Outriders

The pairing of AMD’s Ryzen 5 4600G with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5090 in Outriders presents a study in extreme bottlenecking. The data shows a processor from 2020, built on the Zen 2 architecture with a 7 nm process, attempting to feed a flagship Blackwell 2.0 GPU that was released in 2025. The resulting frame rates are entirely dictated by the CPU’s limits, not the GPU’s immense potential.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a counter-intuitive scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K. Typically, higher resolutions shift the load onto the GPU, reducing the CPU’s impact. However, the results here show only a modest performance drop, which is the first sign that the CPU is the primary constraint. At 1080p High, the combo produces 132.1 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the average drops to 110 FPS, a 16.7% decrease. Stepping up to 4K High yields 86.6 FPS, which is a further 21.3% drop from 1440p.

While these percentage decreases are significant, the absolute FPS at 4K remains high, suggesting the RTX 5090 is far from being the limiting factor. If the GPU were the bottleneck, the 4K score would likely be much lower relative to 1080p, as the render resolution quadruples. Instead, the data implies that even at 4K, the Ryzen 5 4600G is still holding the system back. The 86.6 FPS at 4K High is a strong result for any system, but it is far below what the RTX 5090 is capable of. This suggests that while the load is increasing on the GPU, the CPU's inability to issue draw calls quickly enough is capping the maximum output.

The scaling from Low to Ultra settings reinforces this. At 1080p, the difference between Low (163.6 FPS) and Ultra (118.5 FPS) is 45.1 FPS. This is a substantial gap, but it narrows considerably at higher resolutions. At 4K, the gap between Low (111.4 FPS) and Ultra (64.3 FPS) is 47.1 FPS. The consistent gap across resolutions suggests that the CPU is not only limiting the maximum frame rate but also influencing how much headroom is available for the GPU to work. The GPU is being fed just enough data to produce these numbers, and any additional work from higher settings is still being processed within the CPU's frame-time budget.

FAQ

Q: Is the Ryzen 5 4600G a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 in Outriders?

A: Yes, the data strongly indicates a significant CPU bottleneck. The high frame rates at 4K (86.6 FPS on High) are exceptionally good but are likely not reflective of the RTX 5090's true potential. The relatively small FPS drop when moving from 1080p to 4K indicates the CPU is the primary limiting component, as the GPU's workload increases without a proportional drop in performance.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 647th out of 1693 tested combinations in Outriders. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all results, which is surprisingly low for a system containing the most powerful consumer GPU available, further confirming the CPU is holding back the overall score.

Q: What is the best settings preset for this CPU-GPU pairing?

A: The data suggests that Medium settings at 1440p provide a strong balance, yielding 127 FPS. This is a significant improvement over the 110 FPS at High settings while still delivering a smooth experience. At 1080p, Medium also offers a good balance at 146.7 FPS, though Low at 163.6 FPS provides the absolute highest frame rate.

Q: How does the RTX 5090's performance compare to its closest rivals in this benchmark?

A: The RTX 5090's average benchmark score is 84306. It is 0.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D and 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile. It is also 1.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W6600. These deltaPct values are minimal, showing the 5090 is the top performer in its immediate comparison group.

Q: Does the CPU's single-threaded performance matter for this game?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600G has a single-thread benchmark score of 726 in 3dmark and 2653 in passmark_single_thread. While these scores are not directly compared to other CPUs in the pack, the overall performance pattern in Outriders suggests that the CPU's limitations are a primary factor in the final frame rates. The game's engine appears to be sensitive to the CPU's data output, as evidenced by the high frame rates that still do not fully utilize the GPU.

Q: What is the memory configuration of this CPU, and does it matter?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600G supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. While this is standard for the platform, it is not a variable in the measured data. The CPU's L3 cache is 8 MB (shared), which is a modest amount for a modern processor.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 13593 and a single-core score of 1919, place it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs. This indicates it is a competent mid-range processor for general tasks, but its limitations become apparent when paired with a top-tier GPU.

In Outriders, the CPU's role is clearly the limiting factor. The measured FPS data shows that the system cannot push frame rates into the territory expected of an RTX 5090. For example, at 1080p Low, the system achieves 163.6 FPS. While this is a high number, it falls far short of what a 5090 could achieve with a modern flagship CPU. The 3dmark 16-thread score of 4863 and 2-thread score of 1430 highlight a significant gap between multi-threaded and lightly-threaded performance, which is typical for a 6-core part.

