Bethesda's Creation Engine 2 is CPU-dependent, especially in cities, and requires an SSD for asset streaming. Optimization tends to favor AMD slightly, but generally requires powerful hardware to run smoothly.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 67 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 62 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 37 to 54 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 52% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2080) for Starfield. The Core 5 120UL is 24% below minimum CPU requirement.
At lower resolutions (1080p low, all 4k settings), the Core 5 120UL sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (1080p high, 1440p high), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p (medium/ultra), 1440p (low/medium/ultra).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1919. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 67 FPS, equivalent to 0.03 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.059 fps/$ | 0.051 fps/$ | 0.044 fps/$ | 0.035 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.055 fps/$ | 0.047 fps/$ | 0.041 fps/$ | 0.032 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.028 fps/$ | 0.024 fps/$ | 0.022 fps/$ | 0.019 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 medium, the Core 5 120UL sets the ceiling at about 50 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 82 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 39% (FPS gap: 32 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 5/12 cells, GPU limits 3/12, balanced 4/12.
Your Core 5 120UL 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 7% | Balanced | GPU Limits CPU 7% | Balanced |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | Balanced | Balanced | GPU Limits CPU 11% | GPU Limits CPU 9% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 38% | CPU Limits GPU 39% | CPU Limits GPU 31% | CPU Limits GPU 28% |
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) | CPU54% - 84% <> GPU60% - 85% <> | CPU53% - 83% <> GPU83% - 95% <> | CPU54% - 79% <> GPU86% - 97% <> | CPU54% - 76% <> GPU88% - 98% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU50% - 70% <> GPU85% - 87% <> | CPU51% - 70% <> GPU88% - 97% <> | CPU46% - 69% <> GPU92% - 99% <> | CPU43% - 60% <> GPU94% - 100% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU42% - 70% <> GPU85% - 90% <> | CPU43% - 69% <> GPU94% - 98% <> | CPU36% - 68% <> GPU96% - 100% <> | CPU33% - 57% <> GPU97% - 100% <> |
The Core 5 120UL + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 33% and 84% and GPU utilization between 60% and 100%. Core 5 120UL stays in a controlled operating range, while GeForce RTX 4090 carries most of the graphics load at heavier visual settings. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 87% at 1080p to 95% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 67% to 52%.
From a utilization perspective, this is a GPU-heavy load profile. At 4K (Ultra HD) High, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 98% usage (96-100%), while the Core 5 120UL stays at 52% (36-68%). This shows the graphics pipeline is carrying most of the workload, but utilization alone does not define the FPS limiter.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 67% and GPU 87%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 58% and GPU 93%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 52% and GPU 95%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.
4K (Ultra HD) Low is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 56% (42-70%) and GPU 88% (85-90%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core 5 120UL remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Upgrade priority should be the GPU. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 98% average load at 4K (Ultra HD) High while the Core 5 120UL still has headroom, so a faster graphics card would deliver the largest uplift.
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 (24% below minimum). Expect performance issues. Low settings recommended.
-42%vsrecommended
+52%vsrecommended
-24%vsminimum
+160%vsminimum
Yes, the Core 5 120UL paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Starfield smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 62 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 42% below the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1919 ($270 CPU (Rank #371 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 Starfield, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core 5 120UL 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, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra. GPU fully utilized at: 1080p high, 1440p high.
Starfield 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.
Starfield requires at minimum a Core i7-6800K (CPU) and GeForce GTX 1070 Ti (GPU) with 16 GB RAM and 125 GB (SSD Obrigatório) storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-10600K and GeForce RTX 2080 with 16 GB RAM. Your hardware falls below the minimum requirements for this game, which may result in poor performance.
These Starfield 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.
