A Valve classic that depends heavily on single-thread clock speed. It runs well on older hardware but benefits from a fast CPU.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 373 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 355 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 292 FPS.
The GeForce RTX 5090 is 13634% above the recommended GPU (GeForce 8600 GT) for Team Fortress 2. The Xeon Gold 6538N is 1949% above the recommended CPU (Core 2 Duo).
The Xeon Gold 6538N sets the FPS ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the GeForce RTX 5090 still has headroom.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $2870. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 373 FPS, equivalent to 0.13 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.152 fps/$ | 0.149 fps/$ | 0.143 fps/$ | 0.130 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.145 fps/$ | 0.144 fps/$ | 0.137 fps/$ | 0.124 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.122 fps/$ | 0.119 fps/$ | 0.113 fps/$ | 0.102 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 Gold 6538N sets the ceiling at about 436 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 5090 could reach 647 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 33% (FPS gap: 211 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 12/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 0/12.
Your Xeon Gold 6538N 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 33% | CPU Limits GPU 28% | CPU Limits GPU 28% | CPU Limits GPU 28% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 33% | CPU Limits GPU 28% | CPU Limits GPU 28% | CPU Limits GPU 28% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 33% | CPU Limits GPU 28% | CPU Limits GPU 28% | CPU Limits GPU 28% |
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 1949% above and your GPU is 13634% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.
+1949%vsrecommended
+13634%vsrecommended
+1397%vsminimum
+2472%vsminimum
Yes, the Xeon Gold 6538N paired with the GeForce RTX 5090 can run Team Fortress 2 smoothly up to 4k achieving around 292 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 13634% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 1949% above the recommended requirements.
This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $2870 ($170 CPU + $2700 GPU). Your Xeon Gold 6538N 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 processor with a significantly better value rating. For example, the EPYC 9375F is a great upgrade option for around $5306 (Rank #5 for value).
Your Xeon Gold 6538N is already an incredibly powerful processor. While it's technically the first component to hit its limit (which is completely normal in state-of-the-art builds), there is no meaningful upgrade path that would drastically improve your Team Fortress 2 performance right now. CPU fully utilized 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.
Team Fortress 2 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.
Team Fortress 2 requires at minimum a Pentium 4 (3.0 GHz) (CPU) and GeForce 6 series (GPU) with 1 GB RAM and 15 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core 2 Duo and GeForce 8600 GT with 2 GB RAM. Your Xeon Gold 6538N and GeForce RTX 5090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.
These Team Fortress 2 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.
