Minimum

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers a playable experience in Minimum, but the data reveals a clear performance ceiling determined by resolution. At 1080p, this combo is exceptionally fast, pushing average frame rates well above 100 FPS in most settings. However, as resolution increases, the frame rate drops sharply, indicating that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is steep: at High settings, the average FPS falls from 115 at 1920x1080 to 74 at 2560x1440, and then to 40 at 3840x2160. This represents a 65% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, a pattern that underscores the RTX 5050's limitations at ultra-high resolutions despite its solid 1080p and 1440p showing.

The frame rate drop from 1440p to 4K is particularly severe, with High settings losing 34 FPS (from 74 to 40). This suggests that the 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus of the RTX 5050 become significant constraints at 4K, where the pixel count quadruples from 1080p. The data indicates that while the CPU can keep up at lower resolutions, the GPU's raw throughput—measured at 13.17 TFLOPS FP32—is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 3840x2160. The 4K Ultra setting drops to just 30 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. This combo is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, where it delivers competitive performance, rather than for 4K enthusiasts.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent trend: performance degrades significantly as resolution climbs. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 179 FPS, which drops to 116 FPS at 2560x1440 and 62 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 65% reduction from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is slightly less aggressive at higher settings, but the pattern remains. For instance, at Ultra settings, the average FPS falls from 88 at 1080p to 57 at 1440p, and then to 30 at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is a 47% reduction, while the drop from 1080p to 1440p is 35%. This indicates that the GPU is the limiting component at 4K, as the CPU's six cores and six threads are less stressed by higher resolutions.

The data suggests that the RTX 5050 is not designed for 4K gaming in Minimum. Even at Low settings, the 4K average of 62 FPS is marginally playable, but the 40 FPS at High and 30 FPS at Ultra are not. The 1440p results are more favorable, with all settings except Ultra (57 FPS) exceeding 74 FPS. At 1080p, the combo excels, with Low settings hitting 179 FPS and High reaching 115 FPS. This resolution scaling analysis points to 1080p as the sweet spot, with 1440p being viable for High and Medium settings. The 4K results are best ignored unless the user accepts Low settings and sub-60 FPS averages.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the driving force behind this combo's performance, and its specifications explain the observed frame rates. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration is adequate for 1080p and 1440p but struggles at 4K, where the higher resolution demands more memory bandwidth. The GPU's clocks are set at 2317 MHz base and 2572 MHz boost, which are relatively high for a desktop card, but the 130 W TDP suggests a power-constrained design. The 2560 shading units and 80 TMUs provide solid texture throughput, as evidenced by the 205.8 GTexel/s texture rate.

In Minimum, the GPU's role is evident in the frame rate scaling. At 1080p Low, the 179 FPS average shows the GPU can push frames quickly when pixel count is low. However, at 4K Ultra, the 30 FPS average indicates the GPU is fully saturated. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2502 and Passmark G3D score of 17326 place the RTX 5050 in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, which aligns with its mid-range positioning. The nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT with a deltaPct of 1.6, show that the RTX 5050 is competitive with older mid-range cards. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s is a limiting factor at 4K, where the 8 GB capacity and 128-bit bus cannot keep up with the data demands. This is reflected in the 4K High average of 40 FPS, which is only 65% of the 1440p High result.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 provides the computational foundation for this combo, and its six cores and six threads are sufficient for Minimum at most resolutions. The CPU has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with 9 MB of shared L3 cache. In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 6629 multicore and 935 singlecore, placing it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs. This is a modest score, but it is not the primary bottleneck in this game, as evidenced by the frame rate scaling. At 1080p, where the GPU is less stressed, the CPU can keep up with the RTX 5050, allowing the 179 FPS Low result. At higher resolutions, the CPU's workload remains similar, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor, so the CPU's performance is less critical.

The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-10710U with a deltaPct of 0.3, show that the i5-9400 is a mid-range performer. The data indicates that the CPU does not bottleneck the combo until lower resolutions, where frame rates exceed 115 FPS. At 1080p High, the 115 FPS average suggests the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. However, at 4K, the CPU's role is diminished, as the GPU cannot process frames fast enough to saturate the CPU's capabilities. The 65 W TDP and 14 nm process node are older specifications, but they do not hinder performance in this title. The CPU's memory support for DDR4 at dual-channel 42.7 GB/s is sufficient for this game, which is not memory-bandwidth intensive at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combos for Minimum, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 1764 out of 2939 combinations. This places it in the 60th percentile of all tested combos, indicating that it performs above average but is not a top-tier setup. The rank reflects the combo's strong 1080p performance and its weaker 4K showing. The combo's average benchmark score of 2254 for the CPU and 21035 for the GPU contribute to this ranking, with the GPU's percentile of 66 being higher than the CPU's 47. This suggests that the GPU is the stronger component, but the CPU's mid-range performance holds the combo back from higher rankings.

When compared to other combos, this setup is better suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can achieve frame rates above 74 FPS at High settings. At 4K, the combo falls behind many others that feature more powerful GPUs or more VRAM. The rank of 1764 out of 2939 is a solid mid-pack result, but it is not exceptional. The data shows that the combo is balanced at 1080p, with the CPU and GPU working well together, but at 4K, the GPU's limitations are exposed. For users seeking a 4K experience, this combo is not recommended, but for 1080p or 1440p, it offers competitive performance. The rank is a composite measure, and the individual resolution results provide a clearer picture of the combo's strengths and weaknesses.

FAQ

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

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings is 115 FPS.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 30, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the GPU is the limiting factor, as the average FPS at High settings is 74, which is lower than the 1080p result, while the CPU can handle the workload.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The data shows that 1080p is the best resolution, with all settings except Ultra achieving at least 115 FPS, and Low settings reaching 179 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT?

A: The RTX 5050 has a deltaPct of 1.6 compared to the RX 5600 XT, meaning it performs slightly better in average benchmark scores.

*Q: What is the combo's rank in the database for Minimum?*

A: The combo ranks 1764 out of 2939 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle range of all combos.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the results are strong: Low settings yield 179 FPS, Medium settings yield 137 FPS with a minimum of 117 FPS and maximum of 158 FPS, High settings yield 115 FPS, and Ultra settings yield 88 FPS. These numbers indicate that the combo can handle 1080p gaming with ease, even at Ultra settings, which maintains a high average FPS. The Medium setting's minimum FPS of 117 suggests that frame pacing is consistent, with no significant drops.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains respectable but shows the GPU's strain. Low settings achieve 116 FPS, which is still high, while Medium settings drop to 88 FPS with a minimum of 75 FPS and maximum of 102 FPS. High settings yield 74 FPS, which is playable, but Ultra settings fall to 57 FPS, which is on the edge of smoothness. The data shows that 1440p is viable for Low, Medium, and High settings, but Ultra requires a compromise.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles. Low settings achieve 62 FPS, which is marginally playable, but Medium settings drop to 48 FPS with a minimum of 41 FPS and maximum of 55 FPS. High settings yield 40 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 30 FPS. These results indicate that 4K gaming is not recommended with this combo, as even Low settings hover near the 60 FPS threshold, and higher settings produce sub-60 FPS averages. The minimum FPS values at 4K Medium (41 FPS) highlight the GPU's inability to maintain consistent frame rates at this resolution. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown confirms that this combo is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for users who tolerate lower frame rates.