Uhm. WTH is a "Bottleneck"

So I was posting on other forums previously(Bad idea, this place is more welcoming) and I was asking about video card advice.

So of course I included my PC specs which include an FX-4100.
Everyone started ranting about " You'll get bottlenecked if you do crossfire or sli "

What is a bottleneck anyway? I've NEVER had issues with video cards being "slower" because of a processor.


Please don't hit me?

It's your weakest link. This comes into play because you can upgrade to the biggest and the best video card, and not see any performance increase. You really need to focus on specifically what you're looking to get out of the game (specifically which ones), frames per second, faster load times, ect and what is in the system you have now.

Give us a complete list of your system, budget and your expectations. It'll give us a much better idea of where to go next.

Weeman said:

It's your weakest link. This comes into play because you can upgrade to the biggest and the best video card, and not see any performance increase. You really need to focus on specifically what you're looking to get out of the game (specifically which ones), frames per second, faster load times, ect and what is in the system you have now.

Give us a complete list of your system, budget and your expectations. It'll give us a much better idea of where to go next.

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Well, here goes nothing.

ASRock 990FX Extreme3
OCZ ZT Series 750w fully modular psu
AMD FX-4100 (OC to 4.0GHz stable w/stock cooler)
8GB Crucial Sport 1600MHz DDR3
Nvidia GeForce GT 310(Looking for new video cards, had it laying around)
NZXT Tempest 410 Elite case.

Am I missing anything important?

SkyChotik said:

So I was posting on other forums previously(Bad idea, this place is more welcoming) and I was asking about video card advice.

So of course I included my PC specs which include an FX-4100.
Everyone started ranting about " You'll get bottlenecked if you do crossfire or sli "

What is a bottleneck anyway? I've NEVER had issues with video cards being "slower" because of a processor.


Please don't hit me?

Click to expand...

There making assumptions, that's not to say there not right... but what it basically boils down to is an 8 core FX is rubbished by the large, revenue dependant so call review sites, a lot of them claim with graphs and data sheets that an FX-8150 will bottleneck a high end GPU, on other smaller review sites they where they don't bother trying to prove that and just get on and max it they do just fine so who knows... what there probably thinking is an FX-4 is going to be pretty much hopeless.

Having said that there will be a limit, 2x 580 GTX and yeah probably... What GPU's are you thinking of SLI?

Frakk said:

There making assumptions, that's not to say there not right... but what it basically boils down to is an 8 core FX is rubbished by the large, revenue dependant so call review sites, a lot of them claim with graphs and data sheets that an FX-8150 will bottleneck a high end GPU, on other smaller review sites they do just fine so who knows... what there probably thinking is an FX-4 is going to be pretty much hopeless.

Having said that there will be a limit, 2x 580 GTX and yeah probably... What GPU's are you thinking of SLI?

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None, I was going to get an HD 7970.

SkyChotik said:

None, I was going to get an HD 7970.

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Wow..... gone right to the top, that's a very fast card... you would have been better off with an i5 2500K or an FX-8.

If any, there aren't going to be many games now or in the near future where your CPU will allow (that) GPU to stretch its legs.

Frakk said:

Wow..... gone right to the top, that's a very fast card... you would have been better off with an i5 2500K or an FX-8.

If any, there aren't going to be many games now or in the near future where your CPU will allow (that) GPU to stretch its legs.

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Yup, trying my best to go and kick A** with my system for no upgrades for a good few years. I was going to liquid cool the entire thing, NB, SB, GPU, CPU, everything I could.

The only things I haven't bought yet are a Processor upgrade and the video card.

Should I just jump onto that card then or.. what?

And could you explain better how a processor bottlenecks a gpu? PhysX processing while in games, or what?

Because if that's the issue, I'll throw in another video card and see if I can dedicate that to PhysX.

SkyChotik said:

Yup, trying my best to go and kick A** with my system for no upgrades for a good few years. I was going to liquid cool the entire thing, NB, SB, GPU, CPU, everything I could.

The only things I haven't bought yet are a Processor upgrade and the video card.

Should I just jump onto that card then or.. what?

And could you explain better how a processor bottlenecks a gpu? PhysX processing while in games, or what?

Because if that's the issue, I'll throw in another video card and see if I can dedicate that to PhysX.

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Wait... hang on you have not got the CPU yet? if you want to build a killer system, and its looking like money is little object? have you thought of going Intel?

Something like an i7 2700K is faster than any AMD.

But if your stuck with AMD you should get the FX-8150, I'm not clued up enough to go into detail but the CPU has to process the data coming from the GPU, if the CPU can't keep up then the GPU gets stuck there...

Frakk said:

Wait... hang on you have not got the CPU yet? if you want to build a killer system, and its looking like money is little object? have you thought of going Intel?

Something like an i7 2700K is faster than any AMD.

