Welcome back good people to revision 2.0 of the ultimate bottlenecking guide! It has been overdue for a long while now...but I was finally able to find time to bring it together!
I have streamlined the new spreadsheets tremendously vs. the old bottlenecking spreadsheets. Several improvements include grouping up all non overclockable chips into one name, putting all graphics card models into one spreadsheet, and making everything easier to read.
Difficulties In Measuring Bottlenecks:
The reason why bottlenecking is so confusing is because it's on a game to game basis and a frame rate basis. Games A, B and C bottleneck, but X,Y and Z don't but if you have a FPS of 200fps or more on those games, the results could be the complete opposite. This is why narrowing down which CPUs bottleneck which GPUs can get extremely difficult.
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I’ve broken down the type of bottlenecking in 4 colors:
Black = No bottlenecking issues.
Magenta = CPU bottlenecking GPU only in a worst case scenario.
Blue = CPU bottlenecking GPU only in more advanced/CPU intensive games (like Crysis 3).
Red = CPU bottlenecking GPU in all gaming applications.
Resolutions (In the spreadsheets, each category presume a specific resolution):
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Category = 1440P
GeForce GTX 1080 Category = 1440P
GeForce GTX 1070 Category = 1440P
GeForce GTX 1060 Category = 1080P
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Intel Bottlenecking Chart
AMD Bottlenecking Chart
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What is Bottlenecking?
Bottlenecking is where one component is hindering another components performance/efficency.
Truth be told, there is ALWAYS a bottleneck in a computer. Like a CPU being bottlenecked by a GPU -- yeah that’s legit -- but that isn't always a bad thing. When one component is not at 100% utilization, that means it’s being bottlenecked by something whether it’s temps, fans, software utilization etc.
Why Do GPUs Get Bottlenecked by CPUs (When Gaming)?
In a gaming oriented computer, the CPU is the 2nd most important component in your system. The CPU’s job is to send pre-rendered frames to the GPU. The contents of pre-rendered frames are basically anything not related to what the GPU will render. A good example of this is the positioning/location of AI and the positions of your teammates and enemies.
While pre-rendered frames aren’t as hard to render as fully rendered frames, it still takes quite a bit of power from the CPU to render them out --of course this depends on the game engine--. This is why you still need a powerful central processing unit for any kind of modern or advanced game you want to play.
Bottlenecking is Also Affected by Frame Rate:
Supahos, another member here at TH, describes this subject very accurately:
I have streamlined the new spreadsheets tremendously vs. the old bottlenecking spreadsheets. Several improvements include grouping up all non overclockable chips into one name, putting all graphics card models into one spreadsheet, and making everything easier to read.
Difficulties In Measuring Bottlenecks:
The reason why bottlenecking is so confusing is because it's on a game to game basis and a frame rate basis. Games A, B and C bottleneck, but X,Y and Z don't but if you have a FPS of 200fps or more on those games, the results could be the complete opposite. This is why narrowing down which CPUs bottleneck which GPUs can get extremely difficult.
****************************************************************************
I’ve broken down the type of bottlenecking in 4 colors:
Black = No bottlenecking issues.
Magenta = CPU bottlenecking GPU only in a worst case scenario.
Blue = CPU bottlenecking GPU only in more advanced/CPU intensive games (like Crysis 3).
Red = CPU bottlenecking GPU in all gaming applications.
Resolutions (In the spreadsheets, each category presume a specific resolution):
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Category = 1440P
GeForce GTX 1080 Category = 1440P
GeForce GTX 1070 Category = 1440P
GeForce GTX 1060 Category = 1080P
****************************************************************************
Intel Bottlenecking Chart
AMD Bottlenecking Chart
****************************************************************************
What is Bottlenecking?
Bottlenecking is where one component is hindering another components performance/efficency.
Truth be told, there is ALWAYS a bottleneck in a computer. Like a CPU being bottlenecked by a GPU -- yeah that’s legit -- but that isn't always a bad thing. When one component is not at 100% utilization, that means it’s being bottlenecked by something whether it’s temps, fans, software utilization etc.
Why Do GPUs Get Bottlenecked by CPUs (When Gaming)?
In a gaming oriented computer, the CPU is the 2nd most important component in your system. The CPU’s job is to send pre-rendered frames to the GPU. The contents of pre-rendered frames are basically anything not related to what the GPU will render. A good example of this is the positioning/location of AI and the positions of your teammates and enemies.
While pre-rendered frames aren’t as hard to render as fully rendered frames, it still takes quite a bit of power from the CPU to render them out --of course this depends on the game engine--. This is why you still need a powerful central processing unit for any kind of modern or advanced game you want to play.
Bottlenecking is Also Affected by Frame Rate:
Supahos, another member here at TH, describes this subject very accurately:
Supahos :
Every CPU is capable of only a certain number of frames in every game. The resolution and settings have very little effect on CPU sided FPS limitations. This is why if you drop graphical settings in simple games your FPS doesn't go up. The CPU was the hold up and the lowered settings don't help your CPU.
As an example, if you are playing League of legends at 720P with a GTX Titan XP, your CPU is holding you back from more frames. (I don't care if you're running a 7700K overclocked at 5.2GHz, it's still the weakest link.) That same system playing Battlefield 1 at 4K ultra settings would make the Titan "bottleneck" the 7700K.
Every GPU has a maximum number of frames it can render at any given setting/resolution. Higher the settings or resolution the less FPS it can possibly render.
Okay so where does the bottleneck come in?
In any given game and setting whichever is lower for maximum possible frames (CPU or GPU) is the fps you'll get roughly.
A GTX 1070 at 1080P in League of Legends will most likely get the same FPS as a GTX Titan XP, since the CPU was the hold up to begin with.
Conversely, a 7600K at 4K max settings paired with a GTX 1070 will have the same FPS as a 6950X paired with a 1070. Because the GPU is the bottleneck in that instance.
As an example, if you are playing League of legends at 720P with a GTX Titan XP, your CPU is holding you back from more frames. (I don't care if you're running a 7700K overclocked at 5.2GHz, it's still the weakest link.) That same system playing Battlefield 1 at 4K ultra settings would make the Titan "bottleneck" the 7700K.
Every GPU has a maximum number of frames it can render at any given setting/resolution. Higher the settings or resolution the less FPS it can possibly render.
Okay so where does the bottleneck come in?
In any given game and setting whichever is lower for maximum possible frames (CPU or GPU) is the fps you'll get roughly.
A GTX 1070 at 1080P in League of Legends will most likely get the same FPS as a GTX Titan XP, since the CPU was the hold up to begin with.
Conversely, a 7600K at 4K max settings paired with a GTX 1070 will have the same FPS as a 6950X paired with a 1070. Because the GPU is the bottleneck in that instance.