Fortnite

Fortnite, the ever-popular battle royale, presents an interesting stress test for the Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070. The benchmark data paints a clear picture of a system that is heavily dictated by graphical settings and resolution, with the CPU providing a robust foundation. This analysis delves into the measured results to understand the performance characteristics of this specific combination.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

Resolution scaling reveals a classic bottleneck story. At 1080p, the system is clearly CPU-bound. The data shows the average FPS at "Low" settings jumps from 278 at 1920x1080 to 176 at 2560x1440, a 37% reduction. The drop from 1440p to 4K is even more severe, with the 4K Low average sinking to 93 FPS, a 47% reduction from 1440p. This massive scaling factor at the "Low" preset confirms that the GPU is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions; the CPU is. The i5-10400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, simply runs out of headroom to feed the RTX 3070 at 1080p, capping the frame rate.

Conversely, at the "Ultra" preset, the bottleneck shifts entirely to the GPU. The 1080p Ultra average is 100 FPS. This drops to 64 FPS at 1440p (a 36% reduction) and 34 FPS at 4K (a 47% reduction from 1440p). The scaling from 1440p to 4K is nearly identical to the "Low" preset's scaling, suggesting that at the "Ultra" settings, the GPU is saturated, and the CPU has enough headroom to keep up. The fact that the 1440p to 4K performance drop is so consistent at both extremes of the settings spectrum is a classic indicator of a GPU-bound scenario at high resolutions.

The "Medium" preset tells a more balanced story. The average FPS scales from 196 at 1080p to 124 at 1440p, a 37% reduction, and then to 66 at 4K, a 47% reduction. This pattern is the same as the "Low" preset, which implies the system is not purely GPU-bound at this preset. The CPU is likely still the limiting factor for these frames, especially in the 1080p and 1440p cases. The 4K Medium data shows a minimum of 56 FPS and a maximum of 76 FPS, a narrow range that indicates a stable frame time distribution.

The data for the "High" preset shows a similar trend. The average FPS goes from 152 at 1080p to 96 at 1440p, a 37% drop, and then to 51 at 4K, a 47% drop. This scaling pattern, almost identical to the "Medium" and "Low" presets, is a strong sign that the system is heavily CPU-bound at 1080p and 1440p. Only at 4K does the GPU become the primary constraint, as the raw pixel throughput becomes overwhelming for the RTX 3070.

The 4K Ultra setting is the most demanding, with an average FPS of just 34. This is below the 60 FPS threshold and indicates the GPU is completely saturated. The 1080p Ultra average of 100 FPS is a good example of the CPU's strength, as it's the only preset where the 1080p and 1440p scores are not bottlenecked by the CPU, but by the GPU's fill rate. The data implies that for competitive play, the 1080p Medium setting is the sweet spot, while 4K is only viable for those prioritizing visual fidelity over frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific configuration, the Intel Core i5-10400F combined with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, holds the rank of 1592 out of 3700 tested combos in Fortnite. This places it in the 43rd percentile of all tested combinations, meaning it performs better than 43% of all other combos tested. This is a mid-pack ranking, which is a notable position for a system that features a dedicated GPU.

The combo's rank is a direct result of the interplay between the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads and the GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. While the RTX 3070 is a powerful card, its performance in Fortnite is not entirely independent. The CPU's 3DMark scores, such as the 4,748 for 16 threads and 4,735 for max threads, are respectable but not top-tier, which could be a limiting factor in a fast-paced game like Fortnite where high single-core performance is often critical.

Looking at the nearestRivals, the i5-10400F is closely matched with other processors. The Intel Xeon 6756E has an average score of 14,163, a measly 0.2% ahead, and the AMD EPYC 7552 is 0.5% ahead with a score of 14,115. On the other side, the Intel Core 7 160UL is 0.3% behind, and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C is 0.6% behind. This tight grouping shows the i5-10400F sits at a performance equilibrium with a wide range of server and mobile processors in synthetic benchmarks, which might not translate perfectly to gaming.

