Fortnite

Fortnite is a fast-paced Battle Royale title, and the benchmark results for the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 show a system capable of delivering very high frame rates across most settings, though the most extreme graphical presets do present a significant challenge. The data set provides a clear picture of how this combination scales with resolution and detail levels, allowing for a methodical breakdown of its performance profile.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, with a substantial 36 MB of shared L3 cache. This is a high-end desktop part, and its benchmark percentile of 96 indicates it outperforms the vast majority of all CPUs in the database. In synthetic workloads, its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51,731 and single-core score of 7,303 reflect a very strong processor that is well-suited for demanding tasks.

In the context of Fortnite, the CPU's role is to maintain a high minimum frame rate and prevent bottlenecks, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU has more headroom to render frames quickly. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 361 FPS. This exceptionally high frame rate indicates that the processor is not limiting performance at this setting, as the GPU is still able to push out a massive number of frames. The 24-core configuration, while not fully utilized by a game like Fortnite, provides ample headroom for background tasks and ensures that the game's primary threads have access to fast, efficient cores. The performance relative to its nearest rivals is very close, with the Core Ultra 9 285K showing a delta of only 0.2%, and the AMD EPYC 4584PX being 1.1% slower in average benchmark score. This shows that the 290K Plus is essentially at the top of the performance stack for its category, which translates into a very capable gaming experience.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the graphics engine in this pairing, featuring 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. It is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a boost clock of 2512 MHz. The GPU's 82nd percentile ranking against all GPUs, combined with an average benchmark score of 40,377, places it as a strong mid-to-high-end performer. Its Passmark G3D score of 29,137 is a notable indicator of its raw graphics processing power.

The GPU's influence on Fortnite's performance is most evident at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows a clear trend: as the resolution increases from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K, the average frame rate drops significantly. This is the expected behavior for a GPU-bound scenario. At 4K with Ultra settings, the frame rate falls to just 44 FPS, indicating that the RTX 5070 is the limiting component in this situation. The 12 GB of VRAM is likely a factor at these high settings, as Fortnite's Ultra preset can demand significant memory. At 1080p, however, the GPU is not the bottleneck, as evidenced by the 361 FPS average on Low settings. The comparison to its nearest rivals shows a very tight grouping, with the AMD Radeon Pro 580 being only 0.1% faster in average score, and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile being 2% slower. This suggests the RTX 5070 is a solid, consistent performer, though its strength is more apparent in mid-range resolutions than in the most demanding 4K scenarios.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across different resolutions reveals a classic scaling pattern where the GPU becomes an increasingly significant bottleneck as the pixel count rises. At 1080p with High settings, the average frame rate is 197 FPS. Moving to 1440p on the same settings, the frame rate drops to 125 FPS, a reduction of approximately 37%. Pushing further to 4K at High settings, the average frame rate plummets to 66 FPS, which is a 66% drop from the 1080p figure. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 5070 is struggling to maintain performance at 4K, even on High settings.

This trend is even more pronounced when examining the Low settings preset. At 1080p, the system achieves a massive 361 FPS. At 1440p, this falls to 229 FPS, and at 4K, it drops to 121 FPS. While the 4K figure is still respectable, the dramatic reduction highlights the GPU's workload. The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K on Low settings is 66%, which is nearly identical to the drop seen on High settings. This suggests that the scaling is primarily resolution-driven and not heavily influenced by the specific preset. The limiting component is clearly the GPU at 4K, as the CPU's high performance is sufficient to feed frames at lower resolutions. The data indicates that for a smooth 4K experience, the user would need to compromise on settings, but for high-refresh-rate 1080p or 1440p gaming, this combination is exceptionally powerful.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For a standard 60 FPS experience, the system is capable of handling 4K with High settings, which yields an average of 66 FPS. However, for users with high-refresh-rate monitors, the 4K Medium preset, at 85 FPS, is a more suitable choice, though it still falls short of 144Hz. At 1440p, the options expand significantly. The High preset delivers an excellent 125 FPS, while the Medium preset offers 162 FPS. For competitive play where frame rate is paramount, the 1440p Low preset, at 229 FPS, is an exceptional choice, easily driving a 240Hz display.

