A dense RPG where Act 3 becomes a CPU stress test due to the high number of NPCs. An SSD is vital for loading times. 16GB of RAM is recommended, and the game benefits greatly from upscaling tech like DLSS and FSR.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 145 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 96 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 72 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 5090 is 136% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2060 Super) for Baldur's Gate 3. The Xeon E5-1681 V3 is 16% below recommended, but 150% above minimum.
The Xeon E5-1681 V3 sets the FPS ceiling at 1080p (low/high/ultra), 1440p ultra, 4k ultra, while the GeForce RTX 5090 still has headroom. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p medium, 1440p (low/medium/high), 4k (low/medium/high).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $2900. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 145 FPS, equivalent to 0.05 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.088 fps/$ | 0.079 fps/$ | 0.063 fps/$ | 0.050 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.053 fps/$ | 0.048 fps/$ | 0.044 fps/$ | 0.033 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.034 fps/$ | 0.032 fps/$ | 0.031 fps/$ | 0.025 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages. Adjacent heavier settings are lightly stabilized to remove prediction jitter that would otherwise create impossible reversals.
At 1080p low, the Xeon E5-1681 V3 sets the ceiling at about 303 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 5090 could reach 327 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 7% (FPS gap: 24 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 1/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 11/12. Confidence is low because both ceilings are very close in this cell.
The Xeon E5-1681 V3 and GeForce RTX 5090 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) | CPU Limits GPU 7% | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | 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 and then monotonic-smoothed across heavier presets and resolutions, not generic utilization heuristics.
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 16% below recommended and your GPU is 136% below recommended, but both meet minimum specs. Playable at Low/Medium settings, 1080p or below.
-16%vsrecommended
+136%vsrecommended
+150%vsminimum
+303%vsminimum
Yes, the Xeon E5-1681 V3 paired with the GeForce RTX 5090 can run Baldur's Gate 3 smoothly up to 4k achieving around 72 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 136% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 16% below the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $2900 ($200 CPU + $2700 GPU). Since the CPU is the main limiting factor, investing in a stronger processor will improve your framerates and overall value. For example, the EPYC 9375F is a great upgrade option for around $5306 (Rank #5 for value).
For Baldur's Gate 3, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Xeon E5-1681 V3 is currently the limiting factor — the GeForce RTX 5090 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 high, 1080p ultra, 1440p ultra, 4k ultra.
Baldur's Gate 3 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.
Baldur's Gate 3 requires at minimum a Core i5-4690 (CPU) and GeForce GTX 970 (GPU) with 8 GB RAM and 150 GB (SSD) storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i7-8700K and GeForce RTX 2060 Super with 16 GB RAM. Your setup meets the minimum requirements but falls short of the recommended specs. You may need to lower some settings for smooth performance.
These Baldur's Gate 3 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.
