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Wccftech’s PC performance report found that Phantom Blade Zero is demanding at native 4K: its RTX 5090 averaged 63 FPS, while tested RTX 40- and 50-series cards ranged from 34 to 51 FPS. The report also measured substantial performance costs from ray tracing and path tracing, with DLSS, FSR, XeSS and frame generation available as options. Results reflect one test system and should not be treated as universal benchmarks.
Phantom Blade Zero is available on PC, and a Wccftech performance report finds that running the action game at native 4K can be demanding even for recent graphics cards. In the outlet’s test, an RTX 5090 averaged 63 frames per second, while four other tested Nvidia cards delivered 34 to 51 FPS; enabling ray tracing or path tracing lowered performance further.
Wccftech tested the game on a system with an Intel Core i9-13900K, an MSI MEG Z790 ACE motherboard and 32 GB of DDR5-7600 memory. Its native 4K results were 63 FPS on the RTX 5090, 51 on the RTX 4090, 40 on the RTX 5080, 36 on the RTX 4080 Super and 34 on the RTX 5070 Ti. Those figures describe the tested setup and settings; the source does not provide results for every GPU or resolution.
The report’s separate preset comparison, also at 4K on an RTX 5090, recorded 103 FPS on Low, 99 on Medium, 85 on High, 72 on Very High and 67 on Ultra. Moving from Medium to High improved lighting, textures and the number of visible objects, according to the reviewer, while the report describes smaller visual gains at the top end alongside lower frame rates.
On that same RTX 5090 test, the report measured 52 FPS with ray tracing and 33 with path tracing, compared with 67 FPS for native Ultra. The game offers upscaling options from NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, Intel XeSS and Unreal Engine’s TSR, as well as frame generation. These features may change performance and image quality, but the supplied material does not give comparative benchmark results for each upscaler or frame-generation mode.
PC PERFORMANCE REPORT · NATIVE 4K
Phantom Blade Zero Pushes 4K Hardware
Wccftech’s test found demanding native 4K performance, even on recent graphics cards. Advanced lighting added a substantial measured cost on the RTX 5090. These results describe one test system, not a universal prediction.
Native 4K is a steep climb
Five Nvidia cards were tested at native 4K. The RTX 5090 led the group; the RTX 5070 Ti averaged 34 FPS in the reported setup.
Average frame rate · native 4K
FPS values are averages reported by Wccftech. Bar lengths share a 63 FPS maximum scale. Results can vary by system, settings, drivers, and game version.
More detail, fewer frames
On an RTX 5090 at 4K, the preset comparison ranged from 103 FPS on Low to 67 FPS on Ultra.
Fastest reported preset
The top frame rate in the preset comparison. Visual quality and the exact trade-offs depend on the chosen settings.
A visible step up
The reviewer noted improved lighting, textures, and visible objects when moving from Medium to High.
Smaller gains at the top
The report describes more modest visual gains at the highest presets, alongside a lower frame rate.
RTX 5090 · 4K preset comparison: Low 103 · Medium 99 · High 85 · Very High 72 · Ultra 67 FPS.
Path tracing carries the largest cost
The RTX 5090 comparison shows a clear performance drop as lighting effects increase. These are results for the reported card and settings.
Use the report as a reference point
Hardware, resolution, drivers, settings, and game updates can all change the result. The report does not establish playability or input latency.
Start with recommended
The game selects a suggested preset after checking PC hardware.
Choose a target
Balance resolution and quality for the frame rate you prefer.
Compare lighting
Test ray tracing or path tracing against native rendering on your PC.
Try upscaling
Options include DLSS, FSR, XeSS, and TSR; comparative results were not supplied.
Useful context, clear limits
The report identifies Unreal Engine 5.7.4 and a shader-compilation process. Its supplied results focus on Nvidia GPUs at 4K.
Features listed
Native rendering, ray tracing, path tracing, and Nvidia Ray Reconstruction. The report also lists frame generation support and multiple upscaling technologies.
Results not supplied
No equivalent benchmarks for AMD or Intel graphics cards, lower resolutions, every upscaler, or each frame-generation mode. The exact game build for every result is not specified.
Combat context
Phantom Blade Zero is a fast-paced action RPG. Frame-rate averages are not a controlled measure of responsiveness or how a setting feels in motion.
Review opinion
Wccftech reviewer Francesco De Meo awarded the game 10/10. That editorial assessment is separate from the measurable performance results.
