StarfieldFPS onEPYC 7401&GeForce RTX 4090

Starfield

Bethesda's Creation Engine 2 is CPU-dependent, especially in cities, and requires an SSD for asset streaming. Optimization tends to favor AMD slightly, but generally requires powerful hardware to run smoothly.

Starfield - FPS Estimates by Resolution

Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors

1080P
low136 FPS
medium119 FPS
high101 FPS
ultra81 FPS
1440P
low121 FPS
medium107 FPS
high91 FPS
ultra70 FPS
4K
low57 FPS
medium53 FPS
high48 FPS
ultra42 FPS

Performance Report

Starfield

GeForce RTX 4090 + EPYC 7401
🎮Visual Experience

At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 81 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 70 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 42 to 57 FPS.

Official Requirements

The GeForce RTX 4090 is 52% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2080) for Starfield. The EPYC 7401 is 205% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-10600K).

⚙️FPS Ceiling Analysis

The EPYC 7401 sets the FPS ceiling at 1080p (low/medium), 1440p (low/medium), all 4k settings, while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p (high/ultra), 1440p (high/ultra).

💰Value Analysis

Approximated average price on current market:

GeForce RTX 4090:$1649(updated 2/6/2026)
Official Launch Price: $1599
EPYC 7401:$450(updated 2/11/2026)
Official Launch Price: $1500

Combo price: $2099. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 81 FPS, equivalent to 0.04 FPS per dollar.

ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p0.065 fps/$0.057 fps/$0.048 fps/$0.039 fps/$
1440p0.058 fps/$0.051 fps/$0.043 fps/$0.033 fps/$
4k0.027 fps/$0.025 fps/$0.023 fps/$0.020 fps/$

* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)

Performance Limiter Analysis

EPYC 7401|GeForce RTX 4090

This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages.

📈Analysis

At 4k low, the EPYC 7401 sets the ceiling at about 59 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 92 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 36% (FPS gap: 33 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 9/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 3/12.

Verdict

CPU Limits GPU

Your EPYC 7401 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the GeForce RTX 4090 rendering potential remains unused in those settings.

🧩Detailed Breakdown
1080p (Full HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 13%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 9%
HighCPU Limits GPU 6%
UltraBalanced
1440p (2K QHD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 13%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 9%
HighBalanced
UltraBalanced
4K (Ultra HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 36%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 33%
HighCPU Limits GPU 28%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 19%
Percentages show how much potential FPS of the stronger component is lost because the other component has a lower FPS ceiling.
🧠Methodology

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.

📊Predicted Hardware Utilization for EPYC 7401 and GeForce RTX 4090

1080p (Full HD)

Low
CPU59% - 88%
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GPU56% - 80%
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Medium
CPU58% - 73%
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GPU77% - 94%
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High
CPU56% - 69%
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GPU80% - 96%
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Ultra
CPU55% - 70%
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GPU80% - 95%
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1440p (2K QHD)

Low
CPU47% - 60%
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GPU82% - 90%
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Medium
CPU46% - 60%
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GPU89% - 95%
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High
CPU45% - 58%
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GPU92% - 96%
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Ultra
CPU45% - 58%
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GPU93% - 96%
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4K (Ultra HD)

Low
CPU46% - 53%
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GPU83% - 92%
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Medium
CPU46% - 54%
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GPU94% - 98%
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High
CPU46% - 52%
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GPU97% - 99%
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Ultra
CPU45% - 52%
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GPU97% - 99%
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Performance Summary

The EPYC 7401 + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 45% and 88% and GPU utilization between 56% and 99%. EPYC 7401 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 83% at 1080p to 95% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 66% to 49%.

Load Interpretation

From a utilization perspective, this is a GPU-heavy load profile. At 4K (Ultra HD) High, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 98% usage (97-99%), while the EPYC 7401 stays at 49% (46-52%). This shows the graphics pipeline is carrying most of the workload, but utilization alone does not define the FPS limiter.

Resolution Scaling

At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 66% and GPU 83%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 53% and GPU 92%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 49% and GPU 95%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.

Optimal Settings Recommendation

1080p (Full HD) High is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 62% (56-69%) and GPU 88% (80-96%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while EPYC 7401 remains stable for consistent frame delivery.

Upgrade Insight

Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the EPYC 7401 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.

  • High GPU Load: You typically want to see High GPU Utilization (90%+) and moderate CPU usage when visual settings are heavy. This indicates the graphics pipeline is under strong load, but the exact FPS limiter should still be confirmed by the FPS ceiling analysis.
  • High CPU Load: If you see High CPU Utilization (85%+) paired with lower GPU utilization, the processor is handling a disproportionate share of frame preparation and game logic. That can point to CPU-side pressure, but it should not be treated as a direct replacement for FPS ceiling analysis.
  • Low CPU and GPU Load: If both CPU and GPU utilization are relatively low, it means the hardware is waiting on something else. This could be a game engine limitation, poorly optimized code, or an artificial framerate cap like VSync holding performance back. It does not mean both parts are equally fast in FPS terms.

Data generated by our Machine Learning engine trained on real-world benchmarks. Shows the approximate average utilization at each setting.

Starfield Requirements Comparison

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.

CPU - EPYC 7401
cpu icon
55,280
Your Score
MinimumCore i7-6800K
RecommendedCore i5-10600K
GPU - GeForce RTX 4090
gpu icon
38,112
Your Score
MinimumGeForce GTX 1070 Ti
RecommendedGeForce RTX 2080

Your CPU is 205% above and your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.

CPU

+205%vsrecommended

GPU

+52%vsrecommended

CPU

+298%vsminimum

GPU

+160%vsminimum

Minimum Requirements
Processor: Core i7-6800K
Memory: 16 GB
Disk Space: 125 GB (SSD Obrigatório)
System: Windows 10
Recommended Requirements
Video Card: GeForce RTX 2080
Processor: Core i5-10600K
Memory: 16 GB
Disk Space: 125 GB (SSD Obrigatório)
System: Windows 10

Frequently Asked Questions

1Can the EPYC 7401 and GeForce RTX 4090 run Starfield well?

Yes, the EPYC 7401 paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Starfield smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 70 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 205% above the recommended requirements.

2Is there a more cost-effective setup to run Starfield?

This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $2099 ($450 CPU (Rank #271 Value) + $1649 GPU (Rank #77 Value)). Your EPYC 7401 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 processor with a significantly better value rating. For example, the EPYC 4585PX is a great upgrade option for around $699 (Rank #66 for value).

3Which component should I upgrade first to improve Starfield performance?

Your EPYC 7401 is already an incredibly powerful processor. While it's technically the first component to hit its limit (which is completely normal in state-of-the-art builds), there is no meaningful upgrade path that would drastically improve your Starfield performance right now. CPU fully utilized at: 1080p low, 1080p medium, 1440p low, 1440p medium, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.

4Does this setup support Frame Generation for Starfield?

Starfield 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.

5What are the minimum and recommended specs for Starfield?

Starfield requires at minimum a Core i7-6800K (CPU) and GeForce GTX 1070 Ti (GPU) with 16 GB RAM and 125 GB (SSD Obrigatório) storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-10600K and GeForce RTX 2080 with 16 GB RAM. Your EPYC 7401 and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.

6How accurate are these Starfield FPS estimates for the EPYC 7401 and GeForce RTX 4090?

These Starfield 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.