Fortnite

The pairing of Intel’s Core i5-10400F with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5090 in Fortnite creates a striking study in component imbalance. The CPU, a 6-core, 12-thread Comet Lake part from the 10th Gen series, is based on a 14 nm process and runs at a base clock of 2.90 GHz, boosting to 4.30 GHz. Its architecture, also codenamed Comet Lake, supports DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, yielding a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. This processor is not unlocked for multiplier adjustments, meaning its clock behavior is fixed by Intel’s specifications. In the broader benchmark landscape, the i5-10400F sits in the 73rd percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14168. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7552, which scores 14115 (a 0.4% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, which scores 14277 (-0.8% delta), placing the Intel part in a tightly contested mid-range segment.

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

The i5-10400F’s six physical cores and twelve threads are the foundation of its processing power. With a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, this CPU can handle modern game logic, but its 14 nm process node and Comet Lake architecture are dated relative to the GPU it is paired with. In synthetic tests, the CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10297 and a single-core score of 1453, while Geekbench reports a multicore score of 5783 and a single-core score of 1454. These numbers place it in a competitive position against its nearest rivals, yet the data from Fortnite suggests the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the average FPS figures are extraordinarily high—305.1 on Low settings—which indicates the CPU can feed the GPU enough frames to saturate even a flagship graphics card. However, the 3DMark 16-thread score of 4748 versus the 2-thread score of 1350 shows that scaling beyond four cores yields diminishing returns, a pattern that Fortnite, being a competitive title, may not fully exploit. The CPU’s 12 MB of shared L3 cache and per-core L1 (64 KB) and L2 (256 KB) caches provide adequate data locality for the game’s assets, but the dual-channel DDR4 memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s could become a limiting factor in scenes with heavy player density or complex builds. The data implies that at 1080p, the i5-10400F is sufficient to drive high frame rates, but its performance ceiling is reached when paired with a GPU as powerful as the RTX 5090.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo, and at which settings and resolution?

A: The highest average FPS is 305.1, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This demonstrates the CPU’s ability to push frames when graphical load is minimal.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168, which is 0.4% higher than the AMD EPYC 7552’s score of 14115, but 0.8% lower than the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C’s score of 14277. This places it in a very narrow performance band.

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 sits in the 94th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84306. This indicates it is a top-tier component, far outperforming the CPU in relative terms.

Q: At 4K resolution, what is the FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160, the average FPS drops from 166 on Low settings to 58.9 on Ultra settings. This represents a steep decline, showing how much graphical fidelity impacts frame rates at high resolutions.

Q: Does the combo rank in the top percentage of tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 100 out of 1564 tested combos in Fortnite, placing it in the top 6.4% of all tested combinations. This suggests that despite the CPU’s age, the overall system is highly capable.

Q: What is the transistor count and die size of the GPU?

A: The RTX 5090 has 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC. This massive chip is central to its high performance.

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

Examining the FPS data across resolutions reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 305.1 FPS; moving to 1440p drops this to 260.2 FPS, and at 4K it falls to 166 FPS. This scaling is typical of a GPU-limited scenario, where the graphics card’s rendering load increases with pixel count. The RTX 5090, with its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth, is clearly the dominant component here. However, the CPU’s influence becomes apparent when comparing settings at a fixed resolution. At 1080p, dropping from Low to High reduces FPS from 305.1 to 246.1, a 19% decrease, while at 4K, the drop from Low to High is from 166 to 92.1, a 44.5% decrease. This widening gap suggests that at 4K, the GPU is more heavily utilized, and the CPU’s role diminishes. The data indicates that the i5-10400F is not the limiting factor at any resolution—the RTX 5090’s performance dominates. Yet, the CPU’s 73rd percentile ranking and its nearest rivals’ scores suggest that a faster processor might yield even higher frame rates at 1080p, where the CPU’s single-thread performance (3DMark single-thread score of 688) could be a subtle bottleneck. The 4K Ultra setting, which produces only 58.9 FPS, highlights that even this powerful GPU struggles with maximum settings at the highest resolution, further confirming that the GPU is the primary constraint in this pairing.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo’s rank of 100 out of 1564 tested combinations in Fortnite is a significant achievement, placing it in the top 6.4% of all systems tested. This high ranking is largely attributable to the RTX 5090, which outpaces its nearest rivals—the RTX 5090 D (0.1% delta), RTX 5050 Mobile (0.2% delta), and AMD Radeon PRO W6600 (1.3% delta)—in terms of average benchmark score. The CPU, while not a top-tier part, does not drag the combo down drastically, as evidenced by its 73rd percentile ranking. The data suggests that this combination is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, where the GPU can flex its muscles. However, the rank of 100 also implies there are 99 other combos that perform better, likely featuring newer, higher-clocked CPUs. The i5-10400F’s Cinebench R20 multicore score of 4324 and single-core score of 610, when compared to its rivals, show that it is not a performance outlier. Yet, in the context of Fortnite, the game’s engine appears to favor the GPU’s raw power, allowing this combo to achieve a percentile ranking that exceeds the CPU’s individual standing. This suggests that for games like Fortnite, the GPU is the dominant factor in overall system performance.

