How BottleneckPC Works

Gaming Score System

Every CPU and GPU in our database is assigned a gaming score from 0 to 100. This score represents relative gaming performance, where 100 is the best currently available hardware. Scores are based on aggregate benchmark data from real-world gaming tests, normalized to our 0-100 scale.

Resolution Weights

Resolution dramatically affects which component matters more. At 1080p, the CPU handles most of the frame preparation work. At 4K, the GPU is doing the heavy lifting rendering millions more pixels. We weight our calculations accordingly:

This is why the same CPU+GPU combo can be balanced at one resolution and bottlenecked at another. A budget CPU paired with a high-end GPU might be fine at 4K but bottlenecked at 1080p.

Bottleneck Calculation

The bottleneck percentage represents how much one component is limiting the other. Here's the process:

1. 1Weight scores by resolution - CPU and GPU gaming scores are multiplied by the resolution-specific weights (e.g., at 1080p: CPU score × 0.6, GPU score × 0.4).
2. 2Calculate the score difference - If the absolute difference between CPU and GPU gaming scores is 10 or less, the pairing is considered balanced.
3. 3Determine bottleneck side - Thresholds vary by resolution. At 1080p (CPU-heavy), even a small CPU deficit causes a bottleneck. At 4K (GPU-heavy), the CPU needs to be significantly weaker before it becomes the bottleneck.
4. 4Calculate bottleneck % - The score difference is multiplied by the bottleneck side's weight and a severity factor, capped at 50%.

Upgrade Recommendations

When a bottleneck is detected, we suggest upgrades with these rules:

• •Same-socket CPU upgrades only - We won't suggest switching platforms unless your current socket is maxed out. Drop-in upgrades save money.
• •Minimum +5 score gain - We filter out sidegrades. Every recommendation provides a meaningful performance improvement.
• •Sorted by performance - Best options shown first, with real prices and direct buy links.
• •Platform overhaul bundles - When your socket is maxed out (e.g., AM4, LGA1200), we show complete upgrade bundles for modern platforms (AM5, LGA1851) including CPU, motherboard, and RAM with total pricing.

Build Optimization

Our PC Builder generates optimized builds at six budget tiers ($750, $1,000, $1,500, $2,000, $2,500, $3,000+) across four use cases (gaming, streaming, productivity, all-around). The optimization formula differs by tier:

Data Freshness

Prices are updated daily from Newegg's product feed via our automated sync pipeline. Hardware specs and gaming scores are reviewed and updated as new products launch and benchmark data becomes available.