Civilization VI FPS on Core i9-13900 + GeForce RTX 5090

Civilization VI

The standard for turn-time benchmarks. Late-game turns require huge CPU throughput to process AI moves. High-resolution textures also demand a fair amount of VRAM.

Civilization VI - FPS Estimates by Resolution

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

1080P
low340 FPS
medium295 FPS
high262 FPS
ultra221 FPS
1440P
low267 FPS
medium240 FPS
high212 FPS
ultra176 FPS
4K
low220 FPS
medium199 FPS
high173 FPS
ultra129 FPS

Performance Report

Civilization VI

GeForce RTX 5090 + Core i9-13900
🎮Visual Experience

At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 221 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 176 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 129 FPS.

Official Requirements

The GeForce RTX 5090 is 552% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 770) for Civilization VI. The Core i9-13900 is 662% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-4xxx).

⚙️FPS Ceiling Analysis

The Core i9-13900 sets the FPS ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the GeForce RTX 5090 still has headroom.

💰Value Analysis

Approximated average price on current market:

GeForce RTX 5090:$2700
Official Launch Price: $1999
Core i9-13900:$599
Official Launch Price: $549

Combo price: $3299. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 221 FPS, equivalent to 0.07 FPS per dollar.

ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p0.103 fps/$0.089 fps/$0.079 fps/$0.067 fps/$
1440p0.081 fps/$0.073 fps/$0.064 fps/$0.053 fps/$
4k0.067 fps/$0.060 fps/$0.052 fps/$0.039 fps/$

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

Performance Limiter Analysis

Core i9-13900|GeForce RTX 5090

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.

📈Analysis

At 1080p low, the Core i9-13900 sets the ceiling at about 351 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 5090 could reach 453 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 23% (FPS gap: 102 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 12/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 0/12.

Verdict

CPU Limits GPU

Your Core i9-13900 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the GeForce RTX 5090 rendering potential remains unused in those settings.

🧩Detailed Breakdown
1080p (Full HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 23%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 23%
HighCPU Limits GPU 23%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 23%
1440p (2K QHD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 23%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 23%
HighCPU Limits GPU 23%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 23%
4K (Ultra HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 23%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 23%
HighCPU Limits GPU 23%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 23%
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 and then monotonic-smoothed across heavier presets and resolutions, not generic utilization heuristics.

Civilization VI 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 i9-13900
cpu icon
45,252
Your Score
MinimumCore i3-2120
RecommendedCore i5-4xxx
GPU - GeForce RTX 5090
gpu icon
38,867
Your Score
MinimumGeForce GTS 450
RecommendedGeForce GTX 770

Your CPU is 662% above and your GPU is 552% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.

CPU

+662%vsrecommended

GPU

+552%vsrecommended

CPU

+2187%vsminimum

GPU

+2807%vsminimum

Minimum Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTS 450
Processor: Core i3-2120
Memory: 4 GB
Disk Space: 12 GB
System: Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTX 770
Processor: Core i5-4xxx
Memory: 8 GB
Disk Space: 16 GB
System: Windows 10 64-bit

Frequently Asked Questions

1Can the Core i9-13900 and GeForce RTX 5090 run Civilization VI well?

Yes, the Core i9-13900 paired with the GeForce RTX 5090 can run Civilization VI smoothly up to 4k achieving around 129 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 552% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 662% above the recommended requirements.

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

This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $3299 ($599 CPU + $2700 GPU). Your Core i9-13900 provides phenomenal top-tier performance but at a premium enthusiast price. Since you are essentially at the ceiling of current hardware capabilities, there are no meaningful performance upgrades available. However, if you wanted a more cost-effective build that still delivers a great experience, you could theoretically step down to a high-end processor with a significantly better value rating. For example, the Ryzen 9 9950X is a great upgrade option for around $649 (Rank #4 for value).

3Which component should I upgrade first to improve Civilization VI performance?

Your Core i9-13900 is already an incredibly powerful processor. While it's technically the first component to hit its limit (which is completely normal in state-of-the-art builds), there is no meaningful upgrade path that would drastically improve your Civilization VI performance right now. CPU fully utilized 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.

4Does this setup support Frame Generation for Civilization VI?

Civilization VI 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.

5What are the minimum and recommended specs for Civilization VI?

Civilization VI requires at minimum a Core i3-2120 (CPU) and GeForce GTS 450 (GPU) with 4 GB RAM and 12 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-4xxx and GeForce GTX 770 with 8 GB RAM. Your Core i9-13900 and GeForce RTX 5090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.

6How accurate are these Civilization VI FPS estimates for the Core i9-13900 and GeForce RTX 5090?

These Civilization VI 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.