The RTX 3070's performance is also closely mirrored by its nearest rivals. The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is only 0.7% behind in average score, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 and AMD Radeon HD 7970M are 1.0% and 1.1% behind, respectively. The NVIDIA Tesla K40c is 1.5% ahead. This indicates that the RTX 3070 is in a performance class with these cards, but its specific features, like 8GB of GDDR6 and 46 RT cores, do not necessarily guarantee a massive lead in Fortnite.

The 1592 rank out of 3700 combos in this test is a clear signal that while the individual components are capable, the combination is not exceptional in this specific game. The results suggest that Fortnite is more sensitive to CPU performance than some other titles, and the i5-10400F's 6 cores, while decent, are not the absolute top-tier for title. The data indicates the system is well-balanced but not an outlier in the database.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The RTX 3070's memory configuration is a key factor in this game's results. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This is a substantial amount of memory bandwidth, but Fortnite's textures and effects can still consume it at higher settings. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 34, which suggests the GPU is not only limited by its processing power but possibly also by its memory bandwidth.

The GPU's clocks are also important. It has a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1725 MHz. The memory clock is 1750 MHz, which translates to an effective data rate of 14 Gbps. These clock speeds are not the highest in the GeForce 30-series, but they are sufficient for a 1440p experience. In the measured data, the 1440p High preset achieves an average of 96 FPS, and the 1440p Medium hits 124 FPS. These are strong results for a game like Fortnite, and they show the GPU is capable of handling the game's demands.

The GPU's transistor density is 44.4 million per square millimeter, and it has a die size of 392 mm². With 5888 shading units, 184 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, the RTX 3070 has a high pixel rate of 165.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 317.4 GTexel/s. These raw specifications contribute to the GPU's ability to render at high frame rates, but the game's engine also relies on the CPU to process game logic, which can be a limiting factor.

The RTX 3070's FP32 performance is 20.31 TFLOPS, and its FP16 performance is also 20.31 TFLOPS (1:1). These compute figures are impressive, but Fortnite is a game that is not heavily reliant on pure compute power. Instead, the GPU's rasterization performance, which is a function of its pixel and texture rates, is what matters more. The passmark G3D score of 22,214 is a strong indicator of overall graphics performance, and it sits in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. This places the RTX 3070 as a high-end GPU, but not at the top tier.

The GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is a potential limitation at 4K Ultra settings. The 4K Ultra average FPS of 34 is low, and while it's a GPU-bound scenario, the memory's 448 GB/s bandwidth might not be the sole cause. The game's textures at Ultra settings could be requiring more than 8 GB of VRAM, causing the GPU to fall back to system memory, which would hurt performance. This effect is less pronounced at 1080p and 1440p, where the Ultra presets still achieve 100 and 64 FPS respectively.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS for this setup at 1080p High settings?

A: The average FPS is 152. The game runs smoothly at this setting, indicating the CPU and GPU are well-balanced for this resolution.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with the RTX 3070 and i5-10400F in Fortnite?

A: At 4K with Medium settings, the average FPS is 66, which is playable. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 34 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the i5-10400F's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-10400F has an average score of 14,185. Its closest rival, the Intel Xeon 6756E, is 0.2% faster, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C is 0.6% slower. The differences are minimal.

Q: What is the maximum FPS recorded at 1440p Medium?

A: The maximum FPS at 1440p Medium is 143, with a minimum of 106 and an average of 124. This shows a consistent performance in that setting.

Q: Does the RTX 3070 have enough VRAM for Fortnite at all settings?

A: The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. At 4K Ultra, the performance drops to 34 FPS, which may indicate that the VRAM is a limiting factor at that resolution.

Q: What is the combo's rank in Fortnite compared to all other tested combos?

A: The combination of i5-10400F and RTX 3070 ranks 1592 out of 3700 combos in Fortnite, placing it in the 43rd percentile.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the performance for this combination. At 1920x1080, the "Low" preset delivers an average of 278 FPS. This is the highest frame rate recorded for this setup, showcasing the CPU's capability to drive high frames at lower resolutions. The "Medium" preset at 1080p has an average of 196 FPS with a minimum of 166 and a maximum of 225. The "High" preset averages 152 FPS, and the "Ultra" preset averages 100 FPS. These results show a steady decline as settings are increased.

