Palworld

Palworld, a survival title that released on 2024-01-18, presents a demanding workload for the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination. The measured data reveals a system that is highly capable at mainstream resolutions but struggles to maintain high refresh rates at 4K, particularly on the highest settings. The benchmark results indicate a configuration where the GPU is the primary driver of performance at lower resolutions, while the CPU's six cores and six threads become a notable constraint at higher frame rates. The RTX 3070, which sits at the 72nd percentile of all GPUs, demonstrates strong raw compute, but the CPU's 50th percentile ranking suggests a potential bottleneck in specific scenarios.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear hierarchy for optimizing the gameplay experience. For users prioritizing a smooth and responsive session, the Low preset at 1920x1080 delivers an average of 194.6 FPS, which is more than sufficient for high-refresh-rate monitors and represents the pinnacle of performance for this combo. However, the data shows that the Medium preset at 1080p, with an average of 164.6 FPS, offers a substantial improvement in visual fidelity while only sacrificing 30 FPS, making it the most balanced choice for competitive play. The High preset at 1080p still provides an excellent 131 FPS average, suggesting that even with significant visual upgrades, the system retains a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the performance characteristics shift. The Medium preset achieves a robust 110.5 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming. The High preset at this resolution drops to 86.9 FPS, which is still very playable but begins to approach the limits of a 100 Hz display. The Ultra preset at 1440p yields 63 FPS, a playable average but with less headroom for demanding scenes. For 4K gaming, the data suggests that High settings are not viable, with an average of 45 FPS, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 4K improves this to 60.9 FPS, which is the recommended target for a console-like experience, while the Low preset at 75.4 FPS is the best option for those seeking higher frame rates at this resolution. The Ultra preset at 4K should be avoided, as the 35.8 FPS average is not conducive to a positive experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is the undeniable powerhouse of this pairing, built on the Ampere architecture with 5888 shading units and 184 tensor cores. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is a critical resource for Palworld's expansive environments. The GPU's performance percentile of 72 indicates it outperforms the majority of tested graphics cards, and its average benchmark score of 28238 places it in a competitive tier. The measured FPS data shows the GPU scaling well from 1080p to 1440p, with the High preset dropping from 131 FPS to 86.9 FPS, a 33.7% reduction, which is a typical load response. However, the transition to 4K reveals the GPU's limits, as the High preset falls to 45 FPS, a significant 48.2% drop from 1440p.

This pattern indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the RTX 3070 has ample compute headroom to render frames quickly, but at 4K, the pixel count becomes a substantial burden. The boost clock of 1725 MHz and base clock of 1500 MHz are standard for the card, but the data suggests that Palworld is highly sensitive to the GPU's raw rasterization power. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the settings tested, as the data does not indicate a memory capacity bottleneck. The GPU's performance is also reflected in its nearest rivals, where it shows a 0.9% lead over the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT and a 1% lead over the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti, demonstrating its position as a strong mid-range performer.

FAQ

Q: What average frame rate can I expect at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 164.6 FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, providing a smooth experience that is well-suited for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: Is the RTX 3070 capable of 4K gaming in Palworld?

A: Yes, but with caveats. The data shows an average of 60.9 FPS at 4K with Medium settings, which is playable. However, High settings drop to 45 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 35.8 FPS, indicating that 4K requires reduced settings for a consistent frame rate.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i3-10305 and the Intel Core i3-1125G4, and 0.4% higher than the Intel Xeon E-2134. It is 0.6% behind the Intel Core i7-8809G.

Q: What is the best preset for a mix of visual quality and performance at 1440p?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 offers an average of 110.5 FPS, which is the best balance between visual fidelity and high frame rates. The High preset is still viable at 86.9 FPS, but Medium provides a more comfortable margin.

Q: Does the data suggest a CPU bottleneck at any resolution?

A: The data implies a growing CPU influence as resolution decreases. At 1080p, the GPU renders frames very quickly, and the CPU's six cores and six threads may limit the maximum frame rate, as seen with the 194.6 FPS low preset. At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary constraint.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations for Palworld?

