High On Life

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured frame rates across the three tested resolutions reveal a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling, with the CPU maintaining sufficient headroom to keep the RTX 4090 fed at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra settings is relatively compressed: Low produces 244 FPS, while Ultra drops to 156 FPS, a difference of 88 FPS. This relatively modest spread at 1080p suggests that even at Low settings, the system is not purely CPU-limited — otherwise the Low preset would show a much larger advantage over Ultra, which stresses the GPU more heavily.

Moving to 1440p, the scaling becomes more pronounced. Low delivers 217 FPS, Medium 177 FPS, High 147 FPS, and Ultra falls to 110 FPS. The step-down from Low to Medium is 40 FPS, and from Medium to High another 30 FPS. This linear progression indicates that the GPU is now the primary bottleneck, as each settings tier directly translates into a measurable frame-time cost. The 1440p data shows a 107 FPS swing between Low and Ultra, a larger absolute range than at 1080p, which points to the GPU working progressively harder as pixel count and quality settings rise.

At 4K (3840x2160), the GPU is unequivocally the limiting component. Low settings produce 138 FPS, Medium 108 FPS, High 89 FPS, and Ultra just 67 FPS. The 71 FPS difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is the smallest absolute gap of any resolution, but the percentage drop is the steepest: Ultra runs at roughly half the frame rate of Low. This is classic GPU-bound behavior — as resolution scales, the RTX 4090's raw compute and memory bandwidth (1.01 TB/s) become the determining factor, not the CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads.

The resolution curve from 1080p to 4K at High settings tells a similar story: 208 FPS at 1080p, 147 FPS at 1440p, and 89 FPS at 4K. That is a 119 FPS drop from 1080p to 4K, representing a 57% reduction. For a game like High On Life, an FPS with stylized visuals, this scaling pattern is typical of a title that responds strongly to pixel count. The fact that 1080p Low (244 FPS) only reaches 138 FPS at 4K Low — a 106 FPS decline — reinforces that the GPU is the constraining factor across the entire resolution range. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect the 1080p numbers to plateau regardless of settings, but they do not; they rise and fall with GPU workload.

Notably, the Medium preset at each resolution includes min and max FPS data — the only settings tier with this detail. At 1080p Medium, the range is 189-256 FPS; at 1440p Medium, 151-204 FPS; at 4K Medium, 92-124 FPS. The narrowing of the frame-time range as resolution increases is further evidence of GPU dominance: at lower resolutions, CPU scheduling and frame pacing introduce more variance, while at 4K, the GPU's consistent workload produces tighter FPS windows.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 139th out of 3,718 tested combos for High On Life, placing it in the top 3.7% of all configurations in the database. This rank reflects the combination's ability to deliver high frame rates across all settings, but it also shows that this particular CPU-GPU pairing is not the absolute top performer — other combos, likely featuring higher-end CPUs, achieve better results.

The rank of 139 with 3,718 total combos means the i5-13400F + RTX 4090 outperforms approximately 3,579 other pairings. This is a strong showing, but the CPU's 77th percentile ranking among all CPUs (with an average benchmark score of 25,292) suggests that the processor is the relative weak point in this pairing. The RTX 4090, by contrast, sits in the 88th percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 60,347. When a top-tier GPU is paired with a mid-range CPU, the combo rank tends to be dragged down by CPU limitations in CPU-sensitive scenarios.

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the i5-13400F's average score of 25,292 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25,284, deltaPct 0), the Intel Core 5 120 (25,362, deltaPct -0.3), and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25,365, deltaPct -0.3). This cluster of CPUs within 0.4% of each other indicates that the i5-13400F is not meaningfully ahead of or behind its closest competitors — it sits in a dense performance tier. For High On Life, this means that swapping to any of these rivals would produce negligible FPS changes, given that the game is GPU-bound at higher resolutions.

The GPU's nearest rivals tell a different story. The RTX 4090's average score of 60,347 is matched by the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60,326, deltaPct 0) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60,140, deltaPct 0.3), while the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M is 2.5% faster (61,896) and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 is 2.9% slower (58,657). This near-tie at the top of the GPU benchmark chart is unusual — it suggests that the RTX 4090, despite being end-of-life and succeeded by the GeForce 50 series, remains a top-tier option. In the context of High On Life, the 139th combo rank out of 3,718 reflects the GPU's strength, but the CPU's 10-core, 16-thread configuration (with a 2.50 GHz base and 4.60 GHz boost) does not maximize the 4090's potential in every scenario.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in High On Life?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 244, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next highest is 223 FPS at 1080p Medium, followed by 217 FPS at 1440p Low.

