Palworld

Palworld presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 580 combination, with benchmark results showing a clear trade-off between visual fidelity and frame rate. The data indicates that this pairing is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can achieve playable performance at medium settings, but struggles to maintain smooth gameplay at higher resolutions or with maximum graphical presets.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frames per second (FPS) data, the optimal experience for this hardware combination is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Medium preset. This configuration delivers an average of 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 76 FPS. The minimum frame rate is crucial here, as it stays above the 50 FPS threshold, indicating a relatively stable experience without severe dips that would detract from gameplay. This makes Medium the sweet spot, balancing visual quality with performance.

The Low preset at 1080p does provide a higher average of 81 FPS, but the jump to Medium adds significant visual improvements for a relatively modest 15 FPS drop. Conversely, the High preset at 1080p drops the average to 51 FPS, which is still technically playable but offers less headroom for demanding scenes typical of a survival game. The Ultra preset at 1080p is not recommended, as the average falls to 38 FPS, which is below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset produces an average of 43 FPS, with a minimum of 37 FPS. While this is a playable average for some, the lower minimum frame rate suggests potential stuttering in busy areas. The Low preset at this resolution yields 53 FPS on average, making it a viable alternative for users who prioritize frame rate over visual detail. Pushing to High at 1440p results in an average of 33 FPS, which is generally considered too low for a smooth action-oriented experience.

The data strongly advises against 3840x2160 (4K) for this combination. Even the Low preset at 4K only achieves an average of 30 FPS, while the Medium preset averages just 24 FPS with a minimum of 20 FPS. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are effectively unplayable, with averages of 18 FPS and 14 FPS respectively. For the best balance of visual quality and performance, 1080p Medium is the clear choice, with 1440p Low serving as a secondary option for users with higher-resolution monitors who are willing to compromise on graphical fidelity.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the primary performance limiter in this configuration for Palworld. The GPU's specifications, including its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s, are central to understanding its performance. The benchmark results show a consistent pattern where frame rates drop significantly as resolution and settings increase, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance.

The RX 580's core configuration includes 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 render output units (ROPs). Its compute capabilities are rated at 6.175 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16 operations. The pixel rate is 42.88 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 193.0 GTexel/s. These figures, combined with the base clock of 1257 MHz and boost clock of 1340 MHz, indicate a GPU that was designed for 1080p gaming in its era.

The memory clock of 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective) is a key factor. At 4K resolution, the demand for memory bandwidth increases substantially, and the data shows the GPU struggling to keep up. The 4K Medium preset's minimum FPS of 20 and maximum of 28 highlight the memory system's saturation, where the GPU is unable to deliver frames at a consistent rate. In contrast, at 1080p, the GPU has enough bandwidth headroom to provide more stable performance, as evidenced by the 66 FPS average at Medium settings.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 12928. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (with a delta of -0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (with a delta of -0.4%). This indicates that while the RX 580 is not a top-tier performer, it is still a capable card for its class, though Palworld's requirements push it to its limits.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 provides a solid foundation for Palworld, though its role becomes secondary to the GPU in most tested scenarios. The CPU features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. This configuration is well-suited for modern games that can utilize multiple threads.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12400 shows strong single-threaded and multi-threaded performance. Its Cinebench R23 scores are 2257 for single-core and 15989 for multi-core. The 3DMark tests show a scaling pattern from 1692 in the 2-thread test to 5890 in the max-thread test, indicating good multi-threading efficiency. The Geekbench scores are 1848 for single-core and 8564 for multi-core. These results place the CPU in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18683.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7643 (delta -0.1%), Intel Core i7-1355U (delta -0.3%), and AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 (delta -0.7%). The i5-12400’s performance is competitive with these parts, showing that it is not a bottleneck in most gaming scenarios.

However, the benchmark data from Palworld suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this pairing. The FPS drops observed when moving from 1080p to 1440p and 4K are consistent with GPU limitations, not CPU limitations. At 1080p Low, the average FPS of 81 suggests the CPU can feed the GPU with enough data to reach high frame rates, but the GPU cannot maintain these rates at higher settings. The CPU's 65 W TDP and 10 nm process node also indicate efficient operation, which is beneficial for sustained gaming sessions. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, though the memory type's impact on Palworld performance is not directly measured in this data.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Palworld, the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 580 combination ranks 3382 out of 3711 total combos. This places it in the lower percentile of tested systems, specifically around the 9th percentile. This ranking is a direct reflection of the GPU's limitations, as the CPU is a more capable component on its own.

