PC Bottleneck Calculator
Find out if your CPU bottlenecks your GPU or vice versa. Get instant FPS estimates, hardware compatibility analysis, and personalized upgrade recommendations for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K gaming.
Full HD Gaming
High refresh rate esports & competitive gaming
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Perfect balance of visuals & performance
Ultra HD Gaming
Maximum visual fidelity & detail
500+ CPUs
From budget Ryzen 5 to flagship i9 & Ryzen 9 processors
300+ GPUs
RTX 40 & 30 series, AMD RX 7000 & 6000 graphics cards
Building New PC
Ensure your CPU and GPU are perfectly matched
Upgrading Hardware
Find the best CPU or GPU upgrade for your setup
Budget Planning
Get maximum gaming performance for your budget
Based on PassMark & 3DMark benchmarks • Updated regularly with new hardware
Popular PC Builds
Pre-configured builds for different budgets and use cases
đź’° Budget Gaming ($400-$700)
⚖️ Mid-Range Gaming ($900-$1400)
đź‘‘ High-End Gaming ($1800-$2500)
🎯 Specialized Builds
Understanding PC Bottlenecks: The Complete Guide to Balanced Gaming Performance
Your CPU and GPU must work in harmony for maximum gaming performance. Learn how to identify bottlenecks, calculate FPS potential, choose compatible hardware, and build perfectly balanced gaming PCs that don't waste money on mismatched components.
What Is a PC Bottleneck and Why It Destroys Gaming Performance
A bottleneck happens when one component in your PC holds back everything else. Imagine a water pipe: if you connect a fire hose to a garden hose, the water flow is limited by the narrower pipe—no matter how much pressure the fire hose provides. In gaming PCs, this usually means pairing a weak CPU with a powerful GPU (or vice versa), resulting in wasted money and disappointing frame rates. You're essentially paying for performance you'll never see because one component can't keep up with the other.
Why Bottlenecks Cost You Money:
đź’ˇ Real-World Example: The $2,000 Mistake
A gamer built a PC with an Intel i5-12400F ($150) and RTX 4080 ($1,200) because they thought "GPU is what matters for gaming." At 1440p in Cyberpunk 2077, they were getting 85 FPS—exactly what an RTX 4060 Ti ($400) would deliver with the same CPU. They spent $800 extra on a GPU their processor couldn't feed fast enough.
The right move: Spend $250 on a Ryzen 7 7800X3D and pair it with an RTX 4070 Super ($600). Same $1,450 total budget, but now you're getting 120+ FPS because the CPU can actually keep up. This is why checking compatibility before buying saves hundreds of dollars.
CPU Bottleneck vs GPU Bottleneck: Which Is Worse?
Here's the truth nobody tells you: GPU bottlenecks are actually fine. CPU bottlenecks are the real problem. Why? Because GPU bottlenecks mean you're maxing out your graphics card's potential—that's what it's supposed to do. You're getting every frame your GPU can produce. CPU bottlenecks mean you're leaving performance on the table. Your expensive GPU is sitting idle, waiting for your processor to catch up.
CPU Bottleneck - The Performance Killer
Your processor can't prepare frames fast enough
Games need the CPU to handle physics calculations, AI decisions, coordinate positions for thousands of objects, manage game logic, and prepare draw calls for the GPU. If your CPU is too slow, it creates a queue—the GPU finishes rendering Frame 1 and sits there twiddling its thumbs while the CPU is still preparing Frame 2. Result: low GPU utilization (60-80%) and wasted graphics power.
- GPU usage below 95% consistently while gaming (check with MSI Afterburner)
- CPU at 100% on all cores or maxing out single-threaded performance
- Low FPS doesn't improve when you lower graphics settings from Ultra to Low
- FPS barely changes between 1080p and 1440p—it's stuck at the same number
- Stuttering in CPU-heavy games like Cities: Skylines, Total War, or large Minecraft worlds
6-core budget CPU with flagship GPU = 40% bottleneck. GPU runs at 60% capacity.
4-core budget CPU with high-end GPU = 35% bottleneck in modern AAA games.
7-year-old quad-core with the fastest GPU = 50%+ bottleneck. Complete waste.
