A PC bottleneck is a workload-specific limitation. The component that limits performance can change when you switch games, resolution, graphics settings or target frame rate. A useful bottleneck check therefore looks at the complete system instead of relying on one percentage.
Check GPU utilization first
During the exact game or application you care about, observe GPU utilization, GPU clock speed, VRAM usage and frame time. Sustained high GPU utilization while performance is below your target can indicate that the graphics card is doing most of the work.
Check CPU usage per core
Total CPU utilization can hide an important game thread. Look at per-core or per-thread usage when possible. Low GPU utilization combined with one or more heavily loaded CPU threads can indicate a processor or game-engine limit.
Test another resolution
Keep other settings as consistent as possible and lower the resolution. If frame rate changes substantially, graphics rendering is likely contributing strongly to the limitation. If performance changes little while CPU threads remain busy, investigate the CPU or application engine.
Check temperatures and clocks
High temperatures can change boost behavior. Record temperature and clock speed together. If clock speed falls as temperature rises, cooling may be part of the performance problem.
Check RAM and storage activity
Near-full system memory can increase paging and contribute to stutter. Storage speed has a larger effect on startup, loading and asset streaming than on steady average FPS, although slow storage can still contribute to pauses in some workloads.
Use a calculator as a planning tool
Our PC Bottleneck Calculator can provide a quick estimate from your CPU, GPU, resolution, workload and supporting hardware. For an important upgrade decision, confirm the estimate with monitoring and benchmarks from your actual workload.