A Valve classic that depends heavily on single-thread clock speed. It runs well on older hardware but benefits from a fast CPU.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 445 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 450 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 332 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 13367% above the recommended GPU (GeForce 8600 GT) for Team Fortress 2. The Core i5-13500 is 1320% above the recommended CPU (Core 2 Duo).
The Core i5-13500 sets the FPS ceiling at all 4k settings, while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1913. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 445 FPS, equivalent to 0.23 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.366 fps/$ | 0.314 fps/$ | 0.261 fps/$ | 0.233 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.355 fps/$ | 0.314 fps/$ | 0.261 fps/$ | 0.235 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.271 fps/$ | 0.242 fps/$ | 0.220 fps/$ | 0.174 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages.
At 4k low, the Core i5-13500 sets the ceiling at about 503 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 700 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 28% (FPS gap: 197 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 5/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 7/12.
The Core i5-13500 and GeForce RTX 4090 stay close in effective frame-generation ceiling across most presets, so neither side consistently suppresses the other by a large margin.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 6% | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 28% | CPU Limits GPU 25% | CPU Limits GPU 18% | CPU Limits GPU 25% |
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.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU3% - 5% <> GPU5% - 12% <> | CPU3% - 8% <> GPU5% - 15% <> | CPU5% - 10% <> GPU8% - 18% <> | CPU6% - 8% <> GPU8% - 22% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU3% - 11% <> GPU9% - 17% <> | CPU3% - 11% <> GPU9% - 21% <> | CPU5% - 13% <> GPU9% - 19% <> | CPU5% - 12% <> GPU9% - 22% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU3% - 11% <> GPU11% - 25% <> | CPU2% - 12% <> GPU11% - 28% <> | CPU4% - 13% <> GPU10% - 26% <> | CPU3% - 12% <> GPU10% - 25% <> |
The Core i5-13500 + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 2% and 13% and GPU utilization between 5% and 28%. Core i5-13500 keeps significant headroom across presets, while GeForce RTX 4090 is utilized efficiently without persistent saturation. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 12% at 1080p to 19% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 6% to 8%.
Neither component is close to saturation: CPU tops out at 13% and GPU at 28%. This pattern suggests possible engine-side limits, an FPS cap, or workload constraints unrelated to raw hardware throughput. It also shows why low utilization does not automatically mean there is no FPS limiter.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 6% and GPU 12%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 8% and GPU 15%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 8% and GPU 19%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.
4K (Ultra HD) Medium is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 7% (2-12%) and GPU 20% (11-28%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i5-13500 remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Core i5-13500 and GeForce RTX 4090 remain reasonably matched for this title.
Understanding Hardware Utilization: These percentages represent how much of your component's maximum processing power is actively being used during gameplay. They describe hardware load, but they do not directly tell you which component sets the FPS ceiling.
Important: a CPU or GPU can still be the FPS limiter without reaching 100% utilization. Two processors can both show 40% usage and still deliver very different frame rates, depending on per-core speed, cache, engine threading, driver overhead, and frame preparation efficiency.
Data generated by our Machine Learning engine trained on real-world benchmarks. Shows the approximate average utilization at each setting.
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.
Your CPU is 1320% above and your GPU is 13367% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+1320%vsrecommended
+13367%vsrecommended
+937%vsminimum
+2422%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i5-13500 paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Team Fortress 2 smoothly up to 4k achieving around 332 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 13367% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 1320% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1913 ($264 CPU (Rank #136 Value) + $1649 GPU (Rank #77 Value)). Since the CPU is the main limiting factor, investing in a stronger processor will improve your framerates and overall value. For example, the Ryzen 9 9950X is a great upgrade option for around $649 (Rank #5 for value).
For Team Fortress 2, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core i5-13500 is currently the limiting factor — the GeForce RTX 4090 has extra headroom that a faster processor could take advantage of. This is especially noticeable at 1080p where CPU performance matters more. CPU-limited at: 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.
Team Fortress 2 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.
Team Fortress 2 requires at minimum a Pentium 4 (3.0 GHz) (CPU) and GeForce 6 series (GPU) with 1 GB RAM and 15 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core 2 Duo and GeForce 8600 GT with 2 GB RAM. Your Core i5-13500 and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
These Team Fortress 2 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.
