Apex LegendsFPS onXeon w3-2525&GeForce RTX 4090

Apex Legends

Built on a modified Source engine, Apex Legends retains the scalability of Titanfall 2. Fast movement demands high frame rates for fluidity. VRAM can be a bottleneck if the 'Texture Streaming Budget' is set too high. While it handles 8GB of RAM better than some competitors, 16GB is recommended. It is generally less CPU-intensive than Warzone, allowing older quad-core CPUs to remain viable.

This game has a built-in FPS cap of 300 FPS

Apex Legends - FPS Estimates by Resolution

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

1080P
low290 FPS
medium276 FPS
high260 FPS
ultra251 FPS
1440P
low300 FPS
medium300 FPS
high300 FPS
ultra297 FPS
4K
low238 FPS
medium216 FPS
high207 FPS
ultra174 FPS

Performance Report

Apex Legends

GeForce RTX 4090 + Xeon w3-2525
🎮Visual Experience

At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 251 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 297 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 174 FPS.

Official Requirements

The GeForce RTX 4090 is 295% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 970) for Apex Legends. The Xeon w3-2525 is 216% above the recommended CPU (Core i5-3570K).

⚙️FPS Ceiling Analysis

At lower resolutions (1080p (high/ultra)), the Xeon w3-2525 sets the FPS ceiling. As graphical load increases at (all 1440p settings, all 4k settings), the GeForce RTX 4090 becomes the FPS-limiting side. The FPS ceiling is closely matched at 1080p (low/medium).

💰Value Analysis

Approximated average price on current market:

GeForce RTX 4090:$1649(updated 2/6/2026)
Official Launch Price: $1599
Xeon w3-2525:$800(updated 2/6/2026)
Official Launch Price: $609

Combo price: $2449. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 251 FPS, equivalent to 0.1 FPS per dollar.

ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p0.118 fps/$0.113 fps/$0.106 fps/$0.102 fps/$
1440p0.130 fps/$0.127 fps/$0.128 fps/$0.121 fps/$
4k0.097 fps/$0.088 fps/$0.085 fps/$0.071 fps/$

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

Performance Limiter Analysis

Xeon w3-2525|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 147 FPS, while the Xeon w3-2525 has headroom up to 205 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU limits the CPU potential by 28% (FPS gap: 58 FPS). Overall distribution: GPU limits 8/12 cells, CPU limits 2/12, 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 w3-2525 frame-generation potential remains unused in those settings.

🧩Detailed Breakdown
1080p (Full HD)
LowBalanced
MediumBalanced
HighCPU Limits GPU 13%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 7%
1440p (2K QHD)
LowGPU Limits CPU 18%
MediumGPU Limits CPU 18%
HighGPU Limits CPU 19%
UltraGPU Limits CPU 22%
4K (Ultra HD)
LowGPU Limits CPU 23%
MediumGPU Limits CPU 27%
HighGPU Limits CPU 28%
UltraGPU Limits CPU 28%
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 w3-2525 and GeForce RTX 4090

1080p (Full HD)

Low
CPU50% - 71%
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GPU74% - 85%
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Medium
CPU49% - 70%
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GPU90% - 97%
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High
CPU50% - 71%
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GPU90% - 96%
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Ultra
CPU33% - 58%
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GPU92% - 97%
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1440p (2K QHD)

Low
CPU49% - 68%
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GPU74% - 85%
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Medium
CPU48% - 67%
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GPU94% - 97%
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High
CPU49% - 68%
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GPU94% - 97%
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Ultra
CPU33% - 58%
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GPU94% - 97%
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4K (Ultra HD)

Low
CPU48% - 68%
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GPU75% - 85%
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Medium
CPU47% - 67%
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GPU97% - 98%
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High
CPU48% - 67%
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GPU96% - 97%
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Ultra
CPU31% - 58%
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GPU96% - 97%
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Performance Summary

The Xeon w3-2525 + GeForce RTX 4090 pairing runs this title with CPU utilization between 31% and 71% and GPU utilization between 74% and 98%. Xeon w3-2525 stays in a controlled operating range, while GeForce RTX 4090 carries most of the graphics load at heavier visual settings. As resolution scales, average GPU load rises from 90% at 1080p to 93% at 4K, while CPU averages move from 57% to 54%.

Load Interpretation

From a utilization perspective, this is a GPU-heavy load profile. At 4K (Ultra HD) Medium, the GeForce RTX 4090 averages 98% usage (97-98%), while the Xeon w3-2525 stays at 57% (47-67%). This shows the graphics pipeline is carrying most of the workload, but utilization alone does not define the FPS limiter.

Resolution Scaling

At 1080p, averages sit around CPU 57% and GPU 90%. At 1440p, that shifts to CPU 55% and GPU 92%, and at 4K it reaches CPU 54% and GPU 93%. This shows that workload scaling is limited, which can indicate engine-side constraints.

Optimal Settings Recommendation

1080p (Full HD) High is the most balanced preset based on this dataset. It runs around CPU 60% (50-71%) and GPU 93% (90-96%), which keeps GeForce RTX 4090 well utilized without constant max-out behavior while Xeon w3-2525 remains stable for consistent frame delivery.

Upgrade Insight

Upgrade priority should be the GPU. The GeForce RTX 4090 reaches 98% average load at 4K (Ultra HD) Medium while the Xeon w3-2525 still has headroom, so a faster graphics card would deliver the largest uplift.

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.

Apex Legends 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 w3-2525
cpu icon
28,641
Your Score
MinimumCore i3-6300
RecommendedCore i5-3570K
GPU - GeForce RTX 4090
gpu icon
38,112
Your Score
MinimumGeForce GT 640
RecommendedGeForce GTX 970

Your CPU is 216% above and your GPU is 295% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.

CPU

+216%vsrecommended

GPU

+295%vsrecommended

CPU

+561%vsminimum

GPU

+3160%vsminimum

Minimum Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GT 640
Processor: Core i3-6300
Memory: 6 GB
Disk Space: 56 GB
System: Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTX 970
Processor: Core i5-3570K
Memory: 8 GB
Disk Space: 56 GB (SSD)
System: Windows 10 64-bit

Frequently Asked Questions

1Can the Xeon w3-2525 and GeForce RTX 4090 run Apex Legends well?

Yes, the Xeon w3-2525 paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 can run Apex Legends smoothly up to 4k achieving around 174 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 295% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 216% above the recommended requirements.

2Is there a more cost-effective setup to run Apex Legends?

This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $2449 ($800 CPU (Rank #228 Value) + $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 Apex Legends 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 Apex Legends performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 1440p low, 1440p medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra. CPU-limited at: 1080p high, 1080p ultra.

4Does this setup support Frame Generation for Apex Legends?

Apex Legends 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 Apex Legends?

Apex Legends requires at minimum a Core i3-6300 (CPU) and GeForce GT 640 (GPU) with 6 GB RAM and 56 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5-3570K and GeForce GTX 970 with 8 GB RAM. Your Xeon w3-2525 and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.

6How accurate are these Apex Legends FPS estimates for the Xeon w3-2525 and GeForce RTX 4090?

These Apex Legends 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.