Fortnite

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 produces a data set that clearly delineates the boundaries between CPU and GPU limitations in Fortnite. At 1080p, the processor drives frame rates to extremes, while at 4K, the graphics card’s workload becomes the dominant factor. The measured results show a system capable of high refresh-rate gaming across most settings, but with specific trade-offs at the highest visual presets.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall ranking of this CPU and GPU combination in Fortnite?

A: The combo ranks 43rd out of 1564 tested combinations, placing it in the top 3% of all tested systems for this game.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 4090 compared to its nearest rival in average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 66473, which is 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P40 (66127) and 0.4% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla T4 (66733). It lags behind the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 by 0.9%.

Q: What is the performance difference between the i5-13400F and its closest rival?

A: The i5-13400F has an average benchmark score of 25236, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-13620H (25201) and 0.5% higher than the AMD EPYC 9474F (25103). It trails the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D by 0.5%.

Q: What are the key specifications of the CPU and GPU in this combo?

A: The i5-13400F features 10 cores and 16 threads with a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The RTX 4090 has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth and a boost clock of 2520 MHz.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded in the measured data?

A: The highest average is 436.8 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. The lowest average is 59 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its multi-thread performance?

A: In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 3004 in single-core and 21279 in multi-core, showing a roughly 7x scaling. In 3DMark, the single-thread score is 960, while the max-thread score is 7307.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the primary driver of visual fidelity in this configuration. Its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 384-bit bus provide a memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s, which is substantial enough to handle Fortnite's texture streaming at high resolutions. The GPU’s boost clock of 2520 MHz, combined with 16384 shading units, allows it to process the game’s geometry and effects efficiently.

The GPU's benchmark data shows a PassMark G3D score of 38194 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 317684, indicating strong raw compute capabilities. In the context of Fortnite, the GPU's role becomes increasingly apparent as resolution increases. At 1080p, the RTX 4090 is often underutilized, as the CPU can feed frames faster than the GPU can render them. At 4K, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, with the average FPS dropping significantly across all settings.

The difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is stark: 161.9 FPS versus 59 FPS. This 102.9 FPS gap illustrates the GPU's workload scaling with graphical complexity. The RTX 4090’s 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 performance is the theoretical ceiling for this scaling, but in practice, the measured FPS shows that even this flagship GPU cannot maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra in Fortnite.

Resolution Scaling

The measured data reveals a clear progression of frame rates as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 262.8 at 1080p to 166.5 at 1440p, and finally to 88.4 at 4K. This represents a 66.4% drop from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the GPU is increasingly burdened by pixel count.

At Low settings, the scaling is more dramatic: 436.8 FPS at 1080p falls to 301.8 at 1440p and 161.9 at 4K. The 1080p to 4K drop of 274.9 FPS (62.9%) shows that even with minimal graphical load, the pixel throughput demands of 4K significantly reduce performance. This suggests that at 1080p Low, the system is heavily CPU-bound, as the GPU has ample headroom.

The scaling pattern changes with Ultra settings: 173.5 FPS at 1080p, 109.8 at 1440p, and 59 at 4K. The 1080p to 4K drop of 114.5 FPS (66%) is consistent with the other presets, but the absolute values are much lower. This indicates that Ultra settings impose a baseline GPU workload that prevents the CPU from fully expressing its potential, even at 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 436.8 FPS, while Medium yields 338.3 FPS. High settings reduce this to 262.8 FPS, and Ultra drops further to 173.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 263.3 FPS, showing that the CPU can drive very high frame rates when the GPU is not constrained.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease across the board. Low settings average 301.8 FPS, Medium 212 FPS, High 166.5 FPS, and Ultra 109.8 FPS. The 1440p results show a more balanced CPU-GPU relationship, with the GPU beginning to limit performance even at Low settings. The drop from 1080p Low to 1440p Low is 135 FPS, indicating the GPU’s pixel processing load is rising.

At 3840x2160, the GPU dominates the performance equation. Low settings average 161.9 FPS, Medium 114.9 FPS, High 88.4 FPS, and Ultra 59 FPS. The 4K results show that even with the RTX 4090, Ultra settings are only playable at around 60 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K is a 102.9 FPS reduction, which is proportionally similar to the 1080p drop but at a much lower absolute level.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F has 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 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache provide sufficient data locality for Fortnite’s engine. In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 21279 multi-core and 3004 single-core, showing strong single-thread performance that is critical for Fortnite’s main game logic.

The CPU’s benchmark profile suggests it can sustain high frame rates when the GPU is not the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the 436.8 FPS average indicates the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at very high rates. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7314 and 2-thread score of 1880 show that scaling efficiency drops off with fewer threads, but Fortnite’s workload primarily benefits from the single-thread performance.

The i5-13400F’s role is most evident in the 1080p results. The difference between Low (436.8 FPS) and Ultra (173.5 FPS) at 1080p is 263.3 FPS, which is larger than the difference at 4K (102.9 FPS). This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU can push frames faster than the GPU can render at higher settings, making the GPU the bottleneck. At 4K, the GPU’s rendering time per frame is so long that the CPU’s throughput is less relevant, and the FPS differences between settings are smaller.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data indicates that the optimal preset depends on the user’s resolution and refresh rate priorities. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 436.8 FPS, which far exceeds any practical refresh rate, making it overkill for most displays. The Medium preset at 338.3 FPS still offers a massive margin over 240 Hz displays, while High at 262.8 FPS remains above 240 Hz. The Ultra preset at 173.5 FPS is suitable for 144 Hz displays but leaves performance on the table for higher refresh rates.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset’s 301.8 FPS is ideal for 240 Hz monitors, while Medium at 212 FPS comfortably drives 165 Hz panels. High at 166.5 FPS is just above 144 Hz, making it a good match for that class of display. Ultra at 109.8 FPS is playable on 100 Hz monitors but does not fully utilize faster panels.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset’s 161.9 FPS is the only option that exceeds 144 Hz, while Medium at 114.9 FPS suits 120 Hz displays. High at 88.4 FPS is adequate for 85 Hz or 90 Hz panels, and Ultra at 59 FPS is only suitable for 60 Hz displays. For a balanced experience, the Medium preset at 1440p offers 212 FPS, which provides a strong combination of visual quality and speed. If maximum frame rates are the goal, the Low preset at 1080p is the clear choice, as it maximizes the CPU’s potential. The High preset at 1440p (166.5 FPS) is the best compromise for users with 144 Hz monitors seeking higher visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness.