Learning how to diagnose and fix the processor bottleneck in the computer

In this article, we decided to introduce you to the easiest way to detect and fix the processor bottleneck in the computer so that you can make the most of its power.

Diagnosing the processor bottleneck in the computer, which is called a bottleneck, is usually a time-consuming task, but if you know what parameters to check, you will be able to identify the bottleneck in a few minutes and then fix it. In the following, we are going to teach you how to do this on your computer using the easiest possible method.

Learning how to diagnose and fix the processor bottleneck in the computer

Checking the amount of GPU usage in the MSI Afterburner program

MSI Afterburner is one of the best software for overclocking graphics processors. Since this software comes with the RivaTuner Statistics Server (RTSS) program, it can be used to check CPU and GPU usage along with other information such as component power consumption, clock speeds, memory frequency, temperature, etc. did

If you don’t know why it is necessary to check the GPU usage in order to detect the CPU bottleneck, it is better to explain a little more in this field. If the central processor creates a bottleneck for your computer, the graphics card cannot work at its maximum power; Therefore, it is recommended to install MSI Afterburner software on your computer to view component statistics and detect processor bottlenecks.

After installing this software, open one of the games you usually play and check the amount of GPU usage while running it. Here we ran Valorant game on PC to detect processor bottleneck. If you notice that the GPU utilization is below 90%, it means that the CPU is preventing your graphics card from working at its maximum power.

Of course, in some cases, this may happen because the game is not optimized. However, it is recommended to check your GPU usage while running three or four different games to make sure the results are correct. As you can see in the screenshot above, the RTX 4090 GPU is being used at 35% despite the display running at around 500fps at 1440p resolution.

Therefore, it can be said that the Ryzen 5900X central processor used in this test is creating a bottleneck, and to solve it, newer models such as Ryzen 7800X3D or Ryzen 7950X3D should be prepared. In addition, a large drop in frame rate is one of the signs of a processor bottleneck. For example, while running a game at 150 frames per second, this rate will drop to 60 or 70 frames per second every few minutes.

Another easy way to detect CPU bottleneck is to use online bottleneck calculators. To do this, just enter the specifications of your computer in the calculator and select the resolution in which you will run the games to determine whether the processor you are using creates a bottleneck for your computer or not.

Why does low graphics card use indicate a processor bottleneck?

If the CPU cannot process more frames along with the graphics card, the usage of the GPU will decrease. This means that your graphics card has more power than the processing power of the CPU. For example, a high-end graphics card like the RTX 4090 will be too powerful for a computer that has a Ryzen 5900X processor; As a result, you won’t be able to get the most out of your GPU.

To solve this problem, you need to upgrade your computer’s CPU to more powerful models such as Ryzen 7950X3D or Intel Core i9 14900KS. It is worth noting that today’s high-end graphics cards are designed to run games at 1440p and 4K resolution. Therefore, if you run games at lower resolutions such as 1080p, your high-end graphics card will not use its maximum power even with the fastest CPU on the market.

To reduce the bottleneck, you can run games in higher resolutions such as 1440p or 4K; In addition, increase their graphics settings so that the graphics card uses most of its power instead of the CPU. However, don’t forget that the best way to solve the CPU bottleneck in your computer is to buy a faster model so you can get more out of your graphics card.