Palworld

Palworld on the Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination delivers a performance profile that is heavily dictated by resolution, with the data showing a clear transition from a CPU-bound scenario at 1080p to a GPU-bound one at 4K. This pairing sits at rank 131 out of 3711 tested combos in this game, placing it in the top tier of systems for which data is available, though the scaling behavior reveals nuances that matter for choosing settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo shows that the gap between 1080p and 4K is substantial, but the pattern of the drop is more telling than the raw numbers. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 351 FPS at 1920x1080 to 128 FPS at 3840x2160, a reduction of 223 FPS or roughly 64%. This steep decline indicates that even at Low settings, the RTX 4090’s rendering workload at 4K is far heavier than at 1080p, though the absolute numbers remain extremely high.

Moving to High settings, the drop from 219 FPS at 1080p to 144 FPS at 1440p is a 75 FPS reduction, and then to 80 FPS at 4K is another 64 FPS drop. This pattern suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K the GPU becomes the primary limiter. The Ultra preset shows a similar trend: 166 FPS at 1080p, 109 FPS at 1440p, and 61 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at Ultra is a 44% drop, which is consistent with the increased pixel count and the heavier shading load on the GPU.

The data for Medium settings includes min and max FPS values, which provide additional insight. At 1920x1080 Medium, the average is 285 FPS with a range from 242 to 327 FPS. At 2560x1440 Medium, the average is 187 FPS with a range from 159 to 215 FPS. At 3840x2160 Medium, the average is 104 FPS with a range from 88 to 120 FPS. The frame time consistency appears to hold up well across resolutions, as the min FPS values do not collapse relative to the averages, indicating that the combo avoids major stutters even when the GPU is under heavy load at 4K.

The limiting component shifts clearly as resolution increases. At 1080p, the CPU’s 12 cores and 20 threads, with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, are likely the bottleneck for Low and Medium presets, since the GPU is capable of far higher output than the frame rates show. At 4K, the GPU’s 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 1.01 TB/s memory bandwidth become the deciding factor, as the frame rates drop to levels that are more consistent with GPU-bound rendering. For players targeting 4K, the data suggests that the i7-12700KF is not holding back the RTX 4090 meaningfully, but the GPU is working near its limits at Ultra settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications align with the measured results. The GPU has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. In a game like Palworld, which features a large open world with many entities, this memory capacity and bandwidth are crucial for handling textures and geometry at high resolutions without causing frame drops. The benchmark results show that the GPU scores 38194 in Passmark G3D and 26613 in Passmark GPU Compute, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs.

The clock speeds of the RTX 4090 are listed as a base of 2235 MHz and a boost of 2520 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz or 21 Gbps effective. These clocks, combined with 16384 shading units and 512 tensor cores, drive the frame rates observed in the data. The GPU’s 128 RT cores also matter for any ray-traced effects, though the measured FPS data does not specify whether ray tracing was enabled in these tests.

The GPU’s role is most evident in the 4K results. At Ultra settings, the average FPS is 61, which is exactly at the threshold for smooth 60 FPS play. At High settings, the average rises to 80 FPS, and at Medium to 104 FPS. This suggests that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, as lowering settings from Ultra to Medium yields a 43 FPS improvement, which is a 70% increase. In contrast, at 1080p, the improvement from Ultra to Medium is 119 FPS, from 166 to 285, which is a 72% increase, but the absolute numbers are so high that the CPU is likely capping the maximum output.

The RTX 4090’s 24 GB VRAM is another factor in its favor. Palworld’s open-world design with many Pals and structures can consume significant memory, but the data does not show any VRAM-related stutters or minimum FPS drops that would indicate memory pressure. The min FPS at 4K Medium is 88, which is well above playable thresholds, and the GPU’s memory bandwidth ensures that texture streaming does not become a bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Palworld at 4K Ultra smoothly?

A: The measured data shows an average FPS of 61 at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is technically playable at 60 FPS, but there is no min FPS data for this preset, so consistency is not guaranteed. For a safer experience, High settings at 4K deliver 80 FPS average.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the data suggests the CPU is the limiting factor. At Low settings, the average FPS is 351, which is extremely high, but the GPU is capable of more. The i7-12700KF’s 20 threads and 5.00 GHz boost clock are strong, but they cap the frame rates at this resolution.

Q: What is the best resolution for high refresh rate monitors?

A: For 144Hz monitors, 2560x1440 with High settings delivers 144 FPS average, which matches the refresh rate exactly. For 240Hz monitors, 1920x1080 with Medium settings provides 285 FPS average, giving plenty of headroom.

Q: How does the RTX 4090’s memory bandwidth affect performance?

A: The GPU has 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth from 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus. This supports the high frame rates at all resolutions, and the data shows consistent min FPS values at Medium settings, indicating no memory-related bottlenecks.

Q: What settings should I use for 4K to maximize visual quality?

