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 99 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 87 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 48 to 75 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 131% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2060 Super) for Baldur's Gate 3. The Core i5-12400F is 10% above the recommended CPU (Core i7-8700K).
At lower resolutions (all 1080p settings, 1440p ultra, 4k (low/ultra)), the Core i5-12400F determines the performance ceiling. As graphical load increases at (1440p medium), the GeForce RTX 4090 takes over as the primary performance factor. The system is well balanced at 1440p (low/high), 4k (medium/high).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1759. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 99 FPS, equivalent to 0.06 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.078 fps/$ | 0.076 fps/$ | 0.064 fps/$ | 0.056 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.074 fps/$ | 0.070 fps/$ | 0.060 fps/$ | 0.049 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.043 fps/$ | 0.039 fps/$ | 0.034 fps/$ | 0.027 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
At 1080p low, the Core i5-12400F sets the ceiling at about 143 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 247 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 42% (FPS gap: 104 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 8/12 cells, GPU limits 1/12, balanced 3/12.
Your Core i5-12400F 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 35% | CPU Limits GPU 37% | CPU Limits GPU 38% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 6% | GPU Limits CPU 8% | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 11% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 16% | Balanced | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 17% |
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.
The displayed percentages are derived from FPS ceilings, not generic utilization heuristics.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU69% - 100% <> GPU39% - 90% <> | CPU65% - 100% <> GPU39% - 89% <> | CPU41% - 100% <> GPU39% - 94% <> | CPU42% - 100% <> GPU47% - 96% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU68% - 100% <> GPU40% - 93% <> | CPU63% - 100% <> GPU40% - 92% <> | CPU39% - 100% <> GPU41% - 97% <> | CPU41% - 100% <> GPU48% - 96% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU69% - 100% <> GPU47% - 95% <> | CPU64% - 100% <> GPU49% - 93% <> | CPU40% - 100% <> GPU50% - 98% <> | CPU43% - 100% <> GPU57% - 97% <> |
The Core i5-12400F + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 39% and 100% and GPU utilization between 39% and 98%. Core i5-12400F stays in a controlled operating range, while GeForce RTX 4090 is utilized efficiently without persistent saturation. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 67% at 1080p to 73% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 77% to 77%.
The utilization pattern is relatively balanced. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 77% average at its highest-load preset, while the Core i5-12400F peaks at 84% average, with no single component consistently acting as a hard bottleneck.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 77% and GPU 67%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 77% and GPU 68%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 77% and GPU 73%. 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 72% (43-100%) and GPU 77% (57-97%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i5-12400F remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Core i5-12400F and GeForce RTX 4090 remain reasonably matched for this title.
Understanding Hardware Utilization & Bottlenecks: These percentages represent how much of your component's maximum processing power is actively being used during gameplay. This is the key to identifying performance bottlenecks in any system.
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 i5-12400F paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Baldur's Gate 3 smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 87 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 $1759 ($110 CPU (Rank #30 Value) + $1649 GPU (Rank #77 Value)). Your build is already very cost-efficient, but if you want even more FPS, the next good option is upgrading the CPU. 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 i5-12400F 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 ultra, 4k low, 4k ultra. GPU fully utilized at: 1440p medium.
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 i5-12400F 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.
