For high-performance computing and gaming, pairing a powerful processor like the Intel Core i9-9900K with the best GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is essential. The i9-9900K is a flagship processor known for its exceptional speed and multi-threading capabilities, capable of handling demanding tasks and providing an excellent gaming experience. However, to fully harness its potential, it must be complemented with a GPU that can keep up with its processing power.
This guide will explore and discuss the best GPU for the i9 9900K, considering factors such as performance, compatibility, features, and value for money. Whether you are a gamer seeking the highest frame rates or a content creator working with resource-intensive applications, we will help you make an informed decision. But before discussing the best GPUs for i9 9900k, let’s put some light on the intel i9 9900k.
The Intel Core i9 9900k is a flagship processor released by Intel in 2018, belonging to the 9th generation of Intel Core processors. Its impressive specifications and remarkable performance quickly gained popularity among gamers, content creators, and power users. Built on a 14nm architecture, the i9 9900k boasts eight cores and sixteen threads, making it a powerhouse regarding multi-threaded performance. It has a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz, which can turbo boost up to 5.0 GHz on a single core, thanks to Intel’s Turbo Boost Max 3.0 technology.
One of the standout features of the i9 9900k is its unlocked multiplier, allowing for easy overclocking. This means users can push the processor beyond its factory-set limits to extract even more performance, provided they have adequate cooling solutions. This unlocked potential makes the i9 9900k an attractive option for enthusiasts and overclocking enthusiasts who want to squeeze every ounce of power from their system.
At a Glance:
Quick Shopping Tips:
Fans: GPU fans tend to be larger and more powerful than CPU coolers. The best GPU for i9 9900k is best with three or more large fans because they will keep the card cooler at a lower RPM and increase GPU life span.
Outputs: The GPU is best with three or more DisplayPort outputs because you can daisy chain displays together without using up an HDMI/DVI port.
Compatibility: Not all GPUs are compatible with your motherboard or PSU. Ensure your PSU has enough 8-pin PCIe connectors or 6+2 pin connectors to handle the GPU power needs.
VRAM: Like RAM for CPU, a GPU needs VRAM. This is best to run the latest games at the highest settings, but it can be expensive. The best GPUs for i9 9900k have 8GB+ of VRAM.
Size: Look at reviews and ensure that the card’s form factor will fit inside your case, especially if you plan on liquid cooling. You should also make sure that your GPU is compatible with your other PC components.
Boost Clock Speed: Another factor you should consider before buying the best GPU for i9 9900k is its boost clock speed. The best GPUs will have a slightly greater boost clock speed.
ASUS RTX 2080 Ti OC
Staff PickBrand: | ASUS |
VRAM: | 11 GB |
Base Clock: | 1350 MHz |
Boost Clock: | 1650 MHz |
Power Consumption: | 300 W |
Power Supply: | 650 W |
The ASUS RTX 2080 Ti OC is a high-end graphics card for those who want their games to look as best as they can. The ASUS RTX 2080 Ti OC also has a higher boost clock speed which will help the card run better and stay cooler over a long period. So if you’re looking for a graphics card that will last a long time and doesn’t have a lot of competition, then the ASUS RTX 2080 Ti OC should be your choice.
The new NVIDIA Turing GPU architecture makes this graphics card 30% faster than the previous generation, and it has a higher boost clock speed.
The best graphics card should have a high stock frequency that will improve performance over time. Unfortunately, the ASUS RTX 2080 Ti OC is only a few GPUs with an adequate memory overclocking feature. However, it can be overclocked up to 14000MHz, and that’s one of the best on this list.
The ASUS RTX 2080 Ti OC has three fans with 8-phase DIGI+ VRM, maintaining low temperatures by preventing voltage fluctuations and reducing dust accumulation.
This graphics card is one of the best for those who want to play with 4K monitors because it has a 3-slot width and durable materials. In addition, it is ready for SLI and all types of connectivity, including USB Type-C ports.
The ASUS RTX 2080 Ti OC brings you next-generation gaming by supporting DirectX 12 and various other technologies.
