Which CPU Should I Choose for My RTX 2080 Ti: i7-8700K or i7-9700K?

April 6, 2026 4 answers
Asked by TechieTango123
I'm building a new system with a Z370M Mortar motherboard and 32GB of DDR4 RAM running at 3600MHz. I've got an MSI RTX 2080 Ti Gaming X Trio graphics card, but I'm torn between pairing it with an i7-8700K or an i7-9700K. I would love to go for an i9-9900K or an i7-9700K, but their prices keep climbing. Is the i7-8700K a viable option too, or would it bottleneck my GPU, even if I overclock it?

Answers

BudgetGuru77
What's the price difference between them?

PriceWatcher99: The i9-9900K is around ยฃ180, while the i7-9700K is about ยฃ105, and the i7-8700K is just ยฃ60. Keep in mind that the performance difference is roughly 10 fps less for each step down.

Reply to this answer
ResolutionRider
If you're gaming at 1440p, the differences won't be that noticeable. So I'd say go for the i7-8700K.
Reply to this answer
CoolingGiant
Definitely pick the i7-8700K for just ยฃ60 and invest in a good cooler. It's a great pairing with the 2080 Ti for 1440p gaming, and it's the most sensible choice financially for your setup.
Reply to this answer
OldSchoolGamer90
I had an i7-8700K that I overclocked to 5GHz, and honestly, it didn't bottleneck my performance with the RTX 2080 Ti at the time. It was a solid combo back then, but nowadays, that CPU feels a bit outdated. Still, if budget is a concern, it might be worth considering.
Reply to this answer

Add your answer

Answers are reviewed before publication.

Related Discussions