Minimum

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Minimum, placing the combo in the top 1.1% of all tested configurations. The data shows that this pairing is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but at 1080p, the CPU's capabilities become the defining factor for achieving triple-digit refresh rates. The optimal experience balances the GPU's immense power with settings that avoid unnecessary load on the processor.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data indicates that the High preset offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions, though the specific choice depends heavily on the target display. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 276 FPS, which is a massive 66 FPS improvement over Ultra (210 FPS) while only being 52 FPS behind Low (388 FPS). This suggests High is the sweet spot for competitive play, as it provides a significant visual upgrade over Low without the substantial performance penalty of Ultra.

For 2560x1440, the High preset again proves optimal, achieving 178 FPS. This is a 42 FPS drop from Low (277 FPS) but a 42 FPS gain over Ultra (136 FPS). The 1440p High result is still well above the 144Hz refresh threshold, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset at 1440p (212 FPS) offers an alternative for those seeking even higher frame rates, but the visual fidelity difference between Medium and High typically justifies the performance trade-off.

At 3840x2160, the story shifts. The High preset delivers 96 FPS, which is a solid 60Hz+ experience. However, the Ultra preset drops to 73 FPS, which may introduce noticeable stutter on 120Hz+ displays. The Low preset at 4K (149 FPS) is the only setting that breaks the 144 FPS barrier at this resolution, but the visual compromise is severe. For 4K, High remains the recommended preset for most users, as it hits the 90 FPS+ threshold that feels responsive in a third-person shooter, while Medium (114 FPS) is a viable choice for those prioritizing frame rate over visual quality.

The data suggests that Medium is the best choice only when the user has a 144Hz+ display and is playing at 1080p, where it achieves 329 FPS with a minimum of 280 FPS. This setting provides a 53 FPS advantage over High (276 FPS) while maintaining a higher minimum frame rate than Low (388 FPS average, but with a lower minimum of 280 FPS). For all other scenarios, High is the clear winner in terms of the performance-to-quality ratio.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its benchmark results show strong single-thread performance (3dmark_single_thread score of 960, Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3191) and substantial multi-threaded capability (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22604). The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support for DDR4 and DDR5 contribute to its overall responsiveness.

In Minimum, the CPU's role becomes increasingly apparent as resolution decreases. At 4K, the GPU is the primary bottleneck, with the High preset yielding 96 FPS versus 149 FPS at Low. This 55% performance difference is almost entirely attributable to GPU workload. However, at 1080p, the gap between Low (388 FPS) and High (276 FPS) narrows to 41%, suggesting the CPU is beginning to limit the maximum achievable frame rate. The 1080p Low result of 388 FPS represents a practical ceiling for this processor in this title, as even with minimal GPU load, the CPU cannot push beyond this threshold.

The CPU's 16 threads are well-utilized by Minimum, as evidenced by the multi-threaded benchmark scores. The 3dmark_16_threads score of 7314 is nearly identical to the max_threads score of 7307, indicating that the processor delivers consistent performance across all cores. This is important for a third-person shooter, where background physics and AI simulations can benefit from additional threads. The 13400F's 10 cores (likely a mix of performance and efficiency cores) provide a solid foundation for maintaining high frame rates without stutter, as shown by the 1080p Medium minimum FPS of 280.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the 13400F's average benchmark score of 25292 is within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25284) and 0.3% of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25365). This parity suggests that the CPU's performance in Minimum is consistent with its overall synthetic benchmark standing. The processor's 77th percentile ranking among all CPUs further reinforces that it is a capable mid-range part that can feed even the most powerful GPUs at lower resolutions, though it may not extract every last frame from the RTX 5090 D at 1080p.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 388, achieved at 1920x1080 with the Low preset. This is the peak performance ceiling for this specific CPU-GPU pairing in Minimum.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average FPS drops from 276 at 1080p to 178 at 1440p and finally to 96 at 4K. This represents a 65% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, indicating a strong GPU bottleneck at higher resolutions.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D the limiting factor at 4K?

A: Yes, the data strongly indicates a GPU limitation at 4K. The difference between Low (149 FPS) and Ultra (73 FPS) at 4K is 76 FPS, which is a much larger variance than at 1080p, where the same settings span 178 FPS. This widening gap at higher resolutions is characteristic of GPU-bound scenarios.

Q: Can this combo maintain 144 FPS at 1440p?

A: Yes, the High preset at 2560x1440 achieves 178 FPS, which is above the 144 FPS threshold. The Medium preset (212 FPS) and Low preset (277 FPS) also exceed this threshold, providing ample headroom for high-refresh-rate 1440p displays.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance impact 1080p results?

A: The CPU's single-thread score of 960 in 3dmark and 3191 in Cinebench R23 suggests strong per-core performance. This is reflected in the 1080p Low result of 388 FPS, which is the highest recorded FPS across all tests, indicating that the CPU is capable of driving high frame rates when GPU load is minimal.

Q: Is the Ultra preset worth the performance cost?

A: No, the data does not support using Ultra. At 1080p, Ultra (210 FPS) is 66 FPS slower than High (276 FPS) and 178 FPS slower than Low (388 FPS). At 4K, Ultra drops to 73 FPS, which is below the 75 FPS threshold that many consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. The visual gains from Ultra over High are unlikely to justify these significant frame rate reductions.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination ranks 33rd out of 2939 tested combos in Minimum. This places it in the top 1.1% of all configurations, which is an exceptional result given the CPU's mid-range positioning. The ranking reflects the GPU's immense power (92nd percentile among all GPUs) combined with the CPU's adequate performance (77th percentile among all CPUs) to produce a system that excels in this title.

