Are you hunting for the best graphics card to couple with your Intel i7-8700 processor? Well, we have got you covered!
Intel i7 8700 is a prominent desktop processor in CPUs as it still delivers impressive gaming and rendering performance. To utilize its performance at its finest, you need a Graphics card.
Plenty of available options are compatible with this CPU variant, and choosing the right fit from such plentiful options can be hectic.
In this blog post, from content creation to gaming needs, we will cover all the aspects and assist you in choosing the best graphics card for the Intel i7 8700.
Top Graphics Cards For I7 8700 at a Glance:
- Modern Ray Tracing and DLSS support.
- Advanced Cooling Technology.
- Compact Size & Sleek Design.
How To Choose The Right GPU For Intel I7 8700 In 2024
To select the best and appropriate GPU for your Intel i7 8700, it’s important to consider several key elements. The six crucial key factors that you should keep in mind before investing in a GPU for your Intel i7 8700 are:
Compatibility
The initial thing to remember is to check if your GPU is compatible with your Intel i7 8700. This CPU uses the PCI Express Revision 3.0 with maximum 16 numbers of PCI express lanes. PCIe 3.0 x 16 is a common standard used by modern GPUs.
Secondly, check if you are using the right motherboard and adequate power supply to meet the power demands of your rig.
Performance
Check if your GPU’s performance meets your daily gaming and content creation demands.
You can do so by comparing the benchmark scores of different GPUs available across the web.
Memory
GPU memory, or VRAM, is another crucial thing to consider before purchasing your GPU.
GPU VRAM is used to store graphics data. Recent AAA titles and rendering softwares demand higher VRAM.
So, the higher the VRAM, the higher the stored video memory your GPU can exchange with your PC. Keep in mind that Higher VRAM does NOT necessarily mean more performance.
Cooling
Due to the higher wattage consumption of the GPUs, they tend to create more heat.
The GPU’s pre-installed cooler is adequate to counter its daily heat generation, but it will be a problem for you if you are an overclocker. So, before purchasing your GPU, consider its cooler’s efficiency.
Price
The price of your GPU is another important key factor to consider before purchasing. It depends on the brand, variant and specifications.
Remember that the prices consistently vary, depending upon the supply chain. So, it is always suggested to research and find the best deal before purchasing.
Brand and Warranty
Last but not least, remember the Brand and Warranty of your GPU. We suggest you go for the better and more reputable brands as they provide superior quality and a good warranty.
Our Recommendations For The Best Graphics Cards for Intel Core I7 8700 in 2024
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Budget Pick  | Check Price | |
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Staff Pick | Check Price | |
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MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB
Best PickThe MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB was released in 2019 and is still considered a powerful graphics card. Nvidia’s RTX series features Ray Tracing technology & as the name suggests, the MSI RTX 2070 Super 8 GB also features the Ray Tracing technology and Turing architecture.
Furthermore, the MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 is a 256-bit graphics card and comes with 8GB GDDR6 memory and has a boost clock of 1800MHz and memory speeds up to 14 Gbps. It has 3 x DisplayPorts and 1 x HDMI 2.0b port, which support up to 4k resolution at a 60Hz refresh rate.
Considering its weight and dimensions, it weighs 1.4 Kg and measures 297 x 143 x 56 mm. It requires 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connectors and has a TDP of 215 watts.
If you pair it with the Intel i7 8700, using at least a 550-watt PSU is suggested. It comes with Nvidia’s Zero Frozr Thermal Design which features silent and efficient cooling for the GPU and its components.
Additionally, this Best Graphics Cards for Intel I7 8700 is a bonzer choice to couple with the Intel i7 8700. This combo can deliver high performance in demanding software and recent AAA titles.
OUR VERDICT
In general, the MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB and the Intel i7 8700 is a great combo & after testing this rig in our labs, it provided us with at least 60 FPS (with little variations) in all recent AAA titles on 1080p high settings and impressive performance in demanding rendering software, that too, without heating due to its Zero Frozr Thermal Design.
