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 84 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 73 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 53 to 82 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 13367% above the recommended GPU (GeForce 8600 GT) for Team Fortress 2. The Core i3-9100 is 201% above the recommended CPU (Core 2 Duo).
At lower resolutions (1080p (low/medium), 1440p low), the Core i3-9100 sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (1080p ultra, 1440p (high/ultra), all 4k settings), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p high, 1440p medium.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1774. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 84 FPS, equivalent to 0.05 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.081 fps/$ | 0.060 fps/$ | 0.058 fps/$ | 0.047 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.065 fps/$ | 0.052 fps/$ | 0.051 fps/$ | 0.041 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.046 fps/$ | 0.037 fps/$ | 0.037 fps/$ | 0.030 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 ultra, the GeForce RTX 4090 sets the ceiling at about 77 FPS, while the Core i3-9100 has headroom up to 165 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU limits the CPU potential by 53% (FPS gap: 88 FPS). Overall distribution: GPU limits 7/12 cells, CPU limits 3/12, balanced 2/12.
Your GeForce RTX 4090 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the Core i3-9100 frame-generation potential remains unused in those settings.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU Limits GPU 30% | CPU Limits GPU 13% | Balanced | GPU Limits CPU 15% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 11% | Balanced | GPU Limits CPU 13% | GPU Limits CPU 28% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | GPU Limits CPU 24% | GPU Limits CPU 36% | GPU Limits CPU 41% | GPU Limits CPU 53% |
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.
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 201% above and your GPU is 13367% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+201%vsrecommended
+13367%vsrecommended
+120%vsminimum
+2422%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i3-9100 paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Team Fortress 2 smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 73 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 13367% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 201% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1774 ($125 CPU + $1649 GPU). Your GeForce RTX 4090 provides phenomenal top-tier performance but at a premium enthusiast price. Since you are essentially at the ceiling of current hardware capabilities, there are no meaningful performance upgrades available. However, if you wanted a more cost-effective build that still delivers a great experience, you could theoretically step down to a high-end card with a significantly better value rating.
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 Team Fortress 2 performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 1080p ultra, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra. CPU-limited at: 1080p low, 1080p medium, 1440p low.
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 i3-9100 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.
