Palworld

Palworld presents an interesting stress test for the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination. The measured FPS data reveals a system that scales predictably with resolution, but the margins between settings presets tell a more nuanced story about where the performance ceiling lies. This analysis examines the measured frames per second across 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, interpreting what the numbers imply about the interaction between this specific CPU and GPU in a demanding survival title.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, indicating that the RTX 3080 Ti is the primary limiting factor as pixel count rises. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 154 FPS at 1920x1080 to 101 FPS at 2560x1440, a 34% reduction, and then to 56 FPS at 3840x2160, a further 45% drop. This progressive decline is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario; the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames, but the graphics card cannot maintain the same throughput when the render resolution quadruples in pixel count from 1080p to 4K.

The scaling pattern across all presets reinforces this conclusion. At Low settings, the 1080p average of 247 FPS crashes to 163 FPS at 1440p and then to 90 FPS at 4K. The absolute FPS numbers at 1080p are extraordinarily high, suggesting that the i7-13700K is not a bottleneck at this resolution, even with the graphics load minimized. The GPU is still the constraining factor, but it has enough raw power to push frame rates far beyond standard display refresh rates. The data implies that users with 1080p or 1440p monitors will likely be limited by their display's refresh rate rather than the hardware, while 4K users will experience a more traditional GPU-bound experience where settings adjustments have a significant impact on playability.

Furthermore, the gap between 1440p and 4K is larger than the gap between 1080p and 1440p in percentage terms across most presets. For High settings, the jump from 1440p to 4K costs 45 FPS, while the jump from 1080p to 1440p costs 53 FPS. This is because 4K resolution demands a disproportionately higher fill rate and memory bandwidth, which stresses the RTX 3080 Ti's 384-bit memory bus and 912.4 GB/s bandwidth. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory is sufficient, but the sheer pixel throughput required at 3840x2160 pushes the card to its limits, making it the definitive bottleneck in this configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p with High settings for this combo?

A: The measured average frame rate is 101 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is a solidly playable figure for a survival game, indicating that the combo handles the most common high-refresh-rate gaming resolution without major compromises.

Q: How much faster is the Low preset compared to Ultra at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 247 FPS, while Ultra averages 117 FPS. This represents a 130 FPS difference, meaning the Low preset is roughly 111% faster than Ultra in this specific resolution.

Q: Does the combo achieve 60 FPS at 4K on any preset?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 3840x2160, the Medium preset averages 73 FPS, and the Low preset averages 90 FPS. The High preset falls short at 56 FPS, and Ultra is below playable thresholds at 43 FPS.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded in the entire dataset?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 62 FPS, which occurs at 4K with Medium settings. This indicates that even in the most demanding measurement, the frame rate does not drop below 60 FPS.

Q: What is the maximum FPS recorded in the entire dataset?

A: The highest maximum FPS recorded is 230 FPS, which occurs at 1080p with Medium settings. This shows the upper ceiling of the combo's performance at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations in Palworld?

A: The combo ranks 983rd out of 3711 tested combinations. This places it in the top 26.5% of all configurations, which is a strong showing given the game's broad hardware compatibility.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is the workhorse in this configuration, and its specifications directly correlate with the observed FPS data. The GPU features 10,240 shading units, 80 RT cores, and 320 tensor cores, all running on the Ampere architecture with a boost clock of 1665 MHz. The 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth, which is critical for high-resolution textures in a game like Palworld. The benchmark results show a Passmark G3D score of 26896, placing the GPU in the 83rd percentile against all GPUs.

The measured FPS data shows the GPU's memory subsystem being pushed harder at higher resolutions. At 4K Medium, the average FPS is 73, with a minimum of 62 and a maximum of 84. This 22 FPS spread between minimum and maximum suggests that the GPU is experiencing variable load depending on the scene complexity, but the memory bandwidth is sufficient to avoid severe stuttering. The GPU's FP32 performance of 34.10 TFLOPS is ample for the game's rendering demands, yet the resolution scaling shows that the card is not overpowered for 4K gaming. The data implies that the RTX 3080 Ti is best utilized at 1440p, where it can deliver high refresh rates on High settings without breaking a sweat.

The GPU's nearest rival data shows it trading blows with the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, which is 0.8% faster, and the NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB, which is 1.2% slower. This comparison highlights that the RTX 3080 Ti's performance is well-balanced for its generation, but it is not a top-tier card by modern standards. The 83rd percentile ranking confirms that while it is a capable GPU, there are faster options available. In Palworld specifically, the GPU's 12 GB VRAM is likely a non-issue, as the game's art style and texture sizes do not appear to exceed this capacity based on the measured FPS stability.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional performance across all presets. The Low preset averages 247 FPS, which is the highest average in the entire dataset. Medium drops to 200 FPS with a minimum of 170 and a maximum of 230, showing a tight frame pacing. High averages 154 FPS, and Ultra averages 117 FPS. This resolution is clearly CPU-limited in terms of the upper bound, but the GPU still has to render the frames, and the 130 FPS difference between Low and Ultra demonstrates the GPU's workload scaling with graphical fidelity.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. Low averages 163 FPS, Medium averages 132 FPS with a minimum of 112 and a maximum of 152, High averages 101 FPS, and Ultra averages 77 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra here is 86 FPS, which is smaller than at 1080p due to the increased pixel count putting more pressure on the GPU. The 1440p data suggests that this is the sweet spot for the RTX 3080 Ti; it can maintain high refresh rates on High settings (101 FPS) and still offer playable performance on Ultra (77 FPS).

