Palworld

Palworld presents an interesting case study for the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER. The measured data reveals a system that is clearly capable of delivering playable frame rates, yet the scaling patterns across resolutions and settings expose a delicate balance between the CPU and GPU. This analysis will break down the performance metrics, contextualize the combo’s ranking, and explore what the numbers suggest about each component’s role in this specific survival title.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K is the first clear indicator of where the bottleneck lies in this Palworld configuration. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 104 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops that to 69 FPS, a reduction of 33.6% from the 1080p figure. The leap to 4K High further reduces performance to 38 FPS, which is 63.5% lower than the 1080p High result. This steep decline as resolution increases is a classic symptom of a GPU-bound workload, suggesting that the RTX 2070 SUPER is the primary limiting factor at higher pixel counts.

However, the scaling is not uniform across all settings presets. When examining Low settings, the pattern shifts noticeably. At 1080p Low, the average FPS jumps to 167. At 1440p Low, it stays high at 110 FPS, and even at 4K Low, the system manages 61 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings is 34.1%, which is similar to the High preset’s drop. Yet, the 4K Low figure being 63.5% lower than 1080p Low mirrors the High preset’s 4K decline almost exactly. This consistency suggests that even at lower graphical loads, the GPU’s raw throughput at 4K becomes the wall.

The Medium preset provides the only rows with min and max FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the average is 136 FPS with a min of 115 and max of 156. At 1440p Medium, the average falls to 89 FPS, with a narrower range of 76 to 103. The 4K Medium average is 50 FPS, with min and max of 42 and 57 respectively. The relative consistency of these ranges, with the gap between min and max staying around 15 FPS across resolutions, hints that frame pacing is stable even when the average drops. The data implies that at 4K, the GPU is working near its limits, but it does not produce wild frame-time spikes.

The Ultra preset tells a harsher story. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 79 FPS. This drops to 52 FPS at 1440p Ultra underscores the GPU load, and finally to 29 FPS at 4K Ultra. The 4K Ultra figure is particularly telling, as it falls below the 30 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for a playable experience. The scaling from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra represents a 63.3% decrease, almost identical to the High preset’s decline. This uniformity across all presets strongly indicates that the RTX 2070 SUPER’s compute and memory bandwidth are the decisive factors as resolution climbs, while the CPU’s contribution becomes less relevant.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of tested hardware combinations for Palworld, this specific pairing sits at rank 2149 out of 3711 combos. This places it in the 42nd percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly 58% of other CPU-GPU pairings deliver higher average frame rates in this game. The ranking is not catastrophic, but it is decidedly mid-pack, which aligns with the age and tier of both components.

The CPU’s standalone benchmark percentile is 84, meaning the Ryzen 7 3700X outperforms 84% of all CPUs in synthetic tests. The GPU’s percentile is lower, at 65, indicating it beats 65% of all GPUs. The gap between these two percentiles suggests that the GPU is the weaker link in this pairing. If the CPU were the limiting factor, one would expect the combo’s in-game rank to be closer to the CPU’s high percentile. Instead, the combo rank of 2149 out of 3711 suggests that the GPU’s lower relative standing drags the overall performance down.

Looking at the nearest rivals for the CPU, the Ryzen 7 3700X has an average benchmark score of 34260. Its closest competitor, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, scores 34222, a delta of only 0.1%. The AMD EPYC 4244P and Intel Core Ultra 7 165H are similarly close, with deltas of 0.1% and 0.5% respectively. The only rival that slightly outpaces it is the Intel Core i5-13450HX, with a delta of -0.2%, meaning the Ryzen is actually 0.2% faster. These near-identical scores indicate that the 3700X’s compute capability is well-balanced against modern mid-range and even some high-end mobile chips.

For the GPU, the RTX 2070 SUPER’s average benchmark score is 20282. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, scores 20480, which is 1% higher. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile and Intel Arc B570 are 1.2% and 1.3% faster, respectively, while the Intel Arc A750 leads by 1.5%. The fact that all these rivals are within a 1.5% margin reinforces that the 2070 SUPER is a competent performer, but not an exceptional one. The combo’s rank in Palworld, therefore, reflects a GPU that is slightly below the top tier of its own era, paired with a CPU that is still competitive.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It has 32 MB of L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 2092 in Cinebench R15 multicore and 204 in single-core, which are respectable figures for a 2019 release. Its Geekbench scores of 8899 multicore and 1593 single-core further substantiate its capability.

