Fivem

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread desktop processor from the Core Ultra Series 2, built on Arrow Lake Refresh architecture using a 3 nm process. It operates at a base clock of 3.70 GHz and can boost up to 5.80 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The CPU features a substantial cache hierarchy: 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, delivering 115.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and includes an integrated Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU unit, though the discrete GPU handles rendering in this configuration.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates exceptionally strong multi-threaded performance. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 51,731, while the single-core score is 7,303. The PassMark multi-thread score reaches 60,860, and the single-thread score is 4,823. These results place the CPU in the 96th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84,003. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (0.2% higher score), AMD EPYC 4584PX (1.1% higher), AMD EPYC 9135 (1.2% higher), and AMD EPYC 7F72 (1.3% lower). The close margins between these chips indicate that the 290K Plus sits at the very top of the desktop CPU hierarchy.

For Fivem, a multiplayer modification framework that builds on Grand Theft Auto V's engine, the CPU's role is significant because the game's simulation and scripting workloads—particularly in multiplayer environments with many players and entities—tend to be CPU-bound at lower resolutions. The data supports this: at 1080p Low settings, the measured average FPS reaches 122, which is the highest across all tested configurations. This suggests that when the GPU is not heavily taxed, the CPU's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core of 7,303) is sufficient to push frame rates well beyond 120 FPS. The 24 threads also help with background tasks and the game's multi-threaded content streaming, though Fivem's core simulation loop typically relies more on single-thread speed.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s and DDR5 support further contribute to smooth data flow, which matters in Fivem's open-world environment where assets are streamed continuously. However, the benchmark data indicates that the CPU is not the limiting factor in most configurations; rather, the GPU becomes the bottleneck as resolution and settings increase.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus fast enough for Fivem at high frame rates?

A: Yes, the data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 122 average FPS, which is the highest measured result. Even at 1080p High, it maintains 77 FPS. The CPU's single-thread score of 7,303 in Cinebench R23 and PassMark single-thread score of 4,823 indicate strong per-core performance that Fivem's simulation logic benefits from.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in overall performance?

A: The 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003, placing it 0.2% behind the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, 1.1% behind the AMD EPYC 4584PX, and 1.2% behind the AMD EPYC 9135. It is 1.3% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7F72. These differences are minimal, indicating that the 290K Plus is essentially tied with the fastest processors available.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in Fivem?

A: The bottleneck shifts with resolution and settings. At 1080p Low, the CPU appears capable of feeding the GPU enough data for 122 FPS. But at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 22, which is a 82% reduction from 1080p Low. This indicates the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions and quality presets.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking among all processors?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus sits in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it outperforms 96% of processors in the benchmark database. Its average benchmark score of 84,003 reflects top-tier performance across mixed workloads.

Q: Does the CPU's 24-thread configuration help in Fivem?

A: The data does not isolate thread count effects directly, but the high multi-thread scores (Cinebench R23 multi-core of 51,731 and PassMark multi-thread of 60,860) suggest ample capacity for background processes. In Fivem, which can have many scripts and client-side processes running, having 24 threads reduces the chance of CPU contention, though the game's primary rendering thread still benefits most from the 3.70 GHz base and 5.80 GHz boost clocks.

Q: How does the CPU's cache size impact Fivem performance?

A: The 36 MB of shared L3 cache, along with 3 MB of L2 per core, helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores. In an open-world multiplayer game like Fivem, where map data and entity state are accessed repeatedly, larger caches can reduce memory latency. The measured FPS figures do not break out cache effects, but the overall performance at 1080p Low (122 FPS) suggests the memory subsystem is not a significant bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti ranks 2,588th out of 3,005 tested combos in Fivem. This places it in the lower portion of the rankings, around the 14th percentile (since 2,588 out of 3,005 means only 417 combos are worse). This relatively low rank is striking given that the CPU is in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 41st percentile of all GPUs. The imbalance explains the ranking: the GTX 1660 Ti holds back the system in a game that scales heavily with GPU load at higher settings.

