Fortnite

Fortnite is a game where frame rate is king, and this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 delivers exactly that in spades. The measured data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher settings, but with a CPU capable of pushing absurd frame rates at lower presets. This is a combination that scales predictably and offers a clear path to maximizing performance based on your display's refresh rate and resolution.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data suggests that the "High" preset is the sweet spot for this configuration, offering a balanced experience that leverages the RTX 4090's power without tanking frame rates. At 2560x1440, the High preset delivers an average of 166 FPS, which is a massive leap from the 110 FPS at Ultra. This 56 FPS difference represents a 51% performance gain for what is typically a minor visual fidelity drop in a fast-paced game like Fortnite. The jump from High to Ultra is rarely worth the performance cost in a competitive title, and the data strongly reinforces that here.

For players with 1080p displays, the High preset at 261 FPS is more than sufficient for even the highest refresh rate monitors. However, if you have a 360Hz or 500Hz display, the Low preset's 478 FPS average is the only way to truly saturate it, though you will sacrifice most visual quality. The Medium preset at 337 FPS is a strong middle ground for 1080p high-refresh gaming, providing a substantial frame rate buffer above the High preset while retaining more visual fidelity than Low.

At 4K, the calculus changes. The Ultra preset drops to a 58 FPS average, which is playable but not ideal for a competitive shooter. The High preset at 88 FPS is much better, but the data shows you are firmly in GPU-bound territory. The Medium preset at 113 FPS is the most balanced choice for 4K, providing a smooth experience that is nearly double the frame rate of Ultra. We would recommend avoiding Ultra entirely with this combo, as it appears to be a visual showcase setting that cripples performance even on the most powerful consumer GPU. For the best competitive experience at any resolution, "High" is the recommended preset; for 4K, "Medium" is the ceiling for high-refresh play.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Fortnite at 4K with high refresh rates?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 4K with the High preset, the average FPS is 88. To get closer to 144Hz, you would need to drop to the Medium preset, which yields an average of 113 FPS. The Ultra preset is not viable for high-refresh 4K, producing only 58 FPS on average.

Q: What is the best preset for maximum frame rate at 1080p?

A: The Low preset provides the highest average frame rate at 478 FPS. If you prefer a balance of visuals and speed, the Medium preset still offers an excellent 337 FPS average, and the High preset is not far behind at 261 FPS.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from High to Ultra settings?

A: The performance penalty is severe. At 1080p, the average FPS drops from 261 on High to 172 on Ultra, a 34% decrease. At 1440p, it drops from 166 to 110, a 34% decrease. At 4K, it drops from 88 to 58, a 34% decrease. The data shows a consistent ~34% performance hit across all resolutions when selecting Ultra.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this configuration?

A: It depends on the settings. At 4K with Ultra settings, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, as the average FPS drops to 58. At 1080p with Low settings, the game reaches 478 FPS, indicating the CPU is the limiting factor. The data shows the system is balanced, with the GPU limiting at high resolutions/settings and the CPU limiting at low resolutions/settings.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: Its average benchmark score is 48,995. It is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G (49,196, -0.4%) and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 (49,228, -0.5%). It is slightly ahead of the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (48,698, 0.6%) and the Intel Core i5-14600K (48,618, 0.8%).

Resolution Scaling

The data reveals a predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, confirming the RTX 4090's dominance and the CPU's capability to feed it. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings, the average FPS drops from 261 to 166, a 36% decrease. This indicates that while the GPU is doing more work, the system is still able to maintain a very high frame rate. The drop from 1440p to 4K at High settings is even more pronounced, falling from 166 to 88 FPS, a 47% decrease. This steep decline highlights the immense pixel-pushing workload at 4K, even for the RTX 4090.

