Fivem

Fivem, a multiplayer modification platform for Grand Theft Auto V, presents a unique performance profile that is heavily dependent on both the underlying game engine and the server-side scripts of individual communities. The measured data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER reveals a configuration that is capable of delivering playable frame rates at 1080p, but one that struggles significantly as resolution increases. This analysis walks through the resolution scaling, settings impact, and the distinct roles the CPU and GPU play in this specific combination.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data shows a clear and steep decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, indicating that the graphics card becomes the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. At the High preset, the average FPS drops from 77 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p, a substantial 26-frame reduction. Moving to 4K at the same High preset, the average plummets to 28 FPS, which is a 64% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering workload at 4K overwhelms the GTX 1660 SUPER's capabilities.

The impact of resolution is even more pronounced when considering the Low preset. The system achieves an average of 123 FPS at 1080p, but this drops to 81 FPS at 1440p and further to 45 FPS at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at Low settings shows a 36 FPS drop, illustrating that even with minimal graphical demands, the pixel count at 4K is too much for this GPU. The data suggests that the GTX 1660 SUPER, with its 6 GB of VRAM and 192-bit memory bus, is simply not equipped to handle the fill-rate requirements of 4K resolution in Fivem, regardless of the quality preset.

The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Medium settings shows a reduction from 97 FPS to 64 FPS, a 33 FPS drop. This is a significant loss of smoothness, moving from a very fluid experience to one that is on the edge of acceptability for competitive play. The pattern is consistent: Fivem at 1440p requires a more powerful GPU than what is present in this combo to maintain high frame rates. The 1080p resolution is clearly the sweet spot for this pairing, where the CPU can feed the GPU enough data to maintain playable performance across all settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this CPU and GPU combo for a consistent experience?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo maintains an average FPS above 60 on all presets except Ultra. At 1440p, the average FPS at High settings is 51, and at 4K, it drops to 28 FPS, making higher resolutions unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How much of a performance difference is there between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The average frame rate at 1080p on the Low preset is 123 FPS, while the Ultra preset delivers 60 FPS. This represents a 63 FPS difference, indicating that the Ultra preset demands significantly more graphical processing power, halving the frame rate compared to Low.

Q: Is this combination more limited by the CPU or the GPU at 1080p?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiter at 1080p. The frame rate scales significantly with graphical settings (from 123 FPS at Low to 60 FPS at Ultra), which is a classic sign of GPU limitation. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the frame rate would remain more consistent across different quality presets.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Fivem?

A: No, the measured data shows that at 3840x2160, the average FPS is below 45 even on the Low preset. The best average FPS at 4K is 45 on Low, which is not a smooth experience. The Ultra preset at 4K averages only 22 FPS, which is unplayable.

Q: Which preset offers the most balanced performance at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset provides an average of 64 FPS. This is the highest average FPS above 60 at that resolution, as the High preset drops to 51 FPS. The Low preset is higher at 81 FPS, but Medium offers a more balanced visual quality to performance ratio.

Q: How does the minimum FPS compare to the average FPS on the Medium preset?

A: The measured data includes minimum FPS only for the Medium preset. At 1080p, the average is 97 FPS with a minimum of 82 FPS. At 1440p, the average is 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS. At 4K, the average is 35 FPS with a minimum of 30 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Analyzing the measured rows, the Medium preset at 1920x1080 offers the best balance between visual fidelity and performance. The average FPS of 97 with a minimum of 82 ensures a consistently smooth experience, well above the 60 FPS threshold typically desired for action games. The 82 FPS minimum is particularly important, as it indicates that the frame rate does not dip into stutter territory during intense scenes with multiple players or script-heavy areas.

While the Low preset at 1080p provides the highest average FPS at 123, the visual compromise is likely too significant for most users. The High preset at 1080p, averaging 77 FPS, is also a viable option for those who prioritize image quality over maximum frame rate. However, the Medium preset's 97 FPS average and 82 FPS minimum provides a more comfortable margin above the 60 FPS baseline, making it the most reliable choice for a stable experience.

For users with a 1440p monitor, the Medium preset is the only option that maintains an average above 60 FPS, achieving 64 FPS. However, the minimum FPS of 54 indicates that there will be noticeable dips below the 60 FPS mark, which can be distracting. The data suggests that for the best overall experience, users should stick to 1080p with Medium or High settings, as the performance at higher resolutions is too inconsistent to recommend.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER ranks at position 2569 out of 3005 tested combos in Fivem. This places it in the lower 15% of all tested configurations, indicating that while it is a functional setup, it is far from being a high-performance one for this particular game. The rank reflects the significant GPU bottleneck at higher resolutions and the overall modest performance ceiling of the GTX 1660 SUPER.