We stress-tested and performed benchmarks on this rig with a PSU of 600 watts, and the PC gave us a flawless experience. As mentioned above, we recommend using at least a power-supplying unit of 550 watts to ensure stable and reliable performance.
Pros
- Great performance.
- Supports real-time ray tracing.
- Efficient cooling.
Cons
- Slightly expensive.
- Limited availability.
- High power consumption.
ZOTAC GAMING GeForce GTX 1650 OC 4GB
Budget PickThe ZOTAC GAMING GeForce GTX 1650 OC 4GB is a powerful mid-range gaming graphics card released in April 2019. It comes with Nvidia’s Turing architecture, the same architecture it offers in its high-end GPUs.
The ZOTAC GAMING GeForce GTX 1650 OC 4GB is one of the Best Graphics Cards for Intel I7 8700 that features 896 CUDA cores & 4GB DDR5 memory with a memory bus bandwidth of 128 bits. It offers a boost clock of 1695MHz with a memory speed of 8 Gb/s.
It contains 1 x HDMI 2.0b port, 1 x DVI-D (dual-link) port, and 1 x DisplayPort 1.4. In addition, it is a 4 K-ready graphics card & it also supports three displays at a time & offers no RGB.
Regarding its design and power consumption, it is super compact, exhibits dimensions of 151mm x 111.15mm x 38.8mm, and comes equipped with a sunflower-shaped heatsink containing a 90mm fan with striped fan blades. It has a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 75 watts.
Despite this graphics card lying in the mid-range section, it still performs well if paired with the Intel i7 8700. This combo also offers excellent energy efficiency as the CPU and the GPU consume much less power.
On Zotac’s official website, it is recommended to use at least a 300-watt PSU with this graphics card. At the same time, the ZOTAC GAMING GeForce GTX 1650 OC 4GB and the Intel i7 8700 duo require a PSU of at least 400 watts to be in the safe zone.
OUR VERDICT
Our team tested this duo, and considering this combo’s price, limited VRAM & no Ray Tracing technology, they still found the performance to be up to par.
If you are short on budget, we recommend you opt for this rig as it provides excellent performance, bearing in mind its price.
Pros
- Good performance for its price point.
- Low power consumption.
- Compact design.
Cons
- Limited VRAM.
- No SLI & Ray Tracing support.
- Limited overclocking potential.
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660
The ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 was released in 2019 and is still considered one of the best midrange graphics cards from Zotac’s gaming series.
It is comparatively more robust and faster than its predecessor, the ZOTAC GAMING GeForce GTX 1650 OC 4GB. It also offers Nvidia’s Turing architecture and has no Ray Tracing technology.
Furthermore, the ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 features 1408 CUDA cores, 6GB of GDDR5 memory, and a memory bus width of 192 bits. It has a boost clock of 1785MHz and a memory clock of 8 Gb/s. This graphics card includes 3 x DisplayPort 1.4 and 1 x HDMI port 2.0b.
Moreover, it’s important to note that this graphics card is 4K and VR ready, supports Quad displays at a single time & offers no RGB.
Additionally, this best GPU for Intel I7 8700 has a super compact design with dimensions of 173.4mm x 111.15mm x 35.3mm & it fits 99% of your computer chassis. It has dual fans, which means that this graphics card is made to be inclined toward the cooler side, but it might get hot under heavy loads.
Further, this graphics card requires an 8-pin power connector with a TDP of 120 watts. Combining this graphics card with the Intel i7 8700 would require installing a minimum of 550 watts power-supplying unit.
OUR VERDICT
The ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 is an excellent choice for the Intel i7 8700. This pair provides high fps on standard settings in AAA titles and great rendering power in rendering software, fulfilling your daily needs of formal gaming and content creation.
Pros
- Solid 1080p Performance.
- Affordable Price.
- Low Power Consumption & Quiet Operations.
Cons
- No SLI & Ray Tracing Support.
- Higher Cost Than Similar Alternatives.
