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 69 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 60 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 34 to 67 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 131% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2060 Super) for Baldur's Gate 3. The Core i5-6442EQ is 24% below minimum CPU requirement.
The Core i5-6442EQ 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: $1899. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 69 FPS, equivalent to 0.04 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.059 fps/$ | 0.059 fps/$ | 0.047 fps/$ | 0.036 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.059 fps/$ | 0.055 fps/$ | 0.044 fps/$ | 0.032 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.035 fps/$ | 0.032 fps/$ | 0.026 fps/$ | 0.018 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages.
At 1080p low, the Core i5-6442EQ sets the ceiling at about 112 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 264 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 58% (FPS gap: 152 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 12/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 0/12.
Your Core i5-6442EQ 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 58% | CPU Limits GPU 50% | CPU Limits GPU 51% | CPU Limits GPU 57% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 27% | CPU Limits GPU 17% | CPU Limits GPU 21% | CPU Limits GPU 39% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 30% | CPU Limits GPU 25% | CPU Limits GPU 22% | CPU Limits GPU 40% |
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) | CPU98% - 100% <> GPU25% - 42% <> | CPU97% - 100% <> GPU28% - 46% <> | CPU97% - 100% <> GPU34% - 54% <> | CPU97% - 100% <> GPU39% - 59% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU100% - 100% GPU34% - 46% <> | CPU98% - 100% <> GPU35% - 50% <> | CPU98% - 100% <> GPU41% - 56% <> | CPU99% - 100% <> GPU46% - 67% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU99% - 100% <> GPU78% - 88% <> | CPU98% - 100% <> GPU78% - 89% <> | CPU98% - 100% <> GPU80% - 93% <> | CPU98% - 100% <> GPU80% - 94% <> |
The Core i5-6442EQ + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 97% and 100% and GPU utilization between 25% and 94%. Core i5-6442EQ reaches high load in heavier scenarios, while GeForce RTX 4090 is utilized efficiently without persistent saturation. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 41% at 1080p to 85% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 98% to 99%.
From a utilization perspective, this is a CPU-heavy load profile. At 1440p (2K QHD) Low, the Core i5-6442EQ reaches 100% average load (100-100%), while the GeForce RTX 4090 remains comparatively lower at 40% (34-46%). This points to heavier CPU-side frame preparation work, but utilization alone does not define the FPS limiter.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 98% and GPU 41%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 100% and GPU 47%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 99% and GPU 85%. This shows that GPU demand scales sharply with resolution while CPU load remains comparatively stable.
4K (Ultra HD) Ultra is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 99% (98-100%) and GPU 87% (80-94%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i5-6442EQ remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Core i5-6442EQ 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 hardware is below minimum requirements. CPU is the limiting factor (24% below minimum). Expect performance issues. Low settings recommended.
-75%vsrecommended
+131%vsrecommended
-24%vsminimum
+295%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i5-6442EQ paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Baldur's Gate 3 smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 60 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 131% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 75% below the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1899 ($250 CPU + $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 Baldur's Gate 3, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core i5-6442EQ 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.
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 hardware falls below the minimum requirements for this game, which may result in poor performance.
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.
