Intel’s 12th generation of processors proved to be a massive success as it introduced DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 to the masses and not just that, Intel finally got rid of all the issues that were plaguing the previous generation of laptops, to a point that we are finally looking at something that is not just powerful but excellent in terms of money.
So, of course, if you are building a new gaming PC featuring the Core i7 12700K, it is safe to say that you are going to need a good GPU to run all your games without any issues and that is exactly what we are going to do in this roundup as we are aiming to look at the best GPU for i7 12700K.
Considering how the market has stabilized to some extent and the prices have started to come down, as well. You can easily look into buying some excellent GPUs from both Nvidia and AMD, as we are not going to hold back on the offerings. For your convenience, the roundup is not going to be stretched out, so you can be at peace knowing that you are only reading about the finest products available in the market.
Table of Contents
A Quick Buying Guide
Before we start listing down the best GPU for i7 12700K, the more sensible thing would be to talk about a quick buying guide that is going to help you get the best GPU that you can possibly get without losing site of what you are trying to get your hands on.
Consider Your Budget: Before you go ahead and buy the GPU that you have been looking for, I would always suggest that you actually go through the budget consideration beforehand. That would ultimately make things a lot easier than one might think and you will not have any issues, either. So, be sure that you set your budget before. What’s the benefit here? Well, setting the budget beforehand simplifies a lot of things as you are able to narrow down the GPUs that you can afford in that budget and see if you can add a bit more money and get something even better.
What Do You Want to Use the GPU For?: Another tip that I am going to give you is that you should always look at the applications that you have for the GPU. For instance, it is incredibly important if you are buying the GPU for gaming or if you are buying to do some productivity or computational work. Based on the use you have, you will better be able to decide how things are going to go and it is always better that you are keeping a track on this. The more you know, the better it would be overall.
Does Your PC Support It?: Another thing that I would always look into before buying a GPU is whether my PC supports it or not. Why is it important? Well, I remember buying the RTX 3080 but I spent a few days just looking at the power requirements and being sure that my current system is adequate in terms of delivering the full power to the RTX 3080, considering how this card is a power-hungry beast. Additionally, I also made sure that there are no bottlenecks in terms of the processor and my i7 8700K (old, I know) is capable enough for the RTX 3080. Only then I went ahead and placed my order. It generally is better to look at your current PC. You also have to be sure that your case has enough space because some of the custom RTX 3000 models are massive.
What Games Do You Want to Play?: Last but not the least, the one thing that happens to be very, very careful about is being sure about the games that you are going to play on your computer. I do understand that this might sound rudimentary at best but without proper knowledge, you might not be able to get the experience you want. So, it would be wiser that you are just looking at all the games that you would want to play.
For instance, if you want to play games like God of War, Far Cry 6, Elden Ring, and all the other latest titles that are available in the market, you are going to have to choose something that can deliver the level of performance to push those games without breaking a sweat.
Then, you will have to choose the resolution you are going to play on. I play on 4K, so I have to be sure that the GPU I am using will be able to deliver the performance I want on 4K because otherwise, I’d be spending money on something that is simply not good enough.
Last but not the least, you have to be certain if the games you are going to play feature technologies such as raytracing, DXR, and more. Why? Well, if you truly want the games to look phenomenal, you will be turning on these settings and these settings are not something that would go easy on your GPU. That is why, having a powerful enough GPU to support all these modern techs is actually the right thing to do in the process, and you should always keep in mind.
Reviewing the Best GPU for i7 12700K
Now that we have moved through the buying guide for you, the next step is to start exploring the best GPU for i7 12700K. The point here is simple, we just want to be sure that we are actually looking at the GPUs that are going to deliver the best performance.
We are going to target 4K and 1440p resolutions, considering how popular they are now, but if you want to game on 1080p using these GPUs, you are more than welcome to do so. With everything out of the way, let’s get started with the list.
ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
Editor’s Pick
(image credit: Amazon)
Specs:
Clock Speed: 1845 MHz. | VRAM: 12GB GDDR6X. | CUDA Cores: 10240. | PSU Requirement: 750W+ | Dimensions: 12.53 x 5.51 x 2.27 inches
The first GPU that I am going to review here is the ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, something that I have been extensively in love with ever since its release but a large credit for that goes to Asus because the Strix series has been revered as long as one can remember and it delivers great performance across the board. Sure, it comes at a premium but you are going to get some amazing features that you cannot really get anywhere else.
