Palworld

Palworld, the survival title released on January 18, 2024, presents a demanding workload that scales significantly with both CPU and GPU capabilities. This analysis examines the measured performance of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H paired with the AMD Radeon 8050S, a combination that ranks 2168th out of 2944 tested combos in this specific game. The data reveals a system capable of solid 1080p gameplay but one that progressively struggles as resolution and settings increase, highlighting a clear performance ceiling dictated by the GPU component.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H is a 16-core, 22-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 7 nm process. Its configuration includes a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, enabling substantial single-thread headroom when needed. The processor's cache hierarchy is notable, with 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB L3 cache, providing ample fast memory for game logic and physics calculations. In the broader context of all CPUs, this chip sits at the 83rd percentile, with an average benchmark score of 32,697.

The benchmark results show this CPU is a balanced performer. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15,028 and single-core score of 1,743 indicate strong multi-threaded capability for handling the numerous entities and simulation tasks in Palworld, while the single-core score ensures responsive frame pacing. When compared to its nearest rivals, the Core Ultra 7 155H is essentially tied with the Intel Core i5-14600T, which has an average score of 32,707 (0% delta), and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, which scores 32,662 (0.1% delta). It also edges out the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F, which scores 32,750 (-0.2% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H, which scores 32,812 (-0.4% delta).

For Palworld, the CPU's role is critical, as the game world involves constant creature AI, resource gathering, and building physics. The measured FPS data indicates that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 149 FPS, suggesting that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at this resolution. However, the gap between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p (149 FPS down to 70 FPS) demonstrates a significant performance drop that is more attributable to the GPU's workload, given that CPU load does not typically quadruple with graphical settings. The processor's 28 W TDP is a defining characteristic for mobile use, balancing performance with thermal constraints, which contributes to its position in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Analyzing the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions, the optimal experience balances visual fidelity with a playable frame rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 93 FPS, which is a substantial improvement over the 70 FPS of Ultra while still providing enhanced visual quality compared to the 121 FPS of Medium. The jump from High to Ultra costs 23 FPS (93 down to 70), a 24.7% reduction that is difficult to justify for marginal visual gains in a survival game where responsiveness matters.

At 2560x1440, the High preset drops to 61 FPS, which is still playable, but the Medium preset offers a more comfortable 79 FPS. The Ultra preset at this resolution falls to 46 FPS, making it less suitable for fast-paced gameplay. For 3840x2160, the data shows that even the Low preset only reaches 54 FPS, while High drops to 34 FPS, indicating that 4K gaming is not a realistic target for this combination.

The best experience per the measured rows is the High preset at 1080p, which provides 93 FPS. This setting likely includes the core visual enhancements that make the world look polished without the extreme resource demands of Ultra. For users prioritizing frame rate above all else, the Low preset at 1080p achieves 149 FPS, but this sacrifices significant visual detail. The Medium preset at 1440p (79 FPS) also represents a strong balance for users with higher-resolution displays, offering a smoother experience than High at the same resolution while retaining more fidelity than Low.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent scaling pattern that identifies the GPU as the primary limiting component in this system. At the High preset, moving from 1920x1080 (93 FPS) to 2560x1440 (61 FPS) results in a 34.4% performance drop. Scaling further to 3840x2160 (34 FPS) from 1440p yields a 44.3% drop, and from 1080p to 4K, the total reduction is 63.4%. This pattern of diminishing frame rates with increasing pixel count is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario.

The Low preset shows a similar trend: 1080p delivers 149 FPS, 1440p delivers 98 FPS (a 34.2% drop), and 4K delivers 54 FPS (a 44.9% drop from 1440p). The fact that even at the lowest settings, 4K resolution only manages 54 FPS, while 1080p achieves nearly three times that, underscores that the AMD Radeon 8050S's rendering throughput is the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the FPS to remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the CPU workload is primarily determined by game logic and entity count, not pixel output.

The data strongly indicates that the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H has sufficient headroom to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but the GPU's fill rate and shader processing capabilities are exhausted as resolution increases. The AMD Radeon 8050S's architecture, with 2048 shading units and a boost clock of 2800 MHz, is simply not powerful enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K, regardless of the CPU's capability. This is a typical mobile platform limitation where the integrated GPU (IGP) is matched with a capable CPU but lacks the raw power for high-resolution gaming.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best frame rate this combination can achieve in Palworld?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 149, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset. This indicates the system's maximum output when graphical fidelity is minimized.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest competitor in terms of overall benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H has an average benchmark score of 32,697, which is virtually identical to the Intel Core i5-14600T's score of 32,707, showing a 0% delta. It is also only 0.1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, which scores 32,662.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: At 3840x2160 resolution, the highest average FPS achieved is 54 with the Low preset. The High preset drops to 34 FPS, and Ultra falls to 26 FPS, indicating that 4K is only marginally playable at the lowest settings and not recommended for a smooth experience.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile compared to all other GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon 8050S ranks in the 89th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 62,108. This places it above most mobile graphics solutions but still below the top-tier discrete options.

