Palworld

Palworld’s measured performance with the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D places this combination at the top of the database, ranking first out of 2,944 tested combos. The data shows a system that scales predictably with resolution, but the relationship between settings and frame rates reveals where the bottleneck shifts. At 4K Ultra, the average of 66 FPS indicates a GPU-bound scenario, while at 1080p Low, the 383 FPS average suggests headroom remains, though the CPU is nearing its practical limit for this engine. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS rows, interprets the scaling patterns, and provides actionable settings guidance based solely on the provided figures.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K follows a steep curve, but the pattern is not uniform across settings. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 383 at 1920x1080 to 252 at 2560x1440, then to 140 at 3840x2160. That is a 36% reduction from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 44% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The total decline from 1080p Low to 4K Low is 63%, which strongly indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting component as pixel count rises, even at the lowest graphical preset.

For High settings, the scaling is similar but slightly less severe in relative terms. The average FPS goes from 239 at 1080p to 157 at 1440p (a 34% drop), then to 87 at 4K (a 45% drop from 1440p). The cumulative reduction from 1080p High to 4K High is 64%, nearly identical to the Low preset’s decline. This consistency suggests that the RTX 5090 D’s rendering workload scales almost linearly with resolution, regardless of the specific settings applied, within the range tested.

Medium settings show the smallest relative drops between adjacent resolutions. From 1080p Medium at 311 FPS, the 1440p result is 205 FPS, a 34% reduction. Moving to 4K Medium yields 114 FPS, a 44% drop from 1440p. The overall 63% decline from 1080p to 4K mirrors the Low and High presets. Ultra settings, however, present a different pattern. The 1080p Ultra average is 181 FPS, which drops to 119 at 1440p (a 34% reduction) and then to 66 at 4K (a 45% reduction). The cumulative 64% loss from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra is the largest in percentage terms, but the absolute FPS values remain the lowest across all settings at every resolution.

The data reveals that the scaling factor from 1080p to 4K hovers around 63-64% for all presets. This uniformity implies that the primary limiter at 4K is the GPU’s pixel throughput and shading capacity, not the CPU’s ability to feed frames. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 24 cores and 24 threads, delivers sufficient single-thread performance—evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7,303 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4,823—to avoid becoming a bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 383 FPS average is extraordinarily high, and the fact that it does not exceed that figure suggests the CPU or engine overhead starts to cap frame generation, but the GPU still has headroom. In contrast, at 4K Ultra, the 66 FPS average is far below what the CPU could theoretically support, confirming a GPU-bound condition.

The min FPS data, available only for Medium settings, reinforces this interpretation. At 1080p Medium, the min FPS is 264 against an average of 311, yielding a 85% consistency ratio. At 1440p Medium, the min FPS is 174 against an average of 205 (85% ratio), and at 4K Medium, the min FPS is 96 against an average of 114 (84% ratio). The consistency of these ratios across resolutions indicates that frame pacing remains stable, with no sudden CPU-induced stutters appearing at higher pixel counts. The GPU’s 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth provide ample headroom for texture streaming, so the scaling is purely a function of shading and rasterization load.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the observed FPS behavior. The GPU features a GB202 chip on a 5 nm process, with 21,760 shading units, 680 texture mapping units, and 176 ROPs. Its boost clock of 2,407 MHz and base clock of 2,017 MHz contribute to a peak FP32 throughput of 104.8 TFLOPS. These numbers directly correlate with the high average FPS at 1440p and 1080p, where the GPU is not fully saturated but still delivers 157-383 FPS depending on settings.

The memory subsystem is equally important. With 32 GB of GDDR7 on a 512-bit bus, the bandwidth reaches 1.79 TB/s. Palworld, as a survival game with large open-world environments, benefits from this bandwidth for streaming assets and textures. The measured results show that even at 4K Ultra, the GPU maintains 66 FPS, which is respectable given the settings. The lack of min FPS data for Ultra presets prevents a full stability analysis, but the average figures align with the GPU’s computational capacity.

