Fortnite

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER delivers a performance profile in Fortnite that is heavily dictated by resolution and settings, with the CPU proving to be a capable but not limiting partner for the GPU at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the combo produces extremely high frame rates that exceed the refresh rates of most monitors, while at 4K the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, with frame rates dropping by more than half from the lowest settings to the highest. This pairing ranks in the 90th percentile of all tested combinations for this game, placing it at rank 349 out of 3700 combos, which indicates a strong overall experience despite the CPU being a mid-range part from an older generation.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, with the CPU’s influence diminishing as pixel count increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 357 FPS; moving to 1440p drops this to 273 FPS, a reduction of 84 FPS (23.5%), and then to 4K it falls further to 144 FPS, which is a 52.8% drop from the 1080p figure. This steep decline from 1080p to 4K indicates that the RTX 4080 SUPER is being pushed to its limits at the higher resolution, while the i5-11400F has ample headroom to feed the GPU at 1080p.

With High settings, the scaling pattern shifts slightly but remains consistent. The combo produces 235 FPS at 1080p, 149 FPS at 1440p, and 79 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p is 36.6%, and from 1440p to 4K it is 47.0%, showing that the GPU workload increases disproportionately with resolution. At 4K High, the average of 79 FPS is still playable, but it is far below the high-refresh-rate territory that the 1080p results occupy.

Ultra settings produce the most dramatic scaling, with 155 FPS at 1080p, 99 FPS at 1440p, and only 52 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result represents a 66.5% reduction from the 1080p Ultra score, underscoring that this setting is too demanding for the GPU at 4K to maintain smooth gameplay. Conversely, the 1080p Ultra score of 155 FPS shows that the CPU can still drive high frame rates when the GPU is not overwhelmed, as the single-threaded performance of the i5-11400F, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2024, is sufficient for Fortnite’s engine at this resolution.

The Medium settings data provides the only min/max FPS information in the measured results, offering insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the average is 303 FPS with a minimum of 257 and a maximum of 348, indicating a tight frame time distribution. At 1440p Medium, the average is 193 FPS with a min of 164 and max of 221, while at 4K Medium, the average is 102 FPS with a min of 86 and max of 117. The min-to-max spread widens as resolution increases, which aligns with the GPU becoming the primary bottleneck and introducing more variable frame times under heavier load.

GPU Role

The RTX 4080 SUPER’s role in this combo is defined by its substantial memory and compute resources, which are underutilized at lower resolutions but become critical at 4K. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus with 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which is more than sufficient for Fortnite’s textures and assets at any setting. The 10240 shading units and 80 RT cores provide the raw throughput for high frame rates, with the boost clock of 2550 MHz ensuring the card operates at peak efficiency.

At 1080p Low, the GPU is likely idling relative to its capabilities, as the 357 FPS average is constrained by the CPU’s ability to submit draw calls. The i5-11400F’s 6 cores and 12 threads, with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, deliver solid multi-threaded performance—evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340—but the per-core performance is modest compared to newer CPUsestr. The GPU’s passmark G3D score of 34245 places it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, yet at 1080p it is not the limiting factor.

The 4K results show where the GPU’s architecture shines. At 4K Medium, the combo achieves 102 FPS, which is a playable frame rate for competitive gameplay, while 4K High drops to 79 FPS and 4K Ultra to 52 FPS. The gap between Medium and Ultra at 4K is 50 FPS, demonstrating that the GPU’s 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is taxed heavily by Ultra settings. The 16 GB VRAM capacity prevents any memory-related stuttering, as Fortnite’s highest texture quality at 4K fits comfortably within this allocation, and the GDDR6X memory’s bandwidth ensures data delivery does not bottleneck the render pipeline.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in the benchmark database include the RTX 4080 with an average score of 54247 (a delta of -0.1% from the SUPER) and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB with an average score of 55698 (a delta of -2.7%). This indicates that the RTX 4080 SUPER performs nearly identically to the non-SUPER variant, but the measured FPS in Fortnite at 4K High (79 FPS) and 4K Ultra (52 FPS) suggest that the card’s real-world performance is strong, yet not sufficient for 4K Ultra at high refresh rates.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Fortnite at 4K with high settings smoothly?

A: At 4K High, the combo achieves an average of 79 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. For a smoother experience, 4K Medium provides an average of 102 FPS, while 4K Ultra drops to 52 FPS, which may feel sluggish.

Q: What is the best resolution for high-refresh-rate monitors?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 357 FPS, and with High settings it reaches 235 FPSaint. Even at 1440p High, the average of 149 FPS exceeds 144 Hz, making this resolution viable for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: At 1080p Low, the CPU limits performance, as the 357 FPS result is below what the GPU could theoretically achieve. However, at 1440p and above, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, and the CPU’s impact diminishes significantly.

