Ryzen 5 3600 + RX 6800 XT in Starfield

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: Ultra preset, native rendering, no upscaling, no frame generation. CPU ceiling measured at 1080p, Low preset (reviewers' CPU-isolation method), flagship GPU.

1080p

Balanced pairing

Expected frame rate: 60–82 fps (measured range across sources).

CPU Ryzen 5 3600ceiling ~66–82 fps on its own

GPU RX 6800 XTceiling ~60–84 fps on its own

The two measured ceilings sit within 2.4% of each other — neither part wastes much of the other.

That range suits a 60 Hz monitor; a high-refresh panel would be underused in this game.

Confidence: LOW — based on 4 source measurements for these two parts.

1440p

Mild GPU limit

Expected frame rate: 47–68 fps (measured range across sources).

CPU Ryzen 5 3600ceiling ~66–82 fps on its own

GPU RX 6800 XTceiling ~47–68 fps on its own

The GPU side is lower by about 22.1%: the pair runs at the lower ceiling, and upgrading the other part alone would not raise it.

That range suits a 60 Hz monitor; a high-refresh panel would be underused in this game.

Confidence: LOW — based on 4 source measurements for these two parts.

4K

Strong GPU limit

Expected frame rate: 29–44 fps (measured range across sources).

CPU Ryzen 5 3600ceiling ~66–82 fps on its own

GPU RX 6800 XTceiling ~29–44 fps on its own

The GPU side is lower by about 50.7%: the pair runs at the lower ceiling, and upgrading the other part alone would not raise it.

That range sits under a smooth 60 in this game at the tested preset — expect to trade settings for frame rate.

Confidence: HIGH — based on 4 source measurements for these two parts.

GPUs measured in this game at 1440p that clear this CPU:

RTX 5070 — ceiling ~77 fps (smallest step that removes the limit) · full result
RTX 5090 — ceiling ~134 fps (strongest measured) · full result

This pair in other measured games

Alan Wake 2 — this pair is not both measured there yet.
Baldur's Gate 3 — Strong CPU limit, 66–66 fps at 1440p
Counter-Strike 2 — this pair is not both measured there yet.
Cyberpunk 2077 — this pair is not both measured there yet.
Elden Ring — this pair is not both measured there yet.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II — this pair is not both measured there yet.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 — this pair is not both measured there yet.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 — this pair is not both measured there yet.

Sources for Starfield

Full data: Starfield benchmarks · how verdicts are computed.