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 101 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 86 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 48 to 76 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 131% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2060 Super) for Baldur's Gate 3. The Core i5-12500 is 12% above the recommended CPU (Core i7-8700K).
Baldur's Gate 3 supports: AFMF. This game does not have native DLSS 3 or FSR 3 Frame Generation support. AFMF is AMD-exclusive and not compatible with GeForce RTX 4090.
The Core i5-12500 sets the FPS ceiling at all 1080p settings, 1440p (low/ultra), 4k (low/ultra), while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1440p (medium/high), 4k (medium/high).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1789. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 101 FPS, equivalent to 0.06 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.081 fps/$ | 0.078 fps/$ | 0.063 fps/$ | 0.056 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.072 fps/$ | 0.068 fps/$ | 0.057 fps/$ | 0.048 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.042 fps/$ | 0.037 fps/$ | 0.034 fps/$ | 0.027 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 low, the Core i5-12500 sets the ceiling at about 150 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 247 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 39% (FPS gap: 97 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 9/12 cells, GPU limits 1/12, balanced 2/12.
Your Core i5-12500 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 39% | CPU Limits GPU 32% | CPU Limits GPU 37% | CPU Limits GPU 37% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 7% | GPU Limits CPU 6% | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 12% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 15% | CPU Limits GPU 10% | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 15% |
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.
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 12% above and your GPU is 131% above the recommended specs. High/Ultra at 1080p. Lower settings for higher resolutions.
+12%vsrecommended
+131%vsrecommended
+233%vsminimum
+295%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i5-12500 paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Baldur's Gate 3 smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 86 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 131% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 12% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1789 ($140 CPU (Rank #78 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 i5-12500 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 high, 1080p low, 1080p medium, 1080p ultra, 1440p low, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k ultra.
Baldur's Gate 3 currently only supports AFMF (AMD Fluid Motion Frames) for frame generation, which is an AMD-exclusive technology. Because you are using an NVIDIA GPU, you cannot use Frame Generation for this specific game. However, the game does support DLSS Upscaling and FSR Upscaling, which you should enable to render at a lower resolution and use AI to significantly boost your FPS without losing visual quality.
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 i5-12500 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.
