General Tasks bottleneck calculator
Intel Pentium 4 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960
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General Tasks
1366 × 768
1 monitor
1. Select purpose
Currently selected:
General Tasks
2. Select processor
Currently selected:
Intel Pentium 4
3. Select graphic card
Currently selected:
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960
4. Select resolution
Currently selected:
1366 × 768 resolution
(1 monitor)
Calculation result
Bottleneck percentage
The Intel Pentium 4 may serve as a bottleneck for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 in the General Tasks with 1366 × 768 and 1 monitor. Although the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 is engineered to manage heavy graphical tasks, the Intel Pentium 4 might lack the processing power needed to fully unlock the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 capabilities. This imbalance may inhibit the overall efficiency of your system, slowing down processing and possibly compromising graphical fidelity. For a more harmonious hardware setup, upgrading to a high-performing processor that can meet the demands of current software and games is advised.
In a configuration featuring the Intel Pentium 4 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, with a screen resolution of 1366 × 768 and 1 monitor, the system experiences a 74.6% bottleneck for General Tasks.
Processor and graphic card utilizations
In a computing setup featuring the Intel Pentium 4 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, under the context of General Tasks with a screen resolution of 1366 × 768 and 1 monitor, the processor is expected to have an utilization rate of 81.9%, while the graphics card is projected to be utilized at 19.1%.
It's crucial to understand that these figures signify theoretical maximums based on typical CPU-to-GPU workload distribution ratios for certain tasks or gaming experiences. Achieving these high levels of utilization in real-world settings can be a challenging endeavor.
Playability
- Playable
- Frames per second
-
A game is considered "playable" if it can consistently run at 60 FPS on high settings. This ensures a smooth and visually appealing gaming experience free from lags or stutters.
Heatmap of bottleneck
In gaming scenarios, your NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 might not attain its full performance potential due to a lack of optimal utilization. This happens when the Intel Pentium 4 fails to handle and transmit data to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 at an adequate speed. As a result, the Intel Pentium 4 will be operating at its maximum capacity, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 remains underutilized.
When it comes to bottlenecks, a processor bottleneck is generally viewed as more detrimental than a graphics card bottleneck. In cases of a processor bottleneck, the Intel Pentium 4 capacity reaches its limits, which may adversely affect other applications running concurrently. This situation can result in diminished responsiveness and multi-tasking capabilities.
Moreover, due to the processor bottleneck, the system might not leverage the full performance capabilities of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960. Consequently, there could be restrictions in graphical rendering, frame rates, and the overall gaming experience.
To visualize these bottlenecks, consider examining our heatmap. On this heatmap, the X-axis represents the CPU Score, while the Y-axis denotes the GPU Score. A quick glance at this heatmap can offer invaluable insights into potential bottlenecks within various system configurations.
By correlating your Intel Pentium 4 CPU Score and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 GPU Score on the heatmap, you can acquire a more comprehensive understanding of how these components interact and where the bottlenecks might occur. Making well-informed hardware choices based on this heatmap analysis can lead to a more balanced and efficient computing setup for your specific needs.
Bottleneck solutions
Replace processor
When the processor becomes the system's bottleneck, upgrading it is often the most straightforward way to improve performance. Opting for a faster processor with more cores and higher clock speeds can effectively minimize or even eliminate the bottleneck, making it easier for your graphics card to perform to its maximum capability.
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Impact of Changing Screen Resolution
Interestingly, if you're facing a processor bottleneck, altering the screen resolution may have a counterintuitive impact. Elevating the screen resolution will primarily stress the graphics card, thereby reducing the proportion of work that the processor needs to do in certain tasks. This makes it less likely that the processor will max out, though it does not replace the benefits of a processor upgrade for a balanced system.
Read moreReplace graphic cards
If the processor is causing the bottleneck, replacing the graphic card isn't generally recommended unless you're also planning to upgrade the processor. Downgrading your graphics card to better match the processor might alleviate the bottleneck, but it often results in a decrease in overall system performance, especially in graphics-heavy tasks like gaming or 3D rendering.
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Impact of Changing Screen Resolution
Increasing the screen resolution in this case will demand more from your graphics card and can make the processor's bottleneck less noticeable in some scenarios, but again, it won't entirely solve the underlying problem.
Read moreOffers for NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960
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| Product name | Merchant | Available | Price |
Merchant
Available
Price
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Yes | 8.99 $ |
Yes
|
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EVGA GeForce GTX 960 2GB GAMING ACX 2.0+, Whisper Silent Cooling Graphics Card 02G-P4-2963-KR |
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Yes | 114.99 $ |
Yes
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Yes | 138.00 $ |
Yes
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MSI Gaming GTX 960 4GB OC Twin Frozr-V HDCP Ready SLI Support (GTX 960 Gaming 4G) |
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Yes | 176.87 $ |
Yes
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GIGABYTE GTX 960 Overclocked 2GB GDDR5 Graphics Cards GV-N960WF2OC-2GD |
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Yes | 188.67 $ |
Yes
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Product pricing and availability information was updated as of the date and time listed, but is subject to change. If you choose to purchase a product from a retailer, the price and availability displayed on their website at the time of purchase will apply. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through the links to participating retailers on this site. However, this does not impact the products or prices that are displayed or the order in which prices are listed.
Bottleneck calculator types
Select purpose bottleneck calculator
Before selecting a bottleneck calculator, consider your primary computing tasks. For general activities like web browsing and office work, the calculator evaluates the balance between your CPU and GPU. If you focus on CPU-intensive tasks like video editing or 3D rendering, the tool will highlight processor performance. For GPU-centric tasks such as gaming or graphical rendering, it will assess the efficiency of your graphics card. Choose the appropriate calculator to accurately identify potential system bottlenecks for your specific use-case.
Select game bottleneck calculator
By selecting a game from the list, the calculator will analyze potential bottlenecks specifically tailored to that game's system requirements and graphical demands. This allows you to optimize your setup for a smoother, more responsive gaming experience. Choose the game that aligns with your interests to get the relevant bottleneck analysis.