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4 overlooked PC upgrades that can actually boost FPS
When upgrading a gaming PC, most people prioritize the CPU and GPU, as those are the two components that deliver the biggest performance uplift for your money. However, that shouldn't mean you should compromise on other components, as they could make or break your gaming experience.
If your other components aren't on par with your CPU and GPU, you won't get the most out of their performance. You may encounter performance throttling or, worse, thermal throttling, which impacts your frame rate. So, I highly recommend not overlooking the following components when upgrading your gaming rig.
7 things that could be causing your PC to bottleneck
Nothing is more annoying than losing performance, especially when it can be avoided. Here are some things to check if you're having issues.
Faster RAM
Your RAM's frequency and latency matter more than you think
While more RAM is generally better for gaming, your RAM's speed and latency matter just as much, if not more, if you already have adequate RAM for the games you play. RAM speed can make a big difference in CPU-intensive games; the faster the RAM, the faster the CPU can access the game's textures and other assets. That's the main reason why we highly recommend upgrading to DDR5 RAM in 2025.
Likewise, a RAM with lower CAS latency (CL) improves in-game responsiveness, which makes a big difference in competitive multiplayer games like Valorant, Overwatch 2, and Counter-Strike 2. Additionally, if you're running a single stick of RAM, you're pretty much bottlenecking your performance by halving your memory bandwidth. In this case, upgrading to a dual-channel RAM configuration would be well worth the money spent.
Better CPU cooler
A high-end cooler can help your CPU run faster
A lot of people tend to settle for cheaper CPU coolers, but that's a terrible idea if you have a high-end CPU like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Intel Core Ultra 9 285K. Sure, a cheap air cooler or a 240mm AIO might be enough to prevent your CPU from overheating, but when a CPU gets hot, it will throttle its performance by lowering its clock speeds. As a result, you may experience frame dips and stutters while gaming, which can be pretty annoying to deal with.
When you upgrade to a beefy air cooler with a 250W TDP or a 360mm AIO, your CPU will sustain its boost clock speeds for much longer. Likewise, your CPU won't significantly lower its clock speeds because it never gets too hot. This can make a big difference in CPU-bound scenarios where a faster CPU is crucial for maintaining higher frame rates. You don't have to spend too much money on it either; you can get a top-notch AIO like the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 for under $150.
High-quality thermal paste
A cooler CPU and GPU will perform better
A high-quality thermal paste is a very safe investment. It doesn't cost much, but your CPU and GPU will run a lot cooler, which will indirectly help improve your frame rate. Most CPU coolers come with pre-applied thermal paste, and while that's decent, you can lower temperatures further by 5 to 10 degrees Celsius with a high-end thermal paste like the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme, which has a thermal conductivity of 14.2W/mK.
Graphics cards, on the other hand, come with factory-applied thermal paste, but their thermal conductivity may deteriorate after a year or two. So, once your graphics card's warranty expires, I recommend repasting the GPU die with the help of an expert. Like your CPU, when your GPU runs cooler, it will sustain its boost clocks for longer, allowing it to push more frames while gaming. The higher the thermal conductivity of the thermal paste you use, the lower your GPU's temperature will be.
NVMe SSD
For faster loading times and better responsiveness
An NVMe SSD isn't going to improve the FPS directly, but it still plays a huge role in how a game feels. Modern open-world AAA games load textures, environments, and character models in real time, and if your storage is too slow, you'll encounter stutters, texture pop-ins, and frame rate dips.
Compared to traditional SATA SSDs, NVMe SSDs can improve frame pacing and minimize frame rate dips in games that rely on fast texture streaming. This means you'll experience better smoothness while playing modern titles that utilize Microsoft DirectStorage to reduce CPU overhead. Lastly, don't forget about game loading times. An NVMe SSD can reduce loading times by up to three times, depending on the game.
Don't cheap out on other components
While allocating most of your budget toward the CPU and GPU makes sense, you shouldn't completely overlook other components like your RAM, storage, and cooler while upgrading or building a gaming PC. Your CPU and GPU need fast storage and RAM to provide a smooth and consistent gaming experience, especially with modern technology like Microsoft DirectStorage. Likewise, the thermal paste you use matters just as much as the cooler you use for the CPU to keep its temperature in check. All the hardware we discussed here allows your CPU and GPU to perform at their maximum potential, which is crucial for crushing frame rates across most modern games.
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