I've been using the same PC for a few years, but over the past few months my gaming performance has started to feel limited. My system has a Ryzen 7 2700X, an RTX 3060 with 12GB of VRAM, and 32GB of DDR4-3200 memory. I mainly play Diablo 4 at 1080p on a 165Hz monitor, but I'm usually getting only around 60–75 FPS, even with the settings turned down to low. My graphics drivers are up to date. Could the CPU be holding back the GPU, or might something else be causing the low frame rate? I'd prefer not to spend money on upgrades unless they're really necessary.
4 Answers
You can also use a frame-time monitoring tool such as Intel PresentMon. If the CPU-related frame time is much higher than the GPU busy time, that points to a CPU bottleneck. If both remain close together and move in sync, the limitation may be more balanced or caused by another setting.
At 1080p, the 2700X can definitely hold back an RTX 3060 in newer games, especially if you’re aiming for high refresh rates. It may not be the only possible cause, but that processor is starting to show its age in modern titles. Check per-core usage too, since one or two heavily loaded cores can limit FPS even when overall CPU usage doesn’t look maxed out.
A CPU upgrade would probably help, but you don’t necessarily need the most expensive option. A Ryzen 5 5600 is a strong value upgrade, and a Ryzen 5 3600 would still be a noticeable improvement if you find one cheaply. Make sure your motherboard supports the chosen processor and update the BIOS first if needed.
Check your CPU and GPU usage while the game is running. A quick way to test it is to lower the resolution scale significantly. If the frame rate barely changes while GPU usage drops, the CPU is probably limiting performance. If the frame rate improves substantially, the GPU or graphics settings are more likely to be the issue.
I’ve looked at the 5800X3D as well, but it’s currently outside my budget. I’ll compare the cheaper options and check motherboard support before deciding.