Known to slow down in the late game due to the exponential number of unit calculations. Single-core CPU speed is the most important factor for performance.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 126 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 107 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 75 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 870% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 570) for Hearts of Iron IV. The Core i5-12400F is 667% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-750).
At lower resolutions (4k (low/medium)), the Core i5-12400F determines the performance ceiling. As graphical load increases at (all 1080p settings, 1440p (low/high)), the GeForce RTX 4090 takes over as the primary performance factor. The system is well balanced at 1440p (medium/ultra), 4k (high/ultra).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1759. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 126 FPS, equivalent to 0.07 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.143 fps/$ | 0.123 fps/$ | 0.089 fps/$ | 0.072 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.128 fps/$ | 0.107 fps/$ | 0.080 fps/$ | 0.061 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.094 fps/$ | 0.077 fps/$ | 0.056 fps/$ | 0.043 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
At 1080p low, the GeForce RTX 4090 sets the ceiling at about 192 FPS, while the Core i5-12400F has headroom up to 249 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU limits the CPU potential by 23% (FPS gap: 57 FPS). Overall distribution: GPU limits 6/12 cells, CPU limits 3/12, balanced 3/12.
Your GeForce RTX 4090 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the Core i5-12400F frame-generation potential remains unused in those settings.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | GPU Limits CPU 23% | GPU Limits CPU 21% | GPU Limits CPU 23% | GPU Limits CPU 16% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | GPU Limits CPU 8% | Balanced | GPU Limits CPU 9% | Balanced |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 13% | CPU Limits GPU 14% | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 10% |
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) | CPU12% - 92% <> GPU16% - 38% <> | CPU12% - 92% <> GPU16% - 38% <> | CPU12% - 92% <> GPU16% - 38% <> | CPU12% - 92% <> GPU16% - 38% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU19% - 100% <> GPU22% - 51% <> | CPU19% - 100% <> GPU22% - 51% <> | CPU19% - 100% <> GPU22% - 51% <> | CPU19% - 100% <> GPU22% - 51% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU21% - 100% <> GPU36% - 62% <> | CPU21% - 100% <> GPU36% - 62% <> | CPU21% - 100% <> GPU36% - 62% <> | CPU21% - 100% <> GPU36% - 62% <> |
The Core i5-12400F + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 12% and 100% and GPU utilization between 16% and 62%. 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 27% at 1080p to 49% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 52% to 60%.
The utilization pattern is relatively balanced. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 49% average at its highest-load preset, while the Core i5-12400F peaks at 60% average, with no single component consistently acting as a hard bottleneck.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 52% and GPU 27%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 60% and GPU 36%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 60% and GPU 49%. This shows that both CPU and GPU workloads increase as pixel count and render complexity rise.
4K (Ultra HD) Low is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 60% (21-100%) and GPU 49% (36-62%), 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 667% above and your GPU is 870% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+667%vsrecommended
+870%vsrecommended
+445%vsminimum
+1112%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i5-12400F paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Hearts of Iron IV smoothly up to 4k achieving around 75 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 870% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 667% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1759 ($110 CPU (Rank #30 Value) + $1649 GPU (Rank #77 Value)). 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 Hearts of Iron IV performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 1080p low, 1080p medium, 1080p high, 1080p ultra, 1440p low, 1440p high. CPU-limited at: 4k low, 4k medium.
Hearts of Iron IV 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.
Hearts of Iron IV requires at minimum a Core 2 Quad Q9400 (CPU) and GeForce GTX 470 (GPU) with 4 GB RAM and 2 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-750 and GeForce GTX 570 with 4 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 Hearts of Iron IV 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.
