This 'Pokémon with guns' survival game runs on Unreal Engine. It is CPU-heavy due to AI simulation for the many creatures. Memory leaks can occur in long sessions, making 16GB of RAM a practical minimum.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 159 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 132 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 89 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 136% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2070) for Palworld. The Core i9-7960X is 25% above the recommended CPU (Core i9-9900K).
At lower resolutions (1080p (medium/high/ultra), 1440p (medium/high)), the Core i9-7960X sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (4k low), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p low, 1440p (low/ultra), 4k (medium/high/ultra).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1834. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 159 FPS, equivalent to 0.09 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.151 fps/$ | 0.127 fps/$ | 0.100 fps/$ | 0.087 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.115 fps/$ | 0.094 fps/$ | 0.077 fps/$ | 0.072 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.083 fps/$ | 0.071 fps/$ | 0.060 fps/$ | 0.049 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 medium, the Core i9-7960X sets the ceiling at about 227 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 257 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 12% (FPS gap: 30 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 7/12 cells, GPU limits 1/12, balanced 4/12.
The Core i9-7960X 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) | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 12% | CPU Limits GPU 11% | CPU Limits GPU 10% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 10% | CPU Limits GPU 10% | Balanced |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | GPU Limits CPU 7% | CPU Limits GPU 6% | CPU Limits GPU 7% | Balanced |
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) | CPU31% - 41% <> GPU80% - 92% <> | CPU23% - 35% <> GPU81% - 99% <> | CPU26% - 41% <> GPU83% - 99% <> | CPU26% - 41% <> GPU82% - 99% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU29% - 41% <> GPU87% - 92% <> | CPU21% - 41% <> GPU88% - 99% <> | CPU22% - 43% <> GPU91% - 100% <> | CPU21% - 44% <> GPU91% - 99% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU24% - 33% <> GPU92% - 93% <> | CPU16% - 32% <> GPU94% - 100% <> | CPU16% - 34% <> GPU98% - 100% <> | CPU16% - 34% <> GPU98% - 100% <> |
The Core i9-7960X + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 16% and 44% and GPU utilization between 80% and 100%. 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 89% at 1080p to 97% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 33% to 26%.
From a utilization perspective, this is a GPU-heavy load profile. At 4K (Ultra HD) High, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 99% usage (98-100%), while the Core i9-7960X stays at 25% (16-34%). 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 33% and GPU 89%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 33% and GPU 94%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 26% and GPU 97%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.
1080p (Full HD) Low is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 36% (31-41%) and GPU 86% (80-92%), 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 99% average load at 4K (Ultra HD) High 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 25% above and your GPU is 136% above the recommended specs. High/Ultra at 1080p. Lower settings for higher resolutions.
+25%vsrecommended
+136%vsrecommended
+262%vsminimum
+657%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i9-7960X paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Palworld smoothly up to 4k achieving around 89 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 136% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 25% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1834 ($185 CPU (Rank #298 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).
For Palworld, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core i9-7960X 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 medium, 1080p high, 1080p ultra, 1440p medium, 1440p high. GPU fully utilized at: 4k low.
Palworld 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.
Palworld requires at minimum a Core i5-3570K (CPU) and GeForce GTX 1050 (GPU) with 16 GB RAM and 40 GB (SSD) storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i9-9900K and GeForce RTX 2070 with 32 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 Palworld 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.
