A massive evolution with physically based rendering and fluid animations. The high density of effects creates a heavy load on both CPU and GPU. It scales well up to 16 threads.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 122 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 91 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 59 to 107 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 170% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2060) for Path of Exile 2. The Core i5-12600K is 23% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-10500).
The Core i5-12600K sets the FPS ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1834. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 122 FPS, equivalent to 0.07 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.121 fps/$ | 0.108 fps/$ | 0.094 fps/$ | 0.067 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.090 fps/$ | 0.076 fps/$ | 0.067 fps/$ | 0.050 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.058 fps/$ | 0.051 fps/$ | 0.040 fps/$ | 0.032 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 low, the Core i5-12600K sets the ceiling at about 107 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 212 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 50% (FPS gap: 105 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 12/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 0/12.
Your Core i5-12600K 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 36% | CPU Limits GPU 33% | CPU Limits GPU 31% | CPU Limits GPU 48% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 44% | CPU Limits GPU 38% | CPU Limits GPU 37% | CPU Limits GPU 47% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 50% | CPU Limits GPU 44% | CPU Limits GPU 44% | CPU Limits GPU 45% |
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) | CPU56% - 69% <> GPU70% - 81% <> | CPU43% - 68% <> GPU94% - 99% <> | CPU43% - 68% <> GPU94% - 99% <> | CPU38% - 66% <> GPU94% - 100% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU45% - 53% <> GPU71% - 82% <> | CPU33% - 52% <> GPU95% - 100% <> | CPU33% - 52% <> GPU95% - 100% <> | CPU29% - 53% <> GPU95% - 100% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU35% - 36% <> GPU71% - 82% <> | CPU24% - 34% <> GPU95% - 100% <> | CPU24% - 34% <> GPU95% - 100% <> | CPU20% - 35% <> GPU95% - 100% <> |
The Core i5-12600K + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 20% and 69% and GPU utilization between 70% and 100%. Core i5-12600K 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 91% at 1080p to 93% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 57% to 31%.
From a utilization perspective, this is a GPU-heavy load profile. At 1440p (2K QHD) Medium, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 98% usage (95-100%), while the Core i5-12600K stays at 42% (33-52%). This shows the graphics pipeline is carrying most of the workload, but utilization alone does not define the FPS limiter.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 57% and GPU 91%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 44% and GPU 93%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 31% and GPU 93%. 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 56% (43-68%) and GPU 96% (94-99%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i5-12600K remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Upgrade priority should be the GPU. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 98% average load at 1440p (2K QHD) Medium while the Core i5-12600K still has headroom, so a faster graphics card would deliver the largest uplift.
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 23% above and your GPU is 170% above the recommended specs. High/Ultra at 1080p. Lower settings for higher resolutions.
+23%vsrecommended
+170%vsrecommended
+194%vsminimum
+380%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i5-12600K paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Path of Exile 2 smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 91 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 170% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 23% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1834 ($185 CPU (Rank #64 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 Path of Exile 2, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core i5-12600K 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 low, 1440p medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.
Path of Exile 2 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.
Path of Exile 2 requires at minimum a Core i7-7700 (CPU) and GeForce GTX 960 (GPU) with 8 GB RAM and 100 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-10500 and GeForce RTX 2060 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 Path of Exile 2 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.
