Palworld

Palworld pairs the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, a combination that delivers a wide spread of frame rates depending on resolution and quality settings. The measured data shows this pairing sits at rank 110 out of 1718 tested combos, placing it in the top tier of configurations for this survival title. The six-core, twelve-thread Zen 5 processor with a 3.90 GHz base and 5.40 GHz boost clock provides the foundation, while the Ada Lovelace GPU with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory handles the rendering load across all tested presets.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Ryzen 5 9600X is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor built on TSMC’s 4 nm process with Zen 5 architecture. Its 3.90 GHz base clock and 5.40 GHz boost clock are supported by 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 32 MB L3 cache. The processor supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth, and it uses the AMD Socket AM5 platform. In synthetic benchmarks, the chip scores 1253 in 3dmark_single_thread and 3603 in cinebench_r23_singlecore, indicating strong per-core performance that benefits games with moderate thread demands. Multi-threaded results include 25525 in cinebench_r23_multicore and 30027 in passmark_multithread, showing the 12 threads scale well for more heavily threaded workloads.

The measured FPS data reveals how this CPU interacts with the RTX 4080 SUPER. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 315.2 FPS average, which is far beyond typical display refresh rates and suggests the CPU is not a limiting factor even in lighter scenes. The 1080p Ultra preset still yields 149.6 FPS, indicating that even with heavy graphical settings, the processor keeps up with the GPU’s output. The 3dmark_8_threads score of 6726 and 3dmark_16_threads score of 7585 show that the CPU’s thread scaling is efficient, and the 3dmark_max_threads score of 7590 is nearly identical to the 16-thread result, implying diminishing returns beyond 12 threads for this workload. In Palworld, which is not exceptionally thread-hungry based on these results, the 9600X’s single-thread strength at 1253 in 3dmark_single_thread and 4570 in passmark_single_thread provides the responsiveness needed to feed the GPU at high frame rates.

The processor’s 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 28246, places it close to rivals like the Intel Core i5-13490F (28173, 0.3% delta) and AMD Ryzen 5 230 (28164, 0.3% delta), while slightly behind the AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (28369, -0.4% delta). This near-parity in synthetic scores suggests that in Palworld, the CPU’s contribution to FPS is consistent with other mid-range desktop parts, and the observed frame rates are largely driven by the GPU’s capabilities.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo, and at what settings?

A: The highest average FPS is 315.2, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is nearly double the 1080p High result of 197.9 FPS, showing that the Low preset significantly reduces rendering load.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations in Palworld?

A: The combo ranks 110th out of 1718 tested combinations. This places it in the top 6.4% of all combos, indicating strong overall performance for this game.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At 1920x1080 High, the average FPS is 197.9, while at 2560x1440 High, it drops to 131.1. This represents a 66.8 FPS reduction, or roughly a 34% decrease, when moving up in resolution.

Q: Does the RTX 4080 SUPER outperform the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT based on the data?

A: Yes, the RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 53610, while the RX 6900 XT scores 53489, showing a 0.2% delta in favor of the NVIDIA card. The RTX 4080 SUPER also has a higher percentile rank at 88 versus the RX 6900 XT’s position in the rival list.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded in the measured data?

A: The lowest average FPS is 56.9, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is the only tested configuration that falls below 60 FPS, indicating that 4K Ultra is demanding for this combo.

Q: How much faster is the 9600X compared to the Intel Core i5-13490F in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The 9600X has an average benchmark score of 28246, while the i5-13490F scores 28173. The delta is 0.3%, meaning the 9600X is marginally faster, but the difference is negligible in practical terms.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data across three resolutions and four presets provides clear guidance for optimal settings. At 1920x1080, all presets exceed 140 FPS, with Low at 315.2, Medium at 259.4, High at 197.9, and Ultra at 149.6. The jump from High to Ultra costs 48.3 FPS, which is significant, but even Ultra remains playable on high-refresh monitors. For 1080p, High offers a balanced experience with 197.9 FPS, leaving headroom for dips while maintaining visual quality. Medium at 259.4 FPS is the best choice for competitive play where frame rate consistency matters more than shadows or textures.

At 2560x1440, the performance spread narrows. Low yields 206.3 FPS, Medium 172.2, High 131.1, and Ultra 97.3. The drop from Medium to High is 41.1 FPS, which is substantial, but High still provides a smooth experience for most users. Ultra at 97.3 FPS is playable, though it sacrifices 33.8 FPS compared to High. For 1440p, High is the recommended preset because it delivers over 130 FPS and benefits from the GPU’s 16 GB memory, which handles the higher resolution without issue.

