Palworld

Palworld on the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination presents a fascinating case of a survival title that is heavily dependent on the graphics processor at higher resolutions, yet shows clear signs of CPU involvement at the lower end of the spectrum. The measured data reveals a system that is capable of delivering highly playable framerates at 1080p and 1440p, but which begins to struggle significantly when pushed to 4K, particularly with the highest visual presets. This analysis will break down the measured FPS across all resolutions and settings, contextualize the performance against the component's individual benchmark scores and nearest rivals, and offer practical guidance based solely on the provided data.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation in the data is the dramatic impact of resolution on the average FPS. At the "Low" settings preset, the framerate drops from a very high 160 FPS at 1920x1080 to 106 FPS at 2560x1440, and then further down to 59 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a significant 63% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K. This scaling pattern is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. The RTX 4060, while capable at 1080p, must render a substantially larger number of pixels at 4K, and the data shows it simply does not have the raw throughput to maintain a high framerate without a significant drop in visual fidelity.

The "High" preset tells a similar story, with average FPS falling from 100 at 1080p to 66 at 1440p, and finally to a marginal 37 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is below the generally accepted threshold for smooth, consistent gameplay, suggesting that players targeting a 4K display would need to make substantial compromises. The "Ultra" preset is the most demanding, and the data shows that at 4K, the combination can only muster an average of 28 FPS, which is a clear indication that this resolution and preset combination is not viable for a smooth experience. The performance drop from 1440p to 4K at the Ultra setting is a 44% decrease, highlighting the GPU's inability to cope with the combined load of maximum graphical details and high pixel count.

Interestingly, the scaling from 1080p to 1440p is less severe than from 1440p to 4K, which is typical for modern GPUs. The RTX 4060's 8 GB of memory and 128-bit memory bus become increasingly stressed as resolution rises, and the data implies this is the limiting factor. The game appears to be highly sensitive to pixel count, and the performance penalty for moving to 4K is substantial across all settings. The data suggests that this hardware combination is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver a high-refresh-rate experience, while 4K should be reserved for less demanding titles or with significant settings reductions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H is a 14-core, 18-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its benchmark results show a strong multi-core performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11875.5 and a Passmark multithread score of 22422. This processor sits in the 81st percentile of all CPUs and has an average benchmark score of 29093, placing it in near-lockstep with rivals like the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, from which it trails by only -0.1%.

In the context of Palworld, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU at higher resolutions. The framerate drops from 1080p to 4K are so pronounced that they can only be attributed to GPU limitations. However, the CPU's performance headroom is evident at 1080p. At the "Low" preset, the combination achieves 160 FPS, and at "Medium" it achieves 130 FPS. These high framerates suggest that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to reach these levels. If the CPU were a bottleneck, we would expect to see a plateau in framerates at lower resolutions, regardless of the GPU's capability. The data does not show such a plateau, but the high scores do indicate a robust processor.

The CPU's strong single-core performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1700, is often crucial for game logic, physics, and AI in open-world survival games like Palworld. While the data doesn't directly measure in-game CPU usage, the high average FPS at 1080p suggests that the Ultra 5 135H is more than capable of handling the game's simulation and logic demands at these settings. The processor's performance relative to its rivals, such as being only -0.6% slower than the Intel Core i5-13500HX, indicates that it is a solid performer for a mobile chip. The data suggests that while the CPU is not the limiting component in this configuration for most scenarios, it provides a strong foundation that allows the GPU to be fully utilized at lower resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average framerate this combination can achieve in Palworld?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 160, which is achieved at the 1920x1080 resolution with the "Low" settings preset.

Q: Can this system handle Palworld at 4K resolution with high settings?

A: The data shows that at 3840x2160 with "High" settings, the average FPS is 37, which is a very demanding scenario. With "Ultra" settings, the average FPS drops to 28, indicating that a smooth 4K experience is not achievable with this combination.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 135H compare to the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X in overall CPU benchmarks?

A: The average benchmark scores are nearly identical. The Intel Core Ultra 5 135H has an average score of 29093, while the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X has a score of 29123. This puts the Intel processor 0.1% behind the AMD rival.

Q: Is the CPU or the GPU more likely to be the limiting factor for performance at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the high average FPS values (100-160 FPS) suggest that the GPU is the primary limiting factor, as the CPU appears to have enough headroom to feed frames at these rates. The resolution scaling data shows a significant FPS drop when the resolution increases, which indicates a GPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the performance difference between the "Medium" and "High" presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the "Medium" preset averages 86 FPS, while the "High" preset averages 66 FPS. This represents a 20 FPS difference between the two settings.

