Minimum

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X paired with the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT delivers a performance profile in Minimum that is heavily dictated by resolution and graphics preset. The data shows a system capable of high refresh rates at 1080p, but one that struggles to maintain smooth gameplay at 4K, particularly with maximum settings. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, the roles of the GPU and CPU, and how this combination ranks against other tested systems.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS across resolutions reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces an average of 107 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same High preset, the average drops to 69 FPS, a reduction of roughly 35%. Scaling further to 3840x2160 at High, the average falls to 37 FPS, a 65% decrease from the 1080p figure. This steep decline indicates that the rendering load at higher resolutions is quickly overwhelming the graphics card.

The scaling behavior changes significantly with the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 166 FPS, which drops to 107 FPS at 1440p and then to 58 FPS at 4K. The performance hit from 1080p to 1440p is 36%, almost identical to the High preset's drop. However, the transition from 1440p to 4K shows a 46% reduction, which is less severe than the 46% drop seen on the High preset for the same resolution step.

This data suggests that the RX 5700 XT is the primary limiting component at 1440p and 4K. The gap between the Low and High presets at 4K is 21 FPS (58 vs. 37), indicating that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are being saturated by the higher detail settings. At 1080p, the CPU is less of a bottleneck, as evidenced by the substantial 59 FPS difference between Low (166 FPS) and High (107 FPS) presets, which demonstrates headroom in the processor that the GPU cannot fully utilize at lower resolutions. The system is clearly optimized for 1080p gaming, where it can deliver playable frame rates across all settings.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the workhorse of this configuration, and its specifications directly correlate with the measured results. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K Ultra, the combination of high-resolution textures and complex shading likely pushes against the 8 GB capacity and the 448.0 GB/s bandwidth, contributing to the low 28 FPS average.

The card's clock speeds are also a factor. With a base clock of 1605 MHz, a game clock of 1755 MHz, and a boost clock of 1905 MHz, the GPU has a defined performance envelope. The data suggests that at 4K, the card is running at its limits, as the FPS numbers for High (37 FPS) and Ultra (28 FPS) are both low, indicating that the silicon is not able to maintain higher throughput under maximum load. The RDNA 1.0 architecture, built on a 7 nm process, delivers a FP32 performance of 9.754 TFLOPS, which is modest by modern standards but adequate for this 2014 title.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 16361. In the Passmark G3D test, it scores 16277, and its DirectX 11 score is 116. These metrics align with its mid-range positioning. The close rival scores—such as the AMD Radeon Pro 5600M at 16351 and the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell at 16408—show that the RX 5700 XT is performing within a tight band of similarly-classed hardware. The card's performance is adequate for high-refresh 1080p gaming, but the 4K results indicate a clear ceiling.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 127 FPS, with a minimum of 108 FPS and a maximum of 147 FPS.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K with the Ultra preset?

A: The average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 28 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth, playable performance in most action games.

Q: Is there a significant difference between the Low and High presets at 1440p?

A: Yes, the difference is substantial. At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 107 FPS, while the High preset averages 69 FPS, a difference of 38 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve over 100 FPS consistently?

A: At 1920x1080, the system achieves over 100 FPS on Low (166 FPS), Medium (127 FPS), and High (107 FPS) presets, making it the only resolution where this is possible.

Q: Does the GPU or CPU appear to be the limiting factor at 4K?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The FPS at 4K is consistently low (37 FPS on High, 28 FPS on Ultra), and the performance scales directly with the graphical load, which is a GPU-dependent variable.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 1440p?

A: The minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is 70 FPS, with an average of 82 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across nine distinct configurations. At 1920x1080, the system demonstrates its strength. The Low preset delivers an average of 166 FPS. The Medium preset averages 127 FPS, with a minimum of 108 and a maximum of 147 FPS. The High preset averages 107 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 82 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops are clear. The Low preset averages 107 FPS, which is still smooth. The Medium preset averages 82 FPS, with a range of 70 to 94 FPS. The High preset averages 69 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to an average of 53 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain playable frame rates. The Low preset averages 58 FPS, which is marginal. The Medium preset averages 44 FPS, with a minimum of 38 and a maximum of 51 FPS. The High preset averages 37 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages just 28 FPS. These numbers show a linear regression as settings increase, confirming that the GPU is the bottleneck at this resolution.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a high-end processor with 12 cores and 24 threads, based on the Zen 5 architecture. Its base clock is 4.40 GHz, and it can boost up to 5.60 GHz. This processing power is evident in its benchmark scores, which place it in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32172 and single-core score of 2253 demonstrate exceptional multi-threaded and strong single-threaded capabilities.

In Minimum, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data. The benchmark results show that the CPU is not the limiting factor at 1080p, as the FPS scales with GPU load. For instance, the 166 FPS at 1080p Low suggests the CPU can handle high frame rates, but the GPU cannot push beyond that. The 3DMark scores support this: the 16-thread score is 12552, and the max-thread score is 13929, indicating robust multi-threading that is underutilized in this game.

The processor's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-14900 with an average score of 58115 (a -1.1% delta), show that the 9900X is performing in line with other top-tier CPUs. The 9900X's average benchmark score is 57498, which is nearly identical to the AMD EPYC 9015 at 57555 (-0.1% delta). This level of CPU performance ensures that any FPS limitations in the measured data are attributable to the graphics card, not the processor.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS, the optimal preset depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1920x1080, the High preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 107 FPS. This provides a high-quality visual experience without sacrificing smoothness. The Ultra preset, at 82 FPS, is also viable for players who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum frame rate, but the 25 FPS drop from High to Ultra may not be worth the visual gains for competitive play.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the most balanced option. It averages 82 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, and provides a decent visual upgrade over Low. The High preset, at 69 FPS, is playable but may exhibit occasional dips in demanding scenes. The Ultra preset, at 53 FPS, is not recommended for a smooth experience, as it falls below the 60 FPS target.

For 3840x2160, the system is not well-suited for high settings. The Low preset averages 58 FPS, which is the only configuration that reaches near-playable levels. The Medium preset (44 FPS) and High preset (37 FPS) are too low for a satisfying experience, and the Ultra preset (28 FPS) is effectively unplayable. For 4K, users should stick to the Low preset if they must use this resolution, or consider reducing the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT holds a rank of 2758 out of 3712 total combos for Minimum. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, indicating that while it is competent, it is not a top-tier performer for this specific game. The rank reflects the GPU's mid-range status (59th percentile) and the demanding nature of 4K resolutions.

The ranking suggests that many other combinations of CPUs and GPUs deliver higher frame rates in this title. The GPU's closest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 (with an average score of 16504 and a delta of -0.9%), are typically paired with more powerful processors to achieve better in-game results. The combo's rank is a holistic measure of its performance across all measured settings, and the low scores at 4K significantly drag down its overall position. For users with this specific hardware, the data confirms that it is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can compete more favorably, but its overall standing in the database is modest due to its 4K limitations.