Apex LegendsFPS onA9-9420&GeForce RTX 4090

Apex Legends

Built on a modified Source engine, Apex Legends retains the scalability of Titanfall 2. Fast movement demands high frame rates for fluidity. VRAM can be a bottleneck if the 'Texture Streaming Budget' is set too high. While it handles 8GB of RAM better than some competitors, 16GB is recommended. It is generally less CPU-intensive than Warzone, allowing older quad-core CPUs to remain viable.

This game has a built-in FPS cap of 300 FPS

Apex Legends - FPS Estimates by Resolution

Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors

1080P
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high29 FPS
ultra14 FPS
1440P
low38 FPS
medium31 FPS
high20 FPS
ultra11 FPS
4K
low16 FPS
medium12 FPS
high5 FPS
ultra4 FPS

Performance Report

Apex Legends

GeForce RTX 4090 + A9-9420
🎮Visual Experience

At 1080p, frame rates range from 14 to 38 FPS depending on quality settings. At 1440p, frame rates range from 11 to 38 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 4 to 16 FPS.

Official Requirements

The GeForce RTX 4090 is 295% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 970) for Apex Legends. The A9-9420 is 64% below minimum CPU requirement.

⚙️FPS Ceiling Analysis

At lower resolutions (1080p (low/medium), 1440p low), the A9-9420 sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (1080p ultra, 1440p (high/ultra), all 4k settings), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p high, 1440p medium.

💰Value Analysis

Approximated average price on current market:

GeForce RTX 4090:$1649
Official Launch Price: $1599
A9-9420:$30
Official Launch Price: $150

Combo price: $1679. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 14 FPS, equivalent to 0.01 FPS per dollar.

ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p0.023 fps/$0.023 fps/$0.017 fps/$0.008 fps/$
1440p0.023 fps/$0.018 fps/$0.012 fps/$0.007 fps/$
4k0.010 fps/$0.007 fps/$0.003 fps/$0.002 fps/$

* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)

Performance Limiter Analysis

A9-9420|GeForce RTX 4090

This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages.

📈Analysis

At 4k ultra, the GeForce RTX 4090 sets the ceiling at about 4 FPS, while the A9-9420 has headroom up to 38 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU limits the CPU potential by 89% (FPS gap: 34 FPS). Overall distribution: GPU limits 7/12 cells, CPU limits 3/12, balanced 2/12.

Verdict

GPU Limits CPU

Your GeForce RTX 4090 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the A9-9420 frame-generation potential remains unused in those settings.

🧩Detailed Breakdown
1080p (Full HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 58%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 40%
HighBalanced
UltraGPU Limits CPU 61%
1440p (2K QHD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 27%
MediumBalanced
HighGPU Limits CPU 37%
UltraGPU Limits CPU 66%
4K (Ultra HD)
LowGPU Limits CPU 53%
MediumGPU Limits CPU 63%
HighGPU Limits CPU 84%
UltraGPU Limits CPU 89%
Percentages show how much potential FPS of the stronger component is lost because the other component has a lower FPS ceiling.
🧠Methodology

We estimate the maximum FPS the processor can sustain and the maximum FPS the graphics card can sustain in each setting, then compare those limits directly.

Limit Factor formula: (stronger - weaker) / stronger. Example: if CPU ceiling is 200 FPS and GPU ceiling is 140 FPS, then GPU limits CPU by 30%.

CPU Limits GPU means the processor ceiling is lower. GPU Limits CPU means the graphics ceiling is lower. Balanced means the FPS ceilings are close enough that the gap is negligible.

A component can still be the FPS limiter without reaching 100% utilization. The displayed percentages are derived from FPS ceilings, not generic utilization heuristics.

Apex Legends Requirements Comparison

See how your processor and graphics card compare against the game official minimum and recommended system specs. The placement of your hardware is calculated using relative synthetic performance scores to help you gauge overall playability.

CPU - A9-9420
cpu icon
1,538
Your Score
MinimumCore i3-6300
RecommendedCore i5-3570K
GPU - GeForce RTX 4090
gpu icon
38,112
Your Score
MinimumGeForce GT 640
RecommendedGeForce GTX 970

Your hardware is below minimum requirements. CPU is the limiting factor (64% below minimum). Expect performance issues. Low settings recommended.

CPU

-83%vsrecommended

GPU

+295%vsrecommended

CPU

-64%vsminimum

GPU

+3160%vsminimum

Minimum Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GT 640
Processor: Core i3-6300
Memory: 6 GB
Disk Space: 56 GB
System: Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTX 970
Processor: Core i5-3570K
Memory: 8 GB
Disk Space: 56 GB (SSD)
System: Windows 10 64-bit

Frequently Asked Questions

1Can the A9-9420 and GeForce RTX 4090 run Apex Legends well?

The A9-9420 and GeForce RTX 4090 will struggle to run Apex Legends at smooth framerates. At 1080p Ultra, you can expect around 14 FPS which is classified as "struggling". Consider lowering settings or upgrading your hardware.

2Is there a more cost-effective setup to run Apex Legends?

This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1679 ($30 CPU + $1649 GPU). Your GeForce RTX 4090 provides phenomenal top-tier performance but at a premium enthusiast price. Since you are essentially at the ceiling of current hardware capabilities, there are no meaningful performance upgrades available. However, if you wanted a more cost-effective build that still delivers a great experience, you could theoretically step down to a high-end card with a significantly better value rating.

3Which component should I upgrade first to improve Apex Legends performance?

Your GeForce RTX 4090 is already a top-tier graphics card. While it's technically the limiting factor here (which means you are fully utilizing your GPU's visual horsepower exactly as intended), there is no meaningful upgrade path that would drastically improve your Apex Legends performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 1080p ultra, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra. CPU-limited at: 1080p low, 1080p medium, 1440p low.

4Does this setup support Frame Generation for Apex Legends?

Apex Legends does not currently support Frame Generation technologies like DLSS 3 or FSR 3. Your performance is based entirely on native rendering. If the game adds support in a future update, newer GPUs will benefit the most.

5What are the minimum and recommended specs for Apex Legends?

Apex Legends requires at minimum a Core i3-6300 (CPU) and GeForce GT 640 (GPU) with 6 GB RAM and 56 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-3570K and GeForce GTX 970 with 8 GB RAM. Your hardware falls below the minimum requirements for this game, which may result in poor performance.

6How accurate are these Apex Legends FPS estimates for the A9-9420 and GeForce RTX 4090?

These Apex Legends FPS results are not arbitrary numbers. They come from calculations informed by thousands of real gaming benchmarks, and the typical accuracy range is around 10% to 15%. That makes them far more useful than generic FPS calculators that simply invent values without a benchmark foundation. Actual in-game performance can still vary with drivers, updates, RAM configuration, cooling, and the exact scene being rendered.

Performance estimates are based on synthetic benchmarks and hardware capabilities.

Results may vary based on drivers, OS, and background processes.