Bethesda's Creation Engine 2 is CPU-dependent, especially in cities, and requires an SSD for asset streaming. Optimization tends to favor AMD slightly, but generally requires powerful hardware to run smoothly.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 70 FPS. At 1440p, frame rates range from 53 to 101 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 29 to 53 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 52% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2080) for Starfield. The Core i5-12400F is 8% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-10600K).
At lower resolutions (1080p ultra, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings), the Core i5-12400F determines the performance ceiling. As graphical load increases at (1080p high), the GeForce RTX 4090 takes over as the primary performance factor. The system is well balanced at 1080p (low/medium).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1759. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 70 FPS, equivalent to 0.04 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.076 fps/$ | 0.068 fps/$ | 0.057 fps/$ | 0.040 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.057 fps/$ | 0.050 fps/$ | 0.042 fps/$ | 0.030 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.030 fps/$ | 0.026 fps/$ | 0.022 fps/$ | 0.016 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
At 4k ultra, the Core i5-12400F sets the ceiling at about 33 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 55 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 40% (FPS gap: 22 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 9/12 cells, GPU limits 1/12, balanced 2/12.
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) | Balanced | Balanced | GPU Limits CPU 7% | CPU Limits GPU 9% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 16% | CPU Limits GPU 12% | CPU Limits GPU 11% | CPU Limits GPU 18% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 37% | CPU Limits GPU 39% | CPU Limits GPU 37% | CPU Limits GPU 40% |
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) | CPU50% - 76% <> GPU40% - 65% <> | CPU53% - 76% <> GPU83% - 96% <> | CPU54% - 76% <> GPU84% - 97% <> | CPU55% - 77% <> GPU86% - 98% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU50% - 71% <> GPU65% - 71% <> | CPU50% - 70% <> GPU89% - 97% <> | CPU47% - 70% <> GPU92% - 99% <> | CPU46% - 64% <> GPU94% - 100% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU41% - 70% <> GPU65% - 74% <> | CPU41% - 69% <> GPU95% - 99% <> | CPU36% - 69% <> GPU96% - 100% <> | CPU35% - 59% <> GPU97% - 100% <> |
The Core i5-12400F + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 35% and 77% and GPU utilization between 40% and 100%. Core i5-12400F stays in a controlled operating range, while GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the primary limiter at high visual load. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 81% at 1080p to 91% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 65% to 53%.
This profile is GPU-bound. At 4K (Ultra HD) High, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 98% usage (96-100%), while the Core i5-12400F stays at 52% (36-69%), indicating the graphics pipeline is the limiting stage.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 65% and GPU 81%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 58% and GPU 89%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 53% and GPU 91%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.
1080p (Full HD) Medium is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 64% (53-76%) and GPU 90% (83-96%), 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 98% 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 8% above and your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs. High/Ultra at 1080p. Lower settings for higher resolutions.
+8%vsrecommended
+52%vsrecommended
+41%vsminimum
+160%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i5-12400F paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Starfield smoothly up to 1080p achieving around 70 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 8% 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 Starfield, 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 ultra, 1440p low, 1440p medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra. GPU fully utilized at: 1080p high.
Starfield 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.
Starfield requires at minimum a Core i7-6800K (CPU) and GeForce GTX 1070 Ti (GPU) with 16 GB RAM and 125 GB (SSD Obrigatório) storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-10600K and GeForce RTX 2080 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 Starfield 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.