The 1080p resolution is where this combo truly shines. The Ultra preset achieves 130 FPS, which is playable on high-refresh monitors, but the High preset at 197 FPS and the Medium preset at 254 FPS are far more impressive. The Low preset at 361 FPS is exceptional for maximum competitive advantage, but it sacrifices visual fidelity. The data suggests that the High or Medium presets at 1080p provide the best balance of visual quality and performance, allowing the user to fully utilize a 240Hz or even 360Hz monitor. At 1440p, the High preset is a strong recommendation for those seeking a great visual experience without compromising on smoothness, as it remains well above the 100 FPS mark. For 4K, users should stick to High or Medium settings to maintain a playable frame rate, as the Ultra preset is not viable for smooth gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested hardware combinations for Fortnite, this specific pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 holds a combo rank of 509 out of a total of 2,740 tested combinations. This places it in the top 19% of all tested systems, which is a solid result for a high-end consumer desktop configuration. The ranking is likely influenced by the excellent 1080p and 1440p performance, where the CPU can flex its muscles and the GPU is not overly stressed.

However, the ranking is somewhat tempered by the less impressive 4K performance, particularly at the Ultra preset. The data shows that this combination is not designed for maximum 4K fidelity, as the 44 FPS average on Ultra settings is a significant weak point. The rank of 509 suggests that while this is a very capable system, there are many other combinations that can achieve higher frame rates, likely those with more powerful GPUs. The performance is very strong in the mid-range resolution tiers, making it a great choice for competitive gaming and high-refresh-rate monitors, but it is not a top-tier 4K powerhouse. The tight grouping of the GPU's nearest rivals in terms of average score suggests that the RTX 5070 is a consistent performer, but the system's overall ranking is a function of both the components and the specific demands of Fortnite.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is a detailed breakdown of the measured average FPS (with minimum and maximum where available) for each resolution and settings preset.

1920x1080:

• Low: The average frame rate is 361 FPS. This is the highest measured average in the entire data set, indicating that the system is heavily CPU-bound at this setting and resolution.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 254 FPS, with a minimum of 216 FPS and a maximum of 292 FPS. This demonstrates a very smooth experience with a narrow frame time variance.
• High: The average frame rate is 197 FPS. This is still an excellent result for high-refresh-rate gaming on a 1080p monitor.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 130 FPS. This is the most demanding preset at 1080p, but it remains playable and smooth on a 120Hz or 144Hz display.

2560x1440:

• Low: The average frame rate is 229 FPS. This is a significant drop from the 1080p result, but it is still exceptionally high and suitable for competitive play.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 162 FPS, with a minimum of 137 FPS and a maximum of 186 FPS. This is a strong result for 1440p, offering a smooth experience on high-refresh monitors.
• High: The average frame rate is 125 FPS. This is a very good result for the High preset at 1440p, providing a great balance of visuals and performance.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 83 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for most games, but it may not be ideal for fast-paced competitive play on a 144Hz monitor.

3840x2160:

• Low: The average frame rate is 121 FPS. This is a surprisingly high result for 4K, showing that the system can deliver high frame rates if the visual settings are lowered.
• Medium: The average frame rate is 85 FPS, with a minimum of 73 FPS and a maximum of 98 FPS. This is a solid result for 4K gaming, providing a good experience on a 60Hz or 120Hz display.
• High: The average frame rate is 66 FPS. This is just above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a viable option for 4K gaming on a standard 60Hz monitor.
• Ultra: The average frame rate is 44 FPS. This is not a smooth experience, and the data indicates that this preset is too demanding for the RTX 5070 at this resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve in Fortnite?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 361, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Can this system handle Fortnite at 4K resolution smoothly?

A: The data shows that at 4K, the system achieves 66 FPS on High settings and 85 FPS on Medium settings. For a standard 60Hz monitor, the High preset is viable, but for higher refresh rates, the Medium or Low presets would be necessary. The Ultra preset is not playable, with an average of 44 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 240Hz monitor at 1440p?

A: According to the measured data, the Low settings preset at 2560x1440 provides an average of 229 FPS, which is the only preset at that resolution that exceeds 240 FPS. The Medium preset, at 162 FPS, would not be sufficient to fully utilize a 240Hz display.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K?

A: The average benchmark score for the 290K Plus is 84,003, while the 285K has an average score of 83,807. This results in a deltaPct of 0.2%, meaning the 290K Plus is only 0.2% faster on average.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth, and how does it relate to performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 has a memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s, utilizing 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus. This high bandwidth is a key factor in its ability to maintain solid frame rates at 1440p, but it appears to be insufficient for the most demanding 4K Ultra settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The data indicates that the GPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p Low, as the system achieves an average of 361 FPS. This suggests the performance is likely bounded by the CPU's ability to process the game's logic and submit draw calls, though the frame rate is so high that it is not a practical limitation for most users.