Apex LegendsFPS onCore i5-12500TE&GeForce RTX 4090

Apex Legends

Built on a modified Source engine, Apex Legends retains the scalability of Titanfall 2. Fast movement demands high frame rates for fluidity. VRAM can be a bottleneck if the 'Texture Streaming Budget' is set too high. While it handles 8GB of RAM better than some competitors, 16GB is recommended. It is generally less CPU-intensive than Warzone, allowing older quad-core CPUs to remain viable.

This game has a built-in FPS cap of 300 FPS

Apex Legends - FPS Estimates by Resolution

Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors

1080P
low246 FPS
medium220 FPS
high207 FPS
ultra192 FPS
1440P
low243 FPS
medium218 FPS
high198 FPS
ultra185 FPS
4K
low173 FPS
medium154 FPS
high129 FPS
ultra110 FPS

Performance Report

Apex Legends

GeForce RTX 4090 + Core i5-12500TE
🎮Visual Experience

At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 192 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 185 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 110 FPS.

Official Requirements

The GeForce RTX 4090 is 295% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 970) for Apex Legends. The Core i5-12500TE is 65% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-3570K).

⚙️FPS Ceiling Analysis

The Core i5-12500TE sets the FPS ceiling at all 1080p settings, 1440p (medium/high/ultra), 4k (high/ultra), while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1440p low, 4k (low/medium).

💰Value Analysis

Approximated average price on current market:

GeForce RTX 4090:$1649(updated 2/6/2026)
Official Launch Price: $1599
Core i5-12500TE:$225(updated 2/9/2026)
Official Launch Price: $225

Combo price: $1874. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 192 FPS, equivalent to 0.1 FPS per dollar.

ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p0.131 fps/$0.117 fps/$0.110 fps/$0.102 fps/$
1440p0.130 fps/$0.116 fps/$0.106 fps/$0.099 fps/$
4k0.092 fps/$0.082 fps/$0.069 fps/$0.059 fps/$

* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)

Performance Limiter Analysis

Core i5-12500TE|GeForce RTX 4090

This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages.

📈Analysis

At 1080p high, the Core i5-12500TE sets the ceiling at about 211 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 317 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 33% (FPS gap: 106 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 9/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 3/12.

Verdict

CPU Limits GPU

Your Core i5-12500TE is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the GeForce RTX 4090 rendering potential remains unused in those settings.

🧩Detailed Breakdown
1080p (Full HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 20%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 27%
HighCPU Limits GPU 33%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 32%
1440p (2K QHD)
LowBalanced
MediumCPU Limits GPU 10%
HighCPU Limits GPU 17%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 18%
4K (Ultra HD)
LowBalanced
MediumBalanced
HighCPU Limits GPU 7%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 9%
Percentages show how much potential FPS of the stronger component is lost because the other component has a lower FPS ceiling.
🧠Methodology

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.

📊Predicted Hardware Utilization for Core i5-12500TE and GeForce RTX 4090

1080p (Full HD)

Low
CPU78% - 89%
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GPU46% - 63%
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Medium
CPU77% - 85%
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GPU88% - 94%
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High
CPU77% - 85%
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GPU88% - 97%
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Ultra
CPU65% - 76%
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GPU90% - 97%
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1440p (2K QHD)

Low
CPU77% - 87%
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GPU47% - 63%
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Medium
CPU76% - 82%
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GPU91% - 94%
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High
CPU76% - 82%
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GPU91% - 97%
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Ultra
CPU64% - 76%
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GPU91% - 97%
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4K (Ultra HD)

Low
CPU75% - 87%
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GPU47% - 63%
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Medium
CPU74% - 82%
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GPU92% - 94%
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High
CPU74% - 82%
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GPU92% - 97%
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Ultra
CPU62% - 76%
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GPU92% - 98%
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Performance Summary

The Core i5-12500TE + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 62% and 89% and GPU utilization between 46% and 98%. Core i5-12500TE stays in a controlled operating range, while GeForce RTX 4090 carries most of the graphics load at heavier visual settings. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 83% at 1080p to 84% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 79% to 77%.