Q: How does the combo rank relative to other tested configurations?

A: The Intel Core i5-13400F + RTX 4090 ranks 139th out of 3,718 tested combos for High On Life, placing it in the top 3.7% of all configurations.

Q: Which resolution and settings produce the lowest average FPS?

A: The lowest measured average FPS is 67, achieved at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. This is the only preset that drops below 100 FPS in the entire measured dataset.

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

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions. Frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings, and the RTX 4090's workload increases proportionally with pixel count, while the CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads provide sufficient headroom.

Q: What is the frame-time range at 1440p Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the measured min FPS is 151 and the max FPS is 204, producing an average of 177 FPS. This is the only 1440p preset with min/max data available.

Q: How does the i5-13400F compare to its closest CPU rivals?

A: The i5-13400F's average benchmark score of 25,292 is within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25,284), Intel Core 5 120 (25,362), AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25,365), and AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (25,201). This indicates near-identical performance among these processors.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of which settings preset offers the best experience for this combo. At 1080p, all presets produce playable frame rates — even Ultra hits 156 FPS — but the Medium preset (223 FPS) offers the best balance of visual quality and performance headroom. The step from Medium to High costs 15 FPS (from 223 to 208), while the step from High to Ultra costs 52 FPS (from 208 to 156). This makes Ultra a poor value at 1080p, as the visual uplift from High to Ultra does not justify a 25% frame rate reduction.

At 1440p, the Medium preset (177 FPS) again stands out as the sweet spot. Low (217 FPS) is smoother but likely sacrifices significant visual fidelity, while High (147 FPS) and Ultra (110 FPS) progressively reduce the margin above 144 Hz refresh rates. The Medium preset's min FPS of 151 and max of 204 indicate stable frame pacing, making it the recommended choice for high-refresh 1440p monitors. If a user prioritizes visual fidelity over frame rate, High at 1440p is still viable at 147 FPS, but Ultra at 110 FPS approaches the threshold where motion smoothness may degrade on 120 Hz displays.

At 4K, the choice depends heavily on the display's refresh rate. Medium (108 FPS) is the only preset that comfortably exceeds 100 FPS, while High (89 FPS) and Ultra (67 FPS) dip below 90 FPS. Low (138 FPS) provides the highest frame rate but likely reduces the game's stylized visuals to a point where the experience suffers. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the best overall recommendation, as it delivers 108 FPS with a min of 92 and max of 124 — a tight frame-time window that avoids major stutters.

Across all resolutions, the Ultra preset consistently offers the lowest frame rates, with a 4K average of 67 FPS representing the only sub-100 FPS result in the entire dataset. This suggests that Ultra settings impose a significant GPU penalty that is not justified by the performance margins available. The data consistently points to Medium as the optimal preset for this combo, offering frame rates that are 35-60% higher than Ultra while maintaining a playable visual experience. For users with 240 Hz displays at 1080p, Low (244 FPS) or Medium (223 FPS) both provide sufficient headroom, but Medium is the safer choice for visual consistency.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1920x1080: Low averages 244 FPS. Medium averages 223 FPS, with a min of 189 and a max of 256. High averages 208 FPS. Ultra averages 156 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra is: 244 → 223 → 208 → 156. The largest single drop is from High to Ultra (52 FPS), while the smallest is from Medium to High (15 FPS). The Medium preset's max of 256 FPS is the highest single frame rate measured across all resolutions and settings.

2560x1440: Low averages 217 FPS. Medium averages 177 FPS, with a min of 151 and a max of 204. High averages 147 FPS. Ultra averages 110 FPS. The progression is: 217 → 177 → 147 → 110. The step from Low to Medium is 40 FPS, Medium to High is 30 FPS, and High to Ultra is 37 FPS. The Medium preset's min of 151 FPS is higher than the Ultra preset's average of 110 FPS, showing that Medium provides a substantial performance buffer over the highest settings.