Pros
- High Energy Efficient
- 4K 120 Hz possible with lower settings
- Very quiet with the “quiet” BIOS enabled
- DLSS is an effective new AA method
Cons
- No Windows 7 support for RTX, requires Windows 10 Fall 2018 Update
- Extremely expensive
- No Windows 7 support for RTX, requires Windows 10 Fall 2018 Update
Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5600 XT
Brand: | Sapphire |
VRAM: | 6 GB |
Base Clock: | 1615 MHz |
Boost Clock: | 1750 MHz |
Power Consumption: | 160 W |
Power Supply: | 450 W |
If you’re looking for a graphics card that can deliver and has a lower price than the ASUS RTX 2080 Ti OC, the Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5600 XT is one of your better options. The Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5600 XT graphics card’s boost clock is 1750MHz, and it has an adequate memory overclocking feature. You also get all the equipment needed to save money, such as a more excellent bracket adapter and HDMI cable.
The Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5600 XT may not have as much VRAM as some options on this list, but it still delivers a decent 1440p gaming experience. It’s also worth mentioning that this graphics card has a higher power draw than other cards because its cooling system is ineffective.
The Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5600 XT is a sound graphics card for those who want to play at 1440p and use Freesync while having all of the equipment they need to be included with the product. The price is also beautiful, coming in cheaper than most other options on this list.
The Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5600 XT graphics card is a mid-range option for those who want to play at 1440p with Freesync and do not have much money to spend.
However, if you’re looking to play games at 4K and using SLI, the Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5600 XT is not a good choice.
Pros
- Quite Cooling Fans
- Supports PCIe 4.0
- Very Energy Efficient
- Affordable
Cons
- BIOS Problems
- Vague Fan Controls
- Limited Memory Overclocking
EVGA TRX 3070 xc3 Black Gaming
Best PickBrand: | EVGA |
VRAM: | 8 GB |
Base Clock: | 1500 Mhz |
Boost Clock: | 1725 MHz |
Power Consumption: | 220 W |
Power Supply: | 650 W |
EVGA knows what gamers want. So the only thing they added to the EVGA Trx 3070 XC3 Black Gaming is a “black” aesthetic because it’s all gamers need.
The graphics card has 8GB GDDR6 VRAM, which should be enough to run your games at high settings.
The card also gives you plenty of other features, for example, liquid cooling support, because it has two fans and an open airflow system.
If you’re looking for a graphics card that’s just black, then the EVGA Trx 3070 XC3 Black Gaming is perfect for you. It has a decent boost clock speed and has the potential to be overclocked. There are not many other options on this list that can be compared to this graphics card for its simplicity.
The EVGA Trx 3070 XC3 Black Gaming is suitable for playing games at high settings or above 60 frames per second at 4k. It can also be a good choice if you’re looking for an aesthetically pleasing graphics card because it’s simple and black with nothing special about its body.
An important thing to mention about the EVGA Trx 3070 XC3 Black Gaming is that it’s not a good choice if you’re looking to use SLI.
Pros
- Triple Fans
- Handles 4K Very Well
- Ray Tracing Enabled
- Precision X1 Software
Cons
- Massive Size
- 8 GB Memory
Sapphire RX 6800 Nitro+
Brand: | Sapphire |
VRAM: | 16 GB |
Base Clock: | 1980 MHz |
Boost Clock: | 2190 MHz |
Power Consumption: | 290 W |
Power Supply: | 600 W |
The Sapphire RX 6800 Nitro+ has a boost clock of 2190MHz, which beats almost any other card on this list. However, it can be overclocked, and it is one of the cheapest options worth considering.
The Sapphire RX 6800 Nitro+ comes with an elegant cooler that delivers excellent cooling performance. The cooler has two fans and an open airflow system that provides good cooling performance to the graphics card.
If you’re looking for a graphics card that can run games at 1080p and can be overclocked without breaking too much of a sweat, then the Sapphire RX 6800 Nitro+ may be the best option for you. It also has plenty of room to expand so that you can upgrade it in the future.
The Sapphire RX 6800 Nitro+ is a mid-range graphics card with outstanding cooling performance. It’s also worth mentioning that it’s one of the best options on this list if you want to use Freesync.
This card also has an external software switch mode which lets you choose between performance mode (default) and silent mode via TRIXX. AMD’s new RDNA 2 architecture makes it the best GPU for i9 9900k.
The Sapphire RX 6800 Nitro+ is an excellent choice for running games at 1080p or 1440p, an open airflow cooling system, and overclocked.
