Best GPU for Ryzen 7 5800X3D: top cards for high FPS gaming
Navigating the best GPUs for one of AM4's best CPUs
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AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X3D isn’t exactly the newest CPU that AMD offers, but it remains one of the more popular AM4 processors for gaming enthusiasts – as mentioned in our review. The 5800X3D was the first CPU to carry the 3D stacked V-cache that promised unmatched gaming performance, and it did not disappoint. It even rivaled the 12900KS, the next-generation Intel flagship at the time.
Since its arrival in April 2022, the 5800X3D has remained popular as one of the best upgrade options to extend the life of the AM4 platform. With the 5800X3D tailored specifically toward gaming workloads, pairing it with the best GPU is imperative to avoid bottlenecks.
In this guide, we put some of the market’s most popular GPUs to the test to see which is best for one of the last true AM4 CPUs.
Products at a glance
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Best CPU for 5800X3D
ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC
- Core Clock Speed: 2,640 MHz boost
- CUDA Cores: 16,384
- Memory Size: 24GB GDDR6X
- Dimensions: 357.6 x 149.3 x 70.1mm
- PSU Required: 1000W
- TDP: 450W
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Runner up
ASUS TUF Radeon RX 7900 XTX OC
- Core Clock Speed: 1,895 MHz base, 2,395 MHz shader & game, 2,565 MHz boost
- Stream processors: 6,144
- Memory Size: 24GB GDDR6
- Dimensions: 352.9 x 158.2 x 72.6 mm
- PSU Required: 850W
- TBP: 355W
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Value Pick
AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT
- Core clock speed: 2,430MHz boost, 2,124MHz game
- Stream processors: 3,840
- Memory: 16GB GDDR6
- Dimensions: 267 x 111 x 50mm
- PSU required: 600W
- TBP: 263W
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Budget Pick
ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4060 OC
- Core clock speed: 1,830MHz base, 2,670MHz boost
- CUDA cores: 3,072
- Memory size: 8GB GDDR6
- Dimensions: 311.4 x 133.5 x 61.9mm
- PSU required: 550W
- TBP: 115W
This is what the community has to say on the best GPU for 5800X3D:
How we test the best GPUs for Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Benchmarking and reviewing is the foundation of what we do here at WePC, it allows us to provide the best possible recommendations to you – and gives us the confidence that we have chosen the right GPU for the job.
Every case is different and it’s not as simple as throwing a few GPUs at the situation or use case. We reviewed each graphics card and tested it on numerous games at different resolutions, alongside synthetic benchmarks to give us an idea of how well the GPU performs from a workflow perspective as well. If you want to know more, we have a dedicated how we test GPUs page that highlights all our testing methodology.
Once benchmarking is complete, we cumulate the results and factor in other considerations such as design, aesthetics, and value for money before deciding which is the best GPU for the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.
Best GPU for Ryzen 7 5800X3D: our reviews
As the 5800X3D is a CPU tailored towards gaming workloads, we have included some powerful GPUs in our picks. To add a layer of future-proofing to your build and ensure your next CPU is fully supported (AM4 won’t be around forever), we recommend you upgrade after a year or so.
- Core Clock Speed: 2,640 MHz boost
- CUDA Cores: 16,384
- Memory Size: 24GB GDDR6X
- Dimensions: 357.6 x 149.3 x 70.1mm
- PSU Required: 1000W
- TDP: 450W
- Memory Clock: 21 Gbps
- Memory Bus: 384-bit
- Card Bus: PCIe 4.0 x16
- Output: 2x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DP 1.4a
- Power Connectors: 1x 16-pin
The RTX 4090 is the current be-all-and-end-all of GPUs, it’s simply the best thing you can put in your PCIe slot in terms of raw power. It costs a lot of money, but you get a heck of a lot out of it.
- Excellent air cooling solution
- Pushes performance above and beyond the rest of the selections
- Updated design that focuses on both cooling and aesthetics
- Massive GPU – can’t fit in smaller cases
- Does run hot despite big cooler
- Costs as much as an OK second hand car.
The answer to “what is the best X GPU?” is always the RTX 4090 in most contexts – there is no better selection. As we mentioned in our review, the RTX 4090 is the ideal pick for anyone looking to experience the highest fidelity when gaming. Of course, it costs an arm and a leg but there is no substitute for this level of performance. Thanks to an outrageous amount of power, the RTX 4090 can achieve high framerates in 4K resolutions with ease.
If you still struggle, the 4090 comes equipped with AI rendering capabilities that help deliver smooth gameplay in even the most demanding of titles. It may seem overkill for the 5800X3D, but you can pair this GPU with any CPU higher on the performance scale from either AMD or Intel and still be in a position of compatibility.
