CPU_VS_GPU / 2026-09-11
Intel Core i7-8700KvsNVIDIA GTX 1080
Complete bottleneck analysis at 1080p, 1440p, Ultrawide (UWQHD/SUWQHD), and 4K with estimated FPS for popular games.
44%
ESTIMATED GPU BOTTLENECK
Your GPU (GTX 1080) severely limits the system at 2560x1440, leaving the Core i7-8700K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
Load estimated by the model, not measured on your PC.
- PROCESSORIntel Core i7-8700K
- GRAPHICSNVIDIA GTX 1080
- MEMORY16GB DDR4/DDR5
- RESOLUTION2560x1440
Average across the demanding titles at 2560x1440.
Average across the competitive titles, where the processor leads.
What the build draws (425 W) plus headroom.
DEEP-DIVE ANALYSIS
GENERATED BY THE ENGINEThe Intel Core i7-8700K and the NVIDIA GTX 1080 each bring their own character. Below you'll see whether the union is balanced or whether one component wastes the other, with estimated FPS, power draw and recommendations tailored to this specific pair.
Quick take: 1440p with a setting or two turned down
The GTX 1080 sets the limit at both ends of the range: a ~17% GPU bottleneck at 1080p that widens to ~72% at 4K. No 16:9 size keeps this pair above 60 FPS in demanding titles. 1440p is the highest that stays playable, at roughly 30 FPS on average in AAA. Esports is a different story — around 214 FPS at 1080p.
As you climb from 1080p to 4K, the load shifts from the processor toward the graphics card: every extra pixel lands on the GTX 1080. Here, efficiency moves from 83% at 1080p to 28% at 4K — which shows the part the frame rate depends on at each end.
Translated into actual games: In esports titles like Valorant this pair flies — around 365 FPS at 1080p, plenty for a high-refresh monitor. At the other end, a demanding AAA like Alan Wake 2 drops to ~7 FPS at 4K, which is where the GTX 1080's ceiling really shows. Overall, expect about 45 FPS average in AAA games at 1080p and around 16 FPS at 4K.
[CPU] Core i7-8700K
The Core i7-8700K (54/100 on the model's gaming scale) brings 6 cores and 12 threads and determines how many frames per second the system can prepare.
[GPU] GTX 1080
The GTX 1080 (17/100 on the model's gaming scale) supplies the raster muscle of the build. Its 8 GB of GDDR5X set how far it can go on resolution and texture quality before video memory runs short.
On the chemistry of the pair: Both parts come from nearby generations, which usually means a natural pairing with no platform surprises. You're combining an Intel platform with an NVIDIA GPU — a perfectly valid mix that imposes no penalty.
WHAT TO CHANGE, AND WHAT IT COSTS
At 1440p the GTX 1080 sets the frame rate, and the Core i7-8700K can drive a faster card. The cheapest card that clears our bar for a recommendation (at least 25% more frames) is the NVIDIA RTX 2080 SUPER: about 27% more in this model, with this processor and 16 GB.
The gain is the model's estimate at 2560x1440 with 16 GB, not a measurement of your PC, and prices change: check them at the retailer before deciding.
PRICE OF THIS PAGE'S PAIRING
Affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no cost to you. Full disclosure
SPECIFICATIONS
CATALOGUE DATA[CPU] Intel Core i7-8700K
- Cores6C / 12T
- Clock3.7 – 4.7 GHz
- TDP95 W
- SocketLGA1151
- Single-thread2,714
- Multi-thread13,561
- L3 cache12 MB
[GPU] NVIDIA GTX 1080
- VRAM8 GB GDDR5X
- Memory bus256-bit
- TDP180 W
- G3D Mark15,488
- Memory bandwidth320.3 GB/s
BOTTLENECK BY RESOLUTION
SYNERGY · AVERAGE FPSYour GPU (GTX 1080) is the limiting factor at 1920x1080. In graphically demanding titles you will see lower frame rates; a faster GPU would deliver a clear improvement.
