Outriders

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination in Outriders delivers a clear picture of a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s substantial multi-threading capabilities ensure headroom at lower settings. The data shows a looter shooter that scales predictably with resolution and settings, but the relative performance shifts dramatically depending on where you place the workload.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a 16-core, 32-thread mobile processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Dragon Range. It operates with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and can boost up to 5.40 GHz. This is a high-core-count part from the 8000 series, built on a 5 nm process, and its benchmark results reflect a strong multi-threaded presence. In Cinebench R23, it scores 42713 points in multi-core and 6030 points in single-core. That multi-core score is what stands out for a laptop chip; the data shows it sits in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 76212.

The nearest rivals in the database put this into perspective. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX scores an average of 76155, which is only 0.1% lower. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scores 75779, a 0.6% deficit. On the other side, the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX are 0.4% higher. These are all essentially statistical ties. For Outriders, this means the 8945HX is not the limiting factor in any of the measured FPS rows. The game’s engine, a looter shooter with numerous particle effects and enemy counts, does benefit from strong single-thread performance, where the 6030 Cinebench R23 score is ample. The 32 threads are more than sufficient to feed the RTX 4060, even at 1080p Low where the frame rate reaches 218 FPS.

The data indicates that the CPU’s role here is to provide consistent frame pacing without dips. The measured FPS numbers show no signs of CPU-bound stutter, even at the highest frame rates. For instance, at 1080p Low, the average FPS is 218. If the CPU were weak, we would expect to see that number cap out lower or show significant min FPS drops. The fact that the 8945HX can maintain this throughput suggests its single-core boost clock of 5.40 GHz is doing the heavy lifting for game logic, while the massive 64 MB of L3 cache helps with asset streaming. In short, the CPU is a silent partner in this combo; its performance is a given, and the GPU dictates the visual output.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution to play Outriders with this combo for a smooth 60+ FPS experience?

A: According to the measured data, 1440p is the sweet spot. At 2560x1440 with High settings, the average FPS is 75, and with Medium settings it rises to 100. This comfortably exceeds the 60 FPS target while providing a significant visual upgrade over 1080p.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Outriders?

A: Yes, but with compromises. At 3840x2160, only the Low preset achieves a playable average of 72 FPS. The High preset drops to 39 FPS, and Ultra falls to 28 FPS. The Medium preset offers 52 FPS with a min of 45 FPS, which is borderline. For a consistent experience, 4K requires Low settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rivals in general GPU benchmarks?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, placing it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 7790, scores 17666, which is 0.2% higher. The AMD Radeon 780M is 0.3% lower, and the Radeon Pro 560 is 0.5% lower. These are all very close scores, indicating the 4060 sits in a specific performance tier.

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 8945HX significantly faster than its closest competitor?

A: No. The benchmark data shows a statistical tie. The 8945HX scores 76212 on average, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX scores 76155, a difference of just 0.1%. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is 0.6% behind, and the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P is 0.4% ahead. No rival in the nearest group is more than 0.6% away.

Q: What is the FPS difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The difference is substantial. At 1920x1080, the Low preset yields an average of 218 FPS, while the Ultra preset yields 86 FPS. That is a 132 FPS drop, or roughly 60% lower performance, demonstrating the heavy GPU load from the Ultra settings.

Q: Does the combo rank high among all tested systems for this game?

A: The combo ranks 1705 out of 2913 tested combinations. This places it in the upper-middle portion of the database, meaning it performs better than a majority of systems but is not near the top tier for Outriders specifically.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The data places this specific pairing at rank 1705 out of 2913 total combinations tested in Outriders. This is a percentile rank of roughly 58.5%, meaning it outperforms more than half of all tested systems but falls behind the top 40% or so. This is a meaningful data point. A rank of 1705 out of 2913 is not a top-tier result, but it is far from a weak one. For a laptop CPU and a mid-range desktop GPU like the RTX 4060, this position makes sense.

The rank is determined by the measured FPS across all settings and resolutions. The 8945HX is a high-end mobile CPU, but the RTX 4060 is a 1080p/1440p-class card. In a game like Outriders, the GPU load is significant, and the 4060’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus width limit its performance at 4K. This is reflected in the 4K numbers, where the Ultra preset only manages 28 FPS. Those low 4K scores drag down the overall rank. At 1080p and 1440p, the combo is much more competitive, with the 1440p Medium score of 100 FPS being a strong result.

