Your CPU and GPU form a production line, and the slower one sets the pace. That is the bottleneck, and it explains why the same money can give very different results at 1080p and 1440p.
A budget slider lets you split money between the two and see a made-up frame rate with the limiting part labelled. For most gamers the graphics card should get the bigger share, with a CPU that is good enough, and the guide shows when to bend that rule.
A six-core processor on a platform that is still supported, enough not to hold back a mid-range graphics card in most games. Needs a separate cooler.
photos, specs, all 4 shops →Pairs a decent amount of graphics memory with a mid-range price, where the bigger share of a CPU plus GPU budget usually belongs.
photos, specs, all 3 shops →A step up for 1440p. Give it a capable processor so it is not the CPU that sets the frame rate.
photos, specs, all 3 shops →