Pros
- Great Performance
- Suitable for 4K Gaming
- Three Fans
Cons
- Coil Whine Issue
- Slight Noice Under Stress
Sapphire Pulse RX 5700 XT
Brand: | Sapphire |
VRAM: | 8 GB |
Base Clock: | 1815 MHz |
Boost Clock: | 1925 MHz |
Power Consumption: | 241 W |
Power Supply: | 500 W |
The Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5700 XT is the best GPU for i9 9900k best graphics card because of its performance at higher resolutions. In addition, the Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5700 XT has 8GB GDDR5 VRAM, 1925GHz GPU Boost Clock, and 4K gaming support.
The Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5700 XT delivers an excellent cooling system with two fans and an open airflow system that provides better cooling performance than other cards on this list. In addition, the AMD’s Dual-X Cooling Technology makes it high performing while controlling its temperature.
Another great feature of the Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5700 XT is an external software switch mode that lets you choose between performance mode (default) and silent mode via TRIXX.
The best thing about the Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5700 XT is that it supports Freesync, which makes it a good choice if you want to use Freesync with an i9 9900k.
If you’re looking for the best graphics card that can run games at 4K, the Sapphire Radeon Pulse RX 5700 XT is worth considering because of its performance at high settings and best GPU for i9 9900k.
This GPU also has PCIe 4.0 support, so you better make sure that your motherboard has PCIe 4.0 slot so that you can take full performance advantage of this GPU.
Pros
- Great Heat Solution
- Silent as Compared to other AMD GPU
- Idle Fan Stop
Cons
- Power Hungry
- Expensive
ASUS GTX 1660 Super OC
Budget PickBrand: | ASUS |
VRAM: | 6 GB |
Base Clock: | 1530 MHz |
Boost Clock: | 1845 MHz |
Power Consumption: | 261 W |
Power Supply: | 450 W |
SUS GTX 1660 Super OC is a big-time money saver without compromising too much on performance. It is even 20% faster than the original 1660 and up to 1.5x more quickly than the previous 1660 6GB variant. ASUS GTX 1660 Super OC is based on NVIDIA Turing architecture and ultra-fast GDDR6 memory.
The ultra-fast GDDR6 memory allows the GPU to perform with 50% memory bandwidth, significantly improving gaming performance.
This variant has dual cooling fans, which are reasonably quiet even under stress thanks to NVIDIA’s space-grade lubricant. This also helps increase the GPU life by keeping it cool.
If you are into small form factor builds, this is the GPU as it has just 2 fans which makes it suitable for small builds without dropping any performance on board. One more great feature you will get with this card is NVIDIA’s Geforce experience.
NVIDIA’s Geforce experience allows you to download and install game-ready drivers for your card easily. It also helps to tweak the settings of games you have installed on your PC.
This GPU has many features, like G-sync support, which helps this GPU get into the list of best GPU for i9 9900k.
Pros
- Not Expensive
- Good for 1080p Gaming
- Better than 1660 Ti
Cons
- No Ray Tracing
- Single HDMI and DP
Zotac Gaming RTX 2070 Super Mini
Brand: | Zotac |
VRAM: | 8 GB |
Base Clock: | 1605 Mhz |
Boost Clock: | 1770 MHz |
Power Consumption: | 215 W |
Power Supply: | 650 W |
The Zotac Gaming RTX 2070 Super Mini is VR Ready. It supports DirectX 12, which means it can take advantage of the latest technologies to make your games look incredible in ways never before possible. With a front-facing RGB light bar that syncs to the colour provided by the motherboard or software, this GPU has style and personality.
With GDDR6 memory and a high-speed interface, this card provides you with more power and bandwidth, increasing overall gaming performance and providing more fps in demanding titles.
This GPU comes with FireStorm utility for advanced overclocking, giving you the control to unleash its full potential. Additionally, the RTX 2070 Super is compatible with various devices that can enhance your gaming experience.
Zotac Gaming RTX 2070 Super Mini is one of the few GPUs in this list that is SLI supported, which means you can chain two GPUs together to get maximum performance. It also has very generous ports which can support up to four displays at the same time. It requires one 6-pin and one 8-pin power connector. The only drawback seen in this GPU is that it does not have support for PCIe 4.0.
These features help Zotac Gaming RTX 2070 Super Mini get into the list of best GPU for i9 9900k. So if you want to experience the next level of PC gaming in a small and compact size, then the Zotac Gaming RTX 2070 Super Mini is for you.
