The CPU is your computer’s primary brain, and it’s what enables your system to do complicated computations. Certain apps, such as Tycoon games, will use a lot more CPU power since they must continually execute sophisticated calculations in response to the player’s actions. You will encounter bottlenecking if your CPU does not stack up. However, this may not apply to all games.
Does the CPU affect FPS (frames per second)?
In a video game, the CPU does have an impact on your FPS. Games that need the AI (the artificial “brain” that controls the game’s activities in accordance with user inputs) to execute complicated tasks rapidly are often CPU-intensive. As a result, having a game strategy before purchasing PC components is critical.
To put it another way, if your CPU can’t keep up with your GPU’s performance (or vice versa), you’re bottlenecked. You may have the fastest CPU on the planet, but if it takes longer than your GPU to produce the next frame in a game, your FPS will suffer.
You’ve probably heard that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This is true in this case since all of your computer’s components are working together to offer you services.
Is it better to have a CPU bottleneck or a GPU bottleneck?
My gaming PC has been bottlenecked by a GPU for almost four years, and I’d much prefer to be bottlenecked by a GPU than a CPU. There’s a reason why most inexpensive laptops come with a barebones iGPU (integrated graphics processing unit). It’s a GPU that’s built right into the CPU chip, as the name indicates. These are often inferior to standalone GPUs, although they are less expensive.
A competent or superior CPU enables your computer to do a range of sophisticated activities, like programming, code compilation, and video export, to mention a few. It’s not an issue if your GPU is the bottleneck. You may simply lower the graphic quality and gain a smoother FPS by adjusting your in-game settings.
How to eliminate CPU bottleneck
Unfortunately, since a CPU bottleneck is caused by a performance discrepancy between the CPU and the GPU, there are no viable solutions. You may change a few things in your system to get small gains. If the issue is extremely serious, I propose searching for a CPU upgrade as a visible remedy. Use these recommendations if it isn’t, and you’re simply seeking methods to improve your already good performance.
Close background programs
Your CPU must devote all of its resources to the activity at hand, which I assume is gaming in this instance. To open the Task Manager, press the ctrl+shift+esc keys together. The Task Manager, as the name indicates, assists you in managing the tasks that are currently running on your computer and freeing up resources. However, proceed with care since there are services functioning that, if shut off, might cause your system to collapse.
Looking for programs you know and determining whether or not they need to be available right now is a better method to go about it. It’s a good idea to remove any apps you haven’t been using while you’re at it. On a Windows computer, right-click the search bar in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
In general, ensuring that your CPU burden is minimal before starting a game will result in a more enjoyable experience.
Scan for Viruses
This connects to my prior statement concerning CPU use. Another reason for excessive background CPU consumption is if your computer is afflicted with malware. Viruses are merely programs, although with evil purposes, at the end of the day. Kaspersky Antivirus comes highly recommended. It’s the one I use on my laptops, and the free version meets all of my requirements.
Change in-game settings if they’re there
This ties in with my previous point on CPU use. If your computer is infected with malware, this might also cause high background CPU utilization. Viruses are, at the end of the day, just programs with malicious intent. Kaspersky Antivirus is an antivirus program that comes highly recommended. It’s what I use on my computers, and the free version fulfills all of my needs.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the CPU is your computer’s logical brain that does computations. The GPU is your computer’s creative brain, handling everything visually taxing like gaming or streaming video. In general, being bottlenecked by your GPU is better since you can always lower the game’s visual settings to get greater framerates.
If your CPU is bottlenecking you, there are a few options you may change to alleviate its strain. Although you can search for malware, close apps that aren’t in use, and overclock your RAM and/or CPU to notice minor speed gains.
