Core i9-14900K + RTX 4090 in Elden Ring

Every figure below is a measurement aggregated from published review charts — the CPU's frame-rate ceiling and the GPU's frame-rate ceiling in this game, combined. Settings: Highest settings (TechPowerUp RTX 5090 review suite), framerate cap removed - the shipped game caps at 60 fps. CPU ceiling measured at 1080p, highest settings (TechPowerUp CPU suite), RTX 4090, framerate cap removed.

1080p

Mild CPU limit

Expected frame rate: 168–168 fps (measured range across sources).

CPU Core i9-14900Kceiling ~168 fps on its own

GPU RTX 4090ceiling ~202 fps on its own

The CPU side is lower by about 16.4%: the pair runs at the lower ceiling, and upgrading the other part alone would not raise it.

That range feeds a 165 Hz or faster monitor — this is high-refresh territory in this game.

Confidence: MEDIUM — based on 2 source measurements for these two parts.

1440p

Balanced pairing

Expected frame rate: 168–168 fps (measured range across sources).

CPU Core i9-14900Kceiling ~168 fps on its own

GPU RTX 4090ceiling ~197 fps on its own

The two measured ceilings sit within 14.5% of each other — neither part wastes much of the other.

That range feeds a 165 Hz or faster monitor — this is high-refresh territory in this game.

Confidence: MEDIUM — based on 2 source measurements for these two parts.

4K

Mild GPU limit

Expected frame rate: 134–134 fps (measured range across sources).

CPU Core i9-14900Kceiling ~168 fps on its own

GPU RTX 4090ceiling ~134 fps on its own

The GPU side is lower by about 20.4%: the pair runs at the lower ceiling, and upgrading the other part alone would not raise it.

That range justifies a 144 Hz monitor in this game.

Confidence: MEDIUM — based on 2 source measurements for these two parts.

This pair in other measured games

• Alan Wake 2 — Strong GPU limit, 117–117 fps at 1440p
• Baldur's Gate 3 — Strong CPU limit, 123–123 fps at 1440p
• Counter-Strike 2 — Mild GPU limit, 451–451 fps at 1440p
• Cyberpunk 2077 — this pair is not both measured there yet.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II — Mild GPU limit, 159–159 fps at 1440p
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 — Balanced, 159–159 fps at 1440p
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 — Balanced, 88–88 fps at 1440p
• Starfield — Strong GPU limit, 78–114 fps at 1440p

Sources for Elden Ring

• TechPowerUp

Full data: Elden Ring benchmarks · how verdicts are computed.