🚨 The Expensive Fix
CPU bottlenecks often require motherboard upgrades too. If you're on Intel 10th gen and need to upgrade to 13th/14th gen, you need a new motherboard ($150-250). AMD AM4 users have it easier—you can upgrade from Ryzen 3000 to 5000 series on the same board. This is why choosing the right platform matters for future upgrades.
GPU Bottleneck - This Is Normal
Your graphics card is working at full capacity
The CPU prepares frames faster than the GPU can render them. Your GPU is at 95-100% utilization, churning through millions of pixels and complex shaders as fast as it physically can. This is ideal behavior—you're extracting every ounce of performance your graphics card offers. The CPU has spare capacity left over for background tasks.
- GPU usage at 95-100% constantly during gaming
- CPU usage at 40-70% with headroom to spare
- FPS improves significantly when you lower graphics settings or resolution
- Much higher FPS at 1080p than 1440p or 4K—classic GPU limitation
- Smooth, consistent frame times with no stuttering
Flagship gaming CPU with mid-range GPU = balanced at 1080p, GPU-limited at high settings.
Strong mid-range pairing, GPU maxed out, easy upgrade path to better graphics later.
Slight overkill on CPU but perfect if you also do productivity work. GPU is the limiter.
đź’š The Easy Fix
GPU bottlenecks have the simplest solution: upgrade just the graphics card. No motherboard change needed, no RAM compatibility worries, no BIOS updates. Unplug old GPU, plug in new one, install drivers, done. This is why it's actually smarter to have a slightly better CPU than GPU—your upgrade path is cheaper and easier.
How Resolution Changes Everything About Bottlenecks
Resolution is the single most important factor determining which component bottlenecks your system. The same CPU+GPU pair that's CPU-bottlenecked at 1080p can become GPU-bottlenecked at 4K. Understanding this relationship is critical for building a balanced system for your target resolution. Here's what actually happens at each resolution tier.
1080p Gaming
2.1 million pixels
At 1080p, GPUs render frames so quickly that the CPU becomes the limiting factor in most modern games. Even mid-range GPUs like the RTX 4060 can push 100+ FPS at 1080p High settings, but your CPU needs to keep up. This is why esports players use high-end CPUs with mid-tier GPUs—they're chasing 240+ FPS where CPU speed determines frame rates.
- • Budget: Ryzen 5 5600 + RX 6600 (60 FPS High)
- • Mid: i5-13600K + RTX 4060 Ti (100+ FPS Ultra)
- • High-end: Ryzen 7 7800X3D + RTX 4070 (144+ FPS)
- • Esports: i7-14700K + RTX 4060 (240+ FPS competitive)
1440p Gaming
3.7 million pixels (78% more)
1440p is where CPU and GPU balance perfectly for most gaming builds. The GPU works hard enough that you need a proper graphics card, but the CPU still matters for high refresh rate gaming. This resolution offers the best visual upgrade from 1080p without requiring top-tier hardware. Most gamers should target 1440p—it's the perfect middle ground between performance and fidelity.
- • Budget: Ryzen 5 7600 + RX 7700 XT (60 FPS High)
- • Mid: i5-14600K + RTX 4070 Super (100 FPS Ultra)
- • High-end: Ryzen 7 7800X3D + RTX 4080 (120+ FPS)
- • Flagship: i9-14900K + RTX 4090 (165+ FPS)
4K Gaming
8.3 million pixels (4x 1080p)
4K gaming is almost entirely GPU-bound. Rendering 8.3 million pixels per frame at 60+ FPS requires immense graphics horsepower. Even a modest CPU like the i5-13600K pairs fine with an RTX 4090 at 4K because the GPU is working so hard. This is where you can "get away with" a slightly weaker CPU—all your money should go into the graphics card for 4K.
- • Entry: Ryzen 5 7600X + RTX 4070 Ti (60 FPS High)
- • Mid: i5-14600K + RTX 4080 Super (60-80 FPS Ultra)
- • High-end: Ryzen 7 7800X3D + RTX 4090 (90+ FPS)
- • Budget: Skip 4K—go 1440p for better value
🎯 The Resolution Strategy
Smart builders use resolution targets to allocate budget. Playing at 1080p high refresh rate (240Hz)? Invest 60% of your budget in the CPU and 40% in GPU. Targeting 4K 60 FPS? Flip that—60% GPU, 40% CPU. This is why the same $1,500 budget builds completely different systems depending on your monitor.
i7-14700K ($380) + RTX 4070 ($580) = CPU-focused
Ryzen 7 7800X3D ($400) + RTX 4070 Super ($600) = Balanced
Ryzen 5 7600X ($230) + RTX 4080 Super ($1,000) = GPU-focused
Debunking Common Bottleneck Myths That Cost You Money
The internet is full of terrible advice about bottlenecks. YouTube comments and Reddit threads spread myths that lead to wasted money and poor-performing builds. Let's destroy the most harmful misconceptions with actual data and real-world testing results.
