Palworld

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates for Palworld with the Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 show a clear and predictable pattern as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 180 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 119 FPS, a reduction of 61 FPS. At 4K Low, the average falls further to 66 FPS. This scaling behavior indicates that the GPU becomes progressively more stressed as pixel count rises, which is typical for a title with substantial environmental geometry.

The gap between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings is 61 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K at Low settings is 53 FPS. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is approximately 34%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is approximately 45%. This non-linear degradation suggests that the rendering workload at 4K is not merely a linear multiplier of the 1080p workload; instead, the additional pixel fill and shading demands disproportionately impact the frame rate.

For Medium settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute numbers. At 1080p Medium, the average is 146 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it drops to 96 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 53 FPS. The frame pacing also tightens at higher resolutions, as evidenced by the min/max data: 1080p Medium shows a min of 124 FPS and a max of 168 FPS, while 4K Medium shows a min of 45 FPS and a max of 61 FPS. The variance in frames is compressed at 4K because the GPU is working closer to its saturation point.

The High preset shows a similar pattern: 112 FPS at 1080p, 74 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, yielding 85 FPS at 1080p, 56 FPS at 1440p, and just 31 FPS at 4K. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU has enough headroom to push high frame rates, but as resolution climbs, the GPU becomes the limiting component. The RTX 4060 with its 8 GB of VRAM and 128-bit memory bus is clearly not designed for 4K Ultra in this title, where the average falls below 32 FPS.

The scaling from Medium to High at 1080p shows a 34 FPS reduction, while the scaling from High to Ultra shows a 27 FPS reduction. These increments indicate that the graphical settings ladder has diminishing returns in terms of FPS cost at lower resolutions. At 4K, the same ladder shows a 12 FPS drop from Medium to High and a 10 FPS drop from High to Ultra, reflecting that the GPU is already near its limits and cannot absorb additional settings increases without significant frame loss.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process node from TSMC. The chip, designated AD107, contains 18,900 million transistors on a 159 mm² die. The GPU has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. Memory is configured as 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 2125 MHz, which translates to 17 Gbps effective.

These specifications directly influence the measured results in Palworld. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is adequate for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but at 4K Ultra, the game's texture and geometry data likely approaches or exceeds the memory limit, contributing to the low 31 FPS average. The 128-bit memory bus, while efficient for the GPU's size, limits bandwidth compared to wider-bus cards, which becomes more apparent at higher resolutions where memory throughput is more critical.

The GPU's compute capabilities include 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. The pixel rate is 118.1 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 236.2 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is 15.11 TFLOPS. These figures place the RTX 4060 in the mid-range tier of the GeForce 40-series lineup. In Palworld, the GPU's 24 ray tracing cores and 96 tensor cores are present, though the measured data does not indicate whether ray tracing was enabled in any of the tested presets.

The GPU's overall benchmark percentile is 61% against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon HD 7790, which scores 17666 (a delta of -0.2%), and the AMD Radeon 780M, which scores 17588 (a delta of 0.3%). This close grouping suggests that the RTX 4060's raw compute performance is similar to those older or integrated parts, although the 4060 benefits from modern features like DX12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 support.

The power characteristics of the GPU are modest, with a TDP of 115 W and a suggested PSU of 300 W. The board uses a single 12-pin power connector and occupies a dual-slot form factor. The dimensions are 240 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 40 mm in width. This makes it a compact card suitable for smaller builds, but the thermal and power constraints may limit sustained boost clocks under heavy load, which could affect Palworld performance during extended play sessions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Palworld, the Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 achieves a combo rank of 2006 out of 3711 total combos. This places the combination in the 54th percentile of all tested systems. The rank is determined by aggregating the measured FPS across all resolution and settings combinations, giving a holistic view of the system's gaming performance in this specific title.

The combo's mid-pack ranking reflects the balance between the high-end CPU and the mid-range GPU. The i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, which places it in the 94th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 70163. In contrast, the RTX 4060 sits in the 61st percentile among GPUs with an average score of 17639. The pairing of a top-tier CPU with a mid-tier GPU creates a system that is CPU-heavy in its profile, which is reflected in the combo ranking being lower than the CPU's individual percentile but higher than the GPU's individual percentile.

The rank of 2006 out of 3711 means that there are 1705 tested combos that perform better in Palworld, and 2005 that perform worse. This suggests that while the system is capable of running the game at playable frame rates across most settings, it is not among the top performers. Systems with higher-end GPUs or more balanced CPU-GPU pairings would likely occupy the upper ranks. The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor in this combo for Palworld, as the CPU has ample headroom to drive higher frame rates if paired with a more powerful graphics card.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the lowest tested resolution, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 180 FPS. Medium settings reduce this to 146 FPS, with a minimum of 124 FPS and a maximum of 168 FPS. High settings yield 112 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 85 FPS. All of these values are above 60 FPS, indicating that 1080p is well within the capability of this system for smooth gameplay, even at the highest preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease across all settings. Low settings average 119 FPS. Medium settings average 96 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 110 FPS. High settings produce 74 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 56 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p shows the only available min/max data for this resolution, with a 28 FPS spread between minimum and maximum, indicating some frame pacing variability but still maintaining playable performance.

