StarfieldFPS onCore i5-13500E&GeForce RTX 4090

Starfield

Bethesda's Creation Engine 2 is CPU-dependent, especially in cities, and requires an SSD for asset streaming. Optimization tends to favor AMD slightly, but generally requires powerful hardware to run smoothly.

Starfield - FPS Estimates by Resolution

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

1080P
low125 FPS
medium106 FPS
high92 FPS
ultra71 FPS
1440P
low115 FPS
medium97 FPS
high82 FPS
ultra62 FPS
4K
low57 FPS
medium49 FPS
high43 FPS
ultra34 FPS

Performance Report

Starfield

GeForce RTX 4090 + Core i5-13500E
🎮Visual Experience

At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 71 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 62 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 34 to 57 FPS.

Official Requirements

The GeForce RTX 4090 is 52% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2080) for Starfield. The Core i5-13500E is 33% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-10600K).

AI Acceleration

Starfield supports: FSR 3 Frame Gen, AFMF. The GeForce RTX 4090 can use FSR 3 Frame Gen, providing up to 1.5x-2x frame rate boost.

⚙️FPS Ceiling Analysis

The Core i5-13500E sets the FPS ceiling at 1080p low, all 4k settings, while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p (medium/high/ultra), all 1440p settings.

💰Value Analysis

Approximated average price on current market:

GeForce RTX 4090:$1649(updated 2/6/2026)
Official Launch Price: $1599
Core i5-13500E:$235(updated 2/10/2026)
Official Launch Price: $235

Combo price: $1884. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 71 FPS, equivalent to 0.04 FPS per dollar.

ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p0.066 fps/$0.056 fps/$0.049 fps/$0.038 fps/$
1440p0.061 fps/$0.051 fps/$0.044 fps/$0.033 fps/$
4k0.030 fps/$0.026 fps/$0.023 fps/$0.018 fps/$

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

Performance Limiter Analysis

Core i5-13500E|GeForce RTX 4090

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

📈Analysis

At 4k medium, the Core i5-13500E sets the ceiling at about 53 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 82 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 35% (FPS gap: 29 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 5/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 7/12.

Verdict

Well Balanced

The Core i5-13500E and GeForce RTX 4090 stay close in effective frame-generation ceiling across most presets, so neither side consistently suppresses the other by a large margin.

🧩Detailed Breakdown
1080p (Full HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 7%
MediumBalanced
HighBalanced
UltraBalanced
1440p (2K QHD)
LowBalanced
MediumBalanced
HighBalanced
UltraBalanced
4K (Ultra HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 34%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 35%
HighCPU Limits GPU 31%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 30%
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.

Starfield 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 i5-13500E
cpu icon
24,096
Your Score
MinimumCore i7-6800K
RecommendedCore i5-10600K
GPU - GeForce RTX 4090
gpu icon
38,112
Your Score
MinimumGeForce GTX 1070 Ti
RecommendedGeForce RTX 2080

Your CPU is 33% above and your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs. High/Ultra at 1080p. Lower settings for higher resolutions.

CPU

+33%vsrecommended

GPU

+52%vsrecommended

CPU

+74%vsminimum

GPU

+160%vsminimum

Minimum Requirements
Processor: Core i7-6800K
Memory: 16 GB
Disk Space: 125 GB (SSD Obrigatório)
System: Windows 10
Recommended Requirements
Video Card: GeForce RTX 2080
Processor: Core i5-10600K
Memory: 16 GB
Disk Space: 125 GB (SSD Obrigatório)
System: Windows 10

Frequently Asked Questions

1Can the Core i5-13500E and GeForce RTX 4090 run Starfield well?

Yes, the Core i5-13500E paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Starfield smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 62 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 33% above the recommended requirements.

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

This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1884 ($235 CPU (Rank #178 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 Starfield performance?

For Starfield, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core i5-13500E 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, 4k high, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k ultra.

4Does this setup support Frame Generation for Starfield?

Yes! Starfield supports FSR 3 Frame Gen and AFMF, and your GeForce RTX 4090 is compatible with FSR 3 Frame Gen. With Frame Generation enabled, you can expect a 1.5x-2x FPS multiplier on top of native framerates, significantly boosting perceived smoothness.

5What are the minimum and recommended specs for Starfield?

Starfield requires at minimum a Core i7-6800K (CPU) and GeForce GTX 1070 Ti (GPU) with 16 GB RAM and 125 GB (SSD Obrigatório) storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-10600K and GeForce RTX 2080 with 16 GB RAM. Your Core i5-13500E and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.

6How accurate are these Starfield FPS estimates for the Core i5-13500E and GeForce RTX 4090?

These Starfield 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.