KIntel LGA1851 · DDR5
132
RTX 4090· −7 %—
Core i5-13600Kprevious generationIntel LGA1700 · DDR4/DDR5
129
RTX 4090· −7 %—
Ryzen 5 7600XAM5 · DDR5
127
RTX 4090· −8 %—
Ryzen 7 5700X3DAM4 · DDR4
127
RTX 4090· −8 %—
Core Ultra 5 245KIntel LGA1851 · DDR5
126
RTX 4090· −8 %—
CMid-range
Ryzen 5 7600AM5 · DDR5
123
RTX 4090· −9 %€180
Ryzen 5 7500FAM5 · DDR5
121
RTX 4090· −10 %€145
Core i5-12600Kprevious generationIntel LGA1700 · DDR4/DDR5
119
RTX 4090· −10 %—
Core i5-14400FIntel LGA1700 · DDR4/DDR5
117
RTX 5080· −8 %—
Core i5-13400Fprevious generationIntel LGA1700 · DDR4/DDR5
114
RTX 5080· −8 %—
Ryzen 7 5800XTAM4 · DDR4
105
RTX 4070 Super· −9 %€225
Ryzen 5 5600XAM4 · DDR4
104
RTX 4070 Super· −9 %—
Ryzen 7 5700XAM4 · DDR4
102
RTX 4070 Super· −10 %€200
Core i5-12400FIntel LGA1700 · DDR4/DDR5
102
RTX 4070 Super· −10 %—
Ryzen 5 5600AM4 · DDR4
100
RTX 3090· −9 %€130
DEntry
Ryzen 5 8400FAM5 · DDR5
97
RTX 3090· −10 %—
Ryzen 7 5700AM4 · DDR4
93
RTX 3080· −9 %—
Core i7-10700Kprevious generationIntel LGA1200 · DDR4
92
RTX 3080· −9 %—
Ryzen 5 5500AM4 · DDR4
87
RX 6800 XT· −8 %€90
Core i3-12100FIntel LGA1700 · DDR4/DDR5
87
RX 6800 XT· −8 %—
Core i7-8700Kprevious generationIntel LGA1151 · DDR4
81
RTX 5060 Ti 16GB· −10 %—
Ryzen 7 3700Xprevious generationAM4 · DDR4
80
RX 7700 XT· −9 %—
EOlder
Core i5-10400Fprevious generationIntel LGA1200 · DDR4
77
RX 9060 XT 16GB· −9 %—
Ryzen 5 3600previous generationAM4 · DDR4
74
RTX 3070 Ti· −10 %—
Core i7-7700Kprevious generationIntel LGA1151 · DDR4
71
RTX 5060· −10 %—
Core i5-9400Fprevious generationIntel LGA1151 · DDR4
70
RTX 3070· −10 %—
Core i7-4790Kprevious generationIntel LGA1150 · DDR3
57
RX 580 8GB· −6 %—
Ryzen 5 2600previous generationAM4 · DDR4
55
RX 7600 XT· −10 %—

How we calculate it

Frequently asked questions

What is a bottleneck?
A bottleneck is when one part holds the other back. If the CPU cannot prepare frames fast enough, the GPU waits and you get fewer FPS than the card could deliver – typically in esports (CS2, Valorant, Dota 2) and at 1080p. The other way round, with a weak GPU even the most expensive CPU will not help. On these pages we show the loss in percent against the strongest gaming CPU we sell.
Should I spend more on the GPU or the CPU?
At 1440p and 4K the graphics card decides – a tier B or C CPU is enough. At 1080p and in competitive games at 240+ FPS the CPU decides, and a Ryzen X3D pays off. A rule of thumb: the CPU should hold the card back by at most 10 % at the resolution you actually play at.
What does X3D mean on a Ryzen?
3D V-Cache – extra cache memory stacked on the CPU die. Games that live in cache (Counter-Strike 2, Kingdom Come 2, racing sims, strategy) gain 15–25 % over a regular Ryzen with the same cores. That is why the 7800X3D, 9800X3D and 9850X3D top the CPU tier list even though they do not have the most cores.
AM4 or AM5?
AM4 (DDR4) is cheaper and fine for tier C–E graphics cards. AM5 (DDR5) CPUs are 20–60 % faster in games and the platform can be upgraded later – we recommend it for tier B cards and up. If you already have an AM4 board, the Ryzen 7 5700X3D is the strongest upgrade without changing the platform.
Is a Ryzen 5 5600 enough for an RTX 5070?
At 1080p the Ryzen 5 5600 averages 189 FPS with the RTX 5070, 12 % less than the strongest CPU; the Ryzen 7 7800X3D gets 243 FPS. For 1440p and single-player games it is enough, for esports at 240+ FPS go for AM5. The full table is on the RTX 5070 page.
Which CPU for an RTX 5070 Ti or RX 9070 XT?
Both are tier A cards for 1440p Ultra. From our range we recommend the Ryzen 5 7500X3D (5 % loss at 1080p, 250 FPS on average), the sensible minimum is the Ryzen 5 7500F. Details and every other CPU are on the RTX 5070 Ti and RX 9070 XT pages.
How accurate are the numbers?
They come from a model calibrated on roughly 8,600 measurements from TechPowerUp, GameGPU and ComputerBase reviews; the median deviation from a real test is 2.6 % and 90 % of results are within 8.3 %. Treat them as a solid estimate for maximum settings – your game version, drivers and RAM speed shift the result by a few percent.
Where can I buy the recommended combination?
In our configurator: pick the CPU and GPU, we check compatibility, build the PC in Olomouc, stress-test it and ship it across the Czech Republic with a 36-month warranty. Your old PC or graphics card counts as a trade-in.

Decided? We will build it.

Every recommended CPU and GPU is in our configurator. We build in Olomouc, stress-test and deliver with a 36-month warranty. Your old PC or graphics card counts as a trade-in.

Build a PC in the configuratorPCs in stockTrade-in & buyback