The combo's rank of 2,588 out of 3,005 indicates that most other tested configurations achieve higher average FPS in Fivem. This is consistent with the GPU being a mid-range part from 2019, now end-of-life, while the CPU is a flagship 2024-2025 part. The data shows that the GPU's PassMark G3D score is 12,871, which is in the 41st percentile, meaning 59% of GPUs score higher. In contrast, the CPU's 96th percentile ranking means it outperforms nearly all CPUs. The combo rank reflects the weaker link in the chain.

When looking at the measured FPS, the best result is 122 FPS at 1080p Low, which is a playable frame rate. However, at higher settings and resolutions, the combo falls below 60 FPS, which is the threshold for smooth gameplay in many titles. Specifically, 1440p High averages 51 FPS, and 4K High averages 28 FPS. These figures place the combo in the lower quartile of tested configurations for these settings, explaining its overall rank.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers four resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), for a total of 12 data points. All measurements are average FPS, with some entries also including minimum and maximum FPS.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the results are:

• Low: 122 average FPS
• Medium: 97 average FPS (minimum 82, maximum 111)
• High: 77 average FPS
• Ultra: 60 average FPS

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the results are:

• Low: 81 average FPS
• Medium: 64 average FPS (minimum 54, maximum 73)
• High: 51 average FPS
• Ultra: 39 average FPS

At 3840x2160 (4K), the results are:

• Low: 45 average FPS
• Medium: 35 average FPS (minimum 30, maximum 41)
• High: 28 average FPS
• Ultra: 22 average FPS

The progression within each resolution shows a consistent drop from Low to Ultra. At 1080p, the drop from Low (122 FPS) to Ultra (60 FPS) is a reduction of 62 FPS, or about 51%. At 1440p, the drop from Low (81 FPS) to Ultra (39 FPS) is 42 FPS, or about 52%. At 4K, the drop from Low (45 FPS) to Ultra (22 FPS) is 23 FPS, or about 51%. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions suggests that the GPU's performance scales similarly with settings at each resolution.

The minimum and maximum FPS data for Medium settings show some variability. At 1080p Medium, the range is 82 to 111 FPS around an average of 97, indicating a spread of 29 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 54 to 73 around an average of 64, a spread of 19 FPS. At 4K Medium, the range is 30 to 41 around an average of 35, a spread of 11 FPS. The narrowing range at higher resolutions suggests that GPU-bound scenarios produce more consistent frame times, while at lower resolutions, CPU or other factors introduce more variance.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows how FPS scales from 1080p to 4K across each settings preset. This analysis reveals which component becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases.

At Low settings, the FPS drops from 122 at 1080p to 81 at 1440p to 45 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 41 FPS (a 34% reduction), and from 1440p to 4K is 36 FPS (a 44% reduction). The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 77 FPS, which is a 63% reduction. This large drop suggests the GPU is heavily taxed even at Low settings when resolution increases.

At Medium settings, the FPS drops from 97 at 1080p to 64 at 1440p to 35 at 4K. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p is 33 FPS (34%), and from 1440p to 4K is 29 FPS (45%). The total drop is 62 FPS, a 64% reduction.

At High settings, the FPS drops from 77 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p to 28 at 4K. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p is 26 FPS (34%), and from 1440p to 4K is 23 FPS (45%). The total drop is 49 FPS, a 64% reduction.

At Ultra settings, the FPS drops from 60 at 1080p to 39 at 1440p to 22 at 4K. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p is 21 FPS (35%), and from 1440p to 4K is 17 FPS (44%). The total drop is 38 FPS, a 63% reduction.

The consistency of these percentage drops (roughly 34% from 1080p to 1440p, and 44-45% from 1440p to 4K) across all settings indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller FPS differences at higher resolutions, as the GPU becomes less stressed. Instead, the FPS continues to fall proportionally with pixel count (4K has 4 times the pixels of 1080p, and 2.25 times of 1440p), which is a classic sign of GPU-bound performance.

The 4K results are particularly telling. At 4K Low, the average FPS is 45, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. At 4K Ultra, it falls to 22 FPS, which is barely playable. The GTX 1660 Ti's 6 GB of VRAM and 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth are likely insufficient for 4K rendering in Fivem, as the game's open-world environment requires significant texture memory and fill rate.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience varies by resolution. The goal is to maintain at least 60 average FPS for smooth gameplay, with 30 FPS as a minimum threshold for playability.

