Does CPU Affect FPS? (2023 Best Guide)

Do you wish to create a new computer, but your financial resources limit you? As a result, you are perplexed about whether you should invest in a high-performance CPU or graphics card. Does CPU Affect FPS? The performance of your CPU will have an impact on your frame rate; however, your GPU will have a more significant impact on your frame rate.

Does CPU affect FPS in games at all? If this is the case, you’ve come to the right place. In a hurry? Check out my new post on Can CPU Overheating Cause Lag.

I am a professional gamer who has been involved in the gaming industry for at least the last ten years. I’m very aware of how much a greater frame rate matters in professional gaming. To avoid overspending on unnecessary items, it’s a good idea to plan out your project and look for the exact parts that you’ll need rather than buying everything at once.

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Maintaining a balance between your CPU and GPU is necessary to avoid a bottleneck. Although a powerful CPU will not have as significant an impact as a good GPU, having a good GPU is still crucial.

In this article, CPU Affect FPS you will learn about the role of the CPU in first-person shooters.

What is a CPU, and what is an FPS?

Let’s say you’re a complete novice who’s just starting to build your first PC, and we’ll explain what these acronyms mean to you. CPU stands for Central Processing Unit, and it’s the essential part of any computer, including the one you’re going to build.

There is a silicon chip inside the computer that is called the CPU. It is tiny and sits in a particular place on the motherboard, away from all the other parts. When your computer is running, your CPU is the brains of the operation. It does all the math your computer needs to run programs and apps. The CPU is an essential part of any build.

When you talk about a game or a video, FPS means frames per second. This refers to the frame rate of the game or video. Most people think of this as the standard frame rate these days: 60FPS.

This can change depending on what monitor you have and what game you’re playing. When it comes to video game frame rates, there are many different things to keep in mind. The layman’s idea is that the more FPS you have, the smoother your gameplay will be.

Also, check out our separate post on Can I Upgrade CPU Without Changing Motherboard

How does CPU Affect FPS? 

One of the main things that makes a computer work is its CPU. It’s in charge of all the things that need to be done. It’s like the heart of a computer because the CPU does all the work and instructions. Do frame rates go down when you have a slow CPU? It hasn’t changed that much, but it has.

When you look at a computer’s screen, you see how many frames per second, or FPS, are shown. This is how quickly graphics show up on the screen. In video capture, playback, and video games, frames per second (FPS) is a way to measure how well a display works.

Faster than one frame per second (fps) means that things on the screen refresh faster every second. It is the most important thing in both gaming and graphics.

When you play a game, your CPU communicates with other computer parts. It will tell the GPU what to do and give it the data it needs to make textures and scenes look good.

If your CPU isn’t fast enough, your games will stutter, and you won’t enjoy yourself, making things even worse for you.

As you can see, this is how the CPU can change frame rates:

• When you start a game, the CPU looks for the storage where the relevant files and resources are stored, then loads them into RAM for faster use.
• The CPU must quickly do the right things for the GPU to make each new picture.
• It does this every time you type on a keyboard, move a mouse, or do something else with an input device like that. As a result, it tells the GPU what to show on the screen.

So, having a faster CPU can help a lot with the other parts that need faster instructions to get better frame rates.

Follow our guide to fixing CPU fan error on boot

How does RAM Affect FPS?

Yes, as stated in the question, a ram can affect frame rates.

As a player, I am familiar with the effects of RAM in video games. I’m constantly looking for ways to increase my frame rate without sacrificing visual quality. When it comes to RAM, the difference in frames per second can be pretty significant depending on the amount and how it is installed!

Here is how RAM can affect frame rates:

• To begin, the quantity of ram is crucial. Often, a smaller amount of RAM is insufficient to achieve more excellent frame rates. It may even be unable to run games owing to the reduced RAM.
• Ram speeds affect frame rates as well. Intel computers are not affected by this limitation because Intel limited the memory speed to 2666 MHz. However, the AMD system’s memory speed maximum is far greater, at 3200 MHz. In an AMD system, a lower frequency ram results in lower frame rates.
• Another reason contributing to poor frame rates is the usage of single-channel RAM. Each motherboard comes equipped with at least two RAM slots. At the same time, using a single slot or channel of RAM on the motherboard results in much lower frame rates than using a dual channel.

In a hurry? Check out my new post on How hot is too hot for CPU

How Does GPU Affect FPS?

GPU performance is directly proportional to frame rates. The primary component enables you to play at a greater frame rate.

However, there are a few instances when it may affect frame rates.

The following diagram illustrates how the GPU can affect frame rates:

• The size of the video memory is critical. If your GPU has less V-RAM, it will not deliver more excellent frame rates than a GPU with more V-RAM.
• Another element to consider is the GPU’s bandwidth. Reduced bandwidth can result in decreased frame rates.
• Another critical component is the GPU’s wattage. If your system (typically a laptop) does not provide adequate power to the GPU or the GPU has a lower power limit, you will experience low frame rates.