Right out of the box, I can happily tell you that the ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti delivers fantastic, top of the line performance that is not going to let you down in any case. If you have been after a high-performing RTX 3080 Ti, this is the way to go. For those wondering, the GPU easily performs above and board in almost every game at 4K resolution. Don’t believe me? Look at the scores below.
- Shadow of Tomb Raider: 119 frames per second.
- Metro Exodus: 62 frames per second.
- Shadow of War: 117 frames per second.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 59 frames per second.
It is safe to say that the ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a 4K gaming beast and will deliver top of the line performance without breaking a sweat in any situation. This literally is the fastest performing RTX 3080 Ti that I have reviewed and I am glad that I got to spend this time with it.
However, performance is not the only thing that is good about this GPU as you are getting some excellent looks all around; the ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is built upon the ROG DNA that Asus has perfected for all the years with excellent colors, top of the line build quality, and one hefty cooler. You are also getting tastefully done RGB lighting which only sweetens the deal even further, allowing you to truly get a great GPU at hand.
Last but not the least, the GPU also brings excellent overclocking potential. This is always a great thing for anyone who is looking to manually tweak the GPU so it can deliver even more performance. It might sound useless to some but in my tests, I have realized that the performance actually improves if you do some tinkering.
As far as the downsides are concerned, my only issue here is that the ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is one power hungry card. So, be sure that if you are running a higher end system, your PC is more than ready for it because it is very important.
Overall, I can wholeheartedly recommend the ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti to anyone who wants the best of everything. If you are looking for the best GPU for i7 12700K, this is the one that you should go for and it is not going to cause any issues in terms of performance.
Pros
- Class-leading performance in every game.
- Excellent looks.
- One of the fastest RTX 3080 Ti with massive overclocking potential.
- Solid build quality.
Cons
- Power hungry GPU.
AORUS RTX 3080 Master
Best GPU for 4K Gaming
(image credit: Amazon)
Specs:
Clock Speed: 1845 MHz. | VRAM: 10GB GDDR6X. | CUDA Cores: 8704. | PSU Requirement: 750W+ | Dimensions: 12.55 x 5.51 x 2.75 inches
The next GPU on the table is the AORUS RTX 3080 Master from Gigabyte; a personal favorite since I have been using the RTX 3080 since launch, albeit a different variant but I am more than aware of the performance prowess as well as the value that the GPU offers. If you look at the most popular GPUs for the RTX 3000 series, you would be surprised to know that the RTX 3080 happens to be up there with the best and perhaps the most-wanted RTX 3000 series GPU, too. For me, this is the GPU that made 4K gaming a possibility to a point that I am still enjoying high-end gaming without having to worry about frame-rate issues coming in the way.
Now, considering how most of you are going to be in for the performance and see how things are going to pan out in that area, let’s just get started with the most basic thing and that is going to be the performance. After all, if you are spending so much money on getting your hands on a good GPU, it should perform adequately. Well, I’ll let you have a look for yourself.
- Shadow of Tomb Raider: 97 frames per second.
- Metro Exodus: 54 frames per second.
- Shadow of War: 104 frames per second.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 52 frames per second.
You can clearly see that the performance numbers on the AORUS RTX 3080 Master are impressive, to say the least. The settings I used are ultra and 4K resolution was also used. However, DLSS and RTX were not used to get a proper understanding of the scores. If you want some really nice gaming experience, this GPU is more than capable of delivering it without any issues.
Thankfully, there is a lot more to the AORUS RTX 3080 Master than just performance. You are also getting one of the best Aorus designs that I have seen in a long, long time. The RGB implementation is brilliantly done and is tasteful, as well. You are also getting a multi-function LCD display that allows for a much better user experience and the low-noise cooler on this GPU is amazing.
Honestly, aside from being extremely large and heavy, I did not really run into any issues with the GPU; it remains cool, works like it is supposed to, and performs every task without any issues.
Overall, the AORUS RTX 3080 Master makes up for one of the most compelling variants of
Pros
- One of the best looking designs.
- Brilliant RGB implementation.
- Actually a useful LCD screen.
- Cooler remains quiet.
- Great performance.
Cons
- Pretty big and heavy.
EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti FTW3 ULTRA
Best GPU for 1440p Gaming
(image credit: Amazon)
Specs:
Clock Speed: 1860 MHz. | VRAM: 8GB GDDR6X. | CUDA Cores: 6144. | PSU Requirement: 750W+ | Dimensions: 11.8 x 5.38 x 2.75 inches
The next GPU that we are looking at is something special, it is perhaps the best GPU that you can get for your gaming rig that is meant to run games at 1440p. I do understand that for a lot of people, this resolution is an oddball but after spending years using this resolution as my standard, I have come to realize that it has become the perfect sweet spot. It is not as taxing as 4K on a GPU and it also delivers better quality than 1080p across the board, so if you are looking to go that route, why not go ahead and enjoy your games the way they are supposed to be enjoyed. Needless to say, the EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti FTW3 ULTRA is definitely a fan favorite considering the fan following EVGA has managed to amass over the past couple of years and it is only growing as we move forward.
So, what is so good about the EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti FTW3 ULTRA that makes it such a compelling option? Well, a lot. The performance on this GPU is one of the best and if you genuinely are interested in buying a GPU that is not going to hold back in gaming, then this is it. Check out the impressive scores below.
- Shadow of Tomb Raider: 146 frames per second.
- Metro Exodus: 122 frames per second.
- Shadow of War: 114 frames per second.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 70 frames per second.
It is safe to say that the EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti FTW3 ULTRA did not disappoint and posted some impressive results. All the games were tested at 1440p, however, if you do wish to sacrifice some frames and go for a higher resolution, then 4K is also possible but this cannot be the same for all the games that are in the market as some are more demanding than others. Needless to say, the GPU is a performing champion and that too, without any issues.
You are also getting one hefty overclock with this GPU, the particular unit that I tested easily managed to reach 2,100 MHz boost, which is not shoddy at all. The solid build quality is also really good and ICX3 cooling takes care of everything. The RGB lighting might be a bit aggressive but it actually looks really, really good.
As far as the downsides are concerned, I really cannot think of anything about this GPU that is not good enough. I would mention that the ray tracing performance takes a very slight hit but nothing that the GPU cannot handle by lowering down a few other settings.
Overall, the EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti FTW3 ULTRA is one heck of a GPU for anyone who wants absolutely amazing performance but without having to spend a lot of money. It is an excellent offering that will deliver great performance through and through.
Pros
- The RGB lighting looks amazing.
- You get plenty of performance across the board.
- ICX3 cooling is stellar.
- Solid build quality through and through.
Cons
- Ray Tracing performance is not as good.
MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming X Trio
Best Budget GPU for i7 12700k
(image credit: Amazon)
Specs:
VRAM: 8GB GDDR6. | CUDA Cores: 4864. | PSU Requirement: 600W+ | Dimensions: 12.7 x 5.5 x 2.2 inches
It is safe to say that the MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming X Trio makes its case by being one of the best GPUS out there for anyone who is on a budget and does not want to spend more money. Sure, you are going to have to pay a premium for this one but as far as the overall experience is concerned, this is the GPU that you should be going for as it offers an excellent bang for the buck.
Of course, we wouldn’t be going anywhere without having a proper look at the performance and the MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming X Trio shines in almost every regard. The GPU easily manages to deliver the performance that most of us did not really expect, all the while being incredibly generous in terms of the price and other aspects. Have a look at the performance yourself.
- Shadow of Tomb Raider: 173 frames per second.
- Metro Exodus: 135 frames per second.
- Shadow of War: 91 frames per second.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 74 frames per second.
Now, it should not come as a surprise that the MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming X Trio is a powerhouse when you are talking about 1080p gaming. However, the one thing that is even better here is that if you do want to go all the way up to 1440p, you would be easily able to, but you might have to tune down the settings in a number of games, nothing too much, to be honest. The overall experience remains excellent with this GPU regardless of the resolution you are playing on.
The GPU in terms of the overall performance proved to be faster than the RTX 2080 Super, which already was one of the best GPUs in the market. What’s even more surprising is that despite being a budget pick, it is easily capable of delivering great performance even when running the games on 4K. The overall thermal and acoustic performance here is also excellent as in my testing I did not really feel like the GPU is running too hot or too loud.
The increased power limit is actually good if you want to go ahead and overclock the GPU but I would highly advise before you get started as things can go wrong if you are doing it for the first time. Additionally, you are getting all the other improvements you would expect from the new RTX 3000 series including better DLSS and ray tracing performance and more.
Moving further to the downsides, I really do not think that the GPU delivered average performance. Quite the contrary, to be honest. You are getting excellent performance across the board, I would just say that the GPU is not energy efficient and the ray tracing performance is not on par with the bigger, more expensive siblings.
