Built on a modified Source engine, Apex Legends retains the scalability of Titanfall 2. Fast movement demands high frame rates for fluidity. VRAM can be a bottleneck if the 'Texture Streaming Budget' is set too high. While it handles 8GB of RAM better than some competitors, 16GB is recommended. It is generally less CPU-intensive than Warzone, allowing older quad-core CPUs to remain viable.
This game has a built-in FPS cap of 300 FPS
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 235 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 253 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 151 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 295% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 970) for Apex Legends. The Core i9-7960X is 209% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-3570K).
At lower resolutions (1080p (high/ultra)), the Core i9-7960X sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (all 1440p settings, all 4k settings), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p (low/medium).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1834. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 235 FPS, equivalent to 0.13 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.161 fps/$ | 0.151 fps/$ | 0.142 fps/$ | 0.128 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.168 fps/$ | 0.163 fps/$ | 0.152 fps/$ | 0.138 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.127 fps/$ | 0.112 fps/$ | 0.102 fps/$ | 0.082 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 GeForce RTX 4090 sets the ceiling at about 146 FPS, while the Core i9-7960X has headroom up to 206 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU limits the CPU potential by 29% (FPS gap: 60 FPS). Overall distribution: GPU limits 8/12 cells, CPU limits 2/12, balanced 2/12.
Your GeForce RTX 4090 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the Core i9-7960X frame-generation potential remains unused in those settings.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | Balanced | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 11% | CPU Limits GPU 10% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | GPU Limits CPU 20% | GPU Limits CPU 18% | GPU Limits CPU 15% | GPU Limits CPU 15% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | GPU Limits CPU 27% | GPU Limits CPU 29% | GPU Limits CPU 26% | GPU Limits CPU 25% |
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) | CPU50% - 67% <> GPU60% - 85% <> | CPU49% - 66% <> GPU92% - 98% <> | CPU51% - 67% <> GPU92% - 98% <> | CPU34% - 56% <> GPU94% - 98% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU49% - 65% <> GPU61% - 85% <> | CPU49% - 64% <> GPU96% - 98% <> | CPU50% - 64% <> GPU96% - 98% <> | CPU33% - 57% <> GPU96% - 98% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU48% - 65% <> GPU61% - 85% <> | CPU47% - 64% <> GPU97% - 99% <> | CPU48% - 64% <> GPU97% - 98% <> | CPU31% - 57% <> GPU97% - 99% <> |
The Core i9-7960X + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 31% and 67% and GPU utilization between 60% and 99%. Core i9-7960X keeps significant headroom across presets, while GeForce RTX 4090 carries most of the graphics load at heavier visual settings. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 90% at 1080p to 92% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 55% to 53%.
From a utilization perspective, this is a GPU-heavy load profile. At 4K (Ultra HD) Medium, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 98% usage (97-99%), while the Core i9-7960X stays at 56% (47-64%). 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 55% and GPU 90%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 54% and GPU 91%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 53% and GPU 92%. This shows that workload scaling is limited, which can indicate engine-side constraints.
1080p (Full HD) Medium is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 58% (49-66%) and GPU 95% (92-98%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i9-7960X remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Upgrade priority should be the GPU. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 98% average load at 4K (Ultra HD) Medium while the Core i9-7960X 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 209% above and your GPU is 295% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+209%vsrecommended
+295%vsrecommended
+547%vsminimum
+3160%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i9-7960X paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Apex Legends smoothly up to 4k achieving around 151 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 295% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 209% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1834 ($185 CPU (Rank #298 Value) + $1649 GPU (Rank #77 Value)). Your GeForce RTX 4090 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 card with a significantly better value rating.
Your GeForce RTX 4090 is already a top-tier graphics card. While it's technically the limiting factor here (which means you are fully utilizing your GPU's visual horsepower exactly as intended), there is no meaningful upgrade path that would drastically improve your Apex Legends performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 1440p low, 1440p medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra. CPU-limited at: 1080p high, 1080p ultra.
Apex Legends 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.
Apex Legends requires at minimum a Core i3-6300 (CPU) and GeForce GT 640 (GPU) with 6 GB RAM and 56 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-3570K and GeForce GTX 970 with 8 GB RAM. Your Core i9-7960X and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
These Apex Legends 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.