Follow our guide to How to Choose a CPU

How to Improve FPS in Games

Now, the question of how to boost frame rates in games arises. This section will be divided into two portions. There are two types of tweaks: hardware and software. I’ll summarize these two portions below:

Implementing New Components

This part is for individuals willing to invest in their system and who wish to update it.

This is how you can increase the frame rate by updating your hardware:

• Adding a new GPU to your computer can make a big difference in how quickly it runs. Newer GPUs have more memory and more speed. It’s easy to get frame rates up to a very high level with those.
• The frame rate can go up if you switch your old processor to a new one. If you want to get a better processor, you might want to get one with more cores. A 6-core CPU and an 8-core CPU both have the same frame rate. But if you go from a 4-core CPU to a 6- or 8-core CPU, you’ll be able to do more.
• For ram, you can either buy new ram kits or buy a second stick of ram if you only have one stick of ram. If you need to, you can overclock your RAM to get the full speed from your RAM. If you have a system that can handle 16 gigabytes of dual-channel RAM, you can get the frame rates you want.
• It can help your computer run better if you have an excellent cooling system. This means that your games will run better. If your computer overheats when you play games on it, this can hurt your CPU performance and even damage your computer. So it’s essential to have an excellent cooling system.

Check out our separate post on Base Clock vs Boost Clock

Tweaking Existing Components

This section is for people who don’t want to change their computer but still want to get the most out of it, so they read this. Here are some ways to improve your computer’s frame rate:

• Turn on Game Modes in Windows 10 or 11 for a better experience. Because that will help your computer run more frames per second, you should do that.
• It’s better to lower the resolution if you don’t have a robust system. You can improve your frame rate by lowering the resolution. Your system will have to push fewer pixels on the screen, which will make the game run faster.
• If your drivers are not updated, you need to do this. It doesn’t work well with new games or software if you have older drivers. Some new drivers can help you get better frame rates.
• When you do a disk cleanup, you can get rid of all system junk. These things may make your performance go down, but it’s not always true. Getting rid of all the junk can help the frame rate.
• Make your CPU and GPU run faster. Overclocking will allow you to get the most out of your computer. After overclocking your CPU and GPU, you can see a big difference in frame rates right away.

Do check our latest post on the Does CPU Affect FPS

How does CPU affect FPS if I have a sound graphics card?

We understand why you’re unsure, so let’s break it down a little. Remember when we said that the CPU is the essential part of your computer because it does all the calculations? That also applies to video games and to making graphics. If your CPU doesn’t show the GPU what it needs to do, then the GPU can’t work at all!

There are many reasons why your CPU might slow down your GPU. If it’s not powerful or fast enough, you’re more likely to see your GPU slow down because it can’t give orders quickly enough.

There is no point in having a powerful GPU if it can’t make graphics as quickly as the CPU can process them. We call this “bottlenecking” when one part of your computer is slow and slows down other parts.

This is how the CPU affects FPS in video games, and it’s something that many people don’t think about when they build PCs for games.

Check out our expert-recommended CPU or GPU

A new computer builder ignores the CPU because they think it won’t affect how well the computer plays games. There are many reasons why they spend a lot of money on a powerful GPU, but the CPU can’t keep up.

How do I choose a good CPU for my FPS?

To answer this question, you need to know a lot about what you want to build and how it will look. Many things go into something like this, so stay with us as we break down what you’ll want to choose.

Factor 1: GPU 

Of course, the type of GPU you’re going to put in is essential when choosing a CPU to go with it. Most of the time, the more powerful your graphics processor is, the more power your CPU should have so that you can get the most out of it.

Another thing: You don’t have to match your GPU pound for pound. It should be fine as long as your CPU doesn’t slow down your graphical performance.

When you buy a computer these days, it’s common to get a simple mid-range CPU with a powerful GPU because it’s enough to run the graphics and not lose a lot of frames or speed.

Go through our epic guide on Should I Overclock My CPU

Factor 2: Monitor

Often, people don’t think about this. Today, there are a lot of different refresh rates and resolutions for monitors. When your refresh rate goes up, the number of frames per second you can play simultaneously also goes up.

This makes for very smooth gameplay. In that case, of course, if your computer can do that much at a single time.

Refresh rate: If you have a monitor that has a refresh rate that is stuck at 75Hz, the maximum FPS it can reach is 75FPS. It’s a number that can be reached even with less powerful hardware, so you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get the most out of your computer.

It’s also possible to play at 240FPS with a 240Hz monitor, but that’s some pretty high-speed gameplay. In this case, you could use that extra oomph for sure. On top of that, you’ll also want to think about your screen’s resolution.

