Fortnite

Fortnite on the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 pairing shows a configuration that scales predictably across its three tested resolutions and four settings presets. The measured data places this combo at rank 452 out of 1564 tracked combinations, indicating a strong but not top-tier position for this specific title. The following analysis breaks down the settings, component roles, and scaling behavior based strictly on the recorded FPS values.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows reveal a clear tiering of performance across the four presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 325.9 FPS, which is the highest recorded figure for this combo. Medium produces 226.5 FPS, High drops to 179.4 FPS, and Ultra falls to 117.1 FPS. For competitive play at this resolution, Low is the only preset that clears the 300 FPS threshold, making it the recommended choice for maximizing frame rate headroom.

Moving to 2560x1440, the pattern shifts. Low yields 204.2 FPS, Medium 145.5 FPS, High 114.4 FPS, and Ultra 73 FPS. Here, Medium offers the best balance for those seeking higher visual fidelity without sacrificing responsiveness, as it remains above the 144 Hz refresh rate common in gaming monitors. High still exceeds 100 FPS, but Medium's 31.1 FPS advantage over High makes it the more sensible middle-ground preset.

At 3840x2160, all presets struggle to maintain high refresh rates. Low produces 108.1 FPS, Medium 73.6 FPS, High 58.1 FPS, and Ultra 40 FPS. Low is the only preset that achieves a playable average above 100 FPS, while Medium and High fall into the 60-75 FPS range typical for slower-paced experiences. Ultra at 40 FPS is borderline for a competitive shooter, so Low remains the recommended preset at 4K unless visual quality is prioritized over frame rate.

The data indicates that the best experience depends on resolution. At 1080p, Low is optimal for competitive play. At 1440p, Medium provides the best compromise. At 4K, Low is the only viable option for maintaining playable frame rates, with Medium as a fallback for those who prefer improved visuals.

GPU Role

The RTX 3080 features 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's memory clock runs at 1188 MHz with 19 Gbps effective speed. The base clock sits at 1440 MHz, boosting to 1710 MHz. These specifications place the GPU in the 80th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35787.

In Fortnite, the GPU's role becomes evident when examining the FPS drop from Low to Ultra settings. At 1080p, the gap between Low (325.9 FPS) and Ultra (117.1 FPS) is 208.8 FPS, a 64% reduction. This scaling suggests that the GPU is heavily taxed by the Ultra preset's additional effects, even at a resolution where the CPU typically handles more of the load.

The RTX 3080's nearest rival data shows it sits within 1% of the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE (deltaPct -0.9) and the AMD Radeon 880M (deltaPct 0.4). This close grouping indicates that the GPU's raw compute power is competitive with these alternatives. The 10 GB VRAM capacity appears sufficient for the tested presets, as no resolution-specific anomalies suggest memory overflow.

At 4K, the GPU's limits become apparent. The drop from Low (108.1 FPS) to Ultra (40 FPS) represents a 68.1 FPS decline, with each settings tier costing roughly 30-35 FPS. This steep curve points to the RTX 3080 being the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra, where the 29.77 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is insufficient for maximum settings at that pixel count.

CPU Role

The Core i5-13400F packs 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 65W TDP make it a mid-range desktop part. The CPU's average benchmark score of 25236 places it in the 82nd percentile among all CPUs, slightly ahead of its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, which scores 25365 with a deltaPct of -0.5.

In Fortnite, the CPU's influence is most visible at 1080p Low, where the frame rate reaches 325.9 FPS. This high number suggests that the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at lower resolutions and settings. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21279 and single-core score of 3004 indicate strong thread and single-thread performance, both relevant for a game that scales well with multiple cores but also relies on fast single-thread execution.

The CPU's boost clock of 4.60 GHz is a key factor. At 1080p Ultra (117.1 FPS) versus 1440p Ultra (73 FPS), the 44.1 FPS difference is primarily attributed to the GPU, but the CPU's capability to maintain high frame rates at 1080p Low suggests it is not the limiting factor at that resolution.

Comparing to the Intel Core i7-13620H, which scores 25201 with a deltaPct of 0.1, the i5-13400F is virtually identical in average performance. This parity indicates that the CPU's 10-core configuration is well-suited for Fortnite's threading model, though the game's engine may not fully utilize all 16 threads, as evidenced by the 3DMark 16-thread score of 7314 versus max-thread score of 7307 showing minimal scaling beyond 16 threads.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo?

A: The highest recorded average FPS is 325.9, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival in average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-13400F scores 25236, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D scores 25365, a deltaPct of -0.5, meaning the i5 is 0.5% slower in average CPU benchmarks.

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

A: The RTX 3080 ranks in the 80th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35787.

Q: Which resolution and preset combination yields the lowest FPS?

A: The lowest recorded average FPS is 40, achieved at 3840x2160 with the Ultra preset.

Q: How much faster is 1080p Low compared to 4K Low?

A: At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 325.9, while at 4K Low it is 108.1, making the 1080p result 217.8 FPS higher, or approximately 3 times faster.

Q: What is the FPS difference between Medium and High at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Medium produces 145.5 FPS and High produces 114.4 FPS, a difference of 31.1 FPS in favor of Medium.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS progression from 1080p to 4K reveals how the workload shifts between CPU and GPU. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 325.9 at 1080p to 204.2 at 1440p to 108.1 at 4K. This represents a 37% decrease from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 47% decrease from 1440p to 4K. The consistent halving of frame rates as resolution doubles indicates that the GPU becomes progressively more limiting, though the CPU still contributes at lower resolutions.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is steeper relative to the lower frame rates. The drop from 117.1 FPS at 1080p to 73 FPS at 1440p to 40 FPS at 4K represents a 38% and 45% reduction respectively. This pattern suggests that the GPU's compute resources are the primary constraint at Ultra, as the frame rates scale almost linearly with pixel count.

The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is more likely to be the limiting factor, especially at Low settings where the GPU has less work. At 4K, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, as evidenced by the dramatic FPS drops across all settings. The 1080p Low result of 325.9 FPS versus the 4K Low result of 108.1 FPS highlights this transition, with the CPU able to maintain high frame rates at lower resolutions but the GPU unable to sustain them at higher pixel counts.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the full settings range shows: Low averages 325.9 FPS, Medium 226.5 FPS, High 179.4 FPS, and Ultra 117.1 FPS. The step from Low to Medium costs 99.4 FPS, while Medium to High costs 47.1 FPS, and High to Ultra costs 62.3 FPS. This non-linear scaling suggests that Low and Medium presets are more efficiently rendered, while Ultra introduces disproportionately heavy effects.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low 204.2 FPS, Medium 145.5 FPS, High 114.4 FPS, and Ultra 73 FPS. The gaps between tiers are 58.7, 31.1, and 41.4 FPS respectively. Medium to High shows the smallest drop, indicating that the High preset adds less load relative to its visual improvement at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the averages are: Low 108.1 FPS, Medium 73.6 FPS, High 58.1 FPS, and Ultra 40 FPS. The differences are 34.5, 15.5, and 18.1 FPS respectively. The relatively smaller absolute gaps at 4K reflect the GPU's inability to maintain high frame rates, making each settings increment less impactful in absolute terms.

Across all resolutions, the Low preset consistently offers the highest FPS, while Ultra offers the lowest. The data confirms that this combo can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming well across most presets, but 4K requires Low settings for playable performance, with Ultra being only suitable for those prioritizing visuals over frame rate.