A Valve classic that depends heavily on single-thread clock speed. It runs well on older hardware but benefits from a fast CPU.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 401 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 373 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 291 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 5090 is 13634% above the recommended GPU (GeForce 8600 GT) for Team Fortress 2. The Core i5-13500 is 1320% above the recommended CPU (Core 2 Duo).
The Core i5-13500 sets the FPS ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the GeForce RTX 5090 still has headroom.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $2964. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 401 FPS, equivalent to 0.14 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.177 fps/$ | 0.170 fps/$ | 0.157 fps/$ | 0.135 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.166 fps/$ | 0.159 fps/$ | 0.147 fps/$ | 0.126 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.128 fps/$ | 0.122 fps/$ | 0.113 fps/$ | 0.098 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages. Adjacent heavier settings are lightly stabilized to remove prediction jitter that would otherwise create impossible reversals.
At 1080p low, the Core i5-13500 sets the ceiling at about 532 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 5090 could reach 585 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 9% (FPS gap: 53 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 12/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 0/12.
The Core i5-13500 and GeForce RTX 5090 stay close in effective frame-generation ceiling across most presets, so neither side consistently suppresses the other by a large margin.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU Limits GPU 9% | CPU Limits GPU 9% | CPU Limits GPU 9% | CPU Limits GPU 9% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 9% | CPU Limits GPU 9% | CPU Limits GPU 9% | CPU Limits GPU 9% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 9% | CPU Limits GPU 9% | CPU Limits GPU 9% | CPU Limits GPU 9% |
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 and then monotonic-smoothed across heavier presets and resolutions, 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 1320% above and your GPU is 13634% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+1320%vsrecommended
+13634%vsrecommended
+937%vsminimum
+2472%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i5-13500 paired with the GeForce RTX 5090 can run Team Fortress 2 smoothly up to 4k achieving around 291 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 13634% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 1320% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $2964 ($264 CPU + $2700 GPU). 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 #4 for value).
For Team Fortress 2, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core i5-13500 is currently the limiting factor — the GeForce RTX 5090 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.
Team Fortress 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.
Team Fortress 2 requires at minimum a Pentium 4 (3.0 GHz) (CPU) and GeForce 6 series (GPU) with 1 GB RAM and 15 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core 2 Duo and GeForce 8600 GT with 2 GB RAM. Your Core i5-13500 and GeForce RTX 5090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
These Team Fortress 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.
