I'm trying to upgrade my PC setup and I have a few questions about performance. My current setup has low CPU usage and 100% GPU usage, which I hear could indicate a bottleneck. Is this a bad sign? I'm considering upgrading to an AMD 5800X and a non-XT AMD 9070 but I keep finding mixed opinions online. Some people say it won't work with my current AM4 motherboard. What should I know about this upgrade? Would I notice a significant difference if I just upgrade to the new CPU and GPU, or would getting a new OLED monitor improve my gaming experience more without needing all the new parts? I mostly play games like Arc Raiders, BF6, Elden Ring, and Oldschool Runescape. I've never used anything else, so I have no real-world frame of reference for improvement. Any advice would be really appreciated!
4 Answers
Having low CPU usage with your GPU at 100% is actually what you want! It means you're not overloading your CPU, which is a good thing. You want your expensive GPU to do the heavy lifting. Plus, if you're at 100% GPU usage, that just shows you can squeeze out even more performance if you decide to upgrade your GPU in the future.
Upgrading to an AM5 might give you a bit of extra performance, especially since the 9070 uses PCIe 5.0. But honestly, the performance difference between PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 is really small—only about 1%. In most cases, you won’t even notice it unless you’re running top-of-the-line GPUs like the RTX 5090.
Exactly! Unless you're aiming for the highest-end cards, the upgrade might not be worth the extra cost. Stick with what works for you right now!
Exactly! If you're spending a lot on a GPU, you want to make sure it's being used to its full potential. Low CPU usage means you're getting the best bang for your buck with your setup right now.
The 100% GPU usage indicates that you're GPU bottlenecked, which is where you want to be if you're primarily gaming. However, if you go for that 9070, make sure you check for compatibility with your motherboard. Also, be cautious with that OLED monitor; it's pricey! You might want to put more money towards a better GPU instead of the monitor.
Yeah, I checked out some benchmarks, and the difference is pretty negligible less than 1% in real-world gaming scenarios. If your current setup is working, maybe just stick with AM4 for now unless you really want to future-proof.