Your GPU (GTX 1080) severely limits the system at 2560x1440, leaving the Core i7-8700K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
Your GPU (GTX 1080) severely limits the system at 3440x1440 (Ultrawide 21:9), leaving the Core i7-8700K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
Your GPU (GTX 1080) severely limits the system at 5120x1440 (Super Ultrawide 32:9), leaving the Core i7-8700K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
Your GPU (GTX 1080) severely limits the system at 4K, leaving the Core i7-8700K heavily underused. A faster GPU would improve performance dramatically.
ESTIMATED FPS BY GAME
1920x1080SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS
POWER · VRAM & PCIe · RAMPOWER ESTIMATION
The Core i7-8700K (95W) and GTX 1080 (180W) add up to roughly 275W under load. Adding 150W for the rest of the system gives 425W, and with a 30% transient margin, 600W is the safe figure.
VIDEO MEMORY AND PCIe
The GTX 1080's memory bus (256-bit) and bandwidth (320.3 GB/s) describe its own video memory, meaning how fast the card reads its 8 GB of GDDR5X, not the PCIe link to the processor. The PCIe link depends on the card, the processor and the motherboard slot together; our catalogue does not record PCIe generation or lane count, so the model does not estimate it. It matters most for cards with an eight-lane interface in older PCIe 3.0 boards: check the card's and the board's specifications.
SYSTEM MEMORY
This page assumes 16 GB in dual channel. At 1440p, the resolution recommended above, that meets the model's capacity target of 16 GB (enough for three in four of the games it covers), so more capacity would add little or nothing there. The target stays at 16 GB even at 4K, so a larger kit is for heavy multitasking or mods, not for these games. Memory speed and a second channel act on the processor's ceiling instead: they matter in the games the CPU limits, by an amount that depends on the game, and the calculator lets you enter your own kit.
HOW THIS PAGE IS CALCULATED
ENGINE v2026.08 · 2026-09-11CALCULATED, NOT WRITTEN
Every figure and every sentence comes from the same deterministic engine, driven by the catalogue specifications. That is what makes it reproducible: with the same engine version (2026.08) and the same catalogue, the same pairing always gives the same result. When either changes, the version and date above change with it, and the changelog says why.
WHERE THE DATA COMES FROM
Specifications come from the official AMD, Intel and NVIDIA datasheets together with PassMark and TechPowerUp. The gaming indices are calibrated against frame rates published by review outlets (TechPowerUp, TechSpot / Hardware Unboxed, Tom's Hardware, Gamers Nexus, Digital Foundry) rather than synthetic scores. That data is compiled, not measured here: this site runs no test bench of its own.
STATED LIMITS
Figures estimate native raster performance at high/ultra quality, with no ray tracing, upscaling or frame generation. We do not yet publish an externally validated error margin — the accuracy page states exactly where that stands.
* Affiliate disclosure: the Amazon links exist to show pricing. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Recommendation order is decided by the engine and does not depend on commission.
TRY WITH YOUR OWN HARDWARE
Customize RAM, resolution, and discover upgrade recommendations.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
5Does the Intel Core i7-8700K bottleneck the NVIDIA GTX 1080?
The GTX 1080 sets the limit at both ends of the range: a ~17% GPU bottleneck at 1080p that widens to ~72% at 4K. Overall, the GPU is the limit at high resolution, with 46% average efficiency across the 12 resolutions our model tests. 1440p is the highest resolution that stays playable, at about 30 FPS on average in AAA titles.
How many FPS do the Core i7-8700K and GTX 1080 get at 1080p?
At 1080p this combination averages about 45 FPS in AAA games and around 214 FPS in esports titles. In Valorant we estimate up to 365 FPS.
Is this pairing good for 4K gaming?
Not for AAA titles at native high settings: about 16 FPS on average at 4K. It would take upscaling, much lower settings or faster hardware.
What power supply do I need for the Core i7-8700K and GTX 1080?
With an estimated combined draw of 275W across CPU and GPU, we recommend at least a 600W 80+ Gold supply (ideally ATX 3.0) to run with headroom.
Is the GTX 1080's 8 GB of VRAM enough?
8 GB falls short at 1440p for 3 of the 11 games the model tracks, and for 6 at 4K. In those titles expect to lower texture settings, or to see frame-time spikes if you do not.