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.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 73 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 64 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 34 to 55 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 52% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2080) for Starfield. The Core i9-12900TE is 26% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-10600K).
The Core i9-12900TE 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.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $2313. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 73 FPS, equivalent to 0.03 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.055 fps/$ | 0.047 fps/$ | 0.041 fps/$ | 0.032 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.051 fps/$ | 0.043 fps/$ | 0.037 fps/$ | 0.028 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.024 fps/$ | 0.020 fps/$ | 0.018 fps/$ | 0.015 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 Core i9-12900TE sets the ceiling at about 51 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 82 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 38% (FPS gap: 31 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 5/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 7/12.
The Core i9-12900TE 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.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU Limits GPU 7% | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 37% | CPU Limits GPU 38% | CPU Limits GPU 34% | CPU Limits GPU 32% |
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) | CPU55% - 74% <> GPU52% - 73% <> | CPU53% - 74% <> GPU84% - 95% <> | CPU54% - 74% <> GPU87% - 98% <> | CPU55% - 76% <> GPU88% - 98% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU49% - 70% <> GPU75% - 87% <> | CPU49% - 70% <> GPU90% - 97% <> | CPU47% - 70% <> GPU92% - 99% <> | CPU46% - 63% <> GPU94% - 100% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU41% - 70% <> GPU75% - 88% <> | CPU41% - 69% <> GPU94% - 98% <> | CPU38% - 69% <> GPU97% - 100% <> | CPU36% - 60% <> GPU97% - 100% <> |
The Core i9-12900TE + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 36% and 76% and GPU utilization between 52% and 100%. Core i9-12900TE 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 84% at 1080p to 94% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 65% to 53%.
From a utilization perspective, this is a GPU-heavy load profile. At 4K (Ultra HD) High, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 98% usage (97-100%), while the Core i9-12900TE stays at 54% (38-69%). 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 65% and GPU 84%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 58% and GPU 92%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 53% and GPU 94%. 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 64% (53-74%) and GPU 90% (84-95%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i9-12900TE remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Upgrade priority should be the GPU. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 98% average load at 4K (Ultra HD) High while the Core i9-12900TE 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 26% above and your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs. High/Ultra at 1080p. Lower settings for higher resolutions.
+26%vsrecommended
+52%vsrecommended
+65%vsminimum
+160%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i9-12900TE paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Starfield smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 64 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 26% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $2313 ($664 CPU (Rank #378 Value) + $1649 GPU (Rank #77 Value)). Your Core i9-12900TE is currently the main performance bottleneck and its market value ($664) is actually higher than newer, faster alternatives. Trading it or upgrading could yield immediate profit and performance gains. For example, the Ryzen 9 9950X is a great upgrade option for around $649 (Rank #5 for value) while costing less than your current CPU.
For Starfield, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core i9-12900TE 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 low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.
Starfield 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.
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 i9-12900TE and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
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.
