0.45 is a calibration constant that puts the CPU and GPU scores on the same scale. The resolution factor is the actual pixel ratio: 1080p = 1, 1440p = 1.78, 4K = 4.
Reading the ratio
ratio
Verdict
< 0.55
CPU-constrained (GPU-heavy build)
0.55 – 0.85
GPU has headroom (better at higher resolution)
0.85 – 1.15
Balanced
1.15 – 3.5
GPU-limited (normal for gaming)
> 3.5
GPU significantly underpowered
"GPU-limited" is not a fault. In games the GPU hitting its limit first is normal, and generally what you want.
Where the scores come from
GPU score: compute (shaders × clock) blended with PassMark (G3D Mark), normalised so the fastest gaming GPU is 100. As of 2026-09-01 that reference is the GeForce RTX 5090
The reference pool excludes datacenter and professional cards (Instinct, Tesla, RTX PRO, Rubin, …) and anything above 32GB VRAM. Including them flattens every consumer GPU — an RTX 5070 was scoring 4.0/100 before this was fixed
Only GPUs with an actual PassMark result are used as the reference. Rumoured or unreleased models (an RTX 6090, say) have no measurement and cannot set the scale
CPU score: clock × generation (inferred from process node) × performance-core count (capped at 8) × 3D V-Cache adjustment, normalised the same way
PassMark single-thread figures are deliberately not used for the gaming score: a parsing issue in the source table over-rates older CPUs (e.g. an i7-7700K scoring above the plausible ceiling)
What this cannot tell you
It cannot give you actual frame rates. Nothing here is measured in-game; it is an estimate built from specifications
It does not account for individual games. CPU-heavy and GPU-heavy titles behave differently
Memory speed and capacity, storage, power supply and cooling are not part of this verdict
VRAM is reported only as "likely enough or not" for the chosen resolution. How much performance is lost when it runs short depends on the title and settings, so no figure is given (rough guides: 12GB at 4K, 8GB at 1440p, 6GB at 1080p)
The generation term in the CPU score is inferred from the process node, not measured IPC
If you want to build a config that minimizes bottlenecks
BTO Guide — use the "Minimize Bottleneck" option to optimize CPU/GPU balance within your budget.
RAM and SSD prices are currently surging. Displayed prices may differ significantly from actual prices.
※ Scores are estimates derived from spec values. Actual game performance, power, and temperature are not reflected.