Myth #1: "You need a perfectly balanced system with 0% bottleneck"
Every system has a bottleneck. That's not a flaw—it's physics. Something will always be the limiting factor, whether it's your CPU, GPU, RAM speed, or even your monitor's refresh rate. The goal isn't zero bottleneck (impossible), it's making sure the bottleneck is your GPU, not your CPU. A 10-15% GPU bottleneck is ideal—it means you're extracting maximum performance from your graphics card.
What "balanced" actually means: Your GPU runs at 95-100% utilization while gaming, and your CPU has 20-40% headroom left over. This gives you smooth performance today and leaves room for a GPU upgrade tomorrow without needing a new processor.
Myth #2: "More CPU cores = less bottleneck"
Gaming performance depends on single-thread speed, not core count. A 6-core CPU with high clock speeds (like the Ryzen 5 7600X at 5.3 GHz) outperforms a 16-core CPU with lower clocks (like the Ryzen 9 5950X at 4.9 GHz) in most games. Why? Because games can't split work across 16 cores evenly—the main thread still handles critical tasks sequentially.
The proof: In benchmarks, the 6-core i5-13600K ($280) beats the 24-core i9-12900K ($400) in gaming FPS despite having fewer cores. The i5 has higher boost clocks on its performance cores.
When cores matter: Streaming, video editing, compiling code, 3D rendering—productivity tasks that actually use all cores. For pure gaming? 6-8 fast cores beat 16 slower cores every time.
Myth #3: "100% GPU usage means you have a GPU bottleneck (bad)"
This myth causes so much confusion. 100% GPU usage is GOOD. It means your graphics card is working at full capacity, giving you every frame it can produce. This is exactly what you paid for. 50-70% GPU usage while CPU is maxed out? That's bad—you're wasting GPU potential.
âś“ Healthy System:
GPU: 98-100% usage
CPU: 45-70% usage
Result: Maximum FPS from your GPU
âś— CPU Bottlenecked:
GPU: 60-80% usage
CPU: 95-100% usage
Result: Wasted GPU performance
Myth #4: "Bottleneck calculators are always accurate"
Bottleneck calculators (including ours) provide estimates based on benchmark averages. They can't account for every variable: your specific games, your graphics settings, overclocking, RAM speed, background applications, driver optimizations, and whether you're playing at 60 Hz or 240 Hz. Use calculators as a starting point, not gospel.
Example of variance: Our calculator might show a Ryzen 5 5600X + RTX 3070 as "15% GPU bottleneck" for general gaming. But in CS2 at 1080p Low (esports), it becomes a 25% CPU bottleneck because that game hammers single-thread performance. In Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K Ultra with ray tracing? 40% GPU bottleneck because the graphics card is overwhelmed.
How to use calculators properly: Check multiple scenarios (different resolutions, games), read the recommendations carefully, and understand you're getting general guidance—not a guarantee of exact FPS in your specific situation.
Myth #5: "You can just lower settings to fix a CPU bottleneck"
Graphics settings don't affect CPU load (mostly). Texture quality, shadow resolution, anti-aliasing, and effects are GPU-bound. The CPU handles game logic, AI, physics, and draw calls—none of which change when you lower settings from Ultra to Low. If you're CPU-bottlenecked at 85 FPS on Ultra, you'll still be CPU-bottlenecked at 85 FPS on Low. You just get uglier graphics at the same frame rate.
The few exceptions: Some settings do affect CPU load slightly—view distance (more objects to track), NPC density in open-world games, particle effects (physics calculations), and sometimes shadow draw distance. But these give maybe 5-10% FPS improvement, not the 50%+ you'd get from a CPU upgrade.
The actual fix: Overclock your CPU, close background apps, or upgrade your processor. There's no settings magic that makes a weak CPU suddenly fast.
