I just upgraded my GPU from a 1660 Super to a 9060 XT, but I'm not seeing much improvement in FPS while playing Valorant. I'm still getting around 200-250 FPS, similar to what I had with my old GPU. It seems like neither my GPU nor my CPU, an i5 11600K, is being fully utilized. Is my CPU not powerful enough for this GPU? Is there anything I can do to resolve this without having to buy a new CPU?
5 Answers
Overclocking your CPU or tweaking the memory timings can help. Often, there's a memory bandwidth issue before you actually hit a CPU bottleneck. You might want to look into those options. Just remember to be cautious with overclocking!
You want your GPU running as close to 100% utilization as possible, and ideally, you want your CPU to be lower than that depending on the game. By the way, can your monitor support the 200-250 FPS you're aiming for?
Keep an eye on your GPU usage while you play. If it’s below 100%, it likely indicates a CPU bottleneck. Remember that most games don't utilize all cores of a multicore CPU to their fullest, so you can experience CPU bottlenecking even when your CPU isn’t maxing out. Also, check if your CPU is hitting its max turbo frequency of 4.9 GHz; overheating or power limits can throttle performance.
In a game like Valorant, you're probably hitting a CPU bottleneck. The CPU might not be able to keep up with the performance potential of your new GPU.
Thanks! How much can I safely overclock my CPU, though?