The RTX 4090 is also the world leader in ray tracing performance – as we show in our benchmarks. Again, this is the GPU to pick if you want to squeeze both the most performance and the highest quality visuals out of your games.
This GPU’s support for advanced features such as DLSS 3 ensures it can maintain the best performance without compromising quality – not that you’d ever need it, this is a 4K native machine. The 24GB of VRAM also enables the 4090 to handle high-resolution textures and large-scale environments. There’s almost nothing this GPU cannot do.
Below we showcase examples of the RTX 4090 dominating Cyberpunk 2077, achieving an average of 96 FPS even with ray tracing enabled.
- Core Clock Speed: 1,895 MHz base, 2,395 MHz shader & game, 2,565 MHz boost
- Stream processors: 6,144
- Memory Size: 24GB GDDR6
- Dimensions: 352.9 x 158.2 x 72.6 mm
- PSU Required: 850W
- TBP: 355W
- Memory Clock: 20 Gbps
- Memory Bus: 384-bit
- Card Bus: PCIe 4.0 x16
- Output: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DP 2.1
- Power Connectors: 3 x 8-pin
The 7900 XTX OC we recommend has a factory overclock that gives it an advantage over other 7900 XTX’s out of the gate. Don’t worry about thermals, the triple fan cooling solution is more than capable of mitigating the extra heat caused by the improved clock speeds. Overall, another fantastic option to pair with the 5800X3D.
- Factory overclocked for better performance
- Impeccable build quality
- Robust cooling solution keeps temps in check
- Premium price tag – but nowhere near the 4090
- Physically large, will also struggle to fit in a small space
The best GPU AMD has to offer right now is the RX 7900 XTX, and given that AMD admitted it’s not going to try and compete with Nvidia anymore, it might be your last chance to own a high-end card from AMD. This GPU is capable of powering a high FPS gaming experience when paired with the 5800X3D. While the 4090 may take the crown in terms of raw power, this GPU brings an efficient alternative to the table that won’t cost you nearly as much.
As we mentioned in our 7900 XTX review, this GPU is more than capable of delivering smooth framerates at any resolution. Coupled with the ability to use AFMF2 (a new frame generation technology from AMD) the 7900 XTX allows you to retain high FPS numbers without sacrificing the visual fidelity of your in-game world.
If you’re looking for a high-end, future-proof AMD GPU, that doesn’t break the bank as much as the RTX 4090, this may just be the GPU for you.
We observed the 7900 XTX trailing far behind the RTX 4090 in Cyberpunk 2077 performance, but this was pre-patch 2.0. This GPU still manages to average 70 FPS in 4K with the settings cranked up to ultra.
- Core clock speed: 2,430MHz boost, 2,124MHz game
- Stream processors: 3,840
- Memory: 16GB GDDR6
- Dimensions: 267 x 111 x 50mm
- PSU required: 600W
- TBP: 263W
- Launch price: $499
- Availability: September 6th, 2023
- GPU Name: NAVI 32
- Architecture : RDNA 3
- Process size: 5 nm
- Die size: 346mm
- L3 Cache: 64 MB
- Bandwidth: 624.1 GB/s
- Memory Bus: 256 bit
- Compute units: 60
- RT Cores: 60
The AMD RX 7800 XT is a fantastic choice if you want to game at 1440p, and sometimes 4K with the help of FSR upscaling. By these specifications alone, this GPU is ideal to support the 5800X3D in gaming workloads.
- Dual fan design makes it small but still capable of staying cool
- Great bang for the buck
- Strong VR performance
- Superseded by the 7900 XT
- Poor ray tracing performance compared to other Nvidia entries
The RX 7800 XT is a far more cost-effective solution than both the RTX 4090 and the 7900 XTX, but naturally, that means it nets nowhere near the same performance. This GPU is one of the best value picks on the market right now and would make for a perfect pairing with the 5800X3D – leaving ample headroom for CPU upgrades in the future.
Like the 7900 XTX above, this GPU also has access to AMD’s latest AFMF2 technology, leveraging AI for upscaling extends this card’s capabilities in higher resolutions. It all depends on your specific use case, but if you crave high FPS gameplay and don’t care too much about the resolution you play at, the 7800 XT is perfect. However, our review shows that this GPU is more than capable of 1440p gameplay.
As you can see below, when we tested the 7800 XT in Cyberpunk 2077, we managed to get an average FPS of 40 in 4K and 89 in 1440p, more than playable framerates. AMD cards aren’t built for ray tracing as our benchmarking suggests. If ray tracing is important, you’re best selecting an Nvidia card.
Actual GPU performance is a little better than this, as the game and general GPU drivers have improved since testing.
