CPU & GPU Bottleneck Calculator
Pick your CPU, GPU and resolution to see whether your build is balanced or bottlenecked — and which component is holding back the other.
41%
CPU-limited at 1080p
Your CPU can't fully feed this GPU at 1080p, so some GPU power goes unused. A faster CPU — or gaming at a higher resolution — closes the gap.
Core i5-12400
GeForce RTX 4070
Bottleneck estimates are deterministic and directional — real behaviour depends on the specific game, settings and frame-rate target. Higher resolutions shift load onto the GPU, easing CPU bottlenecks.
How it works
What is a CPU/GPU bottleneck?+
A bottleneck is when one component holds back another. If your CPU can't prepare frames fast enough for a powerful GPU, the GPU sits partly idle (CPU-limited). If the GPU is the slower part, it simply sets your frame rate (GPU-limited) — which is normal and healthy for gaming.
Is a bottleneck bad?+
Not always. Being GPU-limited is the ideal state for gaming — it means your CPU isn't the constraint. A CPU bottleneck matters more, especially at 1080p and high frame rates; raising the resolution or settings shifts load to the GPU and reduces it.
How accurate is this calculator?+
It's a deterministic, directional estimate from our GPU/CPU benchmark database — great for spotting a clearly mismatched pairing. Exact behaviour always depends on the specific game, settings and frame-rate target, so treat it as guidance, not a guarantee.