At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 122 FPS, which is well above 60. The Medium preset offers 97 FPS, still comfortably above the threshold. The High preset drops to 77 FPS, which remains above 60. The Ultra preset sits at exactly 60 FPS, which is the minimum for smooth gameplay. Given that the Medium preset provides 97 FPS with a minimum of 82 FPS, it offers the best balance of visual quality and performance at 1080p. The High preset at 77 FPS is also viable, but Medium's higher average and tight minimum frame rate make it the safer choice.

At 1440p, the Low preset delivers 81 FPS, which is above 60. The Medium preset drops to 64 FPS, still above 60. The High preset falls to 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS is borderline playable but not smooth. For 1440p, the Medium preset at 64 FPS is the best choice, as it maintains a playable frame rate while offering better visuals than Low. The Low preset at 81 FPS is also viable for players who prefer higher frame rates over visual fidelity.

At 4K, none of the presets achieve 60 FPS. The Low preset delivers 45 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset at 35 FPS is playable with some stutter, as indicated by the minimum of 30 FPS. The High preset at 28 FPS and Ultra at 22 FPS are below the playable threshold. For 4K, the Low preset is the only reasonable option, providing 45 FPS. The Medium preset at 35 FPS may be acceptable for less action-heavy scenarios, but the minimum of 30 FPS suggests occasional frame drops.

Overall, the data suggests that for a smooth 60+ FPS experience, 1080p with High or Medium settings, or 1440p with Medium settings, are the best choices. At 4K, players must accept lower frame rates, with Low settings being the most playable option.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti is a Turing-architecture GPU based on the TU116 chip, manufactured on a 12 nm process. It features 1,536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with memory running at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective). It has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's pixel rate is 84.96 GPixel/s, texture rate is 169.9 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance is 5.437 TFLOPS. It has a 120 W TDP and requires a 300 W power supply.

In benchmarks, the GTX 1660 Ti achieves a PassMark G3D score of 12,871, placing it in the 41st percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 7,723. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 540 (0.7% higher score), AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (1.9% higher), AMD Radeon R7 250 (2.2% higher), and Intel Arc A310 (2.3% higher). These rivals are all low-end GPUs, which underscores that the GTX 1660 Ti is positioned at the lower end of the performance spectrum, despite being a capable 1080p card at its launch.

In Fivem, the GPU's role is critical at higher resolutions and settings. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low, the GPU can achieve 122 FPS, which indicates it is not the bottleneck at that configuration. However, as resolution increases, the GPU's limited pixel throughput (84.96 GPixel/s) and texture rate (169.9 GTexel/s) become constraining. At 4K Ultra, the FPS drops to 22, which is a 82% reduction from 1080p Low. This is consistent with the GPU being overwhelmed by the 4K pixel count (8.3 million pixels per frame) combined with Ultra settings that increase texture sampling and shading work.

The GPU's 6 GB of VRAM is also a factor. Fivem's open-world environment with custom assets and mods can exceed 6 GB of VRAM at higher settings, leading to texture paging and reduced performance. The 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth is moderate, and at 4K, the GPU must move more data per frame, which can saturate the memory bus.

The GTX 1660 Ti's DirectX 12 support (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility are adequate for Fivem, which runs on the Grand Theft Auto V engine that supports DirectX 11 and 12. However, the GPU lacks ray tracing and tensor cores, which are not utilized in Fivem but are present in newer GPUs. The GPU's end-of-life production status, with a launch MSRP of 279 USD, indicates it is a previous-generation product that struggles with modern titles at high resolutions.

In summary, the GTX 1660 Ti is the limiting component in this combo for Fivem at higher resolutions and settings. Its 41st percentile ranking among GPUs, combined with the CPU's 96th percentile ranking, creates a significant imbalance. The data shows that the GPU can handle 1080p and 1440p at medium settings, but 4K is only playable at Low settings. Players seeking higher frame rates at 4K would need a more powerful GPU, though the CPU would not be the limiting factor in such an upgrade.