Palworld

Palworld’s measured performance with the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER reveals a system where the GPU is the dominant factor at higher resolutions, but the CPU’s capabilities become increasingly relevant at lower settings. The data set shows a clear hierarchy in frame rates across the twelve tested configurations, with the combination ranking 112th out of 1,718 tested combos in this game. This places the pairing in the top 6.5% of all systems tested, indicating a high-performance setup that is well-suited for the survival genre’s demands.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and tells a clear story about the limiting component. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 197.8 at 1920x1080 to 128 at 2560x1440, and finally to 70.9 at 3840x2160. This represents a 35.3% reduction when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 44.6% reduction when moving from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at 4K, as the pixel throughput demand overwhelms the RTX 4080 SUPER’s capabilities in this specific title.

The trend is even more pronounced at Ultra settings, where the average FPS drops from 151 at 1080p to 96.4 at 1440p, and then to 54.7 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is particularly telling, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting that this configuration is not ideal for maximum visual fidelity at the highest resolution. Conversely, at Low settings, the 4K result of 117 FPS demonstrates that the GPU can still deliver smooth performance when the graphical load is reduced, but the scaling from 1080p’s 318.5 FPS shows a 63.3% drop, which is more severe than at higher settings.

The data suggests that the CPU begins to play a more significant role at 1080p, especially at Low and Medium settings where frame rates exceed 200 FPS. At 1920x1080 Low, the system reaches 318.5 FPS, which is likely approaching the limits of what the Core i5-13400F can feed to the GPU. The difference between 1080p Low and 1440p Low is 111.1 FPS (318.5 vs 207.4), a drop that is less severe than the 4K transition but still indicates the GPU is handling most of the work.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F brings 10 cores and 16 threads to the system, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. This Raptor Lake-S architecture processor, built on a 10 nm process, demonstrates strong single-threaded performance with a 3DMark single-thread score of 960 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,004. These numbers are critical for Palworld, which appears to rely heavily on single-thread performance for game logic and world simulation, based on the frame rate patterns observed.

The processor’s multi-threaded capabilities are also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21,279 and a Geekbench multicore score of 10,971. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7,314 is nearly identical to the max-thread score of 7,307, indicating that the processor scales well across its 16 threads. This is relevant for Palworld’s background simulations and AI-driven creature behaviors, which can utilize multiple cores effectively.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the Core i5-13400F sits in a tight performance band. It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13620H and 0.5% ahead of the AMD EPYC 9474F, while being 0.5% behind the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D. The processor’s 82nd percentile ranking among all CPUs suggests it is a solid mid-to-upper tier choice, but the data shows that Palworld’s frame rates at lower resolutions are not limited by CPU performance, as the system can exceed 300 FPS at 1080p Low.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data clearly indicates that High settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions for this combination. At 2560x1440, High delivers 128 FPS, which is well above the smooth gameplay threshold and only 42.6 FPS below the Medium preset’s 170.6 FPS. The visual upgrade from Medium to High is typically significant, making this the recommended preset for most users.

For 4K gaming, High settings at 70.9 FPS are the optimal choice, as Ultra drops to 54.7 FPS, which may introduce noticeable stutter in fast-paced combat or exploration. The Medium preset at 4K offers 96.1 FPS, but the visual fidelity loss is substantial compared to High. At 1080p, High settings at 197.8 FPS are more than sufficient for high-refresh-rate monitors, and the Ultra preset at 151 FPS is also viable for those prioritizing image quality.

Low settings are only recommended for competitive play or extreme frame rate targets, as the 4K Low result of 117 FPS and 1440p Low result of 207.4 FPS show that this preset can unlock very high frame rates. However, the visual downgrade is severe, and the data suggests that Medium settings at 1440p (170.6 FPS) provide a better experience than Low at 1080p (318.5 FPS) for most users.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this CPU and GPU combo in Palworld?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 318.5, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is followed by 258.4 FPS at 1080p Medium and 207.4 FPS at 1440p Low.

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

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K High settings, the system averages 70.9 FPS, which is playable. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 54.7 FPS, which may feel less smooth. Lower settings at 4K, such as Low at 117 FPS and Medium at 96.1 FPS, provide more comfortable margins.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-13400F has an average benchmark score of 25,236, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-13620H (25,201) and 0.5% higher than the AMD EPYC 9474F (25,103). It is 0.5% lower than the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25,365).

Q: What is the GPU’s performance percentile among all graphics cards?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks in the 88th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53,610. This places it well above the majority of graphics cards tested.

Q: Is the Core i5-13400F a bottleneck for the RTX 4080 SUPER in Palworld?

A: The data suggests that at higher resolutions (1440p and 4K), the GPU is the limiting factor, as frame rates scale down significantly. At 1080p Low, the CPU may become a limiting factor, as the system reaches 318.5 FPS, which is near the practical limits for many processors.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process, is a formidable GPU with 10,240 shading units and 80 RT cores. Its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for Palworld’s large open-world textures and asset streaming. The GPU’s base clock of 2295 MHz and boost clock of 2550 MHz contribute to its 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

The GPU’s benchmark results show a Passmark G3D score of 34,245 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,600, placing it in the 88th percentile among all GPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 4080 SUPER is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT (53,489) and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (53,414). It is 2.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 7700S (52,505) and 2.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (52,086).

In Palworld, the GPU’s role is dominant at 4K, where the frame rate drops by 64.1% from 1080p High (197.8 FPS) to 4K High (70.9 FPS). The 4K Ultra result of 54.7 FPS indicates that the GPU is heavily taxed by the highest settings, and the 16 GB VRAM capacity is likely being utilized fully with high-resolution textures. The data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of performance differences across resolutions, with the CPU providing sufficient headroom at most settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers 318.5 FPS on Low, 258.4 FPS on Medium, 197.8 FPS on High, and 151 FPS on Ultra. These results show a clear progression, with Ultra being 52.6% slower than Low. The 1080p results indicate that the system is capable of very high frame rates, making it suitable for 240Hz monitors at lower settings.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are 207.4 on Low, 170.6 on Medium, 128 on High, and 96.4 on Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p ranges from 34.9% at Low to 36.2% at Ultra, showing consistent scaling across settings. The 1440p High result of 128 FPS is a strong performance metric, offering high fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the system achieves 117 FPS on Low, 96.1 FPS on Medium, 70.9 FPS on High, and 54.7 FPS on Ultra. The 4K results show a more significant drop from 1440p, ranging from 43.6% at Low to 43.3% at Ultra. The 4K Ultra result is the only configuration that falls below 60 FPS, indicating that users should avoid this preset for competitive or fast-paced gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 112th out of 1,718 tested combos in Palworld. This places the pairing in the top 6.5% of all systems, a strong result that reflects the high-end nature of both components. The CPU’s 82nd percentile ranking and the GPU’s 88th percentile ranking combine to create a system that excels in this survival title.

The rank is particularly impressive given that the CPU is not a top-tier processor, but its performance is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the GPU in most scenarios. The data shows that the system’s frame rates are competitive with much more expensive configurations, and the 112th rank out of 1,718 indicates that only a small fraction of tested systems outperform this pairing. For users with high-refresh-rate displays at 1080p or 1440p, this combination delivers exceptional performance, while 4K users can still enjoy smooth gameplay at High settings.