Benchmark source: Wccftech PC performance report. Figures reflect the test setup and settings described in the supplied material.
The Cost of 4K Lighting Effects
The reported figures show a clear trade-off for PC players choosing between visual settings and frame rate. At native 4K, only the RTX 5090 exceeded 60 FPS among the five tested Nvidia GPUs, while ray tracing reduced its result relative to native Ultra and path tracing reduced it further. Players with other cards may need to lower resolution or quality settings, or use upscaling, to reach their preferred performance.
The trade-off matters because Phantom Blade Zero is built around fast-paced action combat, where responsiveness can affect the experience. The source presents frame-rate results, not a controlled assessment of input latency or playability, so the numbers alone do not establish how each configuration feels in motion. They do, however, indicate that the game’s advanced lighting options carry a substantial measured cost on the tested hardware.
For buyers comparing PC hardware or settings, the results offer a useful reference point rather than a guarantee. Performance can vary with the graphics card, resolution, driver, game version and settings. In particular, the headline 4K figures should not be read as predictions for 1440p or 1080p play.
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Settings and Test Conditions
The report identifies the game as running on Unreal Engine 5.7.4 and says it begins with a shader-compilation process. Its graphics menu includes preset choices and individual controls for shadows, reflections, lighting, effects, materials, ambient occlusion, anti-aliasing, view distance and character and environment detail. A recommended preset is selected after the game checks the PC hardware, according to the report.
Players can choose between native rendering, ray tracing and path tracing; the latter two are not enabled by default. The report says Nvidia RTX cards also support Ray Reconstruction in ray-tracing and path-tracing modes. Its tests used Nvidia driver 581.42, AMD driver 25.10.1 and Intel driver 32.0.101.8136, but the supplied material does not specify the exact game build used for every result.
The review describes the game as an action RPG focused on combat and says its fights can require experience, while not characterizing the game as a pure souls-like. Wccftech also quotes reviewer Francesco De Meo, who awarded it 10/10. That assessment is an opinion from the review, distinct from the measurable PC performance results.
“S-Game has delivered a masterpiece with its first major PC and console release that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the absolute peak of the genre.”
— Wccftech reviewer Francesco De Meo
How Results Vary Across PCs
The published figures are limited to one test configuration and a set of Nvidia GPUs at 4K. The source does not supply equivalent results for AMD or Intel graphics cards, lower resolutions, different processors, or a broader range of hardware. It also does not report average frame rates for each combination of upscaling and frame generation.
The report says frame generation is available at up to 2x for AMD, 4x for Intel and 6x for Nvidia, and that Nvidia Dynamic Multi Frame Generation can be enabled through the Nvidia app. Those are supported modes described by the source, not evidence that every mode produces a particular frame rate or visual result. It is also unclear from the supplied material whether later game or driver updates have changed performance.
Compare Before Choosing Settings
Players can use the game’s hardware-based recommended preset as a starting point, then adjust resolution, graphics quality and upscaling to suit their system. Those looking at ray tracing or path tracing should compare performance against native rendering on their own PC, since the published results are tied to Wccftech’s RTX 5090 test system.
Further testing across more GPUs, resolutions, game versions and upscaling modes would help establish how widely these results apply. The supplied source does not announce a forthcoming benchmark update or a specific patch schedule, so any changes to performance remain unconfirmed.
Key Questions
What did Phantom Blade Zero score at native 4K in the reported tests?
Wccftech reported 63 FPS on an RTX 5090, 51 on an RTX 4090, 40 on an RTX 5080, 36 on an RTX 4080 Super and 34 on an RTX 5070 Ti. These figures come from one test system and should not be treated as results for every PC.
How much did ray tracing and path tracing affect the RTX 5090 result?
In the report’s 4K comparison, the RTX 5090 delivered 67 FPS at native Ultra, 52 with ray tracing and 33 with path tracing. The figures are specific to that card and test setup.
Does the PC version include upscaling and frame generation?
Yes. The source lists DLSS, FSR, XeSS and TSR upscaling options, along with frame-generation modes. It does not provide benchmark comparisons showing the results for every option.
Can these benchmarks predict performance on my PC?
Not precisely. The reported tests used one Intel-based system and tested Nvidia GPUs at 4K. Resolution, hardware, drivers, game version and settings can all affect results.
Source: Wccftech