The RTX 5090 D’s percentile ranking of 92 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77,712, places it in the upper echelon, though its nearest rivals in the database are notably different. The AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT scores 76,904 (1.1% lower), the RX 6850M XT scores 78,940 (1.6% higher), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 variants score 79,396 and 79,605 (2.1% and 2.4% higher, respectively). These deltas are small, suggesting that the RTX 5090 D is not an outlier in synthetic benchmarks, yet its real-world Palworld performance ranks first among 2,944 combos. This discrepancy highlights that synthetic scores do not always translate to game-specific results, and the 5090 D’s architecture—Blackwell 2.0 with 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores—may be particularly well-suited to Palworld’s rendering paths.

The GPU’s TDP of 575 W and suggested PSU of 950 W are noteworthy, but the measured FPS data does not include power consumption figures. The dual-slot design and 1x 16-pin connector are physical attributes that do not directly affect frame rates. The PCIe 5.0 x16 interface ensures sufficient bandwidth for the 32 GB frame buffer, though the game’s VRAM usage is not reported in the measured rows. Given that the GPU has 32 GB, VRAM capacity is unlikely to be a limiting factor at any resolution or setting tested, which is consistent with the smooth scaling observed.

The RTX 5090 D’s release date of 2025-01-29 and launch MSRP of 2,299 USD are factual details, but the analysis here focuses on performance. The GPU’s predecessor is the GeForce 40 series and its successor is the GeForce 60 series, but no performance comparisons are provided for those. The measured FPS values are the definitive evidence: this GPU, paired with the Ultra 9 290K Plus, delivers 383 FPS at 1080p Low and 66 FPS at 4K Ultra, which are the extremes of the tested matrix.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo in Palworld?

A: The highest average FPS is 383, recorded at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the maximum value across all measured rows, and it indicates the CPU-GPU pair has substantial headroom at the lowest graphical preset.

Q: Does the combo maintain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra settings?

A: Yes, the average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 66, which is above the 60 FPS threshold commonly considered playable. The data does not provide min FPS for Ultra, but the average suggests a stable experience, though not as fluid as lower settings.

Q: How does the RTX 5090 D compare to its nearest GPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5090 D has an average benchmark score of 77,712. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, scores 76,904, which is 1.1% lower. The RX 6850M XT scores 78,940 (1.6% higher), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB and 16 GB score 79,396 and 79,605 (2.1% and 2.4% higher, respectively). These differences are minimal, yet the 5090 D ranks first in Palworld.

Q: What is the FPS difference between High and Ultra settings at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings yield an average FPS of 157, while Ultra yields 119. This is a 38 FPS difference, or a 24% reduction, for the higher preset. The gap narrows at 4K, where High averages 87 and Ultra averages 66, a 21 FPS difference.

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

A: The data suggests the GPU is not the primary limiter at 1080p Low, given the 383 FPS average. The CPU, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 51,731 and a Passmark multithread score of 60,860, is likely the constraining factor, though the exact engine overhead is not measured. The GPU’s 104.8 TFLOPS FP32 throughput could theoretically push higher frame rates.

Q: What are the min FPS values for Medium settings across resolutions?

A: For Medium settings, the min FPS is 264 at 1920x1080, 174 at 2560x1440, and 96 at 3840x2160. These values correspond to average FPS of 311, 205, and 114, respectively, showing consistent frame pacing with roughly 15-16% variation from average to minimum.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves a combo rank of 1 out of 2,944 tested combinations in Palworld. This is the top position, indicating that no other CPU-GPU pairing in the database produces higher measured FPS in this game. The rank is based on the measured FPS data, which includes all settings and resolutions, and the combination outperforms every other tested setup.

The CPU itself has a percentile ranking of 96 among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 84,003. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, scores 83,807, which is 0.2% lower. The AMD EPYC 4584PX scores 83,090 (1.1% lower), and the EPYC 9135 scores 82,980 (1.2% lower). The AMD EPYC 7F72 scores 85,072, which is 1.3% higher, but this does not translate to better Palworld performance, as the combo rank accounts for the entire system. The GPU’s percentile of 92 is lower than the CPU’s 96, yet the combination still tops the chart, suggesting that the CPU’s strength in this game is more impactful than the GPU’s relative standing.

The combo rank of 1 out of 2,944 is a decisive result. It means that for Palworld, this specific pairing of the Ultra 9 290K Plus and RTX 5090 D delivers the highest FPS across the tested matrix. The nearest rival combos are not listed, so no direct deltaPct is available for the in-game rank, but the sheer number of competing setups—2,944—emphasizes the significance of the achievement. The data is measured, not estimated, which adds confidence to the ranking.

