About Bottleneck Verdict
Bottleneck Verdict is a small, independent tool site for PC builders. It exists because most bottleneck calculators do two things we think are wrong: they print a precise-looking percentage that no model can actually support, and their "fix" is suspiciously often the most expensive part in the database.
Our rules are simple. We publish index comparisons, labelled as estimates, from our own performance index — derived from manufacturer specifications, not copied from anyone’s benchmark table. The methodology page shows how the index is built, how far its constants can be perturbed before comparisons move, and the full results of the pre-registered validation our bottleneck verdict model went through — it did not pass, so you will not find verdicts or bottleneck percentages here. Upgrade advice comes in two clearly labelled parts: the sensible step — the smallest step that closes at least half the index gap, chosen on performance only (price and value are not considered) — and the full index match, the smallest step that makes the two indices meet, which we flag as a paper target that is usually overkill. Both are verified by re-checking the index, and CPU steps prefer your existing motherboard socket when one exists. We hold no price data, so we never call a recommendation the lowest-priced option — only the smallest step that does what it claims.
Who runs this site
Bottleneck Verdict is an independent project, built and run by a working PC technician. Which part is actually holding the machine back is the question PC owners ask most — so we built the honest version of the tool we kept wishing existed.
How this site makes money — FTC affiliate disclosure
Current status, stated plainly: this site has no affiliate account and no live affiliate links, and currently earns nothing from its recommendations. The purchase buttons on results are placeholders, labelled as such.
The plan, once accounts exist: Bottleneck Verdict intends to participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When that happens, links will carry the statement "As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases" next to them, and this page will be updated before any link goes live.
Three commitments about that money, whenever it starts. First, affiliate relationships never change a comparison or a recommendation — the maths runs on our index only, and the recommended part is chosen before any link is attached. Second, our headline recommendation is the sensible step, not the full-balance flagship, even though a pricier part would pay a bigger commission. Third, affiliate links are labelled where they appear. Advertising (if added later) will be disclosed here too.
Corrections policy
Specification sheets change as new parts launch, and we make mistakes. If you spot a figure on this site that does not match the manufacturer’s published specification, a comparison that contradicts our own stated index, or a broken page, treat it as a bug report: we will check it against the source, fix what is actually wrong, and note significant corrections on the methodology page. The source list there is the standard every number on this site should be checked against.