Fortnite

Fortnite on the Intel Core i5-9400 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER presents a classic pairing of a six-core, six-thread Coffee Lake processor with a high-end Ada Lovelace GPU. The benchmark data shows a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions but capable of delivering exceptional frame rates at 1080p. The RTX 4070 SUPER, which sits at the 84th percentile among all GPUs, clearly dominates the workload, while the i5-9400, positioned at the 50th percentile, acts as a capable but less prominent partner in this configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable but steep scaling curve as resolution increases, with the most dramatic shifts occurring when moving from 1440p to 4K. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 292.9 FPS, which drops to 237.7 FPS at 1440p and then plummets to 124.7 FPS at 4K. This represents a 57% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, indicating that while the GPU is powerful, the sheer pixel count at 4K begins to strain even the RTX 4070 SUPER.

The scaling behavior changes significantly across different settings presets. At High settings, the frame rate drops from 202.7 FPS at 1080p to 132.9 FPS at 1440p (a 34% decrease), and then to 69.6 FPS at 4K (a 48% decrease from 1440p). This non-linear drop suggests that at 4K High, the GPU is working near its limits, as the combination of high detail and 8.3 million pixels becomes increasingly demanding. The Ultra preset tells an even more telling story: 135.5 FPS at 1080p falls to 83.8 FPS at 1440p, and then crashes to just 43.1 FPS at 4K — a 68% reduction from 1080p.

This data indicates that the limiting component shifts based on resolution. At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU may be introducing some bottleneck, as the frame rate differences between Low and Medium settings are relatively small (292.9 vs 256.9 at 1080p), suggesting the GPU has headroom that the processor cannot fully exploit. However, at 4K, the GPU becomes the definitive limiting factor, as the workload scales heavily with pixel count. The RTX 4070 SUPER’s 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient, but the sheer compute demand at 4K Ultra brings performance down to unplayable levels.

How This Combo Ranks

In the broader context of all tested CPU-GPU combinations for Fortnite, this pairing ranks 338th out of 1,564 combos. This places it in the top 22% of all configurations tested, which is respectable given that the CPU is not a top-tier part. The rank reflects a system that is capable of high refresh rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, but the CPU’s age and six-thread limitation likely prevent it from climbing higher in the rankings.

The Intel Core i5-9400’s average benchmark score is 2,305, placing it virtually neck-and-neck with its nearest rivals. It edges out the Intel Core i3-10305 by 0.2% and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 by 0.2%, while trailing the Intel Core i7-8809G by 0.6%. This clustering shows that the i5-9400 is firmly in the mid-range performance tier, and its six cores without hyper-threading are adequate for gaming but not exceptional for heavily threaded workloads. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 7,969 confirms this positioning, as it is a modest result by modern standards.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4070 SUPER’s average benchmark score of 42,576 places it just below the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (by 0.2%) and the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE (by 0.3%), while beating the AMD Radeon Pro 580X by 1.4% and the NVIDIA Tesla M40 by 1.6%. This places the GPU in the upper echelon of graphics cards, and its 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs underscores its capability. The pairing of a mid-range CPU with a high-end GPU results in a combo that ranks well, but the data suggests that a newer, faster processor would push this GPU to even higher frame rates, particularly at 1080p.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to maintain high frame rates?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the sweet spot, with average FPS ranging from 135.5 at Ultra to 292.9 at Low. Even at High settings, the combo delivers 202.7 FPS, making it suitable for high refresh rate monitors.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER compare to its closest rivals in raw performance?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score of 42,576 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (42,653) and AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE (42,723), with delta percentages of -0.2% and -0.3% respectively.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4070 SUPER in Fortnite?

A: The data suggests a partial bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the FPS difference between Low (292.9) and Medium (256.9) is only 36 FPS, indicating the CPU may limit the GPU from reaching its full potential.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Fortnite?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K High, the combo averages 69.6 FPS, which is playable, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 43.1 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the RTX 4070 SUPER?

A: The launch MSRP is 599 USD.

Q: How does the combo’s ranking compare to its total tested pool?

A: The combo ranks 338th out of 1,564 tested combinations, placing it in the top 22% of all configurations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p gaming, the Medium preset at 256.9 FPS offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, as it provides a significant visual upgrade over Low (292.9 FPS) while still maintaining frame rates well above 240 Hz. The High preset at 202.7 FPS is also excellent for 144Hz monitors, delivering smooth gameplay with enhanced detail.

At 1440p, the High preset at 132.9 FPS is the recommended choice for 120Hz or 144Hz displays, as it offers a substantial improvement over Medium (167.7 FPS) in visual fidelity while still staying above the 120 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 83.8 FPS is viable for 60Hz monitors but may feel less responsive for competitive play. For 4K, the Low preset at 124.7 FPS is surprisingly playable and offers the smoothest experience, while High at 69.6 FPS is acceptable for slower-paced play. The Ultra preset at 43.1 FPS should be avoided unless visual fidelity is prioritized over frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data reveals the full performance envelope of this combo across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates across all presets. The Low preset achieves an average of 292.9 FPS, making it ideal for competitive play where maximum frame rate is paramount. The Medium preset follows at 256.9 FPS, offering a balance of visuals and speed. The High preset produces 202.7 FPS, which remains excellent for high refresh rate displays. The Ultra preset drops to 135.5 FPS, still playable but showing the significant cost of maximum detail settings.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong. The Low preset averages 237.7 FPS, which is still exceptionally high. The Medium preset delivers 167.7 FPS, and the High preset comes in at 132.9 FPS, both suitable for high refresh rate gaming. The Ultra preset falls to 83.8 FPS, which is a significant drop but remains above 60 FPS for smooth gameplay on standard monitors.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The Low preset averages 124.7 FPS, which is impressive for 4K and suggests that competitive settings are viable at this resolution. The Medium preset drops to 90.2 FPS, and the High preset falls to 69.6 FPS, both playable for casual gaming. The Ultra preset averages just 43.1 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay and indicates that maximum settings at 4K are not feasible with this CPU-GPU combination.