- Limited overclocking potential.
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3050 Twin Edge OC 8GB
Staff PickThe ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3050 Twin Edge OC 8GB was released the last year, 2022 & it is still considered a potent variant from Nvidia. It has an average retail price of $400.
This graphics card lies in Nvidia’s RTX series and comes with the Ray Tracing feature. This graphics card includes Nvidia’s Ampere architecture which is the accessor of Nvidia’s Turing architecture.
Furthermore, this graphics card features 2560 CUDA cores & 8 Gigabytes of GDDR6 video memory with a memory bus width of 128 bits. It has a boost clock of 1807MHz with a memory clock speed of 14 Gb/s.
This graphics card comes equipped with 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a supporting 8K Ultra-HD resolution at 60Hz refresh rate and 1 x HDMI 2.1 port supporting 4K and 8K Ultra-HD resolutions at 120Hz and 60Hz respectively, hence supporting QUAD display at a single time.
Discussing its design and power consumption, this graphics card has a unique design with ultra-modern cooling technology called IceStorm 2.0 Advanced Cooling, which is very efficient and effectively dissipates heat. This incredible technology has a TDP of 130 watts and requires an 8-pin connector.
Additionally, pairing this GPU with the Intel core i7 8700 is going to be a win-win situation for you as the Intel core i7 8700 is a mighty processor & its capabilities get further enhanced if paired up with an advanced and dominant GPU like the ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 3050 Twin Edge OC 8GB.
OUR VERDICT
After installing a 450 watts PSU and 32 Gigs of DDR4 RAM and testing some recent AAA titles and rendering softwares on this Rig, our team was highly impressed by the smooth gameplay, excellent upscaled visuals, and superb rendering power due to 20 Ray Tracing and the presence of 80 Tensor cores.
Before purchasing your power-supplying unit, ensure it has a 1 x 8-pin power connector to fulfill the power demands of your excellent GPU.
From gaming to professional content creation needs, we can assure you that this CPU and GPU duo is perfect for fulfilling all your needs!
Pros
- Modern Ray Tracing and DLSS support.
- Advanced Cooling Technology.
- Compact Size & Sleek Design.
Cons
- Slightly pricey.
- No SLI Technology.
- No VR Support.
EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 SC GAMING
The EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 SC GAMING was released in the first month of 2019 with a retail price of $335. This GPU is a true marvel based on Nvidia’s Turing architecture and supports Real-Time Ray Tracing.
This graphics card features 1920 CUDA Cores, 6 GBs of GDDR6 memory with a bandwidth of 336 GB/s, and a bus width of 192 bits. It has base clock of 1365MHz & a boost clock of around 1750MHz (14 Gb/s effective) memory clock speeds
It is also equipped with 1 x HDMI 2.0b, 1 x DisplayPort 1.4, and 1 x Dual-Link DVI, supporting three displays simultaneously.
Moreover, this graphics card has a length & width of 190 mm & 111 mm, respectively, so it is easily fittable in your computer chassis. It also has 160 watts TDP and requires an 8-pin power connector to meet its power requirements.
Pairing this graphics card with an Intel i7 8700 will give you excellent gaming performance and, without a doubt, will assist you with your content creation needs.
OUR VERDICT
After testing, stressing, and benchmarking this powerful rig with demanding games and softwares like Cyberpunk 2077 and 3DMark, our crew concluded that this gaming set is an absolute choice for hardcore gamers and content creators.
We installed a 500 watts 80+ Gold rated PSU with 32 Gigs of DDR4 RAM, and the graphics card gave us a benchmark score of 26543 on 3DMark Performance and a benchmark score of 15825 on 3DMark Fire Strike. Thus, these scores made this build an ultimate solution to your everyday needs.
Pros
- Excellent performance for gaming and other graphics-intensive tasks.
- Comes with 6GB of GDDR6 memory for smooth gameplay and video playback.
- Offers ray tracing and AI-powered DLSS technology.
Cons
- Only a single HDMI port may limit connectivity options for some users.
