A dense RPG where Act 3 becomes a CPU stress test due to the high number of NPCs. An SSD is vital for loading times. 16GB of RAM is recommended, and the game benefits greatly from upscaling tech like DLSS and FSR.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 87 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 72 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 39 to 72 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 131% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2060 Super) for Baldur's Gate 3. The Core i5-11600K is 10% above the recommended CPU (Core i7-8700K).
The Core i5-11600K sets the FPS ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1819. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 87 FPS, equivalent to 0.05 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.082 fps/$ | 0.070 fps/$ | 0.056 fps/$ | 0.048 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.067 fps/$ | 0.057 fps/$ | 0.046 fps/$ | 0.040 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.040 fps/$ | 0.032 fps/$ | 0.027 fps/$ | 0.021 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 ultra, the Core i5-11600K sets the ceiling at about 88 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 174 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 49% (FPS gap: 86 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 12/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 0/12.
Your Core i5-11600K 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 42% | CPU Limits GPU 43% | CPU Limits GPU 47% | CPU Limits GPU 49% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 18% | CPU Limits GPU 16% | CPU Limits GPU 22% | CPU Limits GPU 30% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 23% | CPU Limits GPU 25% | CPU Limits GPU 25% | CPU Limits GPU 33% |
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) | CPU68% - 100% <> GPU50% - 90% <> | CPU61% - 100% <> GPU56% - 89% <> | CPU37% - 100% <> GPU61% - 93% <> | CPU39% - 96% <> GPU80% - 95% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU65% - 100% <> GPU56% - 93% <> | CPU58% - 100% <> GPU63% - 92% <> | CPU34% - 100% <> GPU67% - 96% <> | CPU36% - 92% <> GPU86% - 95% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU69% - 100% <> GPU57% - 94% <> | CPU63% - 100% <> GPU62% - 92% <> | CPU39% - 100% <> GPU67% - 97% <> | CPU42% - 100% <> GPU83% - 96% <> |
The Core i5-11600K + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 34% and 100% and GPU utilization between 50% and 97%. Core i5-11600K 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 77% at 1080p to 81% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 75% to 77%.
The utilization pattern is relatively even. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 90% average at its highest-load preset, while the Core i5-11600K peaks at 84% 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 75% and GPU 77%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 73% and GPU 81%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 77% and GPU 81%. This shows that workload scaling is limited, which can indicate engine-side constraints.
1080p (Full HD) Ultra is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 68% (39-96%) and GPU 88% (80-95%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i5-11600K remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Core i5-11600K 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 10% above and your GPU is 131% above the recommended specs. High/Ultra at 1080p. Lower settings for higher resolutions.
+10%vsrecommended
+131%vsrecommended
+229%vsminimum
+295%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i5-11600K paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Baldur's Gate 3 smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 72 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 131% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 10% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1819 ($170 CPU (Rank #145 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 Baldur's Gate 3, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core i5-11600K 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, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.
Baldur's Gate 3 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.
Baldur's Gate 3 requires at minimum a Core i5-4690 (CPU) and GeForce GTX 970 (GPU) with 8 GB RAM and 150 GB (SSD) storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i7-8700K and GeForce RTX 2060 Super with 16 GB RAM. Your Core i5-11600K and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
These Baldur's Gate 3 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.
