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.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 74 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 63 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 33 to 60 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is 52% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2080) for Starfield. The Ryzen 7 3700X is 24% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-10600K).
The Ryzen 7 3700X determines the performance ceiling at 1440p ultra, all 4k settings, while the GPU has headroom. The system is well balanced at all 1080p settings, 1440p (low/medium/high).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1789. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 74 FPS, equivalent to 0.04 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.078 fps/$ | 0.065 fps/$ | 0.058 fps/$ | 0.041 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.072 fps/$ | 0.059 fps/$ | 0.050 fps/$ | 0.035 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.034 fps/$ | 0.027 fps/$ | 0.025 fps/$ | 0.018 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
At 4k medium, the Ryzen 7 3700X sets the ceiling at about 54 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 85 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 36% (FPS gap: 31 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 5/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 7/12.
The Ryzen 7 3700X 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 | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | CPU Limits GPU 10% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 32% | CPU Limits GPU 36% | CPU Limits GPU 33% | CPU Limits GPU 36% |
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.
The displayed percentages are derived from FPS ceilings, not generic utilization heuristics.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU53% - 75% <> GPU52% - 71% <> | CPU48% - 72% <> GPU84% - 94% <> | CPU49% - 73% <> GPU87% - 98% <> | CPU50% - 74% <> GPU88% - 98% <> |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU48% - 70% <> GPU73% - 86% <> | CPU47% - 69% <> GPU90% - 96% <> | CPU43% - 69% <> GPU93% - 99% <> | CPU41% - 62% <> GPU95% - 100% <> |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU43% - 72% <> GPU73% - 90% <> | CPU42% - 71% <> GPU96% - 97% <> | CPU38% - 71% <> GPU98% - 100% <> | CPU38% - 62% <> GPU98% - 100% <> |
The Ryzen 7 3700X + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 38% and 75% and GPU utilization between 52% and 100%. Ryzen 7 3700X stays in a controlled operating range, while GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the primary limiter at high visual load. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 84% at 1080p to 94% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 62% to 55%.
This profile is GPU-bound. At 4K (Ultra HD) High, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 99% usage (98-100%), while the Ryzen 7 3700X stays at 54% (38-71%), indicating the graphics pipeline is the limiting stage.
At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 62% and GPU 84%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 56% and GPU 92%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 55% and GPU 94%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.
1080p (Full HD) Medium is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 60% (48-72%) and GPU 89% (84-94%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Ryzen 7 3700X 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 Ryzen 7 3700X still has headroom, so a faster graphics card would deliver the largest uplift.
Understanding Hardware Utilization & Bottlenecks: These percentages represent how much of your component's maximum processing power is actively being used during gameplay. This is the key to identifying performance bottlenecks in any system.
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 24% above and your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs. High/Ultra at 1080p. Lower settings for higher resolutions.
+24%vsrecommended
+52%vsrecommended
+62%vsminimum
+160%vsminimum
Yes, the Ryzen 7 3700X paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Starfield smoothly up to 1440p achieving around 63 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 52% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 24% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1789 ($140 CPU (Rank #43 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 Starfield, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Ryzen 7 3700X 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: 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.
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.
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 Ryzen 7 3700X and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
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.
