Palworld

Palworld presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, while demonstrating the CPU's capability to push frame rates at 1080p. The benchmark results indicate a configuration that can deliver a smooth experience at lower settings, but struggles to maintain playable frame rates when the graphical load is maximized at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The most telling metric in this dataset is the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 148 FPS. Moving to 1440p, that figure falls to 98 FPS, a significant reduction. At 4K, the average plummets to 54 FPS. This scaling pattern shows that the rendering load is increasing much faster than the GPU's ability to process it, a classic sign of a pixel-bound scenario. The RX 5700 XT is the limiting component here, as its compute units and memory bandwidth are saturated by the sheer number of pixels.

The trend is consistent across all settings. For High settings, the drop from 1080p (93 FPS) to 1440p (61 FPS) is a 34% decrease, and then to 4K (34 FPS) from 1440p is a further 44% decrease. This non-linear scaling suggests that the GPU's resources are being exhausted more efficiently as resolution increases, with the 4K resolution being particularly punishing. The data implies that the RX 5700 XT is simply not designed to handle modern titles at 4K with high fidelity. The CPU, on the other hand, is not the bottleneck; if it were, we would expect to see a more plateaued FPS across resolutions, but the consistent and substantial drops point squarely at the graphics card.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the central figure in this performance analysis, and its specifications explain the observed results. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, the card offers a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but at 4K, the capacity and bandwidth can become a limiting factor. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is just 26, which is barely playable and indicates that the card is struggling to manage both the geometry and texture data required at that resolution.

The GPU's clock speeds are also relevant. With a base clock of 1605 MHz, a game clock of 1755 MHz, and a boost clock of 1905 MHz, the card is running at a high frequency, but it is still outpaced by the demands of the game. The FP32 performance of 9.754 TFLOPS provides a baseline for its raw compute power, but the results indicate that this is not enough to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions. The percentile ranking of 59 for the GPU relative to all others shows it is a mid-range performer, which aligns with the measured FPS data. The benchmark results suggest that the card is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates, or 1440p at lower settings, where it can maintain a more consistent experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined performance of this CPU and GPU places it at rank 2762 out of 3711 tested combos in Palworld. This ranking, in the bottom 25% of all combinations, underscores that this is not a high-end gaming setup for this specific title. The data shows that while the CPU is a strong performer, the GPU drags the overall combo down. The combo rank is a holistic measure that considers both components, and the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions are the primary reason for this low standing.

This ranking is particularly interesting when considering the individual component benchmarks. The CPU's average benchmark score is 35365, with a percentile of 85, placing it well above average. In contrast, the GPU's average score is 16361, with a percentile of 59. The disparity is clear. The combo rank reflects the fact that in a game like Palworld, the GPU is the dominant factor in determining frame rates, and its mid-range performance limits the overall system. The data suggests that pairing this CPU with a more powerful GPU would significantly improve the combo's ranking, as the CPU has ample headroom to support a faster graphics card.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1080p is the most suitable resolution. At 1080p Medium, the combo produces an average of 120 FPS, and even at High it maintains 93 FPS. These are the only resolutions where the frame rates consistently stay above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: Can this system handle Palworld at 4K?

A: The benchmark results indicate that 4K is not a viable option for a good experience. The highest average FPS at 4K is 54 on Low settings, but this drops to 34 on High and 26 on Ultra, all of which are below the standard for smooth, responsive gameplay.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF a bottleneck in this system?

A: No, the data does not suggest the CPU is a bottleneck. The frame rates scale significantly with resolution, which is a clear indicator that the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU's high benchmark scores and 85th percentile ranking support this conclusion, as it has the processing headroom to feed the GPU more data than it can render.

Q: How does the RX 5700 XT compare to its closest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RX 5700 XT has an average benchmark score of 16361. This is almost identical to the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M, which scores 16351, a difference of only 0.1%. It is also within 0.9% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2, which scores 16504.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset yields an average of 98 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields an average of 46 FPS. This represents a 53% drop in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest graphical preset.

Q: Does the game's release date have any bearing on these results?

A: The game was released on 2024-01-18. The data shows that the RX 5700 XT, released in 2019, is unable to keep up with the demands of this newer title at higher settings, which is a common trend for older hardware running recent games.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a high-performance processor that provides a solid foundation for this gaming system. With 12 cores and 20 threads, it offers substantial multi-threading capabilities, which is reflected in its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28838. This processing power is more than sufficient for a game like Palworld, which likely does not utilize all 20 threads effectively but still benefits from the high single-thread performance. The CPU's boost clock of 5.00 GHz contributes to strong single-core performance, as evidenced by its Geekbench single-core score of 2255.

The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this configuration. At 1080p Low, the frame rate of 148 FPS is a clear demonstration of the CPU's ability to process game logic and feed the GPU. The fact that the frame rate drops as resolution increases is a direct result of the GPU's workload increasing. The CPU's performance is consistent across all resolutions, and its high percentile ranking of 85 versus all CPUs indicates that it is a top-tier processor that can handle any modern game without being a bottleneck. The choice of this CPU allows for future GPU upgrades, as it has the processing power to support a much faster graphics card.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of what settings are playable for this combination. The primary goal is to maintain a frame rate that is consistently above 60 FPS, and the data shows that this is only achievable at 1080p. For a smooth experience, the High preset at 1920x1080 is a strong choice, delivering an average of 93 FPS. However, for a more fluid experience that takes advantage of high refresh rate monitors, the Low preset at 1080p, with an average of 148 FPS, is the best option.

At 1440p, the situation is more challenging. The Low preset delivers an average of 98 FPS, which is playable, but the Medium preset drops to 79 FPS, which is still acceptable. The High preset at 61 FPS is on the edge of playability, and the Ultra preset at 46 FPS is not recommended for a consistent experience. The data suggests that for 1440p, users should stick to the Low or Medium presets to maintain a playable frame rate. The 4K resolution is not viable for this setup, as even the Low preset only achieves 54 FPS, which is below the preferred threshold. The optimal configuration is to play at 1080p with High settings, which balances visual fidelity with a high, stable frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a detailed breakdown of the average FPS measured for the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT combination in Palworld.

At 1920x1080, the results are as follows:

• Low: 148 avg FPS.
• Medium: 120 avg FPS, with a minimum of 102 and a maximum of 138.
• High: 93 avg FPS.
• Ultra: 70 avg FPS.

At 2560x1440, the results are:

• Low: 98 avg FPS.
• Medium: 79 avg FPS, with a minimum of 67 and a maximum of 91.
• High: 61 avg FPS.
• Ultra: 46 avg FPS.

At 3840x2160, the results are:

• Low: 54 avg FPS.
• Medium: 44 avg FPS, with a minimum of 37 and a maximum of 51.
• High: 34 avg FPS.
• Ultra: 26 avg FPS.

This data confirms that the performance scales predictably with both resolution and settings. The most significant performance drop occurs when moving from 1440p to 4K, where the GPU's limitations become severe. The only configuration that provides a consistently smooth experience is at 1080p, where even the Ultra preset achieves a playable 70 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p offers the best balance of performance and visual quality, with an average of 120 FPS and a minimum above 100 FPS, ensuring a seamless experience.