Fortnite serves as a showcase for Unreal Engine 5. In 'Performance Mode', it runs on almost anything. However, enabling 'Lumen' (global illumination) and 'Nanite' (virtualized geometry) requires a powerful RTX 30/40 series GPU to maintain 60 FPS. The building mechanics also add a significant CPU load, especially in competitive end-games with dense player structures.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 162 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 130 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 76 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 136% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 1080) for Fortnite. The Core Ultra 5 225F is 140% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-7300U).
At lower resolutions (1080p ultra, 1440p ultra, 4k (low/high)), the Core Ultra 5 225F sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (1080p medium), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p (low/high), 1440p (low/medium/high), 4k (medium/ultra).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1799. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 162 FPS, equivalent to 0.09 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.337 fps/$ | 0.242 fps/$ | 0.126 fps/$ | 0.090 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.206 fps/$ | 0.138 fps/$ | 0.105 fps/$ | 0.072 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.103 fps/$ | 0.068 fps/$ | 0.062 fps/$ | 0.042 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages.
At 1440p ultra, the Core Ultra 5 225F sets the ceiling at about 135 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 155 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 13% (FPS gap: 20 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 5/12 cells, GPU limits 1/12, balanced 6/12.
The Core Ultra 5 225F 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 | GPU Limits CPU 6% | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 12% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 13% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 9% | 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) | CPU64% - 95% <> GPU33% - 56% <> | CPU48% - 87% <> GPU73% - 75% <> | CPU23% - 61% <> GPU77% - 96% <> | CPU23% - 60% <> GPU77% - 96% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU61% - 71% <> GPU41% - 64% <> | CPU43% - 64% <> GPU76% - 92% <> | CPU19% - 58% <> GPU96% - 99% <> | CPU19% - 60% <> GPU95% - 100% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU61% - 71% <> GPU41% - 64% <> | CPU44% - 64% <> GPU76% - 92% <> | CPU22% - 53% <> GPU98% - 100% <> | CPU22% - 55% <> GPU96% - 100% <> |
The Core Ultra 5 225F + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 19% and 95% and GPU utilization between 33% and 100%. Core Ultra 5 225F 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 73% at 1080p to 83% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 58% to 49%.
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 Ultra 5 225F stays at 38% (22-53%). 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 58% and GPU 73%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 50% and GPU 83%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 49% and GPU 83%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.
1080p (Full HD) High is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 42% (23-61%) and GPU 86% (77-96%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Core Ultra 5 225F remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Core Ultra 5 225F 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 140% above and your GPU is 136% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+140%vsrecommended
+136%vsrecommended
+392%vsminimum
+521%vsminimum
Yes, the Core Ultra 5 225F paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Fortnite smoothly up to 4k achieving around 76 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 136% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 140% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1799 ($150 CPU (Rank #16 Value) + $1649 GPU (Rank #77 Value)). Your build is already very cost-efficient, but if you want even more FPS, the next good option is upgrading the CPU. For example, the Ryzen 9 9950X is a great upgrade option for around $649 (Rank #5 for value).
For Fortnite, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core Ultra 5 225F 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 ultra, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k high. GPU fully utilized at: 1080p medium.
Fortnite 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.
Fortnite requires at minimum a Core i3-3225 (CPU) and GeForce GTX 960 (GPU) with 8 GB RAM and 30 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-7300U and GeForce GTX 1080 with 16 GB RAM. Your Core Ultra 5 225F and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
These Fortnite 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.
