Baldur's Gate 3FPS onXeon E5-2640 v2&GeForce RTX 4090

Baldur's Gate 3

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.

Baldur's Gate 3 - FPS Estimates by Resolution

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

1080P
low186 FPS
medium179 FPS
high146 FPS
ultra114 FPS
1440P
low158 FPS
medium149 FPS
high122 FPS
ultra93 FPS
4K
low112 FPS
medium109 FPS
high90 FPS
ultra66 FPS

Performance Report

Baldur's Gate 3

GeForce RTX 4090 + Xeon E5-2640 v2
🎮Visual Experience

At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 114 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 93 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 66 FPS.

Official Requirements

The GeForce RTX 4090 is 131% above the recommended GPU (GeForce RTX 2060 Super) for Baldur's Gate 3. The Xeon E5-2640 v2 is 57% below recommended, but 28% above minimum.

⚙️FPS Ceiling Analysis

At lower resolutions (all 1080p settings), the Xeon E5-2640 v2 sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (1440p (medium/high), all 4k settings), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1440p (low/ultra).

💰Value Analysis

Approximated average price on current market:

GeForce RTX 4090:$1649(updated 2/6/2026)
Official Launch Price: $1599
Xeon E5-2640 v2:$530(updated 2/11/2026)
Official Launch Price: $4115

Combo price: $2179. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 114 FPS, equivalent to 0.05 FPS per dollar.

ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p0.085 fps/$0.082 fps/$0.067 fps/$0.052 fps/$
1440p0.073 fps/$0.068 fps/$0.056 fps/$0.043 fps/$
4k0.051 fps/$0.050 fps/$0.041 fps/$0.030 fps/$

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

Performance Limiter Analysis

Xeon E5-2640 v2|GeForce RTX 4090

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

📈Analysis

At 4k high, the GeForce RTX 4090 sets the ceiling at about 64 FPS, while the Xeon E5-2640 v2 has headroom up to 92 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU limits the CPU potential by 30% (FPS gap: 28 FPS). Overall distribution: GPU limits 6/12 cells, CPU limits 4/12, balanced 2/12.

Verdict

GPU Limits CPU

Your GeForce RTX 4090 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the Xeon E5-2640 v2 frame-generation potential remains unused in those settings.

🧩Detailed Breakdown
1080p (Full HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 28%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 19%
HighCPU Limits GPU 19%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 28%
1440p (2K QHD)
LowBalanced
MediumGPU Limits CPU 16%
HighGPU Limits CPU 15%
UltraBalanced
4K (Ultra HD)
LowGPU Limits CPU 16%
MediumGPU Limits CPU 28%
HighGPU Limits CPU 30%
UltraGPU Limits CPU 15%
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 Xeon E5-2640 v2 and GeForce RTX 4090

1080p (Full HD)

Low
CPU92% - 100%
<>
GPU21% - 40%
<>
Medium
CPU90% - 100%
<>
GPU25% - 45%
<>
High
CPU90% - 100%
<>
GPU30% - 52%
<>
Ultra
CPU93% - 100%
<>
GPU36% - 56%
<>

1440p (2K QHD)

Low
CPU91% - 100%
<>
GPU25% - 45%
<>
Medium
CPU89% - 100%
<>
GPU29% - 49%
<>
High
CPU89% - 100%
<>
GPU36% - 55%
<>
Ultra
CPU92% - 100%
<>
GPU41% - 65%
<>

4K (Ultra HD)

Low
CPU91% - 100%
<>
GPU72% - 87%
<>
Medium
CPU89% - 100%
<>
GPU75% - 88%
<>
High
CPU89% - 100%
<>
GPU76% - 92%
<>
Ultra
CPU92% - 96%
<>
GPU76% - 91%
<>

Performance Summary

The Xeon E5-2640 v2 + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 89% and 100% and GPU utilization between 21% and 92%. Xeon E5-2640 v2 reaches high load in heavier scenarios, while GeForce RTX 4090 is utilized efficiently without persistent saturation. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 38% at 1080p to 83% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 96% to 95%.

Load Interpretation

From a utilization perspective, this is a CPU-heavy load profile. At 1080p (Full HD) Low, the Xeon E5-2640 v2 reaches 96% average load (92-100%), while the GeForce RTX 4090 remains comparatively lower at 30% (21-40%). This points to heavier CPU-side frame preparation work, but utilization alone does not define the FPS limiter.

Resolution Scaling

At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 96% and GPU 38%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 95% and GPU 43%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 95% and GPU 83%. This shows that GPU demand scales sharply with resolution while CPU load remains comparatively stable.

Optimal Settings Recommendation

4K (Ultra HD) High is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 94% (89-100%) and GPU 84% (76-92%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Xeon E5-2640 v2 remains stable for consistent frame delivery.

Upgrade Insight

Current utilization does not show an urgent upgrade requirement for either component; the Xeon E5-2640 v2 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.

Baldur's Gate 3 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 - Xeon E5-2640 v2
cpu icon
7,625
Your Score
MinimumCore i5-4690
RecommendedCore i7-8700K
GPU - GeForce RTX 4090
gpu icon
38,112
Your Score
MinimumGeForce GTX 970
RecommendedGeForce RTX 2060 Super

Your CPU is 57% below recommended and your GPU is 131% below recommended, but both meet minimum specs. Playable at Low/Medium settings, 1080p or below.

CPU

-57%vsrecommended

GPU

+131%vsrecommended

CPU

+28%vsminimum

GPU

+295%vsminimum

Minimum Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTX 970
Processor: Core i5-4690
Memory: 8 GB
Disk Space: 150 GB (SSD)
System: Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended Requirements
Processor: Core i7-8700K
Memory: 16 GB
Disk Space: 150 GB (SSD)
System: Windows 10 64-bit

Frequently Asked Questions

1Can the Xeon E5-2640 v2 and GeForce RTX 4090 run Baldur's Gate 3 well?

Yes, the Xeon E5-2640 v2 paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Baldur's Gate 3 smoothly up to 4k achieving around 66 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 131% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 57% below the recommended requirements.

2Is there a more cost-effective setup to run Baldur's Gate 3?

This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $2179 ($530 CPU + $1649 GPU (Rank #77 Value)). Your GeForce RTX 4090 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 card with a significantly better value rating.

3Which component should I upgrade first to improve Baldur's Gate 3 performance?

Your GeForce RTX 4090 is already a top-tier graphics card. While it's technically the limiting factor here (which means you are fully utilizing your GPU's visual horsepower exactly as intended), there is no meaningful upgrade path that would drastically improve your Baldur's Gate 3 performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 1440p medium, 1440p high, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra. CPU-limited at: 1080p low, 1080p medium, 1080p high, 1080p ultra.

4Does this setup support Frame Generation for Baldur's Gate 3?

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.

5What are the minimum and recommended specs for Baldur's Gate 3?

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.

6How accurate are these Baldur's Gate 3 FPS estimates for the Xeon E5-2640 v2 and GeForce RTX 4090?

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.