A massive evolution with physically based rendering and fluid animations. The high density of effects creates a heavy load on both CPU and GPU. It scales well up to 16 threads.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, frame rates range from 21 to 39 FPS depending on quality settings. At 1440p, frame rates range from 14 to 39 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 6 to 18 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 170% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2060) for Path of Exile 2. The Core 2 Duo E7300 is 83% below minimum CPU requirement.
At lower resolutions (all 1080p settings, 1440p (low/medium/high)), the Core 2 Duo E7300 sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (4k (medium/high/ultra)), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1440p ultra, 4k low.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1782. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 21 FPS, equivalent to 0.01 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.022 fps/$ | 0.022 fps/$ | 0.022 fps/$ | 0.012 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.022 fps/$ | 0.020 fps/$ | 0.013 fps/$ | 0.008 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.010 fps/$ | 0.007 fps/$ | 0.006 fps/$ | 0.003 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages.
At 1080p low, the Core 2 Duo E7300 sets the ceiling at about 39 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 168 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 77% (FPS gap: 129 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 7/12 cells, GPU limits 3/12, balanced 2/12.
Your Core 2 Duo E7300 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the GeForce RTX 4090 rendering potential remains unused in those settings.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU Limits GPU 77% | CPU Limits GPU 68% | CPU Limits GPU 60% | CPU Limits GPU 43% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 62% | CPU Limits GPU 43% | CPU Limits GPU 29% | Balanced |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | Balanced | GPU Limits CPU 23% | GPU Limits CPU 33% | GPU Limits CPU 62% |
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) | CPU60% - 94% <> GPU83% - 91% <> | CPU79% - 98% <> GPU82% - 89% <> | CPU79% - 98% <> GPU82% - 89% <> | CPU61% - 91% <> GPU82% - 90% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU25% - 49% <> GPU83% - 91% <> | CPU40% - 53% <> GPU82% - 89% <> | CPU40% - 53% <> GPU82% - 89% <> | CPU22% - 48% <> GPU82% - 90% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU16% - 28% <> GPU83% - 91% <> | CPU31% - 32% <> GPU82% - 89% <> | CPU31% - 32% <> GPU82% - 89% <> | CPU12% - 27% <> GPU82% - 90% <> |
The Core 2 Duo E7300 + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 12% and 98% and GPU utilization between 82% and 91%. Core 2 Duo E7300 reaches high load in heavier scenarios, while GeForce RTX 4090 is utilized efficiently without persistent saturation. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 86% at 1080p to 86% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 82% to 27%.
The utilization pattern is relatively even. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 87% average at its highest-load preset, while the Core 2 Duo E7300 peaks at 88% average. This suggests a fairly controlled load distribution, but the actual FPS-limiting side should still be read from the limiter analysis above.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 82% and GPU 86%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 41% and GPU 86%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 27% and GPU 86%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.
1440p (2K QHD) Low is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 37% (25-49%) and GPU 87% (83-91%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core 2 Duo E7300 remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Core 2 Duo E7300 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 hardware is below minimum requirements. CPU is the limiting factor (83% below minimum). Expect performance issues. Low settings recommended.
-93%vsrecommended
+170%vsrecommended
-83%vsminimum
+380%vsminimum
The Core 2 Duo E7300 and GeForce RTX 4090 will struggle to run Path of Exile 2 at smooth framerates. At 1080p Ultra, you can expect around 21 FPS which is classified as "struggling". Consider lowering settings or upgrading your hardware.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1782 ($133 CPU + $1649 GPU). 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 Path of Exile 2, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core 2 Duo E7300 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: 1080p low, 1080p medium, 1080p high, 1080p ultra, 1440p low, 1440p medium, 1440p high. GPU fully utilized at: 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.
Path of Exile 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.
Path of Exile 2 requires at minimum a Core i7-7700 (CPU) and GeForce GTX 960 (GPU) with 8 GB RAM and 100 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-10500 and GeForce RTX 2060 with 16 GB RAM. Your hardware falls below the minimum requirements for this game, which may result in poor performance.
These Path of Exile 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.