Overall, the MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Gaming X Trio is a great value GPU that will be more than enough for not just 1080p gamers, but also for 1440p users, and in some condition, 4K gamers, too. Sure, you might have to sacrifice quality by a bit just to get more performance but considering how the GPU is performing, it should not really give you that many issues.
Pros
- Brings an excellent price to performance ratio.
- Looks amazing.
- RGB lighting is properly done.
- Plenty of output.
- Remains cool and quiet.
- Great build quality.
- Advanced features such as DLSS and raytracing.
Cons
- Not as energy efficient.
- Ray Tracing takes a hit.
AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT
Best AMD GPU for i7 12700K
(image credit: Amazon)
Specs:
Clock Speed: 2250 MHz. | VRAM: 16GB GDDR6. | Stream Processors: 5120. | PSU Requirement: 750W+ | Dimensions: 10.9 x 4.2 x 1.9 inches.
We are finally looking at our last GPU that is going to be in the list and this one is something special for the red team. I do understand that AMD has managed to take a massive hit when compared to Nvidia over the past couple of years but the good news is that with the RX 6000 series, the company is slowly coming back as the GPUs that the company has to offer are amazing in terms of the performance you are getting to a point that you really will not have to worry much.
The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is an amazing albeit a high-end offering from AMD and it does deliver some amazing performance numbers, too. I know it might sound a bit hard to believe at this point but hey, you are going to get some amazing results and the proof of that can be checked out below.
- Shadow of Tomb Raider: 84 frames per second.
- Metro Exodus: 71 frames per second.
- Shadow of War: 114 frames per second.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: 64 frames per second.
All these benchmarks were done at 4K, proving with great ease that the GPU is 4K ready and that too, without breaking a sweat. Sure, with games like Valhalla and Metro Exodus, you might have to turn down a few settings if you want to get a higher frame rate but overall, the performance itself is pleasing. Speaking of the performance, a very important note here is that no ray tracing was used during the review because the GPU does not perform as well when using ray tracing and therefore, for a fair competition, we tested it with the ray tracing turned off.
Thankfully, performance is not the only thing that this GPU is offering as there is a lot to love here and you would be surprised to know that the experience is not going to disappoint anyone.
The performance in both 4K and 1440p remains excellent, and even if you have decided to go for some computational tasks, the GPU is not going to disappoint you at all. The cooler that you get with this GPU is excellent, too as it not only looks good but also keeps the otherwise hot GPU cool throughout the entire process.
One thing that I do love about it is that while the GPU performs really, really well even on the Core i7 12700K, if you decide to pair it with the latest Ryzen 5000 CPUs, you are going to get even better performance. Which means that not only is this one of the best GPUs for i7 12700K, it is also one of the best GPUs for Ryzen 5000 series.
Moving further, the GPU presents a sizable headroom for overclocking should you want to go ahead with that, and the overall power efficiency is excellent, and in some cases, better than what the competition is doing, and that is an impressive feat, to say the least.
With the Radeon 6900 XT, you are also getting a massive 16GB VRAM and substantial Infinity Cache, which only means that the overall performance and the experience that follows is not going to be disappointing.
With so much good, one might wonder about what the bad is all about, don’t you think? Well, albeit very, very impressive, the Radeon RX 6900 XT does not perform nearly as well as the RTX 3000 series, therefore, if you want to run raytracing, you have to lower your resolution to 1440p for better results but even that might vary based on the games.
Overall, I would say that the Radeon RX 6900 XT is a home run for AMD simply because after years of struggling against Nvidia, we finally have something that delivers solid gaming performance as well as creativity and productivity power that allows you for a wonderful overall experience. If you are looking for a good GPU, this is a great start.
Pros
- Extremely easy overclocking with Radeon software
- Very fast GPU
- It stays cool even when the fans are on “silent mode.”
Cons
- For RGB synchronization, a header connection is required
- The ARGB cable is too short
Conclusion
The Intel Core i7 12700K is a wonderful gaming processor that one can buy in this very instance. It delivers stellar performance across the board and compared to some other processors, does not cost a lot of money, either. So, it would only be valid if we are pairing it with a good GPU that can more than take care of the performance.
This is why the entire round up is dedicated to the best GPU for i7 12700K, we have tested GPUs based on various price points and performance metrics, so if you do want to get some really good scores, this is a great, great way of getting started without any issues ever coming in the way of your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