But if your stuck with AMD you should get the FX-8150

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I already bought and have installed, an FX-4100.
So should I buy the 7970 and then upgrade to the FX-8150 later?
Because my paychecks are only ~$125/week

SkyChotik said:

I already bought and have installed, an FX-4100.
So should I buy the 7970 and then upgrade to the FX-8150 later?
Because my paychecks are only ~$125/week

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Yes, i do think the FX-4 will strangle what is currently the fastest GPU on the planet (i believe?)

Frakk said:

Yes, i do think the FX-4 will strangle what is currently the fastest GPU on the planet (i believe?)

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+1 for making me lol already

But yeah, I was just wondering what a bottleneck was, I'm an AMD fanboy (Even my works colors flaunt black and red[I work with pizza])

So After I buy everything, the 7970, the liquid cooling, all that joyous fun stuff, I'll go and upgrade my processor when there's some pretty baller stuff out for AM3+.

SkyChotik said:

+1 for making me lol already

But yeah, I was just wondering what a bottleneck was, I'm an AMD fanboy (Even my works colors flaunt black and red[I work with pizza])

So After I buy everything, the 7970, the liquid cooling, all that joyous fun stuff, I'll go and upgrade my processor when there's some pretty baller stuff out for AM3+.

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AMD's GPU's are a force to be recond with, they have set the benchmark for a while now, but there still strugling with there CPU's.

There will be a new line of mainstream CPU's from AMD in about a year, (Pile-driver) it looks like they will be a definite improvement on there current Bulldozer range but the chances of PD catching Intel now are virtually non existent. they will be fast enough tho and value for money is probably going to be good too, but the days of the under dog kicking Intel's arse in performance are gone unless they come up with something very surprising.

The bottleneck is the slowest part of you computer that keeps something else from going its fastest.

In this case your AMD cpu cannot feed information to the 7970 as fast as the 7970 can process information which keeps the 7970 from being as fast as it could be.

SOMETHING in your system is always going to be a bottleneck. If you had intel's fastest cpu overclocked to 50Ghz then the GPU would be the bottleneck. So a bottleneck isn't necessarily bad if it isn't holding back the rest of your system TOO much.

Being a fan of AMD CPUs is fine but if you really want the fastest computer you are going to need to go with Intel for the CPU.

Eventually you will be able to access the classifieds section of this forum. Possibly by then Intel's next generation CPU will be out and a lot of people will be selling their motherboards and intel 2500k/2600k cpus for pretty cheap (compared to retail prices now). An Intel 2500k paired with the 7970 will make you very happy.

For video cards AMD and Nvidia keep swapping places but AMDs 7970 currently holds the crown for the worlds fastest single gpu video card.

With the 7970 you know you won't need to upgrade your video card for quite awhile. Even though faster cards will eventually come out, yours will still be plenty fast for at least a few years.

Takes a lot of work to do what this guy has done. I like work. I can lay down right next to it and go to sleep.

Having worked with computers for years, I have not then turned around to do a lot of gaming. I like to know the theory and results and how to get work done, but that is the extent of most of my computer ambitions. I have not really seen anything like this CPU Bottleneck Analysis article and follow-up to same. If you pay close attention there is a lot to be learned. However it is too too easy to jump up on the side of the mountain and then off into thin air. Enjoy.

Is my Graphics card bottlenecked by my CPU ?
Plus there is a follow-up article to the one here in this original link...

I suppose if you look at the bottleneck metaphor the bottleneck is the most narrow part of the bottle.

If the bottle had no neck and was the same width all the way round it all the liquid would just drop out, the neck in the bottle slows it down.

If the GPU is the bottle then a slow CPU is the neck.

In my system i have a faster CPU then the GPU, even though i have overclocked my GPU as far as i think it will safely go for running every day use, it is screaming in agony while the CPU is yawning.....

I can tell that as it runs flat out in gaming, to much of it the and the GPU has a fit, craps its self, crashes in spectacular and frightening fashion if your not used to it.... while i have never seen the CPU go over 30 - 40%

Frakk said:

I suppose if you look at the bottleneck metaphor the bottleneck is the most narrow part of the bottle.

If the bottle had no neck and was the same width all the way round it all the liquid would just drop out, the neck in the bottle slows it down.

If the GPU is the bottle then a slow CPU is the neck.

In my system i have a faster CPU then the GPU, even though i have overclocked my GPU as far as i think it will safely go for running every day use, it is screaming in agony while the CPU is yawning.....

I can tell that as it runs flat out in gaming, to much of it the and the GPU has a fit, craps its self, crashes in spectacular and frightening fashion if your not used to it.... while i have never seen the CPU go over 30 - 40%

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So buy the gpu, upgrade of the processor is a must in the near future?

SkyChotik said:

So buy the gpu, upgrade of the processor is a must in the near future?

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not a MUST but you'll see improvement in your fps.

robble said:

not a MUST but you'll see improvement in your fps.

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So I should when the next series comes out, correct?

SkyChotik said:

So I should when the next series comes out, correct?

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you should do it once you can afford it and it's worth it to you.

robble said:

you should do it once you can afford it and it's worth it to you.

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I'll make sure I do, thanks!