Today, most gaming monitors can run things at 1920×1080, which even a low-end CPU and GPU can handle. You’re going to need a lot of power if your screen is rendering things at 4K. You should look at what you’re getting before choosing a CPU (and GPU).

Follow our guide to fixing How to Fix CPU Cooler Not Screwing In

Factor 3: Intended usage

We’ve been assuming that you want to build a gaming PC for a long time now. Then there are times when someone wants a workstation that can play some light games here and there. Many people do this all the time, so you don’t want to spend a lot of money on powerful parts that won’t be used to their full potential.

You should think about getting a CPU with built-in graphics if you’re here. You don’t have to buy a separate GPU for a computer with a CPU that has built-in graphics. This means that you can save a lot of money and time. AMD is called APUs, and modern APUs are getting better and better with each new version. Some can even play games well

Also, check out our separate post on CPU Overheating

Factor 4: Budget / How to Not Overspend On a CPU

Of course, your budget is the first thing you need to think about when you want to buy any parts for your PC. It’s essential to know how much money you have and to buy parts that fit that figure. As a PC owner, this is true for your CPU because it can be a bottleneck for many other parts of your PC, especially your GPU.

Fans, RAM, and storage are also important if that isn’t enough for your PC. If you want to build a good gaming rig, you need to have good parts in every part of it.

It doesn’t matter how good your CPU and GPU are if everything else is slow. When we talk about cooling, that also brings us to our last factor.

Factor 5: Cooling solution

Perhaps you have all the parts you need for your project. If your cooling system works well with the chosen parts, you’ll need to think about that now. This means that your PC will have to slow down because it can’t keep up with the speed of your CPU and the power of your GPU. It’s the same with throttling again: It makes the FPS go down again.

There’s no need to buy more parts and pieces if you already have a cooling water system set up for your build. But what if you’re going to stick with the stock cooler? Check to see if any of your parts are too powerful. If you don’t, you could do a lot of damage to your computer down the road.

Can CPU Temperature Affect FPS?

If your CPU is running very hot and needs to be slowed down to keep the temperature down, this can affect your FPS.

These things automatically keep your CPU safe and your motherboard safe if your CPU heats up too much.

It keeps your CPU from catching fire and causing more damage than just a toasty CPU.

A better CPU fan is better than the one that comes with your CPU. If you haven’t yet built your computer, I recommend getting one that is better than the one that comes with your CPU. If you want to stay calm and avoid some heating problems, this might be a good thing to do.

People play games at temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Celsius. Anything above 80 degrees Celsius is likely to slow down the game.

To be safe, do the following:

• In this step, apply the thermal paste again to your CPU. We’ll show you how to do this below.
• Replace your old CPU fan with a new one that is a lot more powerful. Most likely, if you’re still using the fan that came with your computer, you should get a lot more powerful one.
• Remove the dust from your case. Shut down your computer and get all the dust out of the fans and the rest of your case. This should make it easier for your fans to cool down and move air around.

Go through our epic guide on How to Remove Thermal Paste

How Many FPS Do You Need?

Before building a PC, you need to think about this question because it can affect the price. As many as I can get! But, since that would lead to a $3000 computer, let’s cut back on how much we spend.

Most of the time, I would say that the answer is whatever your screen will be. Keep in mind that if you want to use your monitor to its full potential, then make sure you can reach its highest speed of refresh rate possible.

From 60 to 240hz, and even more. It’s essential to look into the right parts if you want to play games at 144hz and 1080p. This way, you won’t see your screen tear.

Make sure that your FPS isn’t too high because your screen will stutter if you do. However, turning on V-sync can be easily fixed in most games, so it’s not a big deal.

Will Upgrading Your CPU Increase FPS?

Does upgrading your CPU make the game run better and run faster? That’s a good thing to do.

However, how much it improves your FPS depends on your current CPU and the new CPU you want to buy.

It’s likely that if you have a 7th generation Intel and upgrade to a 10700k 10th generation Intel, you’ll see a big difference in FPS.

You might not see much of a boost in FPS if you already have a newer CPU and switch to the newer one. It all depends on which model you get.

Conclusion: Does CPU Affect FPS?

Yes, your CPU does play a role in your FPS in games in more than one way.

So, now that you’ve read this, you know what can affect the frame rate of games. Is it true that the main point of this article asked this? If it isn’t as powerful as the other parts of the system or if it is an older system, it may not be able to run the game the way it should.

FPS can be affected by having a weak CPU, but if there is a bottleneck that slows things down, that can also affect it. If your build gets too hot, it can slow down your FPS, which can be especially bad.

Go through our epic guide on how to update CPU Drivers

A lot of people think that they know all about FPS games in-game. And what could affect the frame rate? I hope I have answered all of your questions about frame rates now. Get better frame rates in games with this help.

Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions about this.