Extremely accessible and runs on almost anything. It is single-threaded with negligible GPU load. However, installing many mods can increase RAM usage to 2-4GB.
This game has a built-in FPS cap of 60 FPS
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 71 FPS. At 1440p, frame rates range from 59 to 71 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 52 to 67 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 1575% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 460) for Stardew Valley. The Core 2 Duo SP9600 is 79% below recommended, but 29% above minimum.
At lower resolutions (1080p medium), the Core 2 Duo SP9600 sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (all 1440p settings, all 4k settings), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p (low/high/ultra).
This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages.
At 4k medium, the GeForce RTX 4090 sets the ceiling at about 39 FPS, while the Core 2 Duo SP9600 has headroom up to 68 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU limits the CPU potential by 43% (FPS gap: 29 FPS). Overall distribution: GPU limits 8/12 cells, CPU limits 1/12, balanced 3/12.
Your GeForce RTX 4090 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the Core 2 Duo SP9600 frame-generation potential remains unused in those settings.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 10% | Balanced | Balanced |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | GPU Limits CPU 33% | GPU Limits CPU 32% | GPU Limits CPU 31% | GPU Limits CPU 18% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | GPU Limits CPU 42% | GPU Limits CPU 43% | GPU Limits CPU 42% | GPU Limits CPU 34% |
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) | CPU44% - 61% <> GPU0% - 0% | CPU44% - 61% <> GPU0% - 0% | CPU44% - 61% <> GPU0% - 0% | CPU26% - 48% <> GPU0% - 0% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU44% - 59% <> GPU0% - 0% | CPU44% - 59% <> GPU0% - 0% | CPU44% - 59% <> GPU0% - 0% | CPU26% - 46% <> GPU0% - 0% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU44% - 59% <> GPU4% - 13% <> | CPU44% - 59% <> GPU4% - 13% <> | CPU44% - 59% <> GPU4% - 13% <> | CPU26% - 46% <> GPU4% - 14% <> |
The Core 2 Duo SP9600 + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 26% and 61% and GPU utilization between 0% and 14%. Core 2 Duo SP9600 keeps significant headroom across presets, while GeForce RTX 4090 is utilized efficiently without persistent saturation. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 0% at 1080p to 8% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 48% to 48%.
The utilization pattern is relatively even. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 9% average at its highest-load preset, while the Core 2 Duo SP9600 peaks at 52% 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 48% and GPU 0%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 48% and GPU 0%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 48% and GPU 8%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.
4K (Ultra HD) Ultra is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 36% (26-46%) and GPU 9% (4-14%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core 2 Duo SP9600 remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Core 2 Duo SP9600 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 79% below recommended and your GPU is 1575% below recommended, but both meet minimum specs. Playable at Low/Medium settings, 1080p or below.
-79%vsrecommended
+1575%vsrecommended
+29%vsminimum
+26004%vsminimum
Yes, the Core 2 Duo SP9600 paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Stardew Valley smoothly up to 1080p achieving around 71 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 1575% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 79% below the recommended requirements.
Price data is not currently available for this combination. In general, look for setups where the CPU and GPU are balanced — this ensures you're not overspending on one component that the other can't keep up with.
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 Stardew Valley performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 1440p low, 1440p medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra. CPU-limited at: 1080p medium.
Stardew Valley 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.
Stardew Valley requires at minimum a Core 2 Duo (CPU) and GeForce 7 series (GPU) with 2 GB RAM and 500 MB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i3 and GeForce GTX 460 with 4 GB RAM. Your setup meets the minimum requirements but falls short of the recommended specs. You may need to lower some settings for smooth performance.
These Stardew Valley 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.
