Gaming PC Bottleneck Checker
Not sure what's holding your PC back? Answer five quick questions and see which upgrade to look at first: graphics card, processor, RAM, storage or cooling.
Check your PC
Pick the closest answer for each question. Your answers stay in your browser: nothing is saved or sent to us.
Your upgrade priorities
This is general guidance from your answers, not a diagnosis. Before any upgrade we check your power supply, motherboard and case so the new parts fit and run properly.
How we read the results
A bottleneck is the one part that limits everything else. In a gaming PC it's usually the graphics card, but an older processor, too little memory or a hot, dusty case can hold back even a good card. Our guide to telling a CPU bottleneck from a GPU bottleneck shows two quick tests you can run in your own games.
Graphics card first for frame rates
If games stutter or you've had to drop settings, the graphics card is the most common limit, especially once it's more than five years old. A new card often needs more from the power supply, so we check its wattage, connectors and the space in your case before we fit one. Our guide to choosing a power supply for a graphics card explains what to look for.
Processor and platform for streaming and multitasking
Streaming, recording and lots of background apps lean on the processor. An older CPU can mean a new motherboard and memory as well, so we'll tell you when a new build makes more sense than an upgrade. Our post on whether to upgrade or rebuild an older gaming PC walks through that choice.
Heat comes before upgrades
A PC that runs hot slows itself down to protect its parts. If yours is loud, crashing or shutting off, a clean, fresh thermal paste and better airflow can restore lost performance, so we fix that before selling you new parts. See our gaming PC repairs.
Want a hand in person? Our desktop PC repair and upgrades team in Midland can check your PC and fit the parts. Planning to start fresh? Our custom gaming PCs are built and stress tested in the same workshop.
Bottleneck Checker FAQs
Common questions about gaming PC upgrades
A bottleneck is the part of your PC that limits the rest. In gaming it's most often the graphics card, but an older processor, not enough RAM, a slow hard drive or overheating can also hold performance back.
No. It gives general guidance from your answers. To know for sure, bring your PC to our Midland workshop and we'll check the parts, temperatures and power supply before recommending an upgrade.
It depends on your power supply, its connectors, your case size and your processor. We check all of these before fitting a new card, and we'll tell you if the power supply needs upgrading too.
If only one part is holding you back, an upgrade is usually the better value. If the processor, motherboard and memory are all old, a new build can make more sense. Call us on (08) 9250 4554 or use the PC builder to compare.