Known to slow down in the late game due to the exponential number of unit calculations. Single-core CPU speed is the most important factor for performance.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 133 FPS. At 1440p, all settings exceed 112 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 100 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 5090 is 889% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 570) for Hearts of Iron IV. The Xeon E5-2660 is 217% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-750).
At lower resolutions (1080p low), the Xeon E5-2660 sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (1080p (medium/high/ultra), 1440p medium, 4k (low/medium)), the GeForce RTX 5090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1440p (low/high/ultra), 4k (high/ultra).
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $2765. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 133 FPS, equivalent to 0.05 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.073 fps/$ | 0.073 fps/$ | 0.062 fps/$ | 0.048 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.073 fps/$ | 0.066 fps/$ | 0.052 fps/$ | 0.041 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.069 fps/$ | 0.058 fps/$ | 0.047 fps/$ | 0.036 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 E5-2660 sets the ceiling at about 202 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 5090 could reach 259 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 22% (FPS gap: 57 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 1/12 cells, GPU limits 10/12, balanced 1/12.
Your Xeon E5-2660 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the GeForce RTX 5090 rendering potential remains unused in those settings.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU Limits GPU 22% | GPU Limits CPU 7% | GPU Limits CPU 10% | GPU Limits CPU 10% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | Balanced | GPU Limits CPU 13% | GPU Limits CPU 13% | GPU Limits CPU 13% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | GPU Limits CPU 10% | GPU Limits CPU 14% | GPU Limits CPU 14% | GPU Limits CPU 14% |
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 217% above and your GPU is 889% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+217%vsrecommended
+889%vsrecommended
+125%vsminimum
+1136%vsminimum
Yes, the Xeon E5-2660 paired with the GeForce RTX 5090 can run Hearts of Iron IV smoothly up to 4k achieving around 100 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 889% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 217% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $2765 ($65 CPU + $2700 GPU). Your GeForce RTX 5090 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.
Your GeForce RTX 5090 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 Hearts of Iron IV performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 1080p medium, 1080p high, 1080p ultra, 1440p medium, 4k low, 4k medium. CPU-limited at: 1080p low.
Hearts of Iron IV 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.
Hearts of Iron IV requires at minimum a Core 2 Quad Q9400 (CPU) and GeForce GTX 470 (GPU) with 4 GB RAM and 2 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-750 and GeForce GTX 570 with 4 GB RAM. Your Xeon E5-2660 and GeForce RTX 5090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
These Hearts of Iron IV 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.