Given that Palworld is a survival game with open-world elements, it is reasonable to expect that CPU performance matters for physics, AI, and world simulation. The data, however, suggests that the 3700X is not the primary constraint in this system. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 167 is high, but it does not reach the extreme heights that a top-tier modern CPU might achieve with a stronger GPU. This indicates that while the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at lower resolutions, the GPU’s rasterization limits cap the frame rate.

The CPU’s 84th percentile ranking versus all CPUs, combined with its close rivalry with chips like the Ryzen AI 7 350 and Core i5-13450HX, shows it holds its own even against newer designs. The 16 threads provide ample parallel processing for the game’s background tasks, and the 3.60 GHz base clock ensures consistent performance under sustained loads. The boost clock of 4.40 GHz helps in single-threaded scenarios, which are common in game logic. The measured FPS at 1080p Ultra (79 FPS) versus 1080p High (104 FPS) shows a 24% drop, which is a significant hit that likely comes from more demanding draw calls and shadow calculations, but the CPU still manages to keep the GPU fed.

The fact that the combo ranks 2149 out of 3711, while the CPU alone is in the 84th percentile, suggests that swapping in a faster GPU would yield a substantial improvement in Palworld. The CPU has headroom; it is not the bottleneck. The data supports this by showing that at 4K Low, the system still produces 61 FPS, which is only 36.5% lower than 1080p Low. If the CPU were weak, the 4K Low result would likely be much closer to the 1080p Low result, as the lower resolution would expose CPU limits.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 167 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings drop to 136 FPS, with a min of 115 and max of 156, indicating smooth gameplay. High settings yield 104 FPS, which is still very playable. Ultra settings are the most demanding, averaging 79 FPS. This 1080p range shows that the combo can handle competitive play on Low, but even Ultra stays above the 60 FPS mark that most users target.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down predictably. Low settings average 110 FPS, which is still high. Medium settings average 89 FPS, with a min of 76 and max of 103, representing a solid 1440p experience. High settings drop to 69 FPS, which is playable but approaches the threshold where some users might notice a slight dip. Ultra settings average 52 FPS, which is below the ideal 60 FPS target but acceptable for slower-paced gameplay. The 1440p results suggest that this resolution is the sweet spot for the RTX 2070 SUPER, balancing visual fidelity and frame rate.

At 3840x2160, the limitations of the GPU become apparent. Low settings average 61 FPS, which is the only 4K preset that stays above 60 FPS. Medium settings average 50 FPS, with a min of 42 and max of 57, indicating that the GPU is struggling to maintain consistency. High settings drop to 38 FPS, which is below the 40 FPS threshold for many gamers. Ultra settings average 29 FPS, which is effectively unplayable for most users. The 4K data confirms that this combo is not designed for native 4K gaming, especially at higher presets.

The Medium preset’s min and max FPS data across all resolutions provides insight into frame pacing. At 1080p, the range is 115 to 156, a spread of 41 FPS. At 1440p, the range narrows to 76 to 103, a spread of 27 FPS. At 4K, the range is 42 to 57, a spread of only 15 FPS. This narrowing spread at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU becomes more consistently loaded, reducing the variance that can occur when the CPU or GPU has idle cycles. The data implies that at 4K, the system is more uniform in its performance, albeit at a lower average.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is based on the Turing architecture, with a TU104 chip manufactured on a 12 nm process. It has 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. The GPU features 40 ray tracing cores and 320 tensor cores, which are unused in Palworld’s standard rendering but indicate the card’s overall compute capability. Its base clock is 1605 MHz, with a boost clock of 1770 MHz. The memory configuration is 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s.

The GPU’s benchmark results show a Passmark G3D score of 18169 and a Passmark GPU Compute score of 7557. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1651. These numbers place the 2070 SUPER in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, which is solidly mid-range. The nearest rivals, such as the RTX 3070 Mobile and Intel Arc B570, are within 1.5% of its average score, confirming that it sits at the edge of a performance tier.