The combo's ranking is particularly impressive when considering the CPU's nearest rivals. The 13400F's average benchmark score of 25292 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS (25284, 0% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H (25201, +0.4% delta). This means that swapping the 13400F for any of these closely matched CPUs would likely yield very similar results in Minimum, as the GPU would remain the dominant factor at most settings. The ranking of 33rd out of 2939 suggests that the 13400F does not hold back the RTX 5090 D significantly, even in a game that can be CPU-sensitive at lower resolutions.

The gap between the top-ranked combos and this 33rd-place finish is likely attributable to CPUs with higher single-thread performance, which would enable even higher 1080p frame rates. However, for the vast majority of users playing at 1440p or 4K, this combo's ranking indicates that it is a top-tier configuration that will deliver an excellent experience in Minimum. The 0.3% deltaPct to the Intel Core 5 120 (average score 25362) and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (average score 25365) further confirms that the CPU is performing exactly as expected for its class, with no unusual bottlenecks or advantages.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear GPU-bound pattern. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 276 at 1080p to 178 at 1440p (a 35.5% reduction) and then to 96 at 4K (a 46.1% reduction from 1440p). The total drop from 1080p to 4K is 180 FPS, representing a 65.2% decrease. This scaling is consistent with a system where the RTX 5090 D is the primary bottleneck, as the GPU's workload quadruples from 1080p to 4K in terms of pixel count, but the actual FPS drop is proportionally less severe due to the GPU's massive memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s and 32 GB of GDDR7 memory.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced, with FPS dropping from 388 at 1080p to 277 at 1440p (28.6% reduction) and then to 149 at 4K (46.2% reduction from 1440p). The 1080p Low result of 388 FPS is notably lower than what the RTX 5090 D could theoretically achieve, suggesting that the CPU is limiting performance at this resolution. This is confirmed by the fact that the drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low (111 FPS) is smaller than the drop from 1440p to 4K (128 FPS), which is the opposite of what would be expected in a purely GPU-bound scenario. The CPU begins to hit its limit around 388 FPS, preventing the GPU from stretching its legs at 1080p.

The Medium preset provides the most detailed data, with minimum and maximum FPS values recorded. At 1080p, the Medium settings show an average of 329 FPS with a minimum of 280 FPS and a maximum of 379 FPS. At 1440p, the average drops to 212 FPS (min 180, max 244), and at 4K, it falls to 114 FPS (min 97, max 131). The minimum FPS at 4K Medium (97 FPS) is still comfortably above 60 FPS, indicating that this combo maintains smooth gameplay even at the highest resolution. The narrow range between minimum and maximum FPS at each resolution (99 FPS spread at 1080p, 64 FPS at 1440p, 34 FPS at 4K) suggests that the frame pacing is consistent, with no severe spikes or drops.

The resolution scaling data clearly shows that the RTX 5090 D is the limiting component at 1440p and 4K, while the Intel Core i5-13400F becomes the limiting factor at 1080p. Users targeting 4K should expect a significant performance penalty compared to 1440p, but the absolute numbers remain high enough for a smooth experience. Conversely, those playing at 1080p with a high-refresh-rate monitor will find that the CPU prevents them from reaching the GPU's full potential, though the 388 FPS ceiling at Low settings is still far beyond what most displays can show.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS data for this combo is as follows:

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 388 FPS average
• Medium: 329 FPS average, 280 FPS minimum, 379 FPS maximum
• High: 276 FPS average
• Ultra: 210 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 277 FPS average
• Medium: 212 FPS average, 180 FPS minimum, 244 FPS maximum
• High: 178 FPS average
• Ultra: 136 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 149 FPS average
• Medium: 114 FPS average, 97 FPS minimum, 131 FPS maximum
• High: 96 FPS average
• Ultra: 73 FPS average

The 1080p data reveals a 178 FPS spread between the lowest preset (Low, 388 FPS) and highest preset (Ultra, 210 FPS). The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 280 is the lowest recorded at 1080p, which is still far above the refresh rates of most monitors. The Ultra preset's 210 FPS average is the only 1080p setting that drops below the 240 FPS threshold, making it less suitable for esports-level play.

At 1440p, the spread between presets narrows to 141 FPS, with Low (277 FPS) and Ultra (136 FPS) defining the range. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 180 is notable, as it ensures that even the most demanding scenes maintain a frame rate above the 144Hz refresh rate. The High preset's 178 FPS average is nearly identical to the Medium minimum, indicating that High is a stable choice for 1440p gamers.

The 4K data shows the tightest spread between presets at 76 FPS, with Low (149 FPS) and Ultra (73 FPS) at the extremes. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 97 is the lowest recorded across all resolutions and settings, but it still exceeds the 60 FPS standard for console-like smoothness. The High preset's 96 FPS average is just below the Medium minimum, suggesting that High at 4K may occasionally drop below 90 FPS in intense scenes, though the average remains playable.

Overall, the measured FPS breakdown confirms that this combo is capable of delivering excellent performance across all resolutions, with the only caveat being that the 1080p results are CPU-limited at lower presets. The data also shows that the Medium preset consistently provides the most stable frame pacing, as evidenced by the narrower minimum-to-average gaps at every resolution.