CPU Diagnostics

Does your CPU bottleneck your GPU?

Pick your processor to see the biggest graphics card it can drive without choking, the real signs of a CPU bottleneck on that chip, and what actually fixes it. Verdicts use real 1080p gaming data, not synthetic scores.

Ryzen 5 2600 →6-core Zen+ budget veteran Ryzen 5 3600 →Zen 2 six-core, still one of AM4's best value picks Ryzen 5 5500 →cut-down Zen 3 budget chip Ryzen 5 5600 →6-core AM4 value chip Ryzen 5 5600X →clocked-up Zen 3 six-core Ryzen 5 7600X →6-core Zen 4 gaming chip Ryzen 7 3700X →8-core Zen 2 workhorse Ryzen 7 5700X →8-core Zen 3 gaming chip Ryzen 7 5700X3D →AM4 3D V-Cache gaming chip Ryzen 7 5800X →8-core Zen 3 flagship (AM4)Ryzen 7 7800X3D →flagship gaming X3D (AM5)Ryzen 7 9800X3D →flagship gaming X3D (AM5, Zen 5)Xeon E5-2690 v4 →14-core Broadwell-EP server chip

Shopping instead of diagnosing? See the best GPU for your CPU, check a specific pairing, or run your exact build through the bottleneck calculator.

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Bottleneck calculatorMatch any CPU and GPU FPS calculatorEstimate frames in any game PSU calculatorSize your power supply Can I run itCheck a game's requirements GPU comparisonsCompare any two graphics cards CPU comparisonsCompare any two processors

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