In Palworld, the GPU’s role is dominant. The resolution scaling analysis shows that the frame rate drops almost linearly with pixel count, which is a hallmark of GPU-bound rendering. The 8 GB VRAM is a potential concern for 4K Ultra settings, which often require more than 8 GB, but the measured data shows that the GPU still completes the workload, albeit at 29 FPS. The memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s is sufficient for 1440p, but at 4K, the bus width and bandwidth become limiting factors.

The GPU’s pixel rate of 113.3 GPixel/s and texture rate of 283.2 GTexel/s are moderate figures. Palworld’s environment, with its dense foliage and dynamic lighting, likely stresses these units. The FP32 performance of 9.062 TFLOPS is decent for the card’s era, but modern games with complex shaders can push it to its limits. The data shows that at 4K High, the GPU produces 38 FPS, which is a 63.5% drop from 1080p High, indicating that the core clock scaling and memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain frame rates at that resolution.

The GPU’s TDP of 215 W and suggested PSU of 550 W are not performance metrics, but they contextualize the card’s power envelope. The fact that it requires a 6-pin and 8-pin power connector suggests it draws significant power, which is typical for a high-end card of its generation. The data does not show any thermal throttling, but the consistent performance across presets indicates that the card maintains its boost clock under load.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Palworld with this CPU-GPU combo?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 offers the best balance. At Medium settings, the average FPS is 89, with a min of 76 and max of 103, which is smooth and visually appealing. 1080p is faster, but the jump to 1440p provides a significant visual improvement without sacrificing playability.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Palworld?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings, where it averages 61 FPS. Medium settings drop to 50 FPS, High to 38 FPS, and Ultra to 29 FPS. For a consistent 60 FPS experience, 4K is only viable on Low.

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

A: The GPU is the primary bottleneck. The CPU has a benchmark percentile of 84, while the GPU is at 65. The frame rate drops significantly as resolution increases, which is a GPU-bound pattern. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 167 FPS, suggesting the CPU can feed the GPU well.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: It ranks 2149 out of 3711 tested combos for Palworld, placing it in the 42nd percentile. This means 58% of other CPU-GPU pairings deliver higher average frame rates in this specific game.

Q: What is the difference in performance between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, High settings average 69 FPS, while Ultra settings average 52 FPS. This is a 24.6% drop in performance, which may not justify the visual improvements in Ultra for many users.

Q: Does the 8 GB VRAM limit performance at any resolution?

A: The data does not directly measure VRAM usage, but the 4K Ultra result of 29 FPS suggests that the GPU’s memory and bandwidth are stressed. The 8 GB GDDR6 is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, as evidenced by playable frame rates, but 4K Ultra is likely exceeding the card’s comfortable limits.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo depends on the user’s resolution preference. For 1080p, the High preset at 104 FPS is the best choice, as it provides a strong visual upgrade over Medium (136 FPS) while still staying well above 100 FPS. Ultra at 79 FPS is also viable, but the drop from High to Ultra is 24%, which may not be worth the marginal visual gains. For competitive play, Low settings at 167 FPS offer the highest frame rate, but the visual downgrade is significant.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 89 FPS is the standout recommendation. It delivers a smooth experience with a min of 76 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings at 69 FPS are also playable, but the lower average may cause occasional dips below 60 in demanding scenes. Ultra at 52 FPS is borderline; it is acceptable for slow exploration but not ideal for combat-heavy situations. Low settings at 110 FPS are great for fast-paced play, but the visual fidelity is reduced.

For 4K, the only viable option is Low settings, which averages 61 FPS. Medium settings at 50 FPS are playable but not ideal, with a min of 42 FPS that could cause noticeable stutters. High and Ultra settings are not recommended, as they fall to 38 and 29 FPS respectively, which are below acceptable thresholds for most users.

The data suggests that users should prioritize 1440p Medium or 1080p High for the best balance of visual quality and performance. If a higher frame rate is desired, dropping to 1080p Medium or 1440p Low provides a substantial boost. The Ultra preset is only recommended for users who prioritize graphics over smoothness, as it consistently produces the lowest frame rates across all resolutions. The measured rows indicate that the RTX 2070 SUPER is best utilized at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K reserved for those willing to accept compromises in settings.