At 3840x2160, the highest tested resolution, the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. Low settings average 66 FPS. Medium settings average 53 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 61 FPS. High settings drop to 41 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 31 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K shows a 16 FPS spread between minimum and maximum, which is tighter than at lower resolutions, suggesting that the GPU is consistently saturated.

The data across all resolutions shows a consistent pattern: Low settings provide the highest frame rates, followed by Medium, then High, and finally Ultra. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 95 FPS, at 1440p it is 63 FPS, and at 4K it is 35 FPS. This shrinking delta at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and settings adjustments have less impact on the absolute frame rate because the pixel fill rate is the limiting factor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p gaming, the Ultra preset at 85 FPS is a strong choice, as it provides the highest visual fidelity while maintaining a frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold. Players who prioritize higher refresh rates may prefer High settings at 112 FPS or Medium settings at 146 FPS, the latter of which offers nearly double the frame rate of Ultra with only a moderate visual reduction.

At 1440p, the High preset at 74 FPS is the recommended choice for a balanced experience, as it stays above 60 FPS while offering good visual quality. The Medium preset at 96 FPS is also viable for those who prefer smoother motion, and it provides the only min/max data at this resolution, showing a minimum of 82 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset at 56 FPS dips below the 60 FPS threshold, which may result in less smooth gameplay, so it is not recommended unless visual quality is paramount.

At 4K, none of the presets achieve a consistent 60 FPS average. The Low preset at 66 FPS is the only option that exceeds this threshold, making it the recommended choice for 4K play. The Medium preset at 53 FPS is playable but may show occasional dips to 45 FPS, which could be noticeable. The High preset at 41 FPS and Ultra preset at 31 FPS are below the playable threshold for most users and are not recommended for competitive or fast-paced gameplay.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset offers the most balanced trade-off between visual quality and performance, with the only available min/max data showing stable frame delivery. The Ultra preset consistently delivers the lowest frame rates and should only be used at 1080p where the average remains above 60 FPS. For players who cannot tolerate frame rate dips, the Low preset guarantees the highest averages, but at the cost of reduced visual fidelity in a game that features expansive outdoor environments and creature animations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a 20-core, 28-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The CPU is manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process node with a die size of 257 mm². It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and it uses the Intel Socket 1700 interface.

In synthetic benchmarks, the i7-14700KF demonstrates strong multi-threaded performance. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 44167, and its single-core score is 6235. The Geekbench multi-core score is 21462, with a single-core score of 2578. In Passmark tests, the multi-threaded score is 52425, and the single-threaded score is 4480. The CPU's percentile against all CPUs is 94%, with an average benchmark score of 70163.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database are closely matched. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F scores 69996, a delta of 0.2% from the i7-14700KF. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX scores 69875, a delta of 0.4%. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69515, a delta of 0.9%. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265K scores 70879, a delta of -1%. These small deltas indicate that the i7-14700KF is competitively positioned among high-end desktop processors.

In Palworld, the CPU's role is to handle game logic, AI, and physics calculations, which are abundant in a survival game with creature capture and base-building mechanics. The 20 cores and 28 threads provide substantial parallel processing capability, which is beneficial for the game's simulation aspects. The high boost clock of 5.60 GHz ensures strong single-threaded performance, which is critical for the main game loop and rendering thread.

The measured FPS data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck in this combo for Palworld. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 180 FPS, which is a high frame rate that requires significant CPU throughput. The fact that frame rates drop consistently as resolution increases indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, as the CPU workload would remain constant while the GPU workload changes.

The CPU's TDP is 125 W, and it has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable for users who want to push performance further. The launch MSRP for this CPU is $384, and it supports ECC memory, which is unusual for a consumer desktop processor. The Passmark data compression score of 694963 and encryption score of 40046 indicate strong performance in data-intensive tasks, though these are not directly relevant to Palworld's gaming performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Palworld?

A: 1920x1080 is the best resolution, as all four settings presets deliver average frame rates above 60 FPS. The lowest preset at 1080p achieves 180 FPS, while the Ultra preset still maintains 85 FPS.

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

A: At 4K, only the Low preset achieves an average above 60 FPS, with 66 FPS. The Medium preset averages 53 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 31 FPS, which is below playable thresholds for most users.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, which is 0.2% lower than the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666) and 0.3% higher than the AMD Radeon 780M (17588).

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 119 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 56 FPS. This is a difference of 63 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset costs nearly half the frame rate of Low.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for this combo in Palworld?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU scores in the 94th percentile among all processors, while the GPU scores in the 61st percentile. Frame rates drop consistently as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested systems for Palworld?

A: The combo ranks 2006 out of 3711 tested combinations, placing it in the 54th percentile. This indicates that it performs better than 2005 combos but worse than 1705 combos in this game.