I'm currently using an RTX 3090 but my gaming experience is really suffering because my CPU, an i5 9400F, is bottlenecking. My CPU usage spikes to 100% while the GPU is only around 30-40%. This leads to stuttering and issues loading games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Fortnite. I have a Z390 Plus motherboard with an LGA1151 chipset, and I've been suggested to go for an i9 9900K or an i7 9700K. I want to save some cash, and some bottleneck calculators hint that these options would still leave me with a 30% bottleneck compared to my current CPU's 40%. I've heard these calculators aren't reliable, so I'm looking for advice on a solid CPU upgrade to alleviate these bottleneck issues without breaking the bank. Any recommendations?
2 Answers
Don’t waste your money on the 9900K or 9700K! You’ll see minimal improvement and it won’t fix the bottleneck. Look into upgrading your motherboard to an AM4 socket. A Ryzen 5 5600 or even higher would be a great option and would result in much better performance across your games.
Honestly, I'd steer clear of the 9900K or 9700K. They're not worth the cash for the performance gain you’d get, especially with a 3090. Instead, I’d recommend making the switch to AM4 and grabbing a B550 board alongside a Ryzen 5 5600X or 5700X. You’ll see a huge improvement without dropping too much cash.
Yeah, totally agree! The Ryzen CPUs are way better for gaming right now, plus you won't have to upgrade your GPU anytime soon.