- Requires a high-quality power supply to operate properly.
- It may run hot under heavy load due to a single fan.
MSI RX 580 ARMOR 8GB OC
The MSI RX 580 ARMOR 8GB OC was released in 2017 and still packs a punch today despite being 6-7 years old.
Diving into its specs, the MSI RX 580 ARMOR 8GB OC features 8GB GDDR5 memory, 2304 CUDA cores, bus width of 256 bit, core clocks of 1366MHz, and memory speeds of up to 8000MHz, and this makes this graphics card the best choice in its price range.
Further, it includes 2 x HDMI ports, 2 x DisplayPort, and 1 x Dual-Link DVI-D port, thus supporting five displays simultaneously.
Discussing its design and power consumption aspect, this graphics card comes equipped with two fans, weighs around 653 grams, and has 269 x 125 x 38 mm dimensions.
It has a TDP of 185 watts and requires a power connecter of 8-pin to be connected to fulfil its power needs, making it a power-hungry graphics card.
Considering its higher power consumption needs, you would need an excellent power-supplying unit of at least 650 watts of higher efficiency ratings for stable and reliable performance.
In general, pairing this graphics card with the Intel i7 8700 would give you the best performance with decent FPS in demanding games and applications in this budget, but remember to use a high-quality PSU.
OUR VERDICT
The MSI RX 580 ARMOR 8GB OC is a mighty graphics card with an excellent gaming experience and the best performance in graphics-intensive applications like a blender.
While on the other hand, the Intel core i7 8700 is a potent processor that easily handles all CPU-extensive tasks.
Together, the MSI RX 580 ARMOR 8GB OC and Intel i7 8700 provided us with almost 50-60 FPS on medium to high settings in demanding AAA games and impressive running in 3D-rendering applications, so we would recommend you to go with the rig if you are tight on budget.
Pros
- Higher VRAM and VR Support.
- Offers support for AMD CrossFire technology, enabling multiple graphics cards to work simultaneously.
- Has a strong built quality and sleek design.
Cons
- Consumes more power than some other graphics cards.
- Runs hot under heavy load.
- Does not support the latest ray-tracing features of newer games.
Is i7-8700 Good for 4K?
The Intel i7-8700, a formidable processor of its time, has the potential to handle 4K tasks. It’s six cores and twelve threads provide robust performance for demanding applications, including 4K video editing and rendering.
However, when it comes to gaming at 4K, the CPU might become a slight bottleneck, particularly in CPU-intensive titles. To truly unleash the beauty of 4K gaming, pairing the i7-8700 with a high-end graphics card is crucial.
This synergy will ensure smooth gameplay and a captivating visual experience, making your 4K aspirations come to life with grace.
Conclusion
In conclusion, choosing the Best Graphics Cards for Intel I7 8700 will significantly upgrade your computer usage and gaming experiences. Also, creating content is easy for you.
If Budget is not a problem for you, we recommend you go with the MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB, as it provides the best performance and takes your CPU performance to the next level.
With this GPU, you could easily run all AAA titles, Esports games, and demanding rendering software.
If you are on a tight budget, the ZOTAC GAMING GeForce GTX 1650 OC 4GB will be an absolute choice as it provides the best performance in this price ratio. ZOTAC GAMING GeForce GTX 1650 OC 4GB can easily handle all GPU-intensive tasks, making it the best budget-friendly choice in this blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which GPU is best for the Intel i7 8700?
Without any doubt, the MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB is the best choice for your Intel i7 8700 if you want to take its performance to the next level.
Is the Intel i7 8700 still good for gaming?
Yes, the Intel i7 8700 has six cores and 12 threads and has a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. These specifications make it a very powerful variant of Intel. Pairing it with a dominant GPU like the MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB would significantly increase its performance.
Does i7 8700 need liquid cooling?
Intel i7 8700 is not overclockable, so your CPU temperature will probably stay low under heavy loads. The in-box cooler would be sufficient to counter your CPU heat.