The pattern is consistent across all presets. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 478 (1080p) to 304 (1440p) and then to 160 (4K). The 4K Low score being lower than the 1080p High score shows that resolution is a primary driver of performance, regardless of the visual preset. This scaling behavior is a classic sign of a GPU-bound system at 4K. At 1080p, the high frame rates on Low settings (478 FPS) suggest the CPU's single-thread performance is starting to become a factor, but it is not a significant bottleneck at the more practical High or Medium presets.

The 34% performance drop from High to Ultra is consistent across all resolutions, which is a strong indicator that the Ultra preset introduces a uniform, heavy load on the GPU that is independent of resolution. This makes the choice of settings clear: the GPU has enough headroom at High to deliver excellent frame rates, but Ultra is a "showcase" mode that should be avoided for competitive play.

How This Combo Ranks

Among the 2,740 tested CPU and GPU combinations in the database for Fortnite, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks at position 91. This places it in the top 3.3% of all tested combos, which is an outstanding result for a high-end, but not absolute top-tier, CPU paired with a flagship GPU. The ranking is likely held back by the CPU's performance relative to other combinations that might pair the RTX 4090 with a more powerful processor like a Ryzen 9 or a Core i9.

The RTX 4090 is ranked at the 88th percentile among all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 60,347 puts it in a close grouping with professional workstation cards like the Intel Arc Pro A60 and AMD Radeon Pro W6600M, though these are not gaming-focused. The Core Ultra 5 245 is at the 90th percentile among all CPUs, with an average score of 48,995. The data shows that while the GPU is the star of the show for gaming, the CPU's strong multi-core and single-core scores ensure it does not hold the system back in a demanding game like Fortnite. This high ranking confirms the fact that this combination is exceptionally well-balanced for high-refresh-rate gaming.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz and it boosts up to 5.10 GHz. While it lacks multi-threading, its high boost clock and modern architecture contribute to strong performance in games that rely on a few fast cores. In Fortnite, this is crucial. The measured data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 478 FPS, a score that heavily relies on the CPU's ability to process game logic and draw calls quickly. This suggests the CPU is more than capable of handling high frame rates, and it is not a bottleneck at typical gaming settings.

The CPU's synthetic benchmarks support this. A Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,648 points is very strong, indicating excellent per-core performance. This is what matters most for Fortnite's game engine, which is known to be sensitive to single-thread performance. The multi-core score of 32,924 points in the same test also shows the CPU has plenty of headroom for background tasks, streaming, or Discord while gaming. While the RTX 4090 is the dominant component for graphics, the Core Ultra 5 245 provides the necessary foundation to push frame rates to the extreme. Its performance is essentially on par with its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, which shows it is a competitive modern CPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Here is the complete set of measured frame rate data for Fortnite with the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average FPS of 478. This is the absolute maximum frame rate the system can produce, indicating a CPU-limited scenario.
• Medium: Average FPS of 337, with a minimum of 286 and a maximum of 387.
• High: Average FPS of 261. This is an excellent target for 240Hz monitors.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 172. A significant drop from High, showing the cost of the highest visual settings.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average FPS of 304. Still incredibly high, showing the GPU's headroom.
• Medium: Average FPS of 214, with a minimum of 182 and a maximum of 246.
• High: Average FPS of 166. This is ideal for 165Hz to 180Hz monitors.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 110. The first preset where the frame rate drops below what is ideal for high-refresh gaming.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average FPS of 160. A solid score, showing the GPU can handle 4K even at low settings.
• Medium: Average FPS of 113, with a minimum of 96 and a maximum of 130.
• High: Average FPS of 88. Playable, but not ideal for competitive play.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 58. The most demanding setting, which brings even the RTX 4090 to its knees.

The data shows a clear hierarchy: the system excels at 1080p and 1440p, offering frame rates that are more than sufficient for any gaming monitor. At 4K, it is still very capable, but the Ultra preset should be avoided. The frame rate variance at Medium settings is also worth noting, as the difference between the minimum and maximum FPS narrows as resolution increases. This indicates a more stable performance at higher resolutions where the GPU load is more consistent.