Load Interpretation

The utilization pattern is relatively even. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 95% average at its highest-load preset, while the Core i5-12500TE peaks at 84% average. This suggests a fairly controlled load distribution, but the actual FPS-limiting side should still be read from the limiter analysis above.

Resolution Scaling

At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 79% and GPU 83%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 78% and GPU 84%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 77% and GPU 84%. This shows that workload scaling is limited, which can indicate engine-side constraints.

Optimal Settings Recommendation

1080p (Full HD) Ultra is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 70% (65-76%) and GPU 94% (90-97%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i5-12500TE remains stable for consistent frame delivery.

Upgrade Insight

Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Core i5-12500TE and GeForce RTX 4090 remain reasonably matched for this title.

Understanding Hardware Utilization: These percentages represent how much of your component's maximum processing power is actively being used during gameplay. They describe hardware load, but they do not directly tell you which component sets the FPS ceiling.

Important: a CPU or GPU can still be the FPS limiter without reaching 100% utilization. Two processors can both show 40% usage and still deliver very different frame rates, depending on per-core speed, cache, engine threading, driver overhead, and frame preparation efficiency.

  • High GPU Load: You typically want to see High GPU Utilization (90%+) and moderate CPU usage when visual settings are heavy. This indicates the graphics pipeline is under strong load, but the exact FPS limiter should still be confirmed by the FPS ceiling analysis.
  • High CPU Load: If you see High CPU Utilization (85%+) paired with lower GPU utilization, the processor is handling a disproportionate share of frame preparation and game logic. That can point to CPU-side pressure, but it should not be treated as a direct replacement for FPS ceiling analysis.
  • Low CPU and GPU Load: If both CPU and GPU utilization are relatively low, it means the hardware is waiting on something else. This could be a game engine limitation, poorly optimized code, or an artificial framerate cap like VSync holding performance back. It does not mean both parts are equally fast in FPS terms.

Data generated by our Machine Learning engine trained on real-world benchmarks. Shows the approximate average utilization at each setting.

Apex Legends Requirements Comparison

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.

CPU - Core i5-12500TE
cpu icon
15,008
Your Score
MinimumCore i3-6300
RecommendedCore i5-3570K
GPU - GeForce RTX 4090
gpu icon
38,112
Your Score
MinimumGeForce GT 640
RecommendedGeForce GTX 970

Your CPU is 65% above and your GPU is 295% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.

CPU

+65%vsrecommended

GPU

+295%vsrecommended

CPU

+247%vsminimum

GPU

+3160%vsminimum

Minimum Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GT 640
Processor: Core i3-6300
Memory: 6 GB
Disk Space: 56 GB
System: Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTX 970
Processor: Core i5-3570K
Memory: 8 GB
Disk Space: 56 GB (SSD)
System: Windows 10 64-bit

Frequently Asked Questions

1Can the Core i5-12500TE and GeForce RTX 4090 run Apex Legends well?

Yes, the Core i5-12500TE paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Apex Legends smoothly up to 4k achieving around 110 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 295% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 65% above the recommended requirements.

2Is there a more cost-effective setup to run Apex Legends?

This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1874 ($225 CPU (Rank #288 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).

3Which component should I upgrade first to improve Apex Legends performance?

For Apex Legends, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core i5-12500TE 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 medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k high, 4k ultra.

4Does this setup support Frame Generation for Apex Legends?

Apex Legends 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.

5What are the minimum and recommended specs for Apex Legends?

Apex Legends requires at minimum a Core i3-6300 (CPU) and GeForce GT 640 (GPU) with 6 GB RAM and 56 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-3570K and GeForce GTX 970 with 8 GB RAM. Your Core i5-12500TE and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.

6How accurate are these Apex Legends FPS estimates for the Core i5-12500TE and GeForce RTX 4090?

These Apex Legends 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.