Can a CPU bottleneck lead to game stutters?
Can a CPU bottleneck lead to game stutters?
Hello. This is my initial post, and I gathered a lot of helpful information from the forum, so I thought it best to ask for clarification. I recently upgraded both my GPU and PSU.
Old specifications:
CPU: Intel G4560
GPU: GTX 1050
RAM: 12GB
PSU: Corsair VS 450w
New specifications:
CPU: Intel G4560 [I’m aware it may limit my GPU performance, but I’m upgrading slowly because of budget issues]
GPU: RX 5700 XT
RAM: 12GB
PSU: Seasonic GX 650w Gold
I completed two benchmarks:
Heavens benchmark: the new setup performs significantly better in FPS, with minimal stuttering.
Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail benchmark:
This game is an MMO with many character models and animations. In less crowded sections, everything runs smoothly and delivers much higher FPS compared to Heavens. However, in busy areas, I noticed more frequent stutters than before. Previously, my old setup maintained 25-28 FPS in those zones without any noticeable lag.
Feel free to correct me if I’m mistaken—I’m hoping the new GPU will still deliver similar performance even with the CPU bottleneck, ideally maintaining around 30 FPS without stuttering. That would make it playable for me. Could you explain a bit more about how this might happen? Thanks.
Certainly can. I saw this before a while back when I had an older Athlon X2 CPU and switched to an Nvidia GTS 450. Yeah, that was a long time ago lol. But whenever I tried to play Battlefield Bad Company 2, no matter what I did, it just wouldn’t stop.
The idea is to crank up the visuals and check if that helps balance things since the GPU has to work harder. Or maybe increasing the resolution could assist too. But in the end, you really want a faster CPU.
It basically slows down because the GPU is delivering frames quicker than your CPU can handle them and load the next parts of the level.
Thanks for the responses. I figured it out. Although my CPU is a bottleneck, it shouldn't lead to stutters in my situation.
The stutters were due to AMD Adrenalin performance overlay. It was interesting to see how micro stutters appeared and how frequent they were. However, it was actually the overlay that triggered the stutters! I turned it off and switched to Msi afterburner with Rtss for the overlay, and everything worked perfectly.
Just another case where AMD software limits hardware performance. I'm relieved it wasn't a driver problem. Now I can confidently upgrade my CPU knowing the stutters are gone. I think they would still exist if I upgraded sooner, which would have added even more confusion... because there would be so many things to check, like the new motherboard, etc.
After upgrading and fine-tuning, the 5700xt remains a decent card. It was used for a while and performs almost like a 6600xt. At 1080p it should work well. For older titles it can even manage 1440p.
It's true, I checked its performance before buying. It offers excellent value for the price, especially for 1080p usage. I just need to find a suitable CPU to go with it now!
As someone familiar with AMD systems, I believe Intel’s 12th generation parts offer significant benefits. You can easily find a solid z690 board compatible with DDR4 for around $130.
For instance
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16813162039...6813162039
CPU on a budget
https://www.newegg.com/intel-core-i5-124...6819118360
This setup would let you upgrade to the 14th generation if needed. For 250, an i5 processor and a z690 board should support around 14th gen performance. I estimate 32GB DDR4 could handle 50-60 MHz comfortably. It’s definitely a solid choice without breaking the bank. Of course, you could opt for DDR5 or higher-end CPUs to see what’s available even on a tighter budget.