What should I upgrade in my PC?
Save your current CPU and GPU once, and I'll show you the highest-impact upgrade — with estimated before/after FPS — every time you come back.
CPU or GPU — how to decide
Almost every upgrade question comes down to one decision: CPU or GPU. Spend on the wrong one and you get a benchmark number that moved and a game that feels identical. The reason this is hard to answer from a forum thread is that the right answer depends on the parts you already own, the resolution you actually play at, and what your frame rate is today — three things a generic recommendation cannot know.
That is what this page is for. Save your CPU and GPU once, and I will work out which part is holding the other back, what a realistic frame-rate gain looks like from each option, and which single purchase buys the most frames for the money. Come back any time: available parts and prices move, so the answer can change even when your hardware does not.
How the recommendation is worked out
Your saved parts run through the same engines as the rest of the site. The frame-rate estimate comes from the same calculator behind the FPS Calculator, and the CPU/GPU balance read comes from the same model behind the Bottleneck Checker — so this page will never contradict what those tools say about the same hardware.
From there I estimate your current frame rate in an average new AAA game at your chosen resolution, then re-run that estimate for every stronger CPU and GPU in the database. Each candidate gets a projected frame rate and a gain over what you have now. The one I lead with is the best value — the largest realistic gain for the money, not the most expensive part I could point you at.
CPU suggestions are limited to your existing socket. That is deliberate: a same-socket chip is a genuine drop-in, whereas changing platform means a new motherboard and usually new memory, which is a different budget conversation. If no drop-in CPU moves your frame rate much, I will say so rather than invent an upgrade path.
Using the page
- 1Sign in, then pick your current processor and graphics card from the hardware database.
- 2Set the resolution you actually play at. This changes the answer more than anything else on the page.
- 3Save. You will get your estimated frame rate now, which part is the weaker link, and the single highest-impact upgrade.
- 4Use Re-check whenever you want a fresh read — hardware is added to the database over time.
Why saving your build is worth the thirty seconds
The answer changes without your hardware changing
New cards arrive, and the games used as the yardstick get heavier every year. A GPU that was the obvious buy last year can be poor value once its replacement lands. A saved build means re-checking is one click instead of re-entering everything.
Set the resolution you play at, not the one your monitor supports
If you own a 1440p panel but drop to 1080p for competitive shooters, set 1080p. CPU limits bite hardest at 1080p and fade at 4K, so this one setting can flip the recommendation from a GPU to a CPU.
Judge the frame rate, not the bottleneck percentage
A large imbalance that still delivers the frame rate you want is not worth spending money on. The useful test is whether the projected FPS clears the number you actually care about — 60, 120, or your monitor refresh rate.
Common mistakes when planning an upgrade
Upgrading the part that was not holding you back
The most expensive mistake in PC building. Dropping a flagship GPU into a system that is already CPU-limited at 1080p can produce almost no gain at all. Find the limiter before you buy.
Treating a detected bottleneck as an instruction to spend
Every system has a weaker part; that is normal, not a defect. If the best available upgrade moves you a few percent, the honest answer is to keep your money — and this page will say that rather than manufacture a reason to buy.
Forgetting the power supply
A big GPU upgrade often needs more wattage and different connectors than the card it replaces. Check the PSU note on the recommendation, and size it against your whole build before ordering.
Assuming a faster CPU is a drop-in
It only is if it uses your existing socket. Anything else means a new motherboard, and usually new RAM too. That can still be the right call — just budget for the platform, not the chip.
Ignoring VRAM on an otherwise fast card
Raw speed is not the whole story. A card with limited memory can look fine today and fall off sharply as texture budgets grow, especially above 1080p.
Frame rates and prices on this page are estimates. FPS figures come from public benchmark data at typical settings and vary with the specific game, drivers, thermals and settings; prices are approximate street prices, not live quotes. Treat the recommendation as a shortlist to check, not a purchase order.
Frequently asked questions
Should I upgrade my CPU or GPU first?
Whichever one is limiting you at the resolution you actually play at. As a rough rule, 1080p and high-refresh play lean on the CPU while 1440p and 4K lean on the GPU — so the same pair of parts can give opposite answers depending on your monitor. Save your build above and the page works out which applies to you.
Do I need an account to use this?
Yes, because the point of the page is that your build is remembered between visits. If you would rather not sign in, the Upgrade Advisor answers the same question as a one-off without saving anything.
Why does it recommend a GPU when it says my CPU is the bottleneck?
Because the weaker part does not always have a worthwhile upgrade available. If no drop-in CPU on your socket meaningfully moves your frame rate at that resolution, the honest recommendation is the part that does. The page explains this on the recommendation itself rather than leaving you to reconcile the two.
How accurate are the frame-rate estimates?
They are estimates from publicly available benchmark data, calibrated so an RTX 3060 sits at 1.00 on the GPU scale and a Ryzen 5 5600X at 1.00 on the CPU scale. They are reliable for comparing options against each other, which is what an upgrade decision needs, but they are not a promise of the exact number you will see in a specific game.
What if my exact parts are not listed?
Pick the closest model in the same family — performance within a family is usually close enough for an upgrade decision. The hardware database is added to over time, so a part missing today may be there on your next visit.
Is my saved build private?
Your saved CPU, GPU and resolution are tied to your account and are used only to generate your recommendation. You can change them or clear them from this page at any time.
Related tools
- Upgrade Advisor — The same advice without signing in or saving anything.
- Bottleneck Checker — See the CPU/GPU balance across 1080p, 1440p and 4K side by side.
- FPS Calculator — Estimate frame rates in a specific game rather than an average.
- Future-Proof Score — How much comfortable life your current pairing has left.
- PSU Calculator — Check your power supply has headroom before buying a bigger GPU.
- GPU Compare — Put the recommended card next to the one you already own.
Want the same answer without an account? The Upgrade Advisor runs it as a one-off.
Open the Upgrade Advisor