Pros
- Turing Architecture
- VR Ready
- Ray Tracing
- Best for Small Form Factor Builds
Cons
- No RGB
- 2560 CUDA Cores
- Runs a Little Hot
MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060
Brand: | MSI |
VRAM: | 12 GB |
Base Clock: | 1320 MHz |
Boost Clock: | 1837 MHz |
Power Consumption: | 170 W |
Power Supply: | 550 W |
Last but not least, we have the best budget graphics card, which you can buy for your new i9 9900k build. It’s MSI’s Gaming GeForce RTX 3060, which, as you might know, is based on Nvidia’s popular RTX 30 series and features a boost clock speed of 1837 MHz and comes with 12GB of GDDR6 memory with a memory bus of 192-bit.
It delivers up to 24X faster performance than previous-generation cards, thanks to its Ray Tracing Technology. MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 is best suited for 1440p gaming at moderate refresh rates with detail settings cranked up.
You can expect to play most games smoothly at 60 FPS. Plus, this card is impressive in terms of YouTube & Twitch streaming because it doesn’t require any extra power connectors and requires only one 8-pin and 6-pin PCI Express connector, which will make your new i9 9900k rig more stable compared to other GPUs that need more juice.
It also comes with DirectX 12 support which will give you a boost in gaming performance. Other essential features of MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 are VR-ready and support NVIDIA’s latest multi-GPU technology.
It’s safe to say that MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 is the best GPU for i9 9900k. I’ve tested it myself and can easily play most games at 1440p resolution with detail settings on high/ultra with 60 FPS plus, and this card is perfect for streaming and video editing.
Pros
- Entry 30 Series GPU
- 12 GB VRAM
- HDMI 2.1 Ports
- Small and Relatively Quite
Cons
- Not Great for 4K Gaming
- 8% faster than RX 5700 at 1080p
Conclusion
The Intel 9th Generation i9 9900k is a powerhouse of processing. It features an 8 core 16 thread processor with 5 GHz turbo boost speeds and is overclocked to achieve even higher performance levels. But to cope up with this power, we also need a powerful GPU, although it has integrated graphics but not enough for playing games. This article explained the best 8 best GPUs for i9 9900k, which can help you build the best gaming PC. However, there are a lot of GPU vendors and models which might confuse one, and this article will help you choose the best GPU for i9 9900k.
If you’re looking to buy a new graphics card for your favourite gaming system, then we’ve got just the thing. This article features in-depth analysis and comparison of all major brands so that no matter what kind of gamer or budget level they are considering buying at—everyone will find something suited to their needs!
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope it helped you choose which best GPU is for your new PC build. If you liked it, please share it. If you want to read our other articles on GPU please visit Best GPU For Ryzen 5 5600x.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best GPU for i9 9900k?
The best GPU for the i9 9900k processor is a tricky thing to explain since everyone’s needs are different. In this article, we have detailed the best 8 best GPUs for i9 9900k. It has got 8 different GPUs – depending on your budget and requirements, and it depends on what you need from a GPU. GPUs are always selected depending upon the price of GPUs & what all features you need that are best for your use case.
Do I need to upgrade my PSU to handle the best graphics card?
The best answer is – it depends. It depends on your graphics card’s power need which your vendor mentions. If you have a graphics card that doesn’t need many watts to function, your PSU can handle it. Otherwise, you might have to upgrade your PSU or change the graphics card. You also have to take into account the power required by other PC components like the CPU.
What is the best GPU for video editing and streaming?
In this article, we will discuss the best 8 best GPUs for i9 9900k. In the last few years, GPUs have been designed to be more powerful and efficient. All of the GPUs mentioned above can be used for video editing and streaming.
But some are best for some specific uses, and some don’t require any extra power connectors. So you can select the best fit for your needs.
What is the best GPU for x264 encoding?
Well, I can best answer that question with another question: best for what? There’s no one best GPU card on the market for x264 encoding. Depending on your needs and abilities, you will use different GPU cards.
If you’re looking for a general-purpose GPU with some proper custom drivers to handle x264 encoding and two displays, then look into the GTX 1660 Ti (6GB GDDR6) or an RTX 2060. These are both tremendous all-purpose cards.