Myth #6: "Intel is always better for gaming than AMD" (or vice versa)
CPU performance flips with every generation. Right now (late 2024), AMD's Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the gaming king thanks to 3D V-Cache technology—it beats Intel's i9-14900K in most games despite costing less. But two years ago, Intel's 12th gen dominated. And next year? Who knows. Brand loyalty in PC building is stupid. Buy whatever performs best for your budget today, not what was good in 2020.
Current Gaming Champions:
Budget: i3-12100F ($85)
Mid: Ryzen 5 7600X ($230)
High: Ryzen 7 7800X3D ($400)
Flagship: i9-14900K ($550)
Why This Changes:
New architectures, process node improvements, cache optimizations, and software updates constantly shift performance. Check current benchmarks when you're buying, not year-old reviews.
Step-by-Step Guide: Building Your Balanced Gaming PC
Forget the cookie-cutter build guides. Here's how to create a custom-balanced system based on YOUR priorities: target resolution, preferred games, refresh rate, and budget. Follow this methodology and you'll avoid the expensive mistakes that plague first-time builders.
Define Your Gaming Target
Before touching any hardware, answer these three questions. Your answers determine everything else:
Question 1: What resolution?
This is the SINGLE most important decision. It determines your CPU vs GPU budget split.
Question 2: What refresh rate?
High refresh rates need beefier CPUs. 240 Hz competitive gaming prioritizes CPU even more than the resolution formula above.
- • 60 Hz: Budget CPU is fine, spend on GPU
- • 144 Hz: Mid-range CPU minimum, strong GPU
- • 240 Hz: High-end CPU required, mid-range GPU sufficient
Question 3: What games?
Different genres stress different components. Competitive esports? CPU-heavy. Cinematic AAA games? GPU-heavy.
CS2, Valorant, League of Legends, DOTA 2, Starcraft II, Cities Skylines, Total War series
Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead 2, Hogwarts Legacy, Assassin's Creed, Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus
Example Target Definition:
"I want to play Apex Legends and Valorant at 1080p 240 Hz competitively, plus occasional Cyberpunk at 1440p 60 Hz."
Analysis: Primary use is esports at high refresh (CPU priority). Secondary use is AAA at lower refresh (GPU needed but not flagship).
Budget split: 60% CPU, 40% GPU. Example: $1,200 budget = $400 CPU (i7-14700K), $300 GPU (RTX 4060 Ti), $500 for everything else.
Allocate Your Budget Intelligently
PC building is about opportunity cost. Every dollar on RGB lighting is a dollar not spent on FPS. Here's the brutal truth about where your money actually matters:
Critical (Spend More Here):
- • CPU + GPU: 60-70% of budget
- • Monitor: 15-20% of budget (affects experience more than RAM)
- • PSU: 8-10% (quality matters for longevity)
- • SSD: 5% minimum (1TB NVMe Gen3 is $50, non-negotiable)
Nice to Have (Don't Overspend):
- • RAM: 16GB is enough for gaming. 32GB if you stream/multitask heavily
- • Motherboard: $120-180 is fine. $300+ boards don't improve gaming FPS
- • Case: $60-100 with good airflow beats $200 pretty case with poor cooling
- • CPU Cooler: $30 tower cooler works for most CPUs
Waste of Money (Avoid These):
- • RGB everything: $150+ for lights that don't affect performance
- • Expensive RAM: $200 32GB kit vs $70 32GB kit = same FPS in 99% of games
- • Flagship motherboards: $400 Z790 doesn't game better than $180 B760
- • Liquid cooling for mid-range CPUs: $100 AIO for a 65W chip is silly
- • 3TB+ storage initially: Buy more storage later when you need it
Budget Examples:
Pick Your Anchor Component
Start with whichever component matters more for YOUR use case, then build around it. Don't just grab whatever's on sale.