In practical terms, this rank means that users with this combo will experience the best possible frame rates Palworld can offer on this benchmark database. The CPU’s high single-core performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7,303) and the GPU’s massive shading throughput work in tandem to minimize bottlenecks. The rank also implies that lower-tier combos will see proportionally lower FPS, though the exact scaling for other combinations is not provided.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture across three resolutions and four settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 383 FPS, which is the highest recorded value. Medium settings at the same resolution yield 311 FPS, with a min FPS of 264 and a max FPS of 357. High settings produce 239 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 181 FPS. These numbers show a clear progression: each step from Low to Ultra reduces FPS by roughly 20-25%, with the largest absolute drop occurring between Medium and High (72 FPS) and the smallest between High and Ultra (58 FPS).

At 2560x1440, the pattern repeats but with lower absolute values. Low settings average 252 FPS, Medium averages 205 FPS (min 174, max 235), High averages 157 FPS, and Ultra averages 119 FPS. The relative differences are consistent with the 1080p results: Medium is 19% lower than Low, High is 23% lower than Medium, and Ultra is 24% lower than High. This consistency suggests that the settings scale uniformly regardless of resolution, which is a sign of a well-balanced GPU workload.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS for Low is 140, Medium is 114 (min 96, max 131), High is 87, and Ultra is 66. The drop from Low to Medium is 19%, from Medium to High is 24%, and from High to Ultra is 24%. The 4K results are the most demanding, and the Ultra preset’s 66 FPS is the lowest average in the entire dataset. However, even this value is above 60 FPS, indicating that the combo can handle 4K gaming at the highest settings without falling below a common playability threshold.

The min FPS data, available only for Medium, shows that the lowest frame rate at 1080p is 264, at 1440p is 174, and at 4K is 96. These values are 85%, 85%, and 84% of their respective averages, indicating minimal frame time spikes. The max FPS values for Medium are 357 at 1080p, 235 at 1440p, and 131 at 4K, showing that the GPU can burst above its average under favorable conditions. The absence of min/max data for Low, High, and Ultra presets means that only averages are available for those settings, but the Medium data provides a proxy for overall frame pacing stability.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, all settings deliver well above 60 FPS, with even Ultra averaging 181 FPS. The data shows that Low offers 383 FPS, which is overkill for most displays, while Medium at 311 FPS provides a balance between visual quality and performance. High at 239 FPS and Ultra at 181 FPS are also viable, but the diminishing returns from Medium to Ultra (a 42% FPS drop) suggest that Medium is the sweet spot for 1080p if the goal is to maintain high refresh rates without sacrificing too much visual fidelity.

For 2560x1440, the recommendations shift. Low at 252 FPS is excellent for competitive play, but Medium at 205 FPS still offers a high frame rate with better visuals. High at 157 FPS is suitable for 144 Hz monitors, while Ultra at 119 FPS is borderline for 120 Hz displays. The data indicates that Medium provides the best experience for most users, as it maintains a 205 FPS average with a min FPS of 174, ensuring smooth gameplay even in busy scenes. High is a reasonable alternative if visual quality is prioritized, but the 48 FPS gap between Medium and High is noticeable.

At 3840x2160, the choices are more constrained. Low at 140 FPS is the only preset that comfortably exceeds 120 FPS, making it the choice for high-refresh 4K monitors. Medium at 114 FPS (min 96) is the best option for a balance of quality and performance, as it stays above 100 FPS on average and rarely dips below 96. High at 87 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action, while Ultra at 66 FPS is the minimum recommended for a cinematic experience. Given the data, Medium is the recommended preset for 4K, as it delivers 114 FPS with a min of 96, which is more consistent than High’s 87 FPS average.

The overall recommendation across all resolutions is Medium settings. At 1080p, Medium offers 311 FPS; at 1440p, it offers 205 FPS; and at 4K, it offers 114 FPS. This preset provides the best combination of frame rate and visual quality, with min FPS values of 264, 174, and 96 respectively, ensuring a stable experience. Low settings are only advisable for esports-style play at 1080p or 1440p, where maximum FPS is paramount, while High and Ultra are best reserved for users who prioritize graphics over frame rate and have displays with lower refresh rates. The measured data supports Medium as the default choice, with the caveat that 4K Ultra users must accept a 66 FPS average.