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Best GPU for i7-12700K – top graphics cards for the 12700K

Have an i7-12700K CPU? Here are the best GPUs to pair with it

Updated: Mar 5, 2024 10:49 am
Best GPU for i7-12700K – top graphics cards for the 12700K

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Looking to match up the power of your CPU, then the best GPU for i7-12700K is a key to your build. Matching up the capabilities is important so you can get the most out of your entire system. That way you can limit any bottlenecks or move them toward the right component. So what would match the Intel CPU?

Sitting in the center of the lineup of 12th-gen CPUs, the 12700K offers a range of what the Intel CPUs in the generation can bring to the table. With the middle of a pack offering a good solution for value and performance. But you want to match its capabilities and the best GPU for it will be the optimal option for it.

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Best GPU for i7-12700K

Below you can find the best GPU for Intel Core i7-12700K, providing a good range of options to suit your needs and budget. It is a capable CPU so most of your choices will be a good combination to go with it.

RTX 4080 Super

MSI RTX 4080 SUPER VENTUS 3X OC

MSI RTX 4080 SUPER 16GB VENTUS 3X OC

Core clock speed

2.580GHz boost, 2.025GHz base

CUDA count

10,240

Memory

16GB GDDR6X

Dimensions

322 x 136 x 62 mm

PSU required

750W

TBP

320W

Pros
  • Slim form factor
  • Incredible design and quality
Cons
  • Utilizes 16-pin power connector
  • Replaces one DisplayPort with a HDMI connector for two of each

One of the top GPUs you can pick up right now is the RTX 4080 Super. Coming as an upgrade to the Ada architecture lineup, it does provide a strong Nvidia GPU for the job whatever you may need it for. With high-flying frames and competent ray tracing performance, there is plenty to offer with this high-end GPU.

The RTX 4080 Super has 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM on the card, along with 10,240 CUDA cores, 320 TMUs, 112 ROPs, 80 SMs, 320 tensor cores, and 80 RT cores. It only falls behind the RX 7900 XTX and RTX 4090 but Team Green does provide the preferred choice, and this is slightly cheaper than the flagship especially as the 90 is in high demand. High-performance gamers can enjoy a high refresh rate across the board and are an excellent choice for an all-around good addition to a gaming PC.

As we found in our RTX 4080 Super review, we found its capabilities to bring high performance to the table for a better price. Of course, it’s still rather high but offers hundreds of FPS at 1080p and 1440p with 4K still bringing a playable frame rate to enjoy your GPU.

RX 7800 XT

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7800 XT GAMING OC

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7800 XT GAMING OC

Core clock speed

2,565MHz boost, 2,254MHz game

Stream processors

3,840

Memory

16GB GDDR6

Dimensions

302 x 130 x 56mm

PSU required

700W

TBP

263W

Pros
  • OC card but still priced at MSRP for better performance at the same price
  • Dual BIOS button and robust design of the card
Cons
  • Side RGB that has no button but requires software to control

As the second best option, the RX 7800 XT is the option to go for. Cutting down the price for the RDNA 3 choice of cards, the AMD GPU achieves high frame rates at even 1440p, pushing 4K at a more base level. Although it does fall behind Nvidia on ray tracing and rendering performance.

For the number of cores, you get 3,840 streaming units, 240 TMUs, 96 ROPs, 60 CUs, 60 RT cores, and 16GB of GDDR6. It sits nicely behind the 7900 XT and is still ahead of the 7700 XT providing a strong value to enjoy AAA gaming. It also enjoys the support of Radeon drivers as well with the likes of additional RSR that can boost its capabilities across the board as well.

RTX 4070 Super

Excellent

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Super OC

ASUS TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Super OC

Core clock speed

2565 MHz boost, 1980 MHz base

CUDA count

7,168

Memory

12GB GDDR6X

Dimensions

301 x 139 x 63 mm

PSU required

750W

TBP

220W

Pros
  • Great build quality and design
  • Strong value for the performance with 1440p and above resolutions
Cons
  • A high cost model as it is much higher than MSRP
  • Requires 16pin power connector and so an adapter is needed that has been hazardous
  • Large size card can be harder to fit all cases

As for the last great choice to pair up with the 12700K, the RTX 4070 Super is another strong contender for the job. As it sits as a strong value option as compared to its predecessor specifically. Providing an upgrade it provides a great intro to the Ada series as it does have a competent range of specs compared to the lower-end option.

It comes with 12GB of GDDR6X, 7,168 CUDA cores, 224 TMUs, 80 ROPs, 56 SMs, 224 Tensor cores, and 56 RT cores. Now sitting ahead of the 4060 Ti and original 4070 but before the 4070 Ti and Ti Super. We found the card’s capabilities in our RTX 4070 Super review bringing an exceptional framerate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but lacking what 4K can achieve.


What is the best GPU for i7-12700K?

Matching up the top-mid-range CPU with a good processor is key for them both to work well together and get the most out of each other. So for the 12700K, the best GPU is an RTX 4080 Super or RX 7800 XT. Something in the mid to top range of performance in the lineup.

What GPU does the 12700K have?

The i7-12700K has integrated graphics onboard the processor. Which are the UHD 770 graphics with 32 execution units. These are clocked at 300 MHz with a boost of up to 1.5 GHz. But these should only be used for basic display, and gaming will require a discrete card.

Will a 12700K bottleneck a 3080?

No, the 12700K does not bottleneck the 3080 and pairs up nicely together. That provides you with a strong gaming PC with the combination of performance without the CPU holding back the GPU capabilities. It moves the bottleneck slightly towards the GPU which it should be at.


As a Junior Staff Writer, Jack is involved in writing and maintaining a bunch of hardware guides & reviews. With an interest in PC gaming, he now focuses on writing about monitors, headsets, and more.

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