Methodology

Every CPU and GPU is scored on a 0–100 scale relative to the current flagship (Ryzen 7 9800X3D and RTX 5090). Scores reflect average gaming performance across contemporary titles at their most representative resolution.

Higher resolutions shift work toward the GPU. FPSBuddy applies two coefficients per resolution — one that scales base FPS, and one that weights CPU-side bottleneck impact.

FPS = G_base × (P_gpu / 65) × R_coeff × (1 − Bottleneck% / 150)

The core ratio compares CPU vs GPU performance. Values under 1.0 indicate a CPU-bound scenario; values above 1.0 indicate a GPU-bound scenario. The ratio is then attenuated by resolution weight and per-game CPU dependence.

R = P_cpu / P_gpu    →    Bottleneck% = clamp(0, 65, (1 − R) × 100 × weight)

When a meaningful gap is detected, FPSBuddy scans the hardware library for the cheapest part in the opposite category whose score would push projected bottleneck under 8%.

Estimates assume optimized settings, no CPU thermal throttling, matched memory bandwidth, and reference driver behavior. Real-world variance of ±10–15% is normal.