A: This combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 796 out of 1718 tested combos, placing it in the upper-middle tier of configurations for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination ranks 796 out of 1718 tested combos in Palworld, placing it in the 46th percentile of all configurations. This ranking reflects a system that is capable but not at the top tier, indicating that there are many setups that can deliver higher frame rates. The data shows that this pairing is well-matched for 1440p gaming, where it achieves strong averages on Medium and High settings. However, the ranking also reveals that the CPU is a limiting factor in some scenarios, as its 50th percentile performance is below the GPU's 72nd percentile, creating an imbalance in certain workloads. The combo's position is likely influenced by the CPU's six threads, which can be a constraint in CPU-intensive games like Palworld, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the bottleneck. The GPU's strong performance, with a 0.9% lead over the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT in average benchmarks, helps to boost the combo's standing, but the CPU's mid-range performance holds it back from higher ranks.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support are standard for its generation. The CPU's average benchmark score of 2305 places it at the 50th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rivals show that it is a solidly mid-range performer. The data from Palworld suggests that the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic, and its performance becomes more critical at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS of 194.6 is very high, but this may be limited by the CPU's six threads, as the GPU has more headroom. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 7969 indicates that the CPU can handle multithreaded workloads, but its single-core score of 1125 is less impressive, which can impact game performance that relies on a few strong cores.

The CPU's performance relative to its rivals is interesting. It is 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i3-10305 and 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i3-1125G4, but 0.6% slower than the Intel Core i7-8809G. This suggests that the i5-9400 is at the top of its performance class but is not a standout. In Palworld, this means the CPU can support frame rates up to a certain point, but beyond that, it may struggle to keep up with the GPU's output. The data shows that at 1440p, the average FPS on Low settings is 133.1, which is a 31.6% drop from 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming more of a factor. At 4K, the CPU's influence diminishes, and the GPU's raw power dictates the performance. The CPU's 65W TDP and end-of-life production status suggest it is a dated component, but it still provides adequate performance for this game at mainstream resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are consistently high: 194.6 FPS on Low, 164.6 FPS on Medium, 131 FPS on High, and 96.9 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo, with even the Ultra preset delivering a playable average. At 2560x1440, the averages are lower but still robust: 133.1 FPS on Low, 110.5 FPS on Medium, 86.9 FPS on High, and 63 FPS on Ultra. The 1440p results show a clear performance tier, with Low and Medium providing high-refresh-rate experiences, High being suitable for 60-90 FPS gaming, and Ultra being just above the 60 FPS threshold. At 3840x2160, the averages drop significantly: 75.4 FPS on Low, 60.9 FPS on Medium, 45 FPS on High, and 35.8 FPS on Ultra. The 4K data reveals that the combo is only suitable for 4K gaming on Low or Medium presets, with the High preset being borderline and the Ultra preset being unplayable for most users.

The scaling between settings is also informative. At 1080p, moving from Low to Medium reduces the average by 30 FPS, while moving to High reduces it by another 33.6 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra is a 34.1 FPS reduction, showing a consistent performance cost for each preset level. At 1440p, the drops are similar in magnitude, with a 22.6 FPS drop from Low to Medium and a 23.6 FPS drop from High to Ultra. At 4K, the drops are more pronounced, with a 14.5 FPS drop from Low to Medium and a 15.1 FPS drop from High to Ultra. This data suggests that the GPU's performance scales predictably with settings, but the absolute frame rates at 4K make the higher presets impractical.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling analysis reveals a clear trend: as the resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, the average FPS drops significantly, and the GPU becomes the dominant bottleneck. At the High preset, the average FPS decreases from 131 at 1080p to 86.9 at 1440p (a 33.7% drop) and then to 45 at 4K (a 48.2% drop from 1440p). This pattern indicates that the RTX 3070 is being increasingly taxed by the pixel count, and its compute resources are the limiting factor at higher resolutions. At the Low preset, the drops are similar: 194.6 FPS at 1080p, 133.1 FPS at 1440p (a 31.6% drop), and 75.4 FPS at 4K (a 43.4% drop from 1440p). The consistent percentage drops across presets suggest that the GPU's workload scales proportionally with resolution, which is expected for a rasterization-heavy game like Palworld.

The data also implies that the CPU is not a significant limiting factor at 4K, as the FPS drops are primarily due to the GPU's rendering load. However, at 1080p, the high frame rates suggest that the CPU may be reaching its limits, as the GPU could potentially render even more frames if the CPU could keep up. This is particularly evident at the Low preset, where the 194.6 FPS average is close to what a 6-core, 6-thread CPU can sustain in this game. The 1440p results show a more balanced workload, where both the CPU and GPU are contributing to the performance, but the GPU is still the primary driver. Overall, the resolution scaling analysis shows that this combo is best suited for 1440p gaming, where it offers an excellent balance of visual quality and performance, while 4K gaming requires significant settings compromises.