Performance Summary
The Xeon E5649 + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 74% and 100% and GPU utilization between 45% and 98%. Xeon E5649 reaches high load in heavier scenarios, while GeForce RTX 4090 carries most of the graphics load at heavier visual settings. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 59% at 1080p to 89% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 96% to 88%.
Load Interpretation
From a utilization perspective, this is a CPU-heavy load profile. At 1440p (2K QHD) Low, the Xeon E5649 reaches 99% average load (98-100%), while the GeForce RTX 4090 remains comparatively lower at 72% (70-75%). 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 59%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 99% and GPU 79%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 88% and GPU 89%. This shows that workload scaling is present on both components, with stronger pressure on the GPU.
Optimal Settings Recommendation
4K (Ultra HD) Ultra is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 82% (74-90%) and GPU 95% (92-98%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Xeon E5649 remains stable for consistent frame delivery.
Upgrade Insight
Both components are stressed near their limits in the heaviest presets (Xeon E5649: 99% avg, GeForce RTX 4090: 95% avg). A targeted upgrade should follow your target resolution: GPU first for higher image quality, CPU first for higher minimum FPS.