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 74 FPS. At 1440p, frame rates range from 58 to 97 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 34 to 53 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 52% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2080) for Starfield. The Core i3-12300 is 21% below recommended, but 4% above minimum.
At lower resolutions (1080p low, 1440p (low/medium/ultra), all 4k settings), the Core i3-12300 sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (1080p (medium/high)), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p ultra, 1440p high.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1792. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 74 FPS, equivalent to 0.04 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.070 fps/$ | 0.068 fps/$ | 0.057 fps/$ | 0.041 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.054 fps/$ | 0.052 fps/$ | 0.044 fps/$ | 0.032 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.030 fps/$ | 0.028 fps/$ | 0.025 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 low, the Core i3-12300 sets the ceiling at about 54 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 86 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 37% (FPS gap: 32 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 8/12 cells, GPU limits 2/12, balanced 2/12.
Your Core i3-12300 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 8% | GPU Limits CPU 6% | GPU Limits CPU 9% | Balanced |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 20% | CPU Limits GPU 8% | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 13% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 37% | CPU Limits GPU 30% | CPU Limits GPU 28% | CPU Limits GPU 27% |
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) | CPU79% - 93% <> GPU50% - 70% <> | CPU78% - 93% <> GPU82% - 96% <> | CPU76% - 93% <> GPU84% - 98% <> | CPU77% - 94% <> GPU87% - 99% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU80% - 94% <> GPU71% - 78% <> | CPU77% - 93% <> GPU90% - 98% <> | CPU75% - 93% <> GPU93% - 99% <> | CPU75% - 96% <> GPU95% - 100% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU77% - 95% <> GPU70% - 82% <> | CPU75% - 93% <> GPU96% - 99% <> | CPU72% - 93% <> GPU97% - 100% <> | CPU71% - 92% <> GPU98% - 100% <> |
The Core i3-12300 + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 71% and 96% and GPU utilization between 50% and 100%. Core i3-12300 reaches high load in heavier scenarios, while GeForce RTX 4090 carries most of the graphics load at heavier visual settings. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 83% at 1080p to 93% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 86% to 84%.
From a utilization perspective, this is a CPU-heavy load profile. At 1440p (2K QHD) Low, the Core i3-12300 reaches 87% average load (80-94%), while the GeForce RTX 4090 remains comparatively lower at 74% (71-78%). This points to heavier CPU-side frame preparation work, but utilization alone does not define the FPS limiter.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 86% and GPU 83%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 86% and GPU 91%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 84% and GPU 93%. This shows that GPU demand scales sharply with resolution while CPU load remains comparatively stable.
1080p (Full HD) High is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 84% (76-93%) and GPU 91% (84-98%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i3-12300 remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Both components are stressed near their limits in the heaviest presets (Core i3-12300: 87% avg, GeForce RTX 4090: 99% avg). A targeted upgrade should follow your target resolution: GPU first for higher image quality, CPU first for higher minimum FPS.
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 21% below recommended and your GPU is 52% below recommended, but both meet minimum specs. Playable at Low/Medium settings, 1080p or below.
-21%vsrecommended
+52%vsrecommended
+4%vsminimum
+160%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i3-12300 paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Starfield smoothly up to 1080p achieving around 74 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 21% below the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1792 ($143 CPU (Rank #184 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 i3-12300 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, 1440p low, 1440p medium, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra. GPU fully utilized at: 1080p medium, 1080p 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 setup meets the minimum requirements but falls short of the recommended specs. You may need to lower some settings for smooth 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.