A: High settings at 4K provide 80 FPS average, which is a good balance. Ultra drops to 61 FPS, and while it looks better, the performance hit is significant. Medium at 4K is 104 FPS, but the visual quality is lower.

Q: Is the i7-12700KF holding back the RTX 4090 in this game?

A: At 4K, the data shows the GPU is the limit, as frame rates drop consistently with resolution. At 1080p, the CPU may limit the maximum FPS, but the numbers are so high that it is not a practical issue for most players.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a full picture of the combo’s performance. At 1920x1080, the average FPS is 351 at Low, 285 at Medium, 219 at High, and 166 at Ultra. The Medium preset includes a min FPS of 242 and a max of 327, showing a tight range that indicates stable performance. The jump from Ultra to High is 53 FPS, while the jump from High to Medium is 66 FPS, and from Medium to Low is 66 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS is 231 at Low, 187 at Medium, 144 at High, and 109 at Ultra. The Medium preset shows a min of 159 and a max of 215, which is a wider range than at 1080p but still consistent. The drop from Low to Medium is 44 FPS, from Medium to High is 43 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 35 FPS. This shows a more gradual scaling than at 1080p, as the GPU begins to take on more load.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS is 128 at Low, 104 at Medium, 80 at High, and 61 at Ultra. The Medium preset has a min of 88 and a max of 120. The drop from Low to Medium is 24 FPS, from Medium to High is 24 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 19 FPS. The scaling is more compressed at 4K, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario, where each settings tier has a smaller relative impact on performance.

The data shows that the combo is capable of high frame rates at all resolutions, but the playable settings depend on the target refresh rate. For 60 FPS play at 4K, Ultra is marginal at 61 FPS, while High provides a comfortable margin at 80 FPS. For 144 FPS play at 1440p, High is exactly at 144 FPS, and Medium provides headroom at 187 FPS. For 240 FPS play at 1080p, Low hits 351 FPS, but Medium at 285 FPS is more realistic for visual quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 131 out of 3711 tested combos in Palworld. This places it in the top 3.5% of all systems tested, which is an exceptional position. The rank is determined by the measured FPS across all tested settings and resolutions, and this combo’s high averages at 1080p and 1440p contribute significantly to its placement.

The CPU’s average benchmark score is 35365, which places it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700T with an average score of 35403 and a delta of -0.1%, and the Intel Core i5-13600T with a score of 35305 and a delta of 0.2%. This shows that the i7-12700KF is within a fraction of a percent of these newer or lower-power parts, meaning its performance is not a weak link in this combo.

The GPU’s average benchmark score is 60347, placing it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Arc Pro A60 with a score of 60326 and a delta of 0%, and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M with a score of 61896 and a delta of -2.5%. The RTX 4090 is effectively tied with the Arc Pro A60 in this benchmark, though its real-world gaming performance is far superior due to driver maturity and feature support.

The rank of 131 is impressive, but it is not the top spot. Combos with more recent CPUs or higher-clocked parts may edge out this pairing in CPU-bound scenarios at 1080p. However, the data shows that the i7-12700KF is not a significant bottleneck at 4K, where the GPU dominates. For players who prioritize 4K gaming, this combo’s rank reflects its strength, as the GPU’s 24 GB VRAM and high compute throughput handle the resolution well.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best settings depend on the resolution and the target frame rate. For 4K gaming, the data shows that High settings provide 80 FPS average, which is a solid 20 FPS headroom above the 60 FPS threshold. Ultra settings at 61 FPS are playable, but the lack of min FPS data means there is no guarantee of consistency, so High is the safer choice for smooth play. Medium at 4K offers 104 FPS, but the visual quality drop from High is noticeable, so High is recommended unless the player needs higher frame rates.

For 1440p gaming, High settings deliver exactly 144 FPS, which matches common 144Hz monitors. This is the ideal preset for a balanced experience, as it provides high visual quality without exceeding the monitor’s refresh rate. Medium at 187 FPS is overkill for 144Hz displays, but it could be useful for 240Hz monitors, though the visual trade-off may not be worth it. Ultra at 109 FPS is also viable for 144Hz if the player prefers maximum quality, but High is the sweet spot.

For 1080p gaming, the data shows that the CPU becomes the limiting factor at higher settings. Low settings at 351 FPS are unnecessary for any current monitor, and Medium at 285 FPS is also above 240Hz refresh rates. High at 219 FPS is ideal for 240Hz monitors, providing a 21 FPS headroom. Ultra at 166 FPS is fine for 165Hz or 144Hz displays, but it does not take full advantage of the GPU’s potential. The recommendation is High for 240Hz monitors and Ultra for 165Hz or lower refresh rates.

The Medium preset’s min FPS data at all three resolutions shows that it is the most consistent settings tier, with no major frame drops. This makes it a good fallback if the player experiences stutters at higher settings, though the data indicates that this combo is stable across all presets. The overall recommendation is High settings for 4K and 1440p, and High or Ultra for 1080p, depending on the monitor’s refresh rate.