By Tim King · Updated 17 September 2026

PC Bottleneck Calculator

Is Your CPU or GPU Holding Back Your Games?

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Processor

Graphics card

Resolution

What you mostly play

Result

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How the PC Bottleneck Calculator works

This bottleneck calculator gives a rough answer to which part limits your frame rate. Pick your processor and graphics card, the resolution you play at and the kind of game you mostly run. The calculator compares relative gaming performance figures for the two parts, adjusted for how much the resolution and game type lean on the GPU, and reports how far out of balance they are, which one is setting the frame rate, and what to change. The table repeats the estimate at every common resolution so you can see how a monitor upgrade would shift the balance.

Bottleneck calculator: which part sets your frame rate

Every frame a game draws needs work from both chips. The CPU runs game logic, physics and draw calls, then hands the frame to the GPU to render. Whichever finishes last sets the frame rate, and the other part waits. One part is always the limit. The question is whether the gap is large enough that money spent on the other part is being wasted.

The formula

Both parts get a relative score, with the Ryzen 5 5600 as 100 for CPUs and a matching scale for GPUs. The GPU score is divided by a resolution factor (1080p 1, 1440p 1.6, ultrawide 1440p 2.1, 4K 3.0), because pixels load the GPU, not the CPU. It is then multiplied by a load factor: esports titles 1.7, typical AAA 1, heavy ray tracing 0.65.

Bottleneck % = (1 − smaller score ÷ larger score) × 100. The limiting part is the one with the smaller effective score.

Worked examples

The first example is the default. A Ryzen 5 5600 (100) with an RTX 4070 (125) at 1440p gives the GPU an effective 125 ÷ 1.6 = 78. That is 1 − 78 ÷ 100 = 22%, a moderate GPU limit.

The second example shows why resolution flips the answer. A Ryzen 7 5800X3D with an RTX 4090 at 1080p in an esports title reads 71% CPU-limited. The same pair at 4K with heavy ray tracing reads 57% GPU-limited.

How many frames does a GPU upgrade buy on a Ryzen 5 5600?

"GPU" means the card is the limit; "CPU" means the processor is. GPU scores and bottleneck with a Ryzen 5 5600 in typical AAA games, by resolution

GPU	Score	1080p	1440p	UW 1440p	4K
GTX 1060 6GB	35	65% GPU	78% GPU	83% GPU	88% GPU
GTX 1660 Super	50	50% GPU	69% GPU	76% GPU	83% GPU
RTX 2060	60	40% GPU	63% GPU	71% GPU	80% GPU
RX 6600	70	30% GPU	56% GPU	67% GPU	77% GPU
RTX 3060 12GB	72	28% GPU	55% GPU	66% GPU	76% GPU
RTX 4060	80	20% GPU	50% GPU	62% GPU	73% GPU
Intel Arc B580	85	15% GPU	47% GPU	60% GPU	72% GPU
RTX 5060	90	10% GPU	44% GPU	57% GPU	70% GPU
RTX 3060 Ti	95	5% GPU	41% GPU	55% GPU	68% GPU
RX 9060 XT	100	0% CPU	38% GPU	52% GPU	67% GPU
RTX 3070	105	5% CPU	34% GPU	50% GPU	65% GPU
RX 7700 XT	120	17% CPU	25% GPU	43% GPU	60% GPU
RTX 4070	125	20% CPU	22% GPU	40% GPU	58% GPU
RTX 5070	140	29% CPU	13% GPU	33% GPU	53% GPU
RX 7800 XT	145	31% CPU	9% GPU	31% GPU	52% GPU
RX 9070	170	41% CPU	6% CPU	19% GPU	43% GPU
RTX 5070 Ti	180	44% CPU	11% CPU	14% GPU	40% GPU
RX 9070 XT	190	47% CPU	16% CPU	10% GPU	37% GPU
RTX 4080 Super	195	49% CPU	18% CPU	7% GPU	35% GPU
RTX 5080	210	52% CPU	24% CPU	0% CPU	30% GPU
RTX 4090	250	60% CPU	36% CPU	16% CPU	17% GPU
RTX 5090	300	67% CPU	47% CPU	30% CPU	0% CPU

An RX 9070 at 1440p is the sweet spot for this CPU; an RTX 5090 only balances at 4K.

How to read the result

Estimated bottleneck is the gap between the two effective scores, with the limiting part named.
Verdict bands it: under 10% well balanced, under 20% a mild limit, under 35% moderate, above that significant.
What that means says in plain words whether the GPU is running flat out or waiting on the CPU.
Relative performance used shows both effective scores after the resolution and load factors.
Cheapest fix suggests the lowest-cost change first.

Where this matters

Upgrade planning is the main use: a GPU-limited system gains almost linearly from a faster card, while a CPU-limited one gains nothing. Competitive players at 240 Hz and above are usually CPU-limited, because esports titles render cheaply. Match the frame rate to your monitor with the monitor PPI calculator before chasing numbers the screen cannot show.

Tips and pitfalls

GPU-limited is the goal. A graphics card at 95–99% usage is doing its job.
Fix a CPU limit for free. Raise the resolution, turn on DLAA or higher settings, or cap the frame rate.
Scores are averages. Simulation, strategy and MMO games lean on the CPU far more, so treat the result as a guide, not a benchmark.
Power and cooling count. A new card needs a supply that can feed it; size it with the PSU calculator, and check running costs with the electricity cost calculator.

For shooters, set sensitivity with the eDPI calculator and view angle with the FOV calculator.

Sources: Bottleneck (engineering).

Checked against: The slower part at your resolution sets the frame rate

FAQ

Is a 10% bottleneck bad?

No. Every system has one part waiting on the other and 10% is well within normal. It becomes worth acting on above roughly 20%, and only then if the limited part is stopping you reaching the frame rate or settings you actually want.

Is it better to be CPU or GPU bottlenecked?

GPU-limited, in most cases. A GPU limit responds instantly to lower settings or upscaling and gives smooth frame pacing; a CPU limit cannot be tuned away with graphics settings and tends to stutter. At 1440p and above a GPU limit is the expected state.

Will a higher resolution reduce a CPU bottleneck?

Yes. The CPU does roughly the same work per frame regardless of resolution, while the GPU does far more, so raising resolution shifts the limit toward the GPU. The table shows the same pairing at 1080p, 1440p, ultrawide and 4K for exactly this reason.

How accurate is a bottleneck calculator?

It is a rough guide based on average performance across many games. Individual titles, memory speed, drivers and settings can shift the balance by 20% or more. Use it to spot a clear mismatch and then confirm with benchmarks of your specific pairing before buying.

Can I check for a bottleneck on my own PC?

Yes. Run a game with a monitoring overlay showing GPU usage. If the GPU sits near 97 to 100% you are GPU-limited; if it hovers well below that while frame rate is not capped, the CPU is the limit. That measurement beats any calculator for your particular games.