I've recently upgraded my graphics card from a GTX 1660 Super to an RTX 5070, but I still need to upgrade my CPU to avoid bottlenecking. Here's my current setup:
- GPU: RTX 5070
- CPU: i5-9400f
- Motherboard: TUF B365M-PLUS GAMING
- RAM: 40GB DDR4 2666MHz
If I need to change my motherboard, I'd prefer sticking with DDR4 as I'm not looking to invest in DDR5 right now. My budget for upgrading the CPU, motherboard, and cooler is around $450. What CPUs would you recommend?
4 Answers
Consider returning the RTX 5070 and upgrading to a 9070 instead; it's a significant upgrade. For the motherboard, either AM4 or LGA1700 are great options if you'd still like to use DDR4.
You might want to consider the AMD 5800XT, which is priced around $212 on Amazon right now. It could pair well with your GPU and fit your budget.
What's your current RAM setup? Are you using three sticks? They should all support 2666MHz to be effective. This might influence which CPU to choose.
If you're sticking to DDR4, look into either the AMD AM4 platform with a good CPU like the 5800XT or Intel's 12600. Both offer strong performance.

Not quite! LGA 1200 is also compatible with DDR4 and shouldn't be overlooked.