PCPairs

Core i5-11400F + RTX 3090: bottleneck check

17%

CPU-limited at 1440p. Mild CPU bottleneck.

The Core i5-11400F cannot feed the RTX 3090 fast enough at 1440p, so the card sits partly idle in CPU-heavy games.

By resolution

ResolutionLimiting partSeverityVerdict
1080pCPU 24%mild CPU bottleneck
1440pCPU 17%mild CPU bottleneck
4KGPU 5%balanced

This is the classic pattern: at 1080p the Core i5-11400F is the limit (24%), while at 4K the RTX 3090 takes over (5% GPU-limited). If you play at 1080p on a high-refresh monitor, a faster CPU is the upgrade that matters; at 1440p or 4K this pair is already well matched.

Specifications

Intel Core i5-11400F
Cores / threads6 / 12
Max boost4.4 GHz
SocketLGA1200
Max turbo power65 W
Released2021
Gaming index56 / 100
Multi-core index42 / 100
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
VRAM24 GB
Board power350 W
Released2020
1080p index51.7 / 100
1440p index46 / 100
4K index40.9 / 100

Power supply

CPU 65 W + GPU 350 W + about 100 W for motherboard, memory, storage and fans gives an estimated peak load of 515 W. We recommend a 750 W unit (80 Plus Gold or better) so transient spikes from the graphics card stay inside the PSU's comfort zone. Try other pairs in the PSU calculator.

Best CPU for the RTX 3090 Best GPU for the Core i5-11400F RTX 3090 PSU requirements

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Same CPU, other GPUs

Same GPU, other CPUs

Indexes are relative estimates aggregated from published reviews; real results vary by game, settings, memory speed and drivers. Methodology.