3840x2160: Low averages 138 FPS. Medium averages 108 FPS, with a min of 92 and a max of 124. High averages 89 FPS. Ultra averages 67 FPS. The progression is: 138 → 108 → 89 → 67. The drops are 30 FPS (Low to Medium), 19 FPS (Medium to High), and 22 FPS (High to Ultra). At 4K, no preset reaches the frame rates seen at 1080p, and the Ultra preset's 67 FPS is the lowest average in the entire dataset. The Medium preset's min of 92 FPS is still above 90, providing a reasonably smooth experience.

Comparing across resolutions at the same settings: Low goes from 244 (1080p) → 217 (1440p) → 138 (4K), a 106 FPS drop from 1080p to 4K. Medium goes from 223 → 177 → 108, a 115 FPS drop. High goes from 208 → 147 → 89, a 119 FPS drop. Ultra goes from 156 → 110 → 67, an 89 FPS drop. The High preset shows the largest absolute resolution scaling penalty, while Ultra shows the smallest, likely because Ultra is already GPU-limited even at 1080p.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-13400F brings 10 cores and 16 threads to this pairing, operating with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. These specifications, combined with 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, position the CPU as a solid mid-range performer that does not bottleneck the RTX 4090 in High On Life's measured scenarios. The CPU's benchmark scores reinforce this: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22,604 and single-core score of 3,191, alongside a Geekbench multi-core score of 11,068 and single-core score of 1,996.

For an FPS game like High On Life, single-thread performance is often critical for game logic and physics. The i5-13400F's single-thread score of 960 in 3DMark and 3,634 in Passmark single-thread tests indicate capable per-core performance. The boost clock of 4.60 GHz provides the necessary frequency headroom to keep frame times consistent at high frame rates. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 244 FPS — a frame rate that would expose CPU limitations if the processor were weak. The fact that 244 FPS is achieved suggests the CPU can feed the GPU adequately even at high frame rates.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities — 10 cores, 16 threads, and a Passmark multi-thread score of 25,032 — are more than sufficient for a game that does not appear to scale heavily with core count. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7,314 and max-thread score of 7,307 are nearly identical, indicating that the CPU's performance does not improve beyond 16 threads, which is expected given its thread count. This means that High On Life's workload is likely using fewer than 16 threads effectively, leaving CPU headroom for background tasks.

The CPU's 65-watt TDP and 10 nm process node (Raptor Lake architecture) suggest an efficient design that maintains consistent performance without thermal throttling in most systems. The 77th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25,292, places the i5-13400F in the upper-middle tier — not elite, but solidly above average. In the context of High On Life, this CPU is never the bottleneck; the GPU is always the limiting factor, as evidenced by the resolution scaling patterns discussed earlier.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the high frame rates measured across all resolutions. With 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, the GPU has a memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s — a figure that becomes critical at 4K, where texture data and frame buffers demand substantial bandwidth. The GPU's 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs provide the raw compute necessary to drive 244 FPS at 1080p Low and 138 FPS at 4K Low.

Clock speeds are equally important: the base clock is 2,235 MHz, boosting to 2,520 MHz, which translates to an FP32 performance of 82.58 TFLOPS. This compute throughput is what enables the GPU to maintain 89 FPS at 4K High settings, a demanding workload that would cripple lesser GPUs. The memory clock of 1,313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) works in tandem with the 384-bit bus to deliver the 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, which is essential for the 4K Medium preset's 108 FPS average with a tight min-max window of 92-124 FPS.

The GPU's 128 ray tracing cores and 512 tensor cores support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring compatibility with High On Life's rendering requirements. The 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60,347, confirms that the RTX 4090 is a top-tier card despite being end-of-life. Its successor, the GeForce 50 series, has been released, but the 4090 remains competitive — its nearest rivals in the benchmark database are within 3% of its score.

In High On Life, the GPU's role is clearly dominant. The 4K Ultra preset's 67 FPS average is not a reflection of GPU weakness but of the extreme demands of Ultra settings at 4K resolution. The RTX 4090's 24 GB VRAM is far more than this game needs, but the memory capacity ensures that texture streaming at 4K Ultra does not cause hitches. The measured frame rates — from 244 FPS at 1080p Low to 67 FPS at 4K Ultra — demonstrate a GPU that scales predictably with workload, delivering playable performance even at the most demanding settings. The GPU's transistor count of 76,300 million on a 5 nm TSMC process node (die size 609 mm²) explains its ability to sustain high clock speeds while maintaining the thermal headroom required for sustained gaming sessions.