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Bottleneck Calculator

Choose a processor and graphics card to see whether the processor is expected to limit frame rates. How the estimates work.

AMD Ryzen 5 9600 / 9600X with GeForce RTX 5090

  • 1080p

    Slight CPU limit

    5%estimated loss

    10 of 10 games CPU limited, 249 fps average

  • 1440p

    Well matched

    0%estimated loss

    0 of 10 games CPU limited, 215 fps average

  • 4K

    Well matched

    0%estimated loss

    0 of 10 games CPU limited, 137 fps average

At 1080p the AMD Ryzen 5 9600 / 9600X is expected to cost about 5% of the frame rate the GeForce RTX 5090 could deliver, with 10 of 10 games capped by the processor.

At 1440p and 4K the graphics card becomes the limit again, so the pairing is a reasonable fit if that is how you play.

To use this graphics card fully at 1080p, the least powerful processor in our data that stays well matched is the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X.

If you are keeping the AMD Ryzen 5 9600 / 9600X, the fastest graphics card it runs without a meaningful limit at 1080p is the GeForce RTX 4090.

Estimated frame rate with this processor compared with the graphics card's potential
Game1080p1440p4K
ValorantHigh, native435 fps475 possible, 8% lost390 fpsGPU limited245 fpsGPU limited
FortniteEpic, DLSS Quality315 fps335 possible, 6% lost275 fpsGPU limited175 fpsGPU limited
Call of Duty: WarzoneHigh, DLSS Quality225 fps240 possible, 6% lost195 fpsGPU limited125 fpsGPU limited
Apex LegendsHigh, native345 fps365 possible, 5% lost300 fpsGPU limited190 fpsGPU limited
Cyberpunk 2077Ultra RT, DLSS Quality150 fps155 possible, 3% lost125 fpsGPU limited80 fpsGPU limited
Alan Wake 2High RT, DLSS Quality135 fps140 possible, 4% lost115 fpsGPU limited75 fpsGPU limited
StarfieldUltra, DLSS Quality185 fps195 possible, 5% lost160 fpsGPU limited100 fpsGPU limited
Baldur's Gate 3Ultra, native255 fps265 possible, 4% lost220 fpsGPU limited140 fpsGPU limited
Hogwarts LegacyUltra RT, DLSS Quality205 fps210 possible, 2% lost175 fpsGPU limited110 fpsGPU limited
Marvel's Spider-Man 2High RT, DLSS Quality235 fps240 possible, 2% lost195 fpsGPU limited125 fpsGPU limited

Estimates, not measurements. “Possible” is the frame rate the graphics card could reach with a top-tier processor.

See the full frame rate estimates for this pairing

Popular bottleneck checks

What a bottleneck is

A bottleneck is the part that sets the limit on performance. In games it is usually the graphics card, and that is fine. It becomes a problem when the processor cannot prepare frames as fast as the graphics card can draw them, because then part of what you paid for in the graphics card goes unused.

Processor limits show up most at 1080p and in fast competitive games, where frame rates are high. At 4K the graphics card does far more work per frame, so the processor matters less.

How these estimates work

Every number on this page is an estimate from a reference table, not a measurement of your PC. The table holds a typical average frame rate for each graphics chip in each game at 1080p, 1440p and 4K, at the settings shown beside the game title, with the graphics card as the limiting part.

The processor sets a ceiling. For each game we take the fastest result in the table as the most a top-tier processor can deliver, then lower that ceiling for slower processors. Games that lean heavily on the processor, such as competitive shooters, lose more than games that lean on the graphics card. The estimate is whichever is lower: what the graphics card can draw or what the processor can feed it.

Real results vary with memory speed, cooling, driver versions, game patches and the scene being played. Treat the figures as a guide to which pairings make sense, not as a promise of what your own PC will do.

Read more about how we handle data and corrections in our editorial policy.