Analyze CPU and GPU Performance Compatibility
Find out if your CPU and GPU are well-matched or if one component is bottlenecking your system's performance. Our calculator helps you optimize your PC build for gaming and productivity by identifying performance limitations.
A bottleneck occurs when one component in your computer significantly limits the performance of another component. Most commonly, this happens between the CPU and GPU, where one component is much more powerful than the other, preventing you from getting the full potential of your hardware.
CPU bottleneck: Your processor can't keep up with your graphics card, limiting frame rates in CPU-intensive games and applications. GPU bottleneck: Your graphics card can't keep up with your CPU, limiting performance in graphically demanding games. A small bottleneck (5-10%) is normal and acceptable in most builds.
Solutions include: upgrading the bottlenecking component, adjusting in-game graphics settings, changing resolution (higher resolution shifts load to GPU), overclocking (if safe and possible), and ensuring proper cooling and power supply. Sometimes a balanced mid-range build performs better than an unbalanced high-end build.