- Core clock speed: 1,830MHz base, 2,670MHz boost
- CUDA cores: 3,072
- Memory size: 8GB GDDR6
- Dimensions: 311.4 x 133.5 x 61.9mm
- PSU required: 550W
- TBP: 115W
- Memory Clock: 18Gbps
- Memory Bus: 128-bit
- Card Bus: PCIe 4.0 x8
- Output: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DP 1.4a
- Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin
The ASUS STRIX RTX 4060 offers good performance at 1440p, and it can be pushed beyond that with the help of DLSS 3. Having said that, it’s an ideal budget GPU to pair with the 5800X3D as it’s still capable of good performance and offers a reasonable level of future proofing.
- Showcases good performance per watt
- A solid improvement over its predecessor
- Good DLSS and Frame generation uplift
- Supports 8th Gen NVENC
- Only comes with 8 GB VRAM
- Price is subject to criticism
- Some performance issues when comparing generational mid-range options
The RTX 4060 is a fantastic budget-friendly GPU to pair with the 5800X3D if you aren’t looking to break the bank. Priced under $300, this GPU brings all the benefits of the Ada architecture, including support for DLSS 3.5 and all that frame generation goodness – which is a game-changer when it comes to boosting FPS.
This GPU’s 3,072 CUDA cores may not come close to matching the likes of the RTX 4090, but it still manages to bring good performance in 1080p – and even managed 1440p in some titles too, with a tweak of the settings (as we mention in our review). The object of this GPU was to bring Ada to the masses in an affordable package, which it does beautifully.
This GPU can be efficiently paired with the 5800X3D in a more budget PC if you don’t mind having to upgrade everything to keep up with the industry a few years down the road.
The 4060 holds its own in 1080p gameplay, managing a 77 FPS average in Cyberpunk 2077, and even 48 in 1440p – which we consider playable. We didn’t test 4K or ray tracing with this GPU, because it wasn’t designed for those workloads.
Things to consider when buying a GPU to pair with the 5800X3D
There are a few important points to consider when looking for the best GPU for the 5800X3D, so to save you some time, we have only highlighted the most important.
AM4 is an aging platform
The point that is hard to ignore is that AM4 is rapidly aging. With the platform now superseded, it’s no surprise that everything related to it is so affordable. AMD said that AM4 will stay in support until at least 2025, but after that, it is unknown what fate will befall it.
We usually suggest that you do not buy into AM4 at this time, as you’re going to be forced to upgrade in the coming years, and that upgrade can be costly, requiring a new CPU, motherboard, and memory. You’re better off saving up for AM5 and opting for the 7000 or 9000 series, as these offer a great deal more longevity – saving you money in the long run.
There’s no denying the impact the 5800X3D had on the CPU industry as a whole, but it might be time to move on to the later generations and let it rest as a CPU that defied boundaries – and showed us what 3D stacked cache is capable of.
Beyond the CPU, there are other limitations that AM4 places on your system – such as being bound to PCIe Gen 4, lowering storage speed potential, and limiting later GPUs that rely on a greater PCIe standard. Not to mention the comparatively low DDR4 memory support.
Upscaling and Frame Generation are your best friends
If you’re leaning more toward the budget end of this list, don’t forget to utilize frame generation. Frame gen can be crucial in creating a playable condition you can really enjoy – nobody likes choppy frame rates or digital artifacts.
This generation’s upscaling technology has come a long way from where it first started, and to give you the best experience, we recommend sticking with the latest generation of hardware. With DLSS 3.5 and AFMF 2, visual fidelity, and high FPS gameplay are the name of the game, both can be invaluable when dealing with a more budget GPU and help it punch way above its weight in terms of performance.
Will the Ryzen 7 5800X3D handle 4K gaming with the right GPU?
In short, absolutely. The majority of the load that’s generated by high-resolution gaming is put on the GPU. So, if you have a GPU that can handle 4K gaming, the Ryzen 5800X3D will pair with it nicely.
Of course, we must factor in CPU bottlenecking when pairing the 5800X3D with a high-end GPU. Fortunately, the 3D V-cache powered CPU is more than capable of churning through most gaming scenarios, making it a fine choice for any 4K gaming machine.
Final Word
The world of PC gaming is a better place for having the 5800X3D in it, but this CPU would be utterly useless without a good GPU to pair it with. So our guide speaks to a wider audience, we have selected some of the best GPUs to fit almost any budget. The key is to create a pairing that doesn’t bottleneck one another and to create a match that makes sense. We’ve also factored in longevity heavily, as AM4 is a rapidly aging platform that may be out of commission next year.
We have selected the RTX 4090 as the best GPU for the 5800X3D because it objectively is. But if you understandably don’t want to spring for that absolute beast, we have selected some for less tear-inducing prices. Either way, your 5800X3D is in good hands with our selections.