The CPU itself is a strong performer, with an average benchmark score of 36938 and a percentile ranking of 85 against all CPUs. This suggests that the processor is not the limiting factor in this combo's low rank. The GPU, on the other hand, has an average benchmark score of 12986 and a percentile ranking of 53, which is a mid-range result. The disparity in percentile rankings between the CPU (85) and GPU (53) highlights that the graphics card is holding back the system's overall performance in Fivem, which is a GPU-intensive game at higher resolutions.

The combo's rank of 2569 indicates that a significant number of other tested combinations deliver better performance. This is likely due to the age and tier of the GTX 1660 SUPER, which, despite being a capable 1080p card, struggles to compete with more modern or higher-end GPUs in the context of Fivem's demanding multiplayer environments. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can provide a decent experience, but it will not excel in any higher resolution scenarios.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER is the clear bottleneck in this configuration for Fivem. Its performance is defined by its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. In Fivem, which often has large, detailed environments and many dynamic objects, the 6 GB VRAM capacity can become a limiting factor at higher resolutions and texture settings, potentially causing performance degradation or texture pop-in.

The GPU's clock speeds are listed with a base of 1530 MHz and a boost of 1785 MHz. The boost clock is what the card will typically achieve under load, and it directly influences the frame rate. With 1408 shading units and 48 ROPs, the card has a pixel rate of 85.68 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 157.1 GTexel/s. These specifications explain the performance scaling seen in the data: at 1080p, the card has enough fill-rate to handle most scenes, but at 4K, the required pixel throughput nearly quadruples, causing the average FPS to drop to the 22-45 range.

The GPU's benchmark scores further support its role as a mid-range performer. Its Passmark G3D score is 12699, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1278. These numbers place it in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, showing it is a slightly above-average card. In Fivem, this translates to a card that can handle 1080p with ease but begins to struggle at 1440p and is not viable for 4K. The performance data confirms that the GTX 1660 SUPER is the primary determinant of frame rate, especially as resolution increases.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured data shows a wide range of performance across different settings. The Low preset yields an average of 123 FPS, which is exceptionally smooth. The Medium preset averages 97 FPS, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 111 FPS, offering a very stable experience. The High preset drops to an average of 77 FPS, while the Ultra preset brings the average down to 60 FPS. This shows a clear linear relationship between settings and performance at 1080p.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS figures are significantly lower. The Low preset averages 81 FPS, which is still smooth, but the Medium preset drops to an average of 64 FPS, with a minimum of 54 FPS. The High preset averages 51 FPS, making it a less desirable option for fast-paced gameplay. The Ultra preset averages only 40 FPS, which is below the threshold for comfortable play for most users.

At 3840x2160, the performance is marginal at best. The Low preset is the only one that averages above 40 FPS, with a score of 45. The Medium preset averages 35 FPS, with a minimum of 30 FPS. The High preset drops to 28 FPS, and the Ultra preset plummets to 22 FPS. These numbers clearly indicate that 4K resolution is not a viable option for this combo, as even the lowest settings cannot maintain a stable 60 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a high-performance processor with 10 cores and 10 threads, operating at a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This architecture is built on a 3 nm process node, making it very power-efficient with a 65 W TDP. Its benchmark scores are strong, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891 and a single-core score of 3655, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CPUs. These results indicate that the CPU is more than capable of handling the game's logic and physics calculations.

In Fivem, the CPU's role is critical for handling the game's server-side scripts and the logic for multiple players and vehicles. The high single-core performance of the Ultra 5 225 is particularly beneficial, as Fivem's engine is known to be sensitive to single-threaded performance. The Passmark single-thread score of 4412 and the Cinebench R15 single-core score of 368 confirm that this CPU has excellent per-core performance, which helps maintain stable frame rates in populated areas.

The data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in this combo. The frame rates scale dramatically with resolution and graphical settings, which is a clear sign of a GPU bottleneck. In contrast, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 123 FPS, indicating that the CPU can feed the GPU with enough data to reach high frame rates. The CPU's L3 cache of 20 MB and support for DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s also contribute to its ability to handle the demands of Fivem, ensuring that it does not hold back the GTX 1660 SUPER in this pairing.