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

Analyzing the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 305.1 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play, but Medium at 264.8 FPS and High at 246.1 FPS offer a better balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 1080p yields 180.7 FPS, still above the 144 Hz threshold for most monitors, making it a viable choice for those prioritizing visuals. Moving to 1440p, the Low preset hits 260.2 FPS, Medium at 224.5 FPS, and High at 170.9 FPS. Here, High provides a smooth experience, while Ultra drops to 114.5 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced play. At 4K, the situation changes drastically. Low yields 166 FPS, which is playable, but Medium drops to 114.3 FPS, and High falls to 92.1 FPS. Ultra at 58.9 FPS is borderline unplayable for a competitive shooter. The data suggests that for the best experience, users should stick to High settings at 1080p or 1440p to maintain frame rates above 170 FPS. At 4K, Medium settings provide the best compromise, offering 114.3 FPS, which is still smooth. The Ultra preset is only recommended for 1080p, where the 180.7 FPS result remains competitive.

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

At 1920x1080, the combo produces its best results across all settings. Low settings yield an average FPS of 305.1, Medium at 264.8, High at 246.1, and Ultra at 180.7. This resolution shows the least variance between settings, with only a 40.8% drop from Low to Ultra, indicating the GPU is not fully taxed. At 2560x1440, the performance scales down. Low settings average 260.2 FPS, Medium at 224.5, High at 170.9, and Ultra at 114.5. The gap between Low and Ultra widens to 56% at this resolution, showing increased GPU load. At 3840x2160, the FPS figures become more constrained. Low settings average 166 FPS, Medium at 114.3, High at 92.1, and Ultra at 58.9. The drop from Low to Ultra is 64.5%, reflecting the immense pixel count. Notably, the gap between Medium and High at 4K is 22.2 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 33.2 FPS, suggesting that Ultra settings introduce a disproportionate performance penalty. The data shows that this combo is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, where it can maintain high refresh rates, while 4K gaming requires careful settings management to stay above 100 FPS.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a behemoth, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC. It features 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 122.9M / mm². The GPU has a base clock of 2017 MHz and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). Its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus provides 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for high-resolution textures. The GPU’s 21760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s. With 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores, it achieves 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. In benchmark tests, the RTX 5090 scores 39650 in Passmark G3D and 380114 in Geekbench OpenCL, placing it in the 94th percentile. Its nearest rival, the RTX 5090 D, scores 84241, a negligible 0.1% difference, suggesting the 5090 is at the top of its class. In Fortnite, the GPU’s role is dominant. At 4K, the FPS figures are directly tied to the GPU’s rendering capabilities. The 58.9 FPS at Ultra settings indicates that even this massive GPU cannot fully handle max settings at 4K, likely due to the game’s optimization or the sheer number of draw calls. The 32 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Fortnite, and the 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensures texture streaming is not a bottleneck. The GPU’s 5 nm process and high clock speeds allow it to maintain consistent performance, as seen in the 166 FPS at 4K Low, which confirms its raw power.