The data implies that the game's engine is heavily dependent on the CPU's ability to handle the game's simulation and draw calls. The Ryzen 5 4600G's performance is adequate for a smooth experience, but it is not sufficient to unlock the RTX 5090's full power. The system is effectively a high-performance GPU being driven by a mid-range CPU from a previous generation, resulting in a classic bottleneck scenario where the CPU's output caps the GPU's frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a clear picture of performance across all resolution and settings combinations. At 1080p, the combo delivers a range from 118.5 FPS at Ultra to 163.6 FPS at Low. Medium sits at 146.7 FPS, and High at 132.1 FPS. This shows a clear, linear progression where lowering settings yields higher frame rates, but the CPU is still the primary limiter.

At 1440p, the performance drops slightly. Low settings produce 142.9 FPS, Medium 127 FPS, High 110 FPS, and Ultra 101.1 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is relatively small, which again points to the CPU's dominance. If the GPU were the bottleneck, we would expect a more substantial decrease as the pixel count increases.

At 4K, the results remain surprisingly strong. Low settings produce 111.4 FPS, Medium 102 FPS, and High 86.6 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 64.3 FPS. This is the only resolution where the GPU's workload seems to have a more pronounced effect, as the difference between Low and Ultra is 47.1 FPS, similar to the gap at other resolutions. The fact that the system still manages to hit 86.6 FPS on High at 4K reflects the RTX 5090's raw power, even when starved of data.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 647th out of 1693 tested combos in Outriders. This places it in the 38th percentile of all systems. This is a surprisingly low rank for a system with the RTX 5090, which alone ranks in the 94th percentile of all GPUs. The discrepancy between the GPU's high percentile and the combo's lower rank underscores the severity of the CPU bottleneck.

The data suggests that many other CPU-GPU pairings, even those with significantly weaker GPUs, are able to outperform this combination. This is because those systems likely have a more balanced pairing, where the CPU can keep up with the GPU's demands. The Ryzen 5 4600G, despite being in the 75th percentile of CPUs, is simply not powerful enough to feed the RTX 5090 adequately. This results in a system that performs well in absolute terms but is far from optimal, as indicated by its rank. The 1693 combos tested include a wide range of hardware, so being in the top 647 is not a poor result, but it is a clear indication that this pairing is not maximizing the potential of either component.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user's target resolution and preference for frame rate. For 1080p, Medium settings at 146.7 FPS offer a significant boost over High (132.1 FPS) with a likely minor visual penalty. Low at 163.6 FPS is the best choice for competitive play or maximum smoothness, but Medium provides a better balance of quality and speed.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 127 FPS is also the standout recommendation. It provides a very smooth experience and is a substantial improvement over the 110 FPS at High. The jump from Medium to High is a 17 FPS loss, which may not be worth the visual upgrade. Low at 142.9 FPS is the fastest option, but Medium offers a more visually pleasing experience.

At 4K, the situation is more nuanced. High settings at 86.6 FPS is a playable and enjoyable experience for a looter shooter. However, dropping to Medium at 102 FPS provides a significant performance boost. The Ultra preset at 64.3 FPS is the only one that dips below the 70 FPS threshold, which some users may find less smooth. For this resolution, Medium is the best recommendation, offering a 15.4 FPS gain over High with a modest visual trade-off. The data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot across all resolutions, providing a high frame rate while still maintaining reasonable visual fidelity.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a behemoth of a GPU. It features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. Its architecture, Blackwell 2.0, is built on a 5 nm process and contains 92,200 million transistors. With a boost clock of 2407 MHz, it achieves a staggering FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS. Its benchmark scores are equally impressive, with a passmark_g3d score of 39650 and a geekbench_opencl score of 380114, placing it in the 94th percentile of all GPUs.

In Outriders, the GPU's role is paradoxical. It is clearly not the limiting component, as the frame rates are capped by the CPU. However, the data still shows the GPU's inherent strength. The fact that the system can maintain 86.6 FPS at 4K High is a direct result of the RTX 5090's immense processing power. The GPU is working efficiently with the data it receives, but it is not being fully utilized.

The GPU's 32 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for any current game, and its 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensures that texture streaming is not an issue. The data suggests that the GPU is performing its role flawlessly, but its potential is squandered by the CPU. This is a classic case of a high-end GPU being paired with a lower-end CPU, where the GPU's advanced features and raw compute power are irrelevant because the CPU cannot supply it with enough work. The GPU's performance in this benchmark is a reflection of the CPU's limitations, not its own.