Palworld

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS progression across resolutions reveals a system that is firmly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, with the CPU headroom becoming apparent only as resolution drops. At 1080p, the Ryzen 5 5500 and RTX 2060 SUPER combination delivers 151.9 FPS on Low settings, but this falls to 56.3 FPS at 4K—a 63% reduction in throughput. This steep decline is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario: the render target's pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, and the frame rate responds with a correspondingly dramatic drop.

The scaling pattern becomes even more instructive when examining the gap between settings presets at each resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 81.2 FPS (151.9 down to 70.7), while at 4K the same settings spread compresses to just 32.7 FPS (56.3 down to 23.6). This compression indicates that at 4K the GPU is saturated regardless of quality level—the pixel throughput ceiling dominates, and reducing graphical fidelity cannot fully compensate for the sheer fill-rate demand. Conversely, at 1080p the GPU has enough spare capacity that raising settings from Low to Ultra still leaves playable frame rates above 70 FPS.

Data suggests the limiting component shifts as resolution changes. At 1080p Low, with 151.9 FPS achieved, the CPU's 6-core, 12-thread configuration is likely near its ceiling for this game's simulation and draw-call processing. At 4K Ultra, the 23.6 FPS result points squarely at the GPU's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 compute being overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and heavy effects. The measured 4K High result of 31.9 FPS versus 4K Low of 56.3 FPS shows that even modest quality reductions at this resolution yield substantial gains, reinforcing the GPU-bound nature.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 brings 6 cores and 12 threads based on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost up to 4.20 GHz. Its benchmark profile shows a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16429 and single-core score of 2319, placing it in the 79th percentile against all CPUs. In Palworld's context, the CPU handles the survival mechanics, creature AI, and world simulation that run alongside the rendering pipeline.

The 3dmark scores reveal scaling characteristics: 2 threads score 1645, 4 threads score 3151, 8 threads score 4593, and max threads reach 5411. This near-linear scaling from 2 to 8 threads suggests the CPU can effectively utilize multiple cores, which matters for Palworld's simulation load. The PassMark single-thread score of 3058 and multi-thread score of 19330 indicate a balanced processor—not a single-core specialist, but capable of feeding the GPU at lower resolutions.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Ryzen 5 5500 sits essentially tied with the Intel Core i5-12500 (deltaPct -0.1%), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE (-0.1%), and EPYC 7J13 (+0.1%) in average benchmark score. This means the CPU is not a bottleneck outlier; its performance class is well-matched to the RTX 2060 SUPER's capabilities in this game. The 1080p Low result of 151.9 FPS suggests the CPU can drive high frame rates when the GPU is not the constraint, but the 4K results show the CPU has ample headroom left unused.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory runs across a 256-bit bus delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's boost clock of 1650 MHz and base of 1470 MHz combine to produce 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. These specifications place it in the 63rd percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19774.

The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scoring include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (deltaPct 0.3%), RTX 2070 (0.5%), Quadro K5200 (0.8%), and Tesla K40m (1.3%). The RTX 2060 SUPER is marginally faster than the RTX 2070 in average score, which is notable given the 2070 typically commands higher positioning. In Palworld, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity becomes a factor at 4K Ultra, where the 23.6 FPS result suggests memory pressure and compute saturation combine to limit performance.

The 175 W TDP and dual-slot design indicate this is not a power-constrained part for most systems, and the PCIe 3.0 x16 interface is sufficient for the GPU's bandwidth needs. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2011 and PassMark G3D score of 16462 provide synthetic reference points, but the measured Palworld results show the real-world behavior: 103.2 FPS at 1440p Low, dropping to 60.9 FPS at 1440p High, and struggling to 31.9 FPS at 4K High. The GPU is clearly the dominant factor in the 4K results, where even Low settings only reach 56.3 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combination delivers strong performance across all settings. Low achieves 151.9 FPS, Medium 125.4 FPS, High 96 FPS, and Ultra 70.7 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 81.2 FPS, indicating the GPU has enough overhead at this resolution to accommodate significant quality increases while maintaining playable frame rates. The jump from High to Ultra costs 25.3 FPS, which is proportionally larger than the Medium to High drop of 29.4 FPS—suggesting Ultra settings impose a disproportionate rendering cost.

