Core i5-3470S + AMD RX 470 Bottleneck Analysis

The Core i5-3470S and AMD RX 470 are 10% apart at 1440p (7% at 1080p, 13% at 4K) - check the per-resolution breakdown below for where this pairing makes sense.

Balance across resolutions

1080p

Balanced

1440p

Balanced

4K

GPU 12-15%

Benchmark data updated July 2026 · prices sync daily from retail feeds · how we score

Component scores below are out of 100 on our gaming-performance scale, weighted by how much each resolution leans on the CPU vs the GPU - the closer the two weighted scores, the more balanced the pairing.

1080p (Full HD)

Well Balanced
CPU: Core i5-3470SScore: 28/100
GPU: AMD RX 470Score: 17/100
CPU Weight: 60%GPU Weight: 40%

Estimated AAA Game FPS

Based on gaming scores. Actual FPS varies by title.

perf

36

FPS

balanced

28

FPS

ultra

21

FPS

Great pairing! The Core i5-3470S and AMD RX 470 are well-matched at 1080p (Full HD). Both components will be utilized efficiently with minimal performance waste. This is an ideal combination for this resolution.

1440p (Quad HD)

Well Balanced
CPU: Core i5-3470SScore: 28/100
GPU: AMD RX 470Score: 17/100
CPU Weight: 40%GPU Weight: 60%

Estimated AAA Game FPS

Based on gaming scores. Actual FPS varies by title.

perf

28

FPS

balanced

20

FPS

ultra

14

FPS

Great pairing! The Core i5-3470S and AMD RX 470 are well-matched at 1440p (Quad HD). Both components will be utilized efficiently with minimal performance waste. This is an ideal combination for this resolution.

4K (Ultra HD)

Moderate GPU Bottleneck (12-15%)
CPU: Core i5-3470SScore: 28/100
GPU: AMD RX 470Score: 17/100

Limiting factor at this resolution

CPU Weight: 20%GPU Weight: 80%

Estimated AAA Game FPS

Based on gaming scores. Actual FPS varies by title.

perf

18

FPS

balanced

12

FPS

ultra

9

FPS

At 4K (Ultra HD), the AMD RX 470 will hold back the Core i5-3470S by roughly 12-15% depending on the game. At 4K the GPU carries most of the workload, and your graphics card is the limiting factor. Upgrading your GPU would provide the biggest performance improvement at this resolution.

Core i5-3470S + AMD RX 470

We do not recommend buying every part in this pairing today - the ones worth buying link out to retailers, and the rest point to current alternatives instead:

Core i5-3470S

CPU · Score 28/100

Core i5-3470S

LGA1155 · 65W TDP

AMD RX 470

GPU · Score 17/100

AMD RX 470

4GB VRAM · 120W TDP · used / remaining stock

The AMD RX 470 is discontinued - its price is an estimate of the used / remaining-stock market, not current new-retail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Core i5-3470S a bottleneck for the AMD RX 470?

No, the Core i5-3470S and AMD RX 470 are well-matched at 1440p with only a 10% difference. This is an excellent pairing.

What resolution is best for the Core i5-3470S + AMD RX 470?

The Core i5-3470S and AMD RX 470 are most balanced at 1080p with only a 7% bottleneck. At 1080p, bottleneck is 7%. At 1440p, it's 10%. At 4K, it's 13%.

Should I upgrade from the Core i5-3470S or AMD RX 470?

Neither - this pairing is well-balanced. Only upgrade when you want to target a higher resolution or need more performance in specific games.

Try Different Components

Want to test other parts? Use our free bottleneck calculator to compare any CPU and GPU pair.