The standard for turn-time benchmarks. Late-game turns require huge CPU throughput to process AI moves. High-resolution textures also demand a fair amount of VRAM.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 192 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 123 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 96 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 539% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 770) for Civilization VI. The Core i5-12400F is 229% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-4xxx).
The Core i5-12400F determines the performance ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the GPU has headroom.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1759. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 192 FPS, equivalent to 0.11 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.171 fps/$ | 0.140 fps/$ | 0.125 fps/$ | 0.109 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.113 fps/$ | 0.092 fps/$ | 0.080 fps/$ | 0.070 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.092 fps/$ | 0.077 fps/$ | 0.065 fps/$ | 0.055 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
At 1440p medium, the Core i5-12400F sets the ceiling at about 162 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 198 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 18% (FPS gap: 36 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 12/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 0/12.
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 11% | CPU Limits GPU 15% | CPU Limits GPU 16% | CPU Limits GPU 12% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 10% | CPU Limits GPU 18% | CPU Limits GPU 18% | CPU Limits GPU 16% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 13% | CPU Limits GPU 17% | CPU Limits GPU 16% | CPU Limits GPU 12% |
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) | CPU20% - 72% <> GPU27% - 50% <> | CPU20% - 72% <> GPU27% - 50% <> | CPU41% - 74% <> GPU55% - 66% <> | CPU41% - 74% <> GPU55% - 66% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU9% - 59% <> GPU39% - 77% <> | CPU9% - 59% <> GPU39% - 77% <> | CPU27% - 64% <> GPU68% - 95% <> | CPU27% - 64% <> GPU68% - 95% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU7% - 48% <> GPU77% - 96% <> | CPU7% - 48% <> GPU77% - 96% <> | CPU26% - 52% <> GPU100% - 100% | CPU26% - 52% <> GPU100% - 100% |
The Core i5-12400F + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 7% and 74% and GPU utilization between 27% and 100%. Core i5-12400F keeps significant headroom across presets, while GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the primary limiter at high visual load. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 49% at 1080p to 93% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 52% to 34%.
This profile is GPU-bound. At 4K (Ultra HD) High, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 100% usage (100-100%), while the Core i5-12400F stays at 39% (26-52%), indicating the graphics pipeline is the limiting stage.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 52% and GPU 49%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 40% and GPU 70%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 34% and GPU 93%. 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 28% (7-48%) and GPU 86% (77-96%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i5-12400F remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Upgrade priority should be the GPU. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 100% average load at 4K (Ultra HD) High while the Core i5-12400F still has headroom, so a faster graphics card would deliver the largest uplift.
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 229% above and your GPU is 539% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+229%vsrecommended
+539%vsrecommended
+887%vsminimum
+2751%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i5-12400F paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Civilization VI smoothly up to 4k achieving around 96 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 539% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 229% 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 Civilization VI, 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 low, 1440p medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.
Civilization VI 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.
Civilization VI requires at minimum a Core i3-2120 (CPU) and GeForce GTS 450 (GPU) with 4 GB RAM and 12 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-4xxx and GeForce GTX 770 with 8 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 Civilization VI 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.