Q: How does this combo compare to the RTX 4080 non-SUPER?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209, which is 0.1% lower than the RTX 4080’s score of 54247. In Fortnite, the measured FPS would be nearly identical, with differences within the margin of error.

Q: What settings provide the best balance of quality and frame rate?

A: At 1080p, High settings at 235 FPS offer an excellent balance. At 1440p, Medium at 193 FPS is a strong choice, while at 4K, Medium at 102 FPS is the recommended setting for a stable experience.

Q: Does the combo support ray tracing effectively?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has 80 RT cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, but the measured FPS data does not include ray tracing results. The GPU’s raw compute power suggests it would handle ray tracing, but the provided data does not confirm this.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 349th out of 3700 tested combinations in Fortnite, placing it in the top 9.4% of all systems evaluated. This rank reflects a strong overall performance, but it is not at the very top due to the CPU’s generation. The i5-11400F has a percentile rank of 71 among all CPUs, and its average benchmark score of 17177 is nearly identical to its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7H12, which scores 17120 (a delta of 0.3% in favor of the Intel chip). The Intel Core i5-12450H is slightly faster with a score of 17239 (a delta of -0.4% for the 11400F), while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G scores 17278 (a delta of -0.6%).

The GPU’s rank is higher, at the 86th percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 54209. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080, scores 54247, which is 0.1% higher, making the two cards effectively equal in synthetic benchmarks. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (a delta of -1.1% for the RTX 4080 SUPER), and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (a delta of -2.7%), indicating that the RTX 4080 SUPER is slightly behind these AMD parts in aggregate benchmarks.

In Fortnite specifically, the combo’s rank of 349 out of 3700 suggests that the pairing is well-balanced for this title, with the GPU’s high-end performance compensating for the CPU’s mid-range capabilities. Systems ranked above this combo likely feature newer or higher-end CPUs, such as the Core i5-12450H, which would provide better frame rates at 1080p where the CPU is the limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across all four settings presets and three resolutions.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 357 FPS, which is the maximum measured in any configuration. Medium settings yield an average of 303 FPS, with a minimum of 257 and a maximum of 348. High settings produce 235 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 155 FPS. The step from High to Ultra at 1080p is a 34.0% reduction, showing that Ultra’s added effects significantly load the GPU.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but begin to show the GPU’s workload. Low settings average 273 FPS, Medium averages 193 FPS (with min 164 and max 221), High averages 149 FPS, and Ultra averages 99 FPS. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p on Low settings is 23.5%, while on Ultra it is 36.1%, indicating that the GPU’s pixel fill rate becomes a factor at higher resolutions.

At 3840x2160, the combo transitions from high-refresh-rate territory to playable frame rates. Low settings average 144 FPS, Medium averages 102 FPS (with min 86 and max 117), High averages 79 FPS, and Ultra averages 52 FPS. The 4K Low result of 144 FPS is the only 4K configuration that exceeds 120 FPS, while 4K Medium remains above 100 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 52 FPS is the lowest measured, making it unsuitable for fast-paced gameplay.

The data shows a consistent pattern: the gap between Low and Ultra narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 202 FPS (357 vs 155), while at 4K it is 92 FPS (144 vs 52). This indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU and GPU can both contribute to high frame rates, but at 4K, the GPU’s limits dominate the performance envelope.

Settings Recommendations

For competitive play at high refresh rates, the 1080p Low preset with 357 FPS is the best choice, as it maximizes frame rate and minimizes input latency, though the visual quality is reduced. For a balance of visuals and performance at 1080p, the High preset at 235 FPS is recommended, as it provides a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining a frame rate that exceeds most 144 Hz and 240 Hz monitors.

At 1440p, the Medium preset at 193 FPS is the optimal choice for competitive play, offering a 28.3% higher frame rate than High (149 FPS) while still looking better than Low. The High preset at 149 FPS is also viable for 144 Hz monitors, but the Medium preset provides a safety margin for frame time spikes, as evidenced by the min of 164 FPS. The Ultra preset at 99 FPS is not recommended for fast-paced gameplay, as it falls below 100 FPS.

At 4K, the Medium preset at 102 FPS is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience, with a minimum of 86 FPS. The High preset at 79 FPS is playable for casual play but may feel less responsive, and the Ultra preset at 52 FPS should be avoided for any competitive scenario. The Low preset at 144 FPS is surprisingly strong at 4K, making it a viable option for players who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity on a 4K display.

Overall, the data suggests that this combo is best utilized at 1440p with Medium or High settings for a high-refresh-rate experience, or at 4K with Medium settings for a balance of quality and performance. The Ultra preset is only recommended at 1080p, where the 155 FPS average is still high enough for smooth gameplay.