Q: What memory bandwidth does the CPU support, and how might it affect gaming?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, which is dependent on the motherboard. This bandwidth is shared with the integrated GPU, which uses "System Shared" memory, potentially impacting performance in memory-intensive scenarios.

Q: What is the GPU's boost clock speed?

A: The AMD Radeon 8050S has a boost clock of 2800 MHz, with a base clock of 1295 MHz. This high boost clock contributes to its 11.47 TFLOPS of FP32 compute performance.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon 8050S is an integrated GPU (IGP) based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It features 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation pipelines, along with 32 ray tracing cores. The GPU's clock speeds are substantial for an integrated solution, with a base of 1295 MHz and a boost of 2800 MHz. Its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the CPU's DDR5 memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This is a critical factor in Palworld, as the game's large open world and many assets require significant memory bandwidth.

The GPU's compute capabilities are notable: it can deliver 11.47 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a pixel rate of 179.2 GPixel/s, with a texture rate of 358.4 GTexel/s. These specifications place it at the 89th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 62,108. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M, which scores 61,896 (0.3% higher), while the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 scores 63,693 (2.5% higher), and the AMD Radeon RX 7600M scores 63,775 (2.6% higher). This positioning shows that the 8050S is competitive with mid-range mobile discrete GPUs, but its integrated nature and shared memory architecture limit its sustained performance.

In Palworld, the GPU's role is dominant in determining overall FPS, as evidenced by the resolution scaling data. The 55 W TDP is a defining constraint, as it must share power and thermal budget with the CPU in a mobile platform. The GPU's lack of dedicated VRAM means it uses system memory, which can create latency and bandwidth bottlenecks, particularly at higher resolutions where the frame buffer demands increase. The measured drop from 149 FPS at 1080p Low to 54 FPS at 4K Low is a direct reflection of the GPU's inability to keep up with pixel throughput demands, despite its high boost clock and modern architecture.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The complete measured FPS data for this combination is as follows. At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 149 FPS, Medium averages 121 FPS (with a min of 103 and max of 139), High averages 93 FPS, and Ultra averages 70 FPS. This shows a clear progression where each settings tier costs roughly 20-30 FPS, with the gap between High and Ultra being 23 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. Low averages 98 FPS, Medium averages 79 FPS (with a min of 68 and max of 91), High averages 61 FPS, and Ultra averages 46 FPS. The relative pattern is maintained, but the absolute values are lower, showing that the GPU is already being strained at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low averages 54 FPS, Medium averages 44 FPS (with a min of 37 and max of 51), High averages 34 FPS, and Ultra averages 26 FPS. Only the Low preset approaches playability, and Ultra is barely functional. The Medium preset's min FPS of 37 indicates noticeable stuttering, while the max of 51 shows that even the peak performance is below the 1080p Low average.

Across all resolutions, the Medium preset provides the most consistent frame pacing, as evidenced by the available min/max data. At 1080p, the Medium preset ranges from 103 to 139 FPS, a 36 FPS spread. At 1440p, the spread is 23 FPS (68 to 91), and at 4K, it is 14 FPS (37 to 51). This tightening of the frame time variance at lower FPS suggests that the GPU is hitting a consistent performance ceiling rather than experiencing intermittent spikes, which is typical of a compute-bound scenario.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H paired with the AMD Radeon 8050S ranks 2168th out of 2944 tested combinations in Palworld. This places the combo in the 26.4th percentile of all tested systems, meaning that approximately 74% of tested combinations deliver better performance in this game. This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations, as the CPU's 83rd percentile ranking is significantly higher.

The disparity between the CPU's strong individual ranking and the combo's lower ranking highlights that Palworld is heavily GPU-bound. Even with a capable processor, the integrated Radeon 8050S cannot deliver the frame rates necessary to compete with systems featuring discrete graphics cards. The combo's rank of 2168 suggests that it is suitable for casual or low-settings gaming but falls short of what most users would consider a high-performance gaming setup.

Benchmark results indicate that the CPU is performing as expected, given its nearest rivals are all within 0.4% of its score. The GPU, while ranking in the 89th percentile of all GPUs, is still an integrated solution that cannot match the sustained performance of dedicated gaming GPUs. This combination is a balanced mobile platform for productivity and light gaming, but in a demanding title like Palworld, its overall rank of 2168 underscores the need for lower resolutions and settings to achieve a playable experience. The data suggests that users of this combo should target 1080p with Medium to High settings for the best balance, as the 4K and high-settings tiers push the hardware beyond its comfortable operating range.