At 2560x1440, the results show a clear step down. Low reaches 103.2 FPS, Medium 84.1 FPS, High 60.9 FPS, and Ultra 45.9 FPS. The 1440p Low result remains above 100 FPS, which is impressive for this hardware class, but High and Ultra begin to show the GPU's limitations. The difference between High and Ultra at this resolution is 15 FPS, narrower than at 1080p, indicating the GPU is approaching its render budget.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates fall below the playable threshold for most settings. Low achieves 56.3 FPS, Medium 42.4 FPS, High 31.9 FPS, and Ultra 23.6 FPS. Only Low at 4K remains comfortably playable, and even that is borderline for fast-paced action. The progression from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 32.7 FPS total drop, but the relative penalty is severe: Ultra delivers only 42% of Low's frame rate. This resolution is not viable for this combination at anything above Low settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER combination ranks 1246 out of 1718 tested combos in Palworld. This places it in the lower-middle tier of the database, with roughly 72% of tested combinations achieving better performance. The ranking reflects the GPU's age and the game's demanding nature at higher resolutions.

The CPU's 79th percentile ranking against all CPUs suggests the processor is not the weak link, while the GPU's 63rd percentile indicates the graphics card is the more modest component. The gap between these percentiles explains why the system performs better at 1080p, where the GPU's relative weakness is less exposed, versus 4K, where the GPU's limitations dominate. The combo rank of 1246 out of 1718 is consistent with a mid-range pairing that excels at 1080p but struggles at 4K.

Comparisons to the nearest rival components reinforce this assessment. The CPU is statistically identical to the i5-12500 and Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE, while the GPU edges out the RTX 2070 by 0.5%. This means the combo's ranking is not due to a mismatched component—both parts are in similar performance tiers—but rather reflects the absolute performance level of this tier in Palworld's demanding engine.

Settings Recommendations

For 1920x1080, the data supports High settings as the optimal balance. The 96 FPS average on High is smooth, and the step to Ultra (70.7 FPS) costs 25.3 FPS for visual gains that may not justify the drop. Low at 151.9 FPS is excessive for most displays, and Medium at 125.4 FPS is acceptable but leaves performance on the table.

For 2560x1440, Medium settings provide the best experience. The 84.1 FPS average on Medium is fluid, while High drops to 60.9 FPS—still playable but with less headroom for demanding scenes. Low at 103.2 FPS is viable for competitive play, but Medium offers a better visual-to-performance ratio. Ultra at 45.9 FPS is below the preferred threshold for this resolution class.

For 3840x2160, Low settings are the only reasonable choice. The 56.3 FPS average on Low is marginally playable, but Medium drops to 42.4 FPS and High to 31.9 FPS, both of which will feel sluggish. Ultra at 23.6 FPS is not recommended for any real gameplay scenario. Users targeting 4K should consider this combination only with the lowest quality preset.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Palworld at 1080p with high settings?

A: Yes, the measured 1080p High average is 96 FPS, which provides a smooth experience. Ultra runs at 70.7 FPS, which is also playable but with a noticeable performance cost.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiter. At 4K, all settings produce low frame rates (23.6 to 56.3 FPS), while the CPU's benchmark percentile (79th) exceeds the GPU's (63rd), showing the graphics card has less relative headroom.

Q: What is the best resolution for this hardware in Palworld?

A: 1920x1080 with High settings delivers 96 FPS, which is the strongest combination of visual quality and performance. 1440p Medium at 84.1 FPS is also viable, but 4K only works at Low settings with 56.3 FPS.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested configurations?

A: It ranks 1246 out of 1718 tested combos, placing it in the lower-middle tier. The CPU is statistically tied with the Intel Core i5-12500 (deltaPct -0.1%), and the GPU slightly outperforms the RTX 2070 by 0.5%.

Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM sufficient for Palworld?

A: The 8 GB GDDR6 memory is adequate at 1080p and 1440p, where frame rates remain playable. At 4K, the 23.6 FPS Ultra result suggests VRAM capacity and bandwidth are insufficient for high-quality rendering at that resolution.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p on Low settings?

A: The measured 1440p Low average is 103.2 FPS, which exceeds 100 FPS for smooth gameplay. This is the best 1440p result for this combination, with Medium at 84.1 FPS as a reasonable alternative.