Choose CPU First If:
- → Playing at 1080p or 1440p high refresh rate (144 Hz+)
- → Primarily playing competitive/esports games
- → Need CPU for streaming or productivity alongside gaming
- → Planning to upgrade GPU in 1-2 years (future-proofing CPU)
Example Path:
Budget $1,200 for 1080p 240Hz → Start with Ryzen 7 7800X3D ($400) → Leaves $500 for GPU → RTX 4060 Ti or RX 7700 XT → Perfect for competitive gaming
Choose GPU First If:
- → Playing at 1440p 60-90 Hz or 4K
- → Primarily playing single-player AAA games with high graphics
- → Want ray tracing performance
- → Doing 3D rendering, video editing (GPU-accelerated tasks)
Example Path:
Budget $1,500 for 4K 60Hz → Start with RTX 4080 Super ($1,000) → Leaves $500 for CPU+other → Ryzen 5 7600X ($230) → Smooth 4K gaming
Verify Compatibility Before Buying
Once you've picked your CPU and GPU candidates, run them through our bottleneck calculator with your target resolution. Look for these ideal results:
âś“ Good Pairing
0-15% bottleneck on GPU side
GPU: 95-100% utilization
CPU: 40-70% headroom
Result: Balanced system
âš Acceptable Pairing
15-25% bottleneck
Minor performance loss
Consider upgrade path
Result: Works but not ideal
âś— Poor Pairing
25%+ bottleneck
Significant waste of money
Change CPU or GPU
Result: Rebalance needed
How to Act on Calculator Results:
If showing CPU bottleneck: Upgrade to next CPU tier OR downgrade GPU to save money (you won't notice the downgrade)
If showing GPU bottleneck 0-15%: Perfect! Buy with confidence.
If showing GPU bottleneck 20%+: You slightly overspent on CPU. Not a disaster, but next upgrade should be GPU.
If showing balanced: Rare but ideal. Both components are at their limits together.
Think Two Years Ahead
Smart builders consider the upgrade path when choosing initial components. Some platforms are dead ends. Others let you upgrade for years without replacing everything.
âś“ Good Upgrade Paths:
- AMD AM5 (Current): Buy Ryzen 5 7600 now, upgrade to Ryzen 9 9950X in 2 years on same motherboard
- Intel LGA1700 (12th-14th gen): Buy i5-12400F now, can go up to i9-14900K later same board
- Any GPU: Always easy to upgrade—just swap cards. No motherboard change needed
- Slight CPU overkill: Better to have extra CPU headroom for future GPU upgrades
âś— Dead-End Paths:
- AMD AM4 (Older): Already maxed out with Ryzen 5000 series. Next upgrade = new motherboard
- Intel LGA1200 (10th-11th gen): Dead socket. Can't go to 12th+ gen without new board
- Budget motherboards: Weak VRMs can't handle power-hungry CPUs even if socket matches
- Severe GPU overkill: Pairing RTX 4090 with i5 = stuck upgrading CPU+board soon
The 3-Year Upgrade Strategy:
Year 1: Build with slight CPU advantage (Ryzen 7 7800X3D + RTX 4070)
Year 2: GPU upgrade to RTX 5070 Ti (or whatever's out then)—CPU still strong
Year 3: Another GPU upgrade to RTX 5080—still no CPU bottleneck
Result: Three years of top-tier gaming with only GPU upgrades (~$600-800 each time vs $1,500+ full rebuild)
Compare this to: Year 1 build with budget CPU (Ryzen 5 5500 + RTX 4070). Year 2: GPU upgrade to RTX 5070 Ti but CPU bottlenecks it. Now you need CPU + motherboard + RAM + GPU = $1,200+ upgrade. The extra $150 spent on a better CPU initially saved you $600+ later.
When to Upgrade: CPU, GPU, or Both?
Your system is running games, but FPS isn't where you want it. Do you upgrade the CPU, GPU, or both? Here's how to diagnose exactly what's holding you back and spend money only where it matters. Skip this section and you risk buying the wrong component—I've seen people spend $800 on a new GPU when their $200 CPU upgrade would have doubled their FPS.
