Bottleneck Calculator: CPU vs GPU Balance for PC Gaming

Determine if your CPU throttles your GPU in 1080p, 1440p, or 4K with projected competitive and AAA gaming FPS estimates.

CPU / GPU bottleneck: how the tool estimates it

There is no standard method for putting a number on a bottleneck: the tool compares a relative processor score (55 to 100) with the graphics card score (40 to 110) weighted by resolution, and expresses the gap as a percentage. Up to 12%, the build is rated balanced. The result is a heuristic, not an in-game measurement.

The tool's formula

Each listed part has an internal score: 55 (Core i3-12100F) to 100 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Core i9-14900KS) for CPUs, 40 (GTX 1660 Super) to 110 (RTX 4090) for graphics cards. The GPU score is divided by a resolution load factor: 0.8 at 1080p, 1 at 1440p, 1.45 at 4K; the higher the resolution, the fewer frames the graphics card delivers. The gap is (weighted GPU − CPU) / the larger of the two, capped at 65%. Positive gap: CPU bottleneck; negative: GPU bottleneck; 12% or less: balanced.

FPS figures come from two empirical formulas: esports = (2.8 × CPU + 1.5 × GPU) × 1 / 0.8 / 0.55 by resolution; AAA ultra = 1.4 × GPU × 1.2 / 0.85 / 0.5.

Example: Ryzen 5 7600 (85) with RTX 4070 (86) at 1440p: (86 − 85) / 86 = 1%, balanced, about 294 FPS in esports and 102 FPS in AAA. At 1080p the weighted GPU rises to 107.5: a 21% CPU-side gap, 367 and 144 FPS. At 4K it drops to 59.3: a 30% GPU-side gap.

Limits

  • Scores and FPS come from no published benchmark; they give an order of magnitude only.
  • The resolution factors are fixed, whereas the real graphics card load depends on the game and graphics settings; treat the percentage with care.
  • The RAM selection is not used in the calculation.
  • The list stops at RTX 40, Radeon RX 7000, Ryzen 7000 and 14th-gen Core.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a bottleneck on a gaming PC?

It is the part that caps frames per second while the other waits. If the CPU cannot prepare frames fast enough, the graphics card sits partly idle, and vice versa. One of the two always limits; the question is by how much.

Is a 10% bottleneck bad?

No. The tool treats a gap of 12% or less as a balanced build. The percentage is an estimate from internal scores, not a measured FPS loss.

Does resolution change the bottleneck?

Yes: at 1080p the CPU works harder, at 4K the load falls mainly on the graphics card. The tool divides the graphics card score by 1.45 at 4K: a Ryzen 5 7600 with an RTX 4070 thus goes from a 21% CPU bottleneck at 1080p to a 30% GPU bottleneck at 4K.

How can I check a CPU bottleneck myself?

Run a game with a GPU usage overlay (driver overlay or monitoring software). If GPU usage stays well below its maximum while FPS levels off, the CPU or the game engine is limiting. Lowering the resolution with no FPS gain confirms it.

Is this tool really free?

Yes, all tools on Kristools are 100% free and accessible without registration.

Is my data protected?

Yes. All processing is performed directly and securely inside your browser. No personal data is sent to our servers.