You've got a gaming PC. You've got games. But are you actually getting the performance you paid for? Most gamers leave significant FPS on the table because they don't know where their system is struggling.
Let's change that. This guide will show you how to identify bottlenecks, monitor performance while gaming, and optimize your setup for maximum frames.
Understanding Bottlenecks
A bottleneck is when one component limits the performance of others. If your GPU can render 200 FPS but your CPU can only process 100 FPS worth of game logic, you're CPU bottlenecked - your expensive GPU is being held back.
The four main bottleneck sources:
CPU Bottleneck
CPU at 90-100% while GPU is below 90%. Common in CPU-heavy games or with mismatched hardware.
GPU Bottleneck
GPU at 95-100% while CPU has headroom. This is actually ideal - you're using your GPU fully.
RAM Bottleneck
Memory at 90%+, causing stutters and hitches. Games need room to breathe.
Storage Bottleneck
Slow texture streaming, long load times. SSDs eliminate this almost entirely.
Ideally, you want a slight GPU bottleneck (GPU at 95-100%, CPU with headroom). This means you're fully utilizing your graphics card. A CPU bottleneck means your GPU is being wasted.
How to Spot Bottlenecks While Gaming
Here's what to watch for during gameplay:
Signs of CPU Bottleneck
- GPU usage fluctuates wildly (50-90%) while CPU sits at 90-100%
- FPS drops in CPU-heavy moments (lots of NPCs, complex physics)
- Lowering graphics settings doesn't improve FPS
- Frame time spikes correlate with high CPU usage
Signs of GPU Bottleneck
- GPU usage stays at 95-100%
- Lowering resolution or graphics settings increases FPS
- Consistent frame times (no sudden spikes)
- This is the good scenario - your GPU is being fully utilized
Signs of RAM Bottleneck
- Memory usage above 90% during gaming
- Periodic stutters or freezes
- Disk activity spikes when stutters occur (paging)
- Performance degrades over time in long sessions
Optimization Checklist
Use this checklist to systematically improve your gaming performance:
In-Game Settings That Matter Most
Not all graphics settings are equal. Here's what impacts performance most:
High Impact (Lower These First)
- Resolution - Biggest FPS impact. Try 1440p instead of 4K, or use DLSS/FSR.
- Ray Tracing - Gorgeous but brutal on GPUs. Disable if struggling.
- Shadow Quality - Ultra shadows are rarely worth the performance cost.
- Volumetric Effects - Fog, clouds, light rays. High impact, subtle visual difference.
Medium Impact
- Texture Quality - Mainly affects VRAM usage. Keep high if you have the VRAM.
- Anti-Aliasing - TAA is usually a good balance. MSAA is expensive.
- View Distance - Important for open-world games.
Low Impact (Keep These High)
- Texture Filtering - Almost free on modern GPUs. Keep at 16x.
- Ambient Occlusion - Adds depth cheaply (unless using RTAO).
DLSS (NVIDIA) and FSR (AMD) upscale lower resolutions to near-native quality. DLSS Quality mode at 1440p often looks better than native 1080p while running faster. Always try these before lowering other settings.
Using TagPulse for Gaming
TagPulse helps you understand what's happening inside your PC while you game:
- Real-time monitoring - See CPU, GPU, RAM usage without overlay clutter
- Temperature tracking - Get warned before thermal throttling kicks in
- Historical data - Compare performance across gaming sessions
- Anomaly detection - CHE learns your normal gaming patterns and alerts you when something's off
For example, if your GPU usually runs at 70°C while gaming but suddenly hits 85°C, TagPulse will alert you. You might have dust buildup, a failing fan, or ambient temperature issues - all things you'd want to fix before they cause throttling or damage.
Level Up Your Gaming Setup
TagPulse monitors your gaming rig 24/7 and helps you catch performance issues before they ruin your session.
Download TagPulse Free