The 5-Minute Bottleneck Test
Download MSI Afterburner (free) or use your GPU's built-in monitoring. Launch a demanding game, play for 10 minutes, then check these metrics:
âś“ GPU Usage: 95-100%
âś“ CPU Usage: 40-70%
âś“ FPS: Consistent but not high enough
→ Upgrade GPU
âś“ GPU Usage: 50-80%
âś“ CPU Usage: 90-100%
âś“ FPS: Stuttery, inconsistent
→ Upgrade CPU
âś“ GPU Usage: 95-100%
âś“ CPU Usage: 85-100%
âś“ FPS: Low across the board
→ Upgrade Both
When GPU Upgrade Makes Sense
Your graphics card is the limiting factor
- GPU consistently at 100% while gaming
- FPS drops significantly when you increase graphics settings
- Much better performance at 1080p Low vs 1440p High (resolution-dependent)
- Ray tracing tanks your FPS to unplayable levels
- Your GPU is 3+ generations old (e.g., still using GTX 1060 in 2024)
Incremental Upgrade (20-30% gain):
RTX 3060 → RTX 4060 Ti | RX 6700 XT → RX 7700 XT
Cost: $300-400 | Worth it? Only if you're GPU-bottlenecked and on tight budget
Worthwhile Upgrade (50-70% gain):
RTX 3060 → RTX 4070 Super | RX 6600 XT → RX 7800 XT
Cost: $500-600 | Worth it? Yes, noticeable improvement in all games
Major Upgrade (100%+ gain):
GTX 1660 Super → RTX 4070 Ti | RX 580 → RX 7800 XT
Cost: $600-800 | Worth it? Absolutely, transformative difference
đź’ˇ GPU Upgrade Pro Tips:
- • Sell your old GPU immediately while it still has value (prices drop 20-30% per year)
- • Wait for new generation launches—previous gen drops $100-200 in price
- • Check your PSU wattage before buying—high-end GPUs need 750W+ PSU
- • Verify your case fits the new card length (some 4080s/4090s are 320mm+)
When CPU Upgrade Makes Sense
Your processor can't keep up
- GPU usage consistently below 90% while gaming
- Lowering graphics settings doesn't improve FPS
- Stuttering and frame time spikes in multiplayer games
- Poor performance in CPU-heavy games (strategy, simulation, open world)
- Your CPU is 5+ years old on a dead socket (Intel 9th gen or older, Ryzen 2000 series)
Unlike GPUs, CPU upgrades often require motherboard replacement. This adds $150-250 to the cost. However, some upgrade paths work on your existing board:
âś“ No Motherboard Needed:
- • Intel 12th → 13th/14th gen (same LGA1700)
- • AMD Ryzen 3000 → 5000 series (same AM4)
- • AMD Ryzen 7000 → 9000 series (same AM5)
- Cost: $200-600 CPU only
âś— New Motherboard Required:
- • Intel 10th/11th gen → 12th+ gen
- • AMD Ryzen 2000 → Ryzen 7000 series
- • DDR4 system → DDR5 system
- Cost: $300-800 CPU + motherboard
Ryzen 5 5600 ($110) if you're on AM4. Huge upgrade from 3600 or older.
Intel i5-13600K ($250) or Ryzen 5 7600X ($230). Sweet spot for most gamers.
Ryzen 7 7800X3D ($400). The gaming king—beats CPUs twice its price.
⚠️ CPU Upgrade Gotchas:
- • Check if your motherboard BIOS supports newer CPUs (may need update first)
- • Budget boards might not handle power-hungry CPUs (weak VRMs overheat)
- • DDR4 vs DDR5 matters—you can't mix them, must match motherboard
- • Your old CPU cooler might not fit new socket (especially Intel → AMD or vice versa)
When to Rebuild vs Upgrade
Sometimes starting fresh makes more sense
Age-Based Indicators:
- 5+ years old (2019 or earlier)
- Using DDR3 RAM (ancient)
- SATA SSD only (no NVMe)
- Non-modular PSU under 500W
Performance-Based Indicators:
- Both CPU and GPU maxed out
- Upgrade cost approaches $600+
- Dead CPU socket (no upgrade path)
- Motherboard lacks PCIe 4.0
Scenario: 2018 PC with i5-8400 + GTX 1060
Option A - Upgrade: New CPU ($250) + Motherboard ($180) + GPU ($500) = $930
Option B - Rebuild: Sell old PC ($300), build new $1,000 system = $700 out of pocket
Winner: Rebuild—costs less AND you get new everything (warranty, efficiency, features)
Scenario: 2021 PC with Ryzen 5 5600X + RTX 3060 Ti
Option A - Upgrade: New GPU only ($600) = still competitive
Option B - Rebuild: Sell PC ($700), build new $1,500 system = $800 out of pocket
Winner: Upgrade—CPU still strong, only GPU needs refresh
Stop Guessing. Calculate Your Actual Bottleneck.
Use our calculator to see exactly which component limits your FPS, get instant upgrade recommendations, and build a perfectly balanced gaming PC.