The ranking indicates that this combination is outperformed by a vast majority of other tested hardware pairings in Palworld. This is not surprising given the RX 580's age and its position in the GPU performance hierarchy. The GPU's percentile rank of 53 versus the CPU's 72 shows a significant imbalance in capability, with the GPU holding back the overall system performance.

The data suggests that while the CPU is capable of handling the game's logic and physics, the GPU cannot keep up with the rendering demands. This is a classic case of a CPU that is several generations newer than the GPU, creating a bottleneck that is firmly on the graphics card side. For users with this combination, the performance envelope is defined by the GPU, and upgrading the graphics card would yield a more substantial performance improvement than upgrading the CPU.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the GPU-bound nature of this system. At the Medium preset, the average FPS drops from 66 at 1920x1080 to 43 at 2560x1440, and then to 24 at 3840x2160. This represents a 35% reduction in FPS when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 44% reduction when moving from 1440p to 4K. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU that is reaching its limits.

At the Low preset, the scaling is slightly different. The average FPS goes from 81 at 1080p, to 53 at 1440p, and then to 30 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35%, and from 1440p to 4K is 43%. This consistency in scaling across different presets reinforces that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as the performance degradation is directly proportional to the increase in pixel count.

The High preset shows a similar trend, with average FPS of 51 at 1080p, 33 at 1440p, and 18 at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is a 35% drop, and from 1440p to 4K is a 45% drop. The fact that the percentage drops are relatively consistent across presets indicates that the GPU's performance is scaling predictably with resolution, confirming that the limiting component is the graphics card. The CPU's role in this scaling is minimal, as its performance is sufficient to handle the increased workload without becoming a bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the performance across all tested configurations. For each resolution, the settings are ordered from High, Low, Medium, to Ultra, and the average FPS is provided along with minimum and maximum values where available.

At 1920x1080:

• High: Average 51 FPS.
• Low: Average 81 FPS.
• Medium: Average 66 FPS, with a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 76 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 38 FPS.

At 2560x1440:

• High: Average 33 FPS.
• Low: Average 53 FPS.
• Medium: Average 43 FPS, with a minimum of 37 FPS and a maximum of 50 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 25 FPS.

At 3840x2160:

• High: Average 18 FPS.
• Low: Average 30 FPS.
• Medium: Average 24 FPS, with a minimum of 20 FPS and a maximum of 28 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 14 FPS.

The data shows a clear hierarchy, with the Low preset providing the highest frame rates at each resolution, followed by Medium, High, and Ultra. The only configurations with minimum FPS data points are the Medium presets at all resolutions, which show that the minimum frame rates are significantly lower than the averages, indicating some frame time variance. For instance, at 1080p Medium, the minimum of 56 FPS is 15% below the average of 66 FPS, suggesting occasional dips in performance. At 1440p Medium, the minimum of 37 FPS is 14% below the average of 43 FPS, and at 4K Medium, the minimum of 20 FPS is 17% below the average of 24 FPS.

FAQ

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

A: The 1920x1080 Medium preset offers the best balance, with an average of 66 FPS and a minimum of 56 FPS, providing a stable and playable experience.

Q: Can this system run Palworld at 4K resolution?

A: No. Even at the Low preset, the average FPS at 3840x2160 is only 30, and the Medium preset drops to 24 FPS. The High and Ultra presets are unplayable, with averages of 18 FPS and 14 FPS respectively.

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

A: The benchmark data indicates the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The FPS drops consistently as resolution increases, which is characteristic of GPU limitation, while the CPU's scores suggest it has ample headroom.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to others?

A: This combination ranks 3382 out of 3711 tested combos for Palworld, placing it in the lower percentile of systems due to the GPU's performance limitations.

Q: What are the average FPS differences between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 81 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 38 FPS, a difference of 43 FPS. This shows a significant performance cost for maximum visual settings.

Q: Does the RX 580's 8 GB of memory affect performance?

A: The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory with a 256.0 GB/s bandwidth is a factor in performance, especially at higher resolutions. The significant FPS drops at 4K suggest the memory system is being saturated, limiting the GPU's ability to maintain high frame rates.