Core i9-10850K
Model frame rate limit of 118 FPS. That is roughly the fastest this processor can feed a graphics card in a modern AAA title, no matter which card you fit.
The Core i9-10850K is an entry-level gaming processor in our database, with a model frame rate limit of 118 FPS.
With 10 cores and 20 threads it has room to game and stream at the same time.
It uses the LGA 1200 socket with DDR4 memory, and at 1440p it can keep up with a card as fast as the GeForce RTX 5070.
Frame Rate Limit in Popular Games
| Game (settings) | Most FPS the Core i9-10850K can feed |
|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (High, no ray tracing) | ~100 |
| Fortnite (High, DirectX 12) | ~150 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (High) | ~130 |
| Counter-Strike 2 (High) | ~260 |
Modelled estimates with an unlimited graphics card, rounded to the nearest 5 FPS. Your real frame rate is the lower of this and what your card can render. See the methodology.
Best match at each resolution
| Resolution | Closest matched card | Estimated FPS |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB | 118 |
| 1440p | GeForce RTX 3090 Ti | 118 |
| 4K | GeForce RTX 4090 | 108 |
"Closest matched" means the two parts run out of headroom at about the same frame rate, so neither is obviously wasted. A faster card is still worth buying if you plan to raise the resolution later.
The cards it lands closest to
The 24 graphics cards whose frame rate limit sits nearest this processor's, fastest first. Anything faster than the top of this table is wasted on it at 1080p, and anything slower is a card it will never trouble. For any other combination, use the calculator.
| Graphics card | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 4080 Super | 118 cpu | 118 cpu | 88 gpu |
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX | 118 cpu | 118 cpu | 86 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 4080 | 118 cpu | 118 cpu | 86 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 5070 Ti | 118 cpu | 118 cpu | 79 gpu |
| Radeon RX 9070 XT | 118 cpu | 118 cpu | 79 gpu |
| Radeon RX 7900 XT | 118 cpu | 118 even | 77 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super | 118 cpu | 118 even | 76 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3090 Ti | 118 cpu | 118 even | 74 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Ti | 118 cpu | 112 gpu | 70 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3090 | 118 cpu | 112 gpu | 70 gpu |
| Radeon RX 9070 | 118 cpu | 112 gpu | 70 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3080 Ti | 118 cpu | 110 gpu | 68 gpu |
| Radeon RX 6950 XT | 118 cpu | 109 gpu | 67 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 5070 | 118 cpu | 106 gpu | 65 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Super | 118 cpu | 106 gpu | 64 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | 118 cpu | 106 gpu | 65 gpu |
| Radeon RX 7900 GRE | 118 cpu | 106 gpu | 65 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3080 | 118 cpu | 102 gpu | 62 gpu |
| Radeon RX 6900 XT | 118 cpu | 102 gpu | 62 gpu |
| Radeon RX 7800 XT | 118 cpu | 100 gpu | 60 gpu |
| Radeon RX 6800 XT | 118 cpu | 98 gpu | 59 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | 118 even | 91 gpu | 54 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 4070 | 118 even | 91 gpu | 54 gpu |
| Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB | 118 even | 90 gpu | 53 gpu |
The tag after each number says which part hits its limit first.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Intel |
| Generation | Intel 10th Gen (Comet Lake) |
| Cores | 10 |
| Threads | 20 |
| Released | 2020 |
Other Intel 10th Gen (Comet Lake) Processors
- Core i7-10700K bottleneck and GPU pairing
- Core i9-10900K bottleneck and GPU pairing
- Core i7-10700F bottleneck and GPU pairing
- Core i5-10600K bottleneck and GPU pairing
Common Questions
Is the Core i9-10850K good for an RTX 5070?
Yes. At 1440p the RTX 5070 is the limit, not the Core i9-10850K, at around 106 FPS in our model. That is the balance you want in a gaming PC.
What is the best GPU for the Core i9-10850K?
At 1440p, the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti is the closest match: the two run out of headroom at about the same frame rate, so neither is wasted. A faster card still makes sense if you play at 4K, where the processor matters less.
Is the Core i9-10850K still good for gaming?
For older or lighter games, yes. Its 118 FPS frame rate limit and 20 threads mean modern AAA games run, but it will limit any recent mid-range or better card.
Will the Core i9-10850K bottleneck an RTX 5080?
Yes, at 1440p. It leaves about 21% of the RTX 5080 unused in our model (118 FPS from the processor against 149 from the card). At 4K the gap shrinks a lot.