Palworld

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 3 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its benchmark profile shows a strong multi-threaded capability, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16,429 and a single-core score of 2,319. The processor's aggregate performance places it in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19,593. In Palworld, this combination of 6 physical cores and 12 threads is sufficient to feed the GPU in most scenarios, as the game's simulation and world logic are not heavily threaded enough to bottleneck a processor of this class at lower resolutions, though the data suggests a shift in the balance of power as resolution increases.

The measured frames per second (FPS) across the board indicate that the Ryzen 5 5500 is not the primary limiting factor for this specific pairing. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 289 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that suggests the CPU is still providing enough throughput for the GPU to operate near its peak capacity. The gap between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p (289 FPS vs 181 FPS) is a 108 FPS difference, which is a significant drop driven by the increased graphical load. This indicates that while the CPU is capable, the game's engine at high frame rates does not create a hard ceiling that would prevent the GPU from scaling its output. The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals shows a negligible difference; for instance, it is only 0.1% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 and 0.4% behind the Intel Core i5-12500 in average score, which translates to virtually no difference in real-world gaming performance for this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a flagship-class GPU with a massive 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering a memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. Its architecture is Blackwell 2.0, built on a 5 nm process, and it features 21,760 shading units. The GPU has a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, which are the frequencies that drive its raw compute throughput of 104.8 TFLOPS for FP32 operations. The GPU's benchmark scores are equally impressive, with a Passmark G3D score of 44,065 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs.

In Palworld, the RTX 5090 D's role is to render the game's environment, creatures, and effects. The data shows a clear pattern where the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck as resolution and settings increase. At 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 66 FPS, which is a substantial reduction from the 140 FPS at 4K Low. This 74 FPS difference demonstrates the immense load placed on the GPU by the Ultra preset's graphical features. The GPU's 32 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for Palworld at any setting, ensuring that texture loading and memory allocation are not a source of stuttering or performance loss. The raw power of the GPU is evident, as it is able to push the Ryzen 5 5500 to its limits at 1080p, achieving frame rates that are well above the 144 Hz refresh rate of most gaming monitors.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D ranks 68th out of 2,944 tested combos in Palworld. This places it in the top 2.3% of all tested system configurations, which is a very strong showing. The rank of 68 is impressive given the CPU is a mid-range part; it is the GPU that is pulling the system up to this elite tier. The data suggests that while the CPU is not a bottleneck in most scenarios, it does prevent the system from reaching the absolute top of the leaderboard, where combinations with more powerful processors like the Ryzen 7 or Core i7 series would be found.

The benchmark results indicate that this combo is well-balanced for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p and for smooth 4K gaming at High settings. The rank of 68 out of 2,944 means that 2,876 other combinations are slower, which reflects the raw power of the RTX 5090 D. The CPU's contribution to this rank is significant, but its 73rd percentile standing among all CPUs shows that it is not a top-tier part. The pairing works because the game is not heavily CPU-bound at higher resolutions, allowing the GPU to dominate the performance picture.

FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 5500 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 has an average benchmark score of 19,593. It is 0.1% behind the AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 (19,617), 0.4% behind the Intel Core i5-12500 (19,668), and 0.7% behind the Intel Core i5-11600KF (19,723). It is 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i7-10700F (19,499).

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo achieves in Palworld?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 289 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. The second highest is 268 FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS this combo achieves in Palworld?

A: The lowest average FPS recorded is 66 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings. This is the only configuration that drops below 87 FPS.

Q: How much faster is the 1080p Medium preset compared to the 4K Medium preset?

A: At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 268. At 4K Medium, the average FPS is 114. This represents a 154 FPS difference, showing a 135% performance increase at the lower resolution.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D's performance consistent with its benchmark percentile?

A: The RTX 5090 D has a Passmark G3D score of 44,065, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. In Palworld, its performance is consistent with this high standing, as it is able to drive the Ryzen 5 5500 to 289 FPS at 1080p Low, which is a frame rate that only a top-tier GPU could produce.

Q: Are there any settings where the minimum FPS is recorded?

A: The data includes minimum FPS values for the Medium preset across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS is 228. At 1440p Medium, the minimum FPS is 174. At 4K Medium, the minimum FPS is 96.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K is a clear indicator of the system's bottleneck characteristics. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 289 FPS at 1080p to 251 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 38 FPS, and then to 140 FPS at 4K, a further reduction of 111 FPS. This shows a steep decline as resolution increases, which is expected when the GPU is the limiting factor.

The Ultra preset shows a similar but more pronounced trend. The combo achieves 181 FPS at 1080p Ultra, drops to 119 FPS at 1440p Ultra, and falls to 66 FPS at 4K Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 115 FPS, which is a 63.5% reduction in performance. This pattern strongly suggests that the RTX 5090 D is the primary bottleneck, as the workload scales directly with the number of pixels rendered. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller performance gap between resolutions, as the CPU's workload would remain constant while the GPU's load increases. The data shows the opposite: the performance scales inversely with resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU is able to keep up with the GPU's demands even at 1080p, where the frame rates are highest, confirming that the Ryzen 5 5500 is not holding back the system.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Ultra preset is only playable at 1080p, where it achieves 181 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, the frame rate drops to 119 FPS, which is still playable on a high-refresh-rate monitor, but at 4K Ultra, the 66 FPS average is a significant compromise. The High preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions. At 1080p High, the system achieves 239 FPS, which is only 50 FPS less than the Low preset but provides substantially better visuals. At 1440p High, the average is 157 FPS, which is an excellent frame rate for a 1440p monitor.

At 4K, the High preset delivers 87 FPS, which is a playable frame rate for a single-player survival game. The Medium preset is also a strong option, offering 268 FPS at 1080p, 205 FPS at 1440p, and 114 FPS at 4K. The Medium preset provides a significant boost over High at 4K, with a 27 FPS increase, but the visual difference between Medium and High is often noticeable. For the best experience, the High preset is recommended for its combination of visual fidelity and high frame rates. The Low preset is only recommended for competitive play where maximum frame rates are prioritized, as it achieves 289 FPS at 1080p, but the visual quality is significantly reduced.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo's performance is exceptional across all presets. With Low settings, the average FPS is 289, which is the highest of any configuration. With Medium settings, the average FPS is 268, with a minimum of 228 and a maximum of 308. With High settings, the average FPS is 239, which is still remarkably high. With Ultra settings, the average FPS is 181, which is over 100 FPS higher than the 4K Ultra result.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains very strong. The Low preset averages 251 FPS, which is still a very high frame rate. The Medium preset averages 205 FPS, with a minimum of 174 and a maximum of 235. The High preset averages 157 FPS, which is an ideal frame rate for most 1440p monitors. The Ultra preset averages 119 FPS, which is a solid result for a demanding preset at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limits become apparent. The Low preset averages 140 FPS, which is playable and smooth. The Medium preset averages 114 FPS, with a minimum of 96 and a maximum of 131, showing only minor frame drops. The High preset averages 87 FPS, which is a playable frame rate for a game like Palworld. The Ultra preset averages 66 FPS, which is the lowest result of any configuration and may feel less smooth, especially in areas with many creatures or complex effects. The data shows a consistent scaling pattern, with each preset offering a distinct trade-off between visual quality and frame rate.