Q: What is the average FPS for the "Ultra" preset at 1080p?

A: The measured average FPS for the "Ultra" preset at 1920x1080 is 76.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend heavily on the target resolution and desired framerate. For 1080p gaming, the "Low" preset offers an extremely high average of 160 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors. However, the "Medium" preset at 130 FPS provides a much better balance of visual quality and performance, likely offering a more immersive experience while still maintaining a very high framerate. The "High" preset at 100 FPS is also an excellent choice, providing a significant visual upgrade over "Medium" while remaining well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay. The "Ultra" preset at 76 FPS is the most visually demanding option and still delivers a playable experience, making it suitable for players who prioritize image quality above all else.

At 1440p, the "Medium" preset stands out as the best option, delivering a very smooth average of 86 FPS. The "High" preset, at 66 FPS, is also playable and offers a good balance. The "Low" preset provides a high 106 FPS, but the visual compromises may be too significant for some players. The "Ultra" preset, at 50 FPS, is the only option that dips below the 60 FPS target, and while it is playable, it may not be ideal for fast-paced action.

For 4K, the data clearly indicates that this is not the combination's strong suit. The "Low" preset is the only one that reaches a playable average of 59 FPS, but it requires a significant reduction in visual quality. The "Medium" preset averages 47 FPS, and "High" drops to 37 FPS. The "Ultra" preset is not viable, with an average of 28 FPS. Players targeting 4K should expect to play at "Low" settings for a playable experience, or consider reducing the resolution to 1440p to enjoy higher quality presets.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all tested hardware combinations for Palworld, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 holds a rank of 1757 out of 2944 tested combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the performance spectrum. While the individual components are respectable, their combined performance in this specific game does not place them among the top-tier configurations.

This ranking seems to be heavily influenced by the RTX 4060's performance at higher resolutions. The GPU's percentile rank is 61st, and it has an average benchmark score of 17639, which is only 0.3% higher than the integrated AMD Radeon 780M. This suggests that while the dedicated GPU is more powerful, it is not dramatically so in synthetic benchmarks. The CPU, on the other hand, ranks in the 81st percentile, showing it is a stronger component relative to the broader market.

The combo's rank of 1757 suggests that many other CPU and GPU combinations are capable of delivering higher framerates in Palworld. This is likely due to the game's demanding nature at higher resolutions and the RTX 4060's limitations. The data does not provide information on what specific combinations are ranked higher, but the implication is that a more powerful GPU, or one with more memory bandwidth, would likely yield a better result in this game. The ranking serves as a clear indicator that while this is a competent system, it is not optimized for the highest levels of performance in Palworld.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data represents the exact measured average FPS for the Intel Core Ultra 5 135H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination in Palworld.

1920x1080:

• Low: 160 FPS average
• Medium: 130 FPS average (minimum 111, maximum 150)
• High: 100 FPS average
• Ultra: 76 FPS average

2560x1440:

• Low: 106 FPS average
• Medium: 86 FPS average (minimum 73, maximum 98)
• High: 66 FPS average
• Ultra: 50 FPS average

3840x2160:

• Low: 59 FPS average
• Medium: 47 FPS average (minimum 40, maximum 55)
• High: 37 FPS average
• Ultra: 28 FPS average

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is an Ada Lovelace architecture GPU with 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. It has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. Its memory subsystem consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The data strongly suggests that this GPU is the primary bottleneck in this combination, especially at higher resolutions.

The RTX 4060's average benchmark score of 17639 places it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. It is interesting to note that its nearest rivals include the integrated AMD Radeon 780M, from which it is only 0.3% faster. This is a surprising data point, indicating that the RTX 4060's performance is not dramatically superior to a high-end integrated solution in synthetic tests. However, in a game like Palworld, the dedicated GPU's dedicated VRAM and drivers likely provide a more consistent experience.

The GPU's role becomes clear when examining the resolution scaling. The framerate drops from 1080p to 4K are severe, with a 63% reduction at "Low" settings. This is a classic sign of a GPU that is limited by its memory bandwidth and raw pixel-pushing capabilities. The 8 GB VRAM buffer, while sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, may be a limiting factor at 4K with high-detail textures. The FP32 performance of 15.11 TFLOPS is decent for a mobile-class GPU, but it is not enough to handle the demands of 4K gaming in a modern title. The data indicates that the RTX 4060 is a solid performer for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but its limitations are clearly exposed when the resolution is pushed to 4K.