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low averages 90 FPS, Medium averages 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 and a maximum of 84, High averages 56 FPS, and Ultra averages 43 FPS. The 47 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is the smallest percentage gap in the dataset, indicating that the GPU is already saturated and further settings changes have diminishing returns. The minimum FPS of 62 at Medium is the lowest recorded minimum, suggesting that even at this preset, there are moments of significant load. For 4K owners, the data recommends Medium or Low settings for a consistently smooth experience, as High and Ultra fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 983 out of 3711 tested combinations places it in the 73.5th percentile of all systems tested in Palworld. This is a strong performance, but the rank reveals that a significant number of configurations outperform this specific CPU-GPU pairing. The rank is likely influenced by the fact that Palworld is a CPU-intensive game in certain scenarios, and the i7-13700K, while powerful, is not the absolute top-tier processor. The CPU's average benchmark score of 46881 places it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, which is excellent, but the nearest rivals show a tight cluster of performance.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which is 0.2% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX, which is 0.5% faster. This indicates that the i7-13700K is very competitive with other high-end processors, but the margin between them is negligible. The combo's rank of 983 suggests that while this system is capable, other combos with newer GPUs or higher-tier CPUs achieve better average FPS in Palworld. The data does not specify what those combos are, but the GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, which is 2% faster, and the AMD Radeon Pro 5300, which is 0.8% faster, suggesting that even a modest GPU upgrade could improve the ranking.

The percentile rankings for both components are solid, but the combo rank is lower than either component's individual percentile. This implies that the pairing might have a slight bottleneck or that Palworld's engine favors certain hardware combinations. The i7-13700K's 16 cores and 24 threads are more than sufficient for gaming, but the RTX 3080 Ti's 12 GB VRAM and 34.10 TFLOPS may not be the optimal match for the game's engine at higher resolutions. The data suggests that this combo is a high-midrange performer, capable of excellent 1440p gaming but not at the absolute top tier for 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K provides the processing backbone for this configuration, and its specifications reveal why it does not become a bottleneck in Palworld. With 16 cores and 24 threads, the CPU offers substantial multi-threading capability, which is beneficial for a survival game that likely simulates many entities and physics interactions. The base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.40 GHz ensure high single-threaded performance, which is critical for game logic and frame pacing. The CPU's 30 MB of shared L3 cache helps with data locality, and its DDR4/DDR5 memory support offers flexibility.

The benchmark data shows the CPU's strengths: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 10717 and max-thread score of 12412 further demonstrate its capability. The CPU's 89th percentile ranking against all CPUs confirms that it is a high-end processor, and its nearest rivals are all within 0.5% of its average score, indicating a very competitive market segment. In Palworld, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and handle game simulation. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (247 FPS) suggests that the CPU can handle a massive number of frames per second without being the limiting factor.

However, the data also shows that the CPU's performance headroom is not fully utilized at higher resolutions. The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is entirely attributable to the GPU's rendering load, not the CPU's processing capability. The CPU's 16 cores are likely underutilized in this game, as most games do not scale perfectly with core count. The 24 threads provide headroom for background tasks, but the primary game thread benefits from the high boost clock. The data implies that the i7-13700K is overkill for Palworld at any resolution, as it never appears to be the limiting factor. This means that users could pair this CPU with a more powerful GPU to achieve better 4K performance, or with a less powerful GPU to save costs without sacrificing frame rates at 1080p.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends heavily on the user's target resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset at 117 FPS is the best choice for users with 120Hz or higher refresh rate monitors, as it provides the best visual quality while still maintaining a frame rate above 100. For users with 60Hz monitors, the High preset at 154 FPS is overkill, and the Medium preset at 200 FPS is even more so, but the Low preset at 247 FPS offers no tangible benefit beyond raw frame rate. The data suggests that at 1080p, users should prioritize visual quality and select Ultra or High, as the hardware has ample performance headroom.

For 2560x1440, the High preset at 101 FPS provides the best balance of visual fidelity and smoothness for high-refresh-rate gaming. The Ultra preset at 77 FPS is also playable and offers better visuals, but the 24 FPS drop from High to Ultra may be noticeable in fast-paced action. The Medium preset at 132 FPS is a good choice for competitive players who prioritize frame rate over graphics. The Low preset at 163 FPS is excessive for most displays. For 1440p, the data recommends High as the default, with Ultra for users who prefer eye candy over absolute smoothness.

For 3840x2160, the situation is more constrained. The Medium preset at 73 FPS is the only preset that averages above 60 FPS, making it the recommended choice for 4K gaming. The Low preset at 90 FPS offers a smoother experience but with significantly reduced visual quality. The High preset at 56 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 43 FPS is not recommended for a playable experience. The data clearly shows that 4K users should stick to Medium settings to maximize the RTX 3080 Ti's capabilities, as the GPU cannot handle the higher presets without dropping below the 60 FPS threshold. Ultimately, the best experience per the measured rows is achieved by matching the preset to the resolution's capabilities: Ultra at 1080p, High at 1440p, and Medium at 4K.