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.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 209 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 144 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 105 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 539% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 770) for Civilization VI. The Core Ultra 7 265KF is 889% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-4xxx).
The Core Ultra 7 265KF sets the FPS ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1972. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 209 FPS, equivalent to 0.11 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.169 fps/$ | 0.151 fps/$ | 0.128 fps/$ | 0.106 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.113 fps/$ | 0.104 fps/$ | 0.092 fps/$ | 0.073 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.090 fps/$ | 0.084 fps/$ | 0.073 fps/$ | 0.053 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
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This chart answers a simple question: which upgrade is more likely to increase FPS first? In this case, the answer is clearly the CPU.
The largest gap appears at 1080p Low, where the Core Ultra 7 265KF reaches about 316 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom up to roughly 414 FPS.
That means the Core Ultra 7 265KF is hitting its performance ceiling first, leaving a 24% gap versus the GeForce RTX 4090's available headroom in the most unbalanced scenario. Across all tested settings, this pairing is CPU-limited in 12 out of 12 cases, with 0 GPU-limited and 0 balanced results.
Overall, this is a clearly CPU-bound combination in this game.
The Core Ultra 7 265KF is consistently the limiting part in this game, so upgrading the CPU is more likely to deliver a larger FPS gain than upgrading the GPU.
This chart shows which upgrade is more likely to unlock more FPS in each tested setting. The lower line represents the part that reaches its limit first. When the CPU and GPU lines stay close together, the system is more balanced. When the gap widens, one component is more clearly holding the other back. Hover any setting to inspect it.
The lower line is the current limiter. The closer the two lines are, the more balanced the CPU and GPU are for this game.
Each line represents an estimated FPS ceiling for one component, rather than live usage alone.
To estimate the CPU ceiling, we pair the Core Ultra 7 265KF with GeForce RTX 5090, our current GPU anchor. To estimate the GPU ceiling, we pair the GeForce RTX 4090 with Ryzen 9 9950X3D, our current CPU anchor.
The lower line indicates the current limiter, since that component reaches its FPS ceiling first. In most scenarios, that is also the part most likely to deliver the bigger performance uplift if upgraded first.
The percentage shown represents the gap between the two ceilings. In practical terms, it shows how much of the stronger component's potential is left unused because the weaker one becomes the bottleneck first.
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 889% above and your GPU is 539% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+889%vsrecommended
+539%vsrecommended
+2866%vsminimum
+2751%vsminimum
Yes, the Core Ultra 7 265KF paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Civilization VI smoothly up to 4k achieving around 105 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 539% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 889% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1,972 ($323 CPU + $1,649 GPU). Since the CPU is the main limiting factor, investing in a stronger processor will improve your framerates and overall value. For example, the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is a great upgrade option for around $2,499 (Rank #766 for value).
For Civilization VI, upgrading the CPU would usually improve performance first. In the Performance Limiter Analysis, the Core Ultra 7 265KF is the side that most often caps the frame rate, while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has additional headroom in the tested presets. If you want to move closer to the current market ceiling, a stronger processor like Ryzen Threadripper 9980X for around $4,999 would be the clearest next step. The main bottleneck appears on the CPU side. The largest gap shows up at 1080p Low, where the CPU reaches about 316 FPS while the GPU still has headroom up to roughly 414 FPS. Across all tested settings, the distribution is 0/12 GPU-limited, 12/12 CPU-limited, and 0/12 balanced.
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.
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 Ultra 7 265KF and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
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.
