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Bottleneck

pc

A bottleneck is a limiting factor in a computer system that reduces overall performance.

expanded

In computing, a bottleneck occurs when a specific component limits the performance or capacity of the entire system. This can happen when one component is significantly slower than others, causing delays and inefficiencies. Identifying and mitigating bottlenecks is crucial for optimizing system performance, especially in demanding applications like video editing or gaming.

examples

An outdated CPU restricting the processing speed of a new GPU, causing reduced frames per second (fps) in gaming.

This is often encountered during gaming on PCs where users upgrade only their GPU to the latest models like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, without upgrading their CPU.

A slow hard drive impacting data access times in a server, leading to prolonged data retrieval.

Common in server settings where traditional hard drives are used instead of SSDs, resulting in slower performance compared to systems using Samsung 970 EVO NVMe SSD.

related terms

Throughput
Throughput is the rate at which a computer system processes data.
Benchmark
A benchmark is a standardized test used to evaluate the performance of a computer system.
Capacity
The maximum amount that a system or component can contain or handle.
Latency
Latency is the delay before a transfer of data begins following an instruction for its transfer.
Thermal throttling
Thermal throttling is a mechanism that reduces a computer's processor speed to prevent overheating.