Outriders

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 presents an interesting study in bottleneck dynamics within Outriders. The data reveals a configuration where the CPU’s immense processing power is frequently held back by the GPU’s memory and bandwidth constraints, particularly at higher resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across the board.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, clearly identifying the GPU as the primary limiting factor as pixel count increases. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 243 FPS at 1920x1080 to 153 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 90 FPS. Pushing to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 81.1 FPS, meaning the 4K result is exactly one-third of the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern indicates that the RTX 4060 is saturated by the pixel workload long before the CPU’s potential is reached.

The trend is identical at High settings, where the average goes from 134.5 FPS at 1080p down to 83.8 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 42.9 FPS at 4K. The percentage decline from 1080p to 4K is roughly 68%, which is a substantial hit. At Ultra settings, the 4K average of 34.4 FPS is barely playable, while the 1080p Ultra result of 94.2 FPS remains smooth. This data suggests that the 9800X3D is not the bottleneck in any scenario; instead, the RTX 4060’s 8 GB memory buffer and 128-bit bus are overwhelmed by the higher resolution demands.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested combinations for Outriders, this pairing sits at rank 876 out of 1693 combos. That places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which is a direct consequence of the GPU’s mid-range positioning rather than the CPU’s top-tier capabilities. The CPU alone is in the 90th percentile when compared to all processors, but the combo rank shows that the RTX 4060 drags the overall experience down relative to other pairings that likely include higher-end graphics cards.

The data indicates that this is a CPU-heavy combo in a game that is not particularly demanding on the processor. The 9800X3D’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-13900HK with a deltaPct of -0.6%, show that the CPU is performing at the expected level. However, the GPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Arc B580 with a deltaPct of 0.7%, is a closer match in terms of overall system performance. This suggests that the combo’s rank is heavily influenced by the GPU, which is only in the 66th percentile of all GPUs tested.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The boost clock of 2460 MHz and 3072 shading units are typical for its class, but the memory configuration is the critical weakness. In Outriders, the jump from Medium to Ultra at 1440p causes the average FPS to drop from 111.4 to 60.0, a clear sign that the memory bandwidth is struggling with the increased texture and effect loads.

At 1080p, the GPU shows its strength, delivering 243 FPS on Low and 175.7 FPS on Medium. However, the 4K results tell a different story: even on Low, the average of 81.1 FPS is far below the 1440p Low figure of 153 FPS. This halving of performance at 4K is not a CPU limitation but a direct result of the GPU hitting its memory bandwidth ceiling. The RTX 4060’s 8 GB buffer is also a factor, as Ultra settings at 4K force the card to swap data more aggressively, resulting in the 34.4 FPS average.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 4060 produces excellent numbers. Low settings deliver an average of 243 FPS, Medium drops to 175.7 FPS, High settles at 134.5 FPS, and Ultra still maintains a solid 94.2 FPS. These figures show that for 1080p gaming, the combo is more than capable of handling the game at any preset, with the CPU never becoming a constraint.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the averages are 153 FPS on Low, 111.4 FPS on Medium, 83.8 FPS on High, and 60 FPS on Ultra. The drop from High to Ultra is 23.8 FPS, which is significant and points to the GPU’s memory limitations. At 3840x2160, the numbers fall dramatically: Low averages 81.1 FPS, Medium 57 FPS, High 42.9 FPS, and Ultra 34.4 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 46.7 FPS, showing that the GPU cannot sustain playable frame rates at the highest settings on a 4K display.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a Zen 5 architecture processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, boosting up to 5.20 GHz. Its 96 MB of shared L3 cache is a significant asset for gaming, and the benchmark scores reflect its strength: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 34004 and a single-core score of 4800. In Outriders, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations, and the data shows it does so without breaking a sweat.

Comparing the 1080p Low average of 243 FPS to the 1440p Low average of 153 FPS, the CPU is clearly not the limiting factor, as the frame rate scales with resolution rather than core count. The 9800X3D’s nearest rival, the Intel Xeon 6353P, has an average score with a deltaPct of -0.1%, meaning it is essentially tied in synthetic tests. In real gaming, the CPU’s 8 cores and 16 threads are more than adequate for Outriders, which is a title that tends to be GPU-bound. The processor’s 120 W TDP and 4 nm process node ensure it runs efficiently while maintaining high clock speeds.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual fidelity and frame rate, the data points to High settings at 1440p as the sweet spot. The average of 83.8 FPS is smooth for a looter shooter, and the visual upgrade from Medium (111.4 FPS) is worth the 27.6 FPS hit. At 1080p, Ultra is the clear choice, as the 94.2 FPS average provides a high-refresh-rate experience without sacrificing image quality. The 9800X3D ensures that frame pacing remains consistent, even during intense combat.

At 4K, the recommendation is to use Medium settings, which yields an average of 57 FPS. This is playable, but the drop from High (42.9 FPS) to Medium shows that the GPU is the primary constraint. Low settings at 4K (81.1 FPS) are an option for competitive play, but the visual compromise is severe. For most users, the best experience will be at 1440p with High settings, offering a strong balance between the GPU’s capabilities and the CPU’s headroom. Pushing to Ultra at 1440p drops the average to 60 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower-paced sections but will struggle in heavy combat scenarios.