I want to get a new GPU for my system but want to make sure there's no CPU bottleneck

I want to upgrade to a Radeon HD 7850, but want to make sure I have the right PSU and no CPU bottleneck.

Question by Ahmad from Malaysia | Answered by in Video Cards & GPUs on

Here's my spec:

  • MB: MSI 7636 H55M E33 Chipset AMI BIOS v10
  • PSU: Cooler Master Extreme Power Plus 500W
  • CPU: i3 530
  • RAM: 2 X KVR1333D3N9/4G (8GB)
  • HDD: 1 X ST3320418AS Seagate Barracuda 320GB and 1 X WD 500GB
  • GPU: ASUS GT 440 1GB DDR5
  • OS: Win7 64bit ultimate
  • DISPLAY: 32" Sony Bravia EX65 1080p

Im thinking of upgrading my GPU to 7850, will it be any problem especially on CPU bottleneck, the PSU (since Cooler Master Power calculator tells me i need 550w ones). What do you guys recommend?

Hi Ahmad,

If you were thinking of upgrading to the Radeon HD 7850, that's a great move - it's a great GPU for the price. Have you also looked at the Radeon HD 7770? You might want to take a look before you dive in. Not only the HD 7770, but the GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost, too.

I want to get a new GPU for my system but want to make sure there's no CPU bottleneck | TweakTown.com

As for the CPU bottleneck, your Core i3 processor should be fine. You've got 8GB of RAM sitting there, too. I would say that your current Cooler Master 500W PSU is enough, as these mid-range GPUs do not consume that much power. I think you'll be fine, don't worry about upgrading your PSU just yet.

Of course, an i5 or i7 processor would help - but you should be okay for now. I would pencil in a CPU upgrade for the future, though.

Last updated: Nov 3, 2020 at 07:10 pm CST

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