I recently upgraded my GPU from a 1060 6GB to an RX 9060 XT with 16GB of VRAM, while keeping my existing setup of an i5-8400 and 24GB of DDR4-2666MHz RAM. I'm aware that my CPU is a bottleneck, but I'm trying to gauge how severe it really is. Is it a case where my GPU is barely utilizing its power, or is it more about my CPU being maxed out but still allowing me to play AAA games for another year?
5 Answers
If you're looking for a cost-effective upgrade, consider getting a 12400F or 12600K along with a B660 or B760 DDR4 motherboard. I've made a similar upgrade and noticed a considerable performance boost, but you'll still be held back with your current CPU, especially in demanding games.
You can find bottleneck calculators online, but honestly, they're not always reliable. You might want to skip those.
I didn’t know those existed, thanks!
Monitor your GPU utilization while gaming—if it's maxed out, you're GPU bottlenecked. If it's below that, your CPU is likely the limiting factor.
Got it! So, I shouldn’t cap the framerate for that test to get an accurate reading?
Ideally, your GPU should be running close to 100% at an unlocked framerate. If your CPU is hitting 100%, causing stuttering, that's a clear sign of a bottleneck. Given your 6-core setup, it's likely pretty significant, especially with slower RAM.
It varies from game to game, but I had an i7-8700K, and in Elden Ring, it would drop to about 50-55 FPS in some areas due to CPU limitations. You might experience similar dips considering your setup.
Yeah, I noticed some lag today too. My CPU tends to hit 100% while the GPU is around 60-70% usage.
I was thinking of doing that but I'm leaning towards upgrading directly to a DDR5-compatible CPU for better longevity since I usually upgrade every 7-8 years.