Should You Upgrade Your CPU or GPU First?
The eternal question for PC gamers. We'll help you diagnose your specific bottleneck and decide where to spend your budget for the biggest performance jump.
The Quick Diagnosis
Upgrade GPU If...
- You play at 1440p or 4K resolution
- You have a high-end CPU but an older card (e.g., i7-12700K + GTX 1060)
- You want to enable Ray Tracing
- Your GPU usage is consistently hitting 99-100%
Upgrade CPU If...
- You play competitive esports games at 1080p (CS2, Valorant)
- You experience heavy stuttering or frame drops
- Your GPU usage is often below 90% while gaming
- You do productivity work (Video Editing, 3D Rendering)
1. The Visual Upgrade (GPU)
The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is responsible for drawing every pixel on your screen. If you want your games to look better—higher resolution, better textures, ray tracing—you need a better GPU.
Pro Tip:
If you upgrade your GPU but your CPU is too weak (a "CPU bottleneck"), your new GPU won't reach its full potential. Always check our calculator before buying a high-end card for an older system.
2. The Stability Upgrade (CPU)
The CPU prepares frames for the GPU. If it's too slow, your GPU sits idle waiting for instructions. This manifests as "stuttering" or massive frame rate dips, even if your average FPS looks okay. Upgrading your CPU makes games feel smoother and raises your minimum FPS.
Did you know?
Lowering graphics settings often increase the load on your CPU because the GPU creates frames faster, forcing the CPU to work harder to keep up.
Confirm Before You Buy
Don't guess. Select your current specs and your planned upgrade to see exactly what will happen.
Check My Upgrade Path