At 3840x2160, only Low (114.8 FPS) and Medium (93.4 FPS) remain above 90 FPS. High drops to 73.8 FPS, and Ultra falls to 56.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. For 4K, Medium is the optimal preset, providing 93.4 FPS with a balance of visual fidelity and performance. High at 73.8 FPS is acceptable for slower-paced exploration, but Ultra should be avoided unless the user prioritizes image quality over frame rate. Across all resolutions, the data shows that Medium or High gives the best experience, with Ultra only recommended at 1080p where the 149.6 FPS result remains strong.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo rank of 110 out of 1718 places this configuration in the upper echelon of Palworld testing. This rank reflects the combined capabilities of the Ryzen 5 9600X and RTX 4080 SUPER, and it is consistent with the individual component rankings. The CPU’s 85th percentile among all processors and the GPU’s 88th percentile among all graphics cards both contribute to the overall position. The rank indicates that only 109 tested combos outperform this pairing, which is a strong result for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU.

The nearest rivals for the CPU—Intel Core i5-13490F (delta 0.3%), AMD Ryzen 5 230 (delta 0.3%), AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS (delta -0.4%), and Intel Core i5-14500T (delta -0.5%)—all have average scores within 0.5% of the 9600X. This suggests that swapping the CPU for any of these alternatives would likely not change the Palworld ranking significantly, as the GPU is the dominant factor in this game. Similarly, the GPU’s nearest rivals—AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT (delta 0.2%), AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (delta 0.4%), AMD Radeon RX 7700S (delta 2.1%), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (delta 2.9%)—show that the RTX 4080 SUPER is closely matched with the RX 6900 XT, but clearly ahead of the RX 7700S and RTX 5070 Ti. The 0.2% delta against the RX 6900 XT means the two cards are nearly identical in average score, but the RTX 4080 SUPER’s higher percentile rank (88 vs. the rival’s position) gives it a slight edge in this ranking.

Given that the combo rank is 110, and the GPU is the stronger component relative to its peers, the data implies that the CPU is not holding back the system in Palworld. If the CPU were a bottleneck, the rank would likely be lower, as the GPU would not reach its full potential. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (315.2) approaches the CPU’s practical limit for this game, but the 6-core, 12-thread design handles the load without becoming the primary constraint.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals the balance between CPU and GPU load. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 197.9 at 1080p to 131.1 at 1440p (a 66.8 FPS decrease) and then to 73.8 at 4K (a further 57.3 FPS decrease). The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is approximately 34%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is approximately 44%. This increasing rate of decline as resolution rises is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. At 1080p, the CPU has more headroom, allowing the GPU to operate at higher utilization, but as pixel count grows, the GPU’s rendering workload becomes the dominant factor.

The Low settings data shows a similar trend but with higher absolute values: 315.2 FPS at 1080p, 206.3 at 1440p, and 114.8 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 108.9 FPS (34.5%), and from 1440p to 4K is 91.5 FPS (44.3%). These percentages are nearly identical to the High settings, indicating that the scaling behavior is consistent regardless of preset. The Ultra settings show the largest absolute drops: 149.6 FPS at 1080p, 97.3 at 1440p (down 52.3), and 56.9 at 4K (down 40.4). The 4K Ultra result is the only one below 60 FPS, confirming that the GPU is the limiting component at this resolution and quality level.

The data also shows that the CPU’s performance does not degrade with resolution, as the 3dmark scores are resolution-independent. The 9600X’s 3dmark_single_thread score of 1253 and cinebench_r23_singlecore of 3603 indicate that it can sustain high frame rates even at 1080p where CPU load is relatively higher. The fact that 1080p Low reaches 315.2 FPS suggests that the CPU is capable of driving the GPU far beyond typical display capabilities, and the bottleneck at 4K is purely the GPU’s rendering throughput. The RTX 4080 SUPER’s 52.22 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 736.3 GB/s memory bandwidth are sufficient for 1440p High at 131.1 FPS, but the 4K Ultra demand exceeds its capacity, resulting in the 56.9 FPS figure. This analysis confirms that for Palworld, the RTX 4080 SUPER is the primary determinant of frame rates at higher resolutions, while the Ryzen 5 9600X provides ample CPU headroom even in the most demanding scenarios.