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 171 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 129 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 84 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 131% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2060 Super) for Baldur's Gate 3. The Core i5-12600K is 56% above the recommended CPU (Core i7-8700K).
The GeForce RTX 4090 sets the FPS ceiling at 1080p (medium/high), all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the Core i5-12600K still has additional frame-generation headroom. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p (low/ultra).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1834. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 171 FPS, equivalent to 0.09 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.137 fps/$ | 0.129 fps/$ | 0.109 fps/$ | 0.093 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.103 fps/$ | 0.095 fps/$ | 0.082 fps/$ | 0.070 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.073 fps/$ | 0.066 fps/$ | 0.057 fps/$ | 0.046 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages.
At 4k medium, the GeForce RTX 4090 sets the ceiling at about 79 FPS, while the Core i5-12600K has headroom up to 124 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU limits the CPU potential by 36% (FPS gap: 45 FPS). Overall distribution: GPU limits 10/12 cells, CPU limits 0/12, balanced 2/12.
Your GeForce RTX 4090 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the Core i5-12600K frame-generation potential remains unused in those settings.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | Balanced | GPU Limits CPU 10% | GPU Limits CPU 7% | Balanced |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | GPU Limits CPU 25% | GPU Limits CPU 33% | GPU Limits CPU 31% | GPU Limits CPU 23% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | GPU Limits CPU 31% | GPU Limits CPU 36% | GPU Limits CPU 36% | GPU Limits CPU 29% |
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.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU72% - 100% <> GPU51% - 90% <> | CPU66% - 100% <> GPU56% - 89% <> | CPU47% - 100% <> GPU61% - 93% <> | CPU45% - 100% <> GPU79% - 95% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU69% - 100% <> GPU57% - 93% <> | CPU63% - 100% <> GPU62% - 92% <> | CPU44% - 100% <> GPU67% - 96% <> | CPU43% - 100% <> GPU85% - 95% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU73% - 100% <> GPU57% - 94% <> | CPU67% - 100% <> GPU62% - 92% <> | CPU48% - 100% <> GPU67% - 97% <> | CPU48% - 100% <> GPU83% - 96% <> |
The Core i5-12600K + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 43% and 100% and GPU utilization between 51% and 97%. Core i5-12600K reaches high load in heavier scenarios, while GeForce RTX 4090 carries most of the graphics load at heavier visual settings. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 77% at 1080p to 81% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 79% to 80%.
From a utilization perspective, this is a CPU-heavy load profile. At 1080p (Full HD) Low, the Core i5-12600K reaches 86% average load (72-100%), while the GeForce RTX 4090 remains comparatively lower at 70% (51-90%). This points to heavier CPU-side frame preparation work, but utilization alone does not define the FPS limiter.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 79% and GPU 77%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 78% and GPU 81%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 80% and GPU 81%. This shows that workload scaling is limited, which can indicate engine-side constraints.
1080p (Full HD) Ultra is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 72% (45-100%) and GPU 87% (79-95%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i5-12600K remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Core i5-12600K 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.
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 56% above and your GPU is 131% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+56%vsrecommended
+131%vsrecommended
+365%vsminimum
+295%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i5-12600K paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Baldur's Gate 3 smoothly up to 4k achieving around 84 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 131% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 56% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1834 ($185 CPU (Rank #64 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 Baldur's Gate 3 performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 1080p medium, 1080p high, 1440p low, 1440p medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.
Baldur's Gate 3 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.
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 i5-12600K 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.
