Civilization VIFPS onRyzen Z1&GeForce RTX 4090

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.

Civilization VI - FPS Estimates by Resolution

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

1080P
low304 FPS
medium254 FPS
high223 FPS
ultra192 FPS
1440P
low137 FPS
medium113 FPS
high96 FPS
ultra87 FPS
4K
low102 FPS
medium87 FPS
high74 FPS
ultra67 FPS

Performance Report

Civilization VI

GeForce RTX 4090 + Ryzen Z1
🎮Visual Experience

At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 192 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 87 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 67 FPS.

Official Requirements

The GeForce RTX 4090 is 539% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 770) for Civilization VI. The Ryzen Z1 is 210% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-4xxx).

⚙️FPS Ceiling Analysis

The Ryzen Z1 sets the FPS ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the GeForce RTX 4090 still has headroom.

Performance Limiter Analysis

Ryzen Z1|GeForce RTX 4090

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

📈Analysis

At 1440p medium, the Ryzen Z1 sets the ceiling at about 113 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 187 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 40% (FPS gap: 74 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 12/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 0/12.

Verdict

CPU Limits GPU

Your Ryzen Z1 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 12%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 14%
HighCPU Limits GPU 13%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 11%
1440p (2K QHD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 36%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 40%
HighCPU Limits GPU 39%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 34%
4K (Ultra HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 39%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 39%
HighCPU Limits GPU 37%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 30%
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 Ryzen Z1 and GeForce RTX 4090

1080p (Full HD)

Low
CPU20% - 72%
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GPU27% - 50%
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Medium
CPU20% - 72%
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GPU27% - 50%
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High
CPU41% - 74%
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GPU55% - 66%
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Ultra
CPU41% - 74%
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GPU55% - 66%
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1440p (2K QHD)

Low
CPU9% - 59%
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GPU39% - 77%
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Medium
CPU9% - 59%
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GPU39% - 77%
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High
CPU27% - 64%
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GPU68% - 95%
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Ultra
CPU27% - 64%
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GPU68% - 95%
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4K (Ultra HD)

Low
CPU7% - 48%
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GPU77% - 96%
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Medium
CPU7% - 48%
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GPU77% - 96%
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High
CPU26% - 52%
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GPU100% - 100%
Ultra
CPU26% - 52%
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GPU100% - 100%

Performance Summary

The Ryzen Z1 + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 7% and 74% and GPU utilization between 27% and 100%. Ryzen Z1 keeps significant headroom across presets, while GeForce RTX 4090 carries most of the graphics load at heavier visual settings. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 49% at 1080p to 93% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 52% to 34%.

Load Interpretation

From a utilization perspective, this is a GPU-heavy load profile. At 4K (Ultra HD) High, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 100% usage (100-100%), while the Ryzen Z1 stays at 39% (26-52%). 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 52% and GPU 49%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 40% and GPU 70%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 34% and GPU 93%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.

Optimal Settings Recommendation

4K (Ultra HD) Low is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 28% (7-48%) and GPU 86% (77-96%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Ryzen Z1 remains stable for consistent frame delivery.

Upgrade Insight

Upgrade priority should be the GPU. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 100% average load at 4K (Ultra HD) High while the Ryzen Z1 still has headroom, so a faster graphics card would deliver the largest uplift.

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.

Civilization VI 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 - Ryzen Z1
cpu icon
18,406
Your Score
MinimumCore i3-2120
RecommendedCore i5-4xxx
GPU - GeForce RTX 4090
gpu icon
38,112
Your Score
MinimumGeForce GTS 450
RecommendedGeForce GTX 770

Your CPU is 210% above and your GPU is 539% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.

CPU

+210%vsrecommended

GPU

+539%vsrecommended

CPU

+830%vsminimum

GPU

+2751%vsminimum

Minimum Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTS 450
Processor: Core i3-2120
Memory: 4 GB
Disk Space: 12 GB
System: Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTX 770
Processor: Core i5-4xxx
Memory: 8 GB
Disk Space: 16 GB
System: Windows 10 64-bit

Frequently Asked Questions

1Can the Ryzen Z1 and GeForce RTX 4090 run Civilization VI well?

Yes, the Ryzen Z1 paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Civilization VI smoothly up to 4k achieving around 67 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 539% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 210% above the recommended requirements.

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

Price data is not currently available for this combination. In general, look for setups where the CPU and GPU are balanced — this ensures you're not overspending on one component that the other can't keep up with.

3Which component should I upgrade first to improve Civilization VI performance?

For Civilization VI, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Ryzen Z1 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 low, 1080p medium, 1080p high, 1080p ultra, 1440p low, 1440p medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.

4Does this setup support Frame Generation for Civilization VI?

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.

5What are the minimum and recommended specs for Civilization VI?

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 Ryzen Z1 and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.

6How accurate are these Civilization VI FPS estimates for the Ryzen Z1 and GeForce RTX 4090?

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.