Compared to other combos in the database, this rank indicates that systems with higher-end GPUs, such as an RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XTX, will be above it. However, the 8945HX’s strong CPU scores ensure that this combo does not fall behind systems with weaker processors. The rank is a holistic measure, and the data suggests that if you are using this combo, you are getting a balanced system that is held back primarily by the GPU at higher resolutions. The CPU is not the bottleneck; the 4060 is. This is a classic pairing where the processor has more headroom than the graphics card can use.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings produce an average of 218 FPS. Medium settings produce 159 FPS, with a minimum of 135 FPS and a maximum of 183 FPS. High settings produce 119 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 86 FPS. This is a wide spread, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset is playable, but the Low preset shows the absolute ceiling of what this combo can push, likely hitting a limit where the CPU or game engine caps the frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the numbers show a predictable decline. Low settings yield 138 FPS. Medium settings yield 100 FPS, with a minimum of 85 FPS and a maximum of 115 FPS. High settings yield 75 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 54 FPS. The 1440p results are where the RTX 4060 starts to show its mid-range nature. The High preset at 75 FPS is a solid result for a demanding title, and Medium at 100 FPS is excellent. The Ultra preset at 54 FPS is borderline for a 60 Hz monitor, but the min FPS is not recorded, so it is unclear if there are drops.

At 3840x2160, the performance falls off a cliff. Low settings produce 72 FPS. Medium settings produce 52 FPS, with a minimum of 45 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. High settings produce 39 FPS. Ultra settings produce 28 FPS. These numbers confirm that 4K is not a realistic target for this GPU in Outriders, at least not at higher quality settings. The Low preset is the only one that exceeds 60 FPS, and that is with significant visual compromises. The jump from 1440p High at 75 FPS to 4K High at 39 FPS is a 48% reduction, highlighting the pixel-pushing demands of 4K.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The resolution scaling data is clear evidence that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the limiting component in this system. Looking at the High preset, the FPS drops from 119 at 1080p to 75 at 1440p, and then to 39 at 4K. That is a 36.9% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 48% drop from 1440p to 4K. This scaling is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, because the CPU workload does not change with resolution.

The Low preset tells a similar story. At 1080p Low, the FPS is 218. At 1440p Low, it drops to 138, a 36.7% reduction. At 4K Low, it drops to 72, a 47.8% reduction from 1440p. The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings is a strong indicator that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints. The RTX 4060 has a 128-bit memory bus and 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. At 4K, the sheer number of pixels to be shaded and textured exceeds what this card can handle at high quality.

What does this say about the CPU? The Ryzen 9 8945HX is not showing any signs of being the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, where the GPU load is lowest, the FPS reaches 218. If the CPU were weak, we would see this number plateau at a lower value. The fact that it reaches such a high number suggests the CPU can handle the game’s logic and draw calls without breaking a sweat. The data indicates that the CPU has significant headroom; it is the GPU that is being pushed to its limits. For this combo, if you want to game at 4K, you must lower settings to Low to get a playable frame rate, confirming the 4060 is a 1080p/1440p card, not a 4K card.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on your target resolution and refresh rate. At 1920x1080, the High preset at 119 FPS is the best choice for most users. It provides a smooth experience on a 120 Hz or 144 Hz monitor, and the visual quality is significantly better than Medium. The Ultra preset at 86 FPS is also playable, but the jump from High to Ultra is not worth the 33 FPS loss. If you have a 240 Hz monitor, the Low preset at 218 FPS is the only way to take advantage of it, but you sacrifice visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 159 FPS is a good middle ground for high refresh rate monitors, but High offers better image quality at a still-very-smooth 119 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset at 100 FPS is the standout recommendation. It delivers a very smooth experience and the min FPS of 85 ensures no major hitches. The High preset at 75 FPS is also good, especially for a 75 Hz or 144 Hz monitor, but Medium provides a 33% FPS increase over High. The Ultra preset at 54 FPS is not ideal unless you have a 60 Hz monitor and prioritize visual quality over frame rate. For 1440p gaming, the data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for this GPU, offering a perfect balance of performance and visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the options are limited. The Low preset at 72 FPS is the only one that provides a consistently smooth experience. The Medium preset at 52 FPS is playable on a 60 Hz display, with a min FPS of 45, but it is close to the edge. The High and Ultra presets at 39 and 28 FPS, respectively, are not recommended for anything other than screenshotting or slow-paced exploration. