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 174 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 119 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 87 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 131% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2060 Super) for Baldur's Gate 3. The Core i9-7980XE is 68% above the recommended CPU (Core i7-8700K).
The GeForce RTX 4090 sets the FPS ceiling at all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the Core i9-7980XE still has additional frame-generation headroom. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at all 1080p settings.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1949. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 174 FPS, equivalent to 0.09 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.133 fps/$ | 0.128 fps/$ | 0.108 fps/$ | 0.089 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.096 fps/$ | 0.091 fps/$ | 0.076 fps/$ | 0.061 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.070 fps/$ | 0.068 fps/$ | 0.058 fps/$ | 0.045 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 high, the GeForce RTX 4090 sets the ceiling at about 77 FPS, while the Core i9-7980XE has headroom up to 116 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU limits the CPU potential by 34% (FPS gap: 39 FPS). Overall distribution: GPU limits 8/12 cells, CPU limits 0/12, balanced 4/12.
Your GeForce RTX 4090 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the Core i9-7980XE frame-generation potential remains unused in those settings.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | GPU Limits CPU 16% | GPU Limits CPU 24% | GPU Limits CPU 24% | GPU Limits CPU 12% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | GPU Limits CPU 22% | GPU Limits CPU 31% | GPU Limits CPU 34% | GPU Limits CPU 23% |
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) | CPU56% - 100% <> GPU39% - 87% <> | CPU53% - 100% <> GPU41% - 87% <> | CPU35% - 100% <> GPU41% - 94% <> | CPU34% - 94% <> GPU45% - 96% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU54% - 100% <> GPU40% - 90% <> | CPU51% - 100% <> GPU42% - 89% <> | CPU33% - 100% <> GPU43% - 97% <> | CPU32% - 94% <> GPU46% - 96% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU62% - 100% <> GPU46% - 90% <> | CPU59% - 100% <> GPU49% - 89% <> | CPU42% - 100% <> GPU50% - 97% <> | CPU42% - 100% <> GPU53% - 96% <> |
The Core i9-7980XE + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 32% and 100% and GPU utilization between 39% and 97%. Core i9-7980XE stays in a controlled operating range, while GeForce RTX 4090 is utilized efficiently without persistent saturation. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 66% at 1080p to 71% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 72% to 76%.
The utilization pattern is relatively even. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 74% average at its highest-load preset, while the Core i9-7980XE peaks at 81% average. This suggests a fairly controlled load distribution, but the actual FPS-limiting side should still be read from the limiter analysis above.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 72% and GPU 66%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 71% and GPU 68%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 76% and GPU 71%. This shows that workload scaling is limited, which can indicate engine-side constraints.
4K (Ultra HD) High is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 71% (42-100%) and GPU 74% (50-97%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core i9-7980XE remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Core i9-7980XE 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 CPU is 68% above and your GPU is 131% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+68%vsrecommended
+131%vsrecommended
+399%vsminimum
+295%vsminimum
Yes, the Core i9-7980XE paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Baldur's Gate 3 smoothly up to 4k achieving around 87 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 131% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 68% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1949 ($300 CPU (Rank #299 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 Baldur's Gate 3 performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 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 Core i9-7980XE and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
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.