Moving to 2560x1440, the "Low" preset averages 176 FPS. The "Medium" preset yields an average of 124 FPS with a minimum of 106 and a maximum of 143. The "High" preset drops to 96 FPS, and the "Ultra" preset falls to 64 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across all settings, reinforcing the idea that the system is CPU-bound at lower resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the "Low" preset averages 93 FPS. The "Medium" preset has an average of 66 FPS with a minimum of 56 and a maximum of 76. The "High" preset averages 51 FPS, and the "Ultra" preset averages 34 FPS. The 4K results show a significant drop from 1440p, indicating that the GPU is now the bottleneck. The 4K High average of 51 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold, making it less ideal for smooth gameplay.

The data shows a clear trend: as resolution increases, the CPU's influence wanes and the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The 1080p Low result of 278 FPS is a CPU-bound number, while the 4K Ultra result of 34 FPS is a GPU-bound number. The system can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming with ease, but 4K is a challenge for the RTX 3070, especially at higher settings.

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

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Comet Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. In the context of Fortnite, these 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient to handle the game's engine, which is known for its scalability. The CPU's performance in the 3DMark tests shows a score of 4,748 for 16 threads and 4,735 for max threads, indicating that the CPU can leverage its multi-threading capabilities.

The CPU's single-core performance is also important for Fortnite, as the game often relies on a few primary threads. The 3DMark single-thread score is 688, and the Cinebench R23 single-core score is 1,451. These scores are respectable, but they are not top-tier. The 1080p Low preset average of 278 FPS reflects the CPU's ability to push high frames, but the 4K Ultra average of 34 FPS shows that the GPU is the limiting factor at higher resolutions.

The CPU's memory support is DDR4, and it has a dual-channel memory bus with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. This is a standard configuration for a desktop CPU, but it is not a bottleneck for the game. The game's data is likely well-cached, and the CPU's 12 MB of L3 cache is shared, which helps with performance. The CPU's TDP is 65 W, and it has a 14 nm process node.

The i5-10400F's release date is April 2020, and it is still an active production status. Its performance in the benchmarks shows an average score of 14,185, with a percentile of 68% against all CPUs. This means it outperforms 68% of all CPUs. The nearest rival, the Intel Xeon 6756E, is only 0.2% faster, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C is 0.6% slower. This indicates the i5-10400F is deep in a performance cluster.

The CPU's role in the measured results is clear: it is the bottleneck at lower resolutions, but it provides enough power to not be the limiting factor at 4K. The 6 cores and 12 threads are a solid match for the RTX 3070, and the clock speeds are adequate for the game. The data shows that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at 1440p Medium, where the average FPS is 124, but at 1080p Low, the CPU is definitely pushing the system to its limit.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured data allows for a clear recommendation based on the desired gaming experience. For a high-refresh-rate monitor, the 1080p Medium preset is the optimal choice, delivering an average of 196 FPS with a minimum of 166 and a maximum of 225. This provides a fluid experience that is well above the 60 FPS threshold and takes advantage of the system's CPU capability.

For a 1440p monitor, the Medium preset is also a good option, with an average of 124 FPS and a minimum of 106. This is above the 60 FPS target and offers a smooth experience. The High preset at 1440p yields an average of 96 FPS, which is also acceptable. The Ultra preset drops to 64 FPS, which might be too low for some players, but it is still above the 60 FPS threshold.

For 4K gaming, the results are mixed. The Low preset averages 93 FPS, which is excellent for 4K, but the visual quality is not ideal. The Medium preset averages 66 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold, but it has a minimum of 56 FPS, which could cause noticeable dips. The High preset averages 51 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 34 FPS, both of which are below the 60 FPS target. For a locked 4K experience, the Medium preset is the best option, but for those who prioritize visuals over frame rate, the High preset is acceptable.

In summary, the best experience is found at 1080p Medium or Low, where the system is CPU-bound and can deliver high frame rates. The RTX 3070 is capable of handling 1440p well, and the i5-10400F supports it. For 4K, the system becomes GPU-bound, and the Medium preset is the only one that maintains a playable frame rate. The data indicates that the sweet spot for this combination is 1080p Medium for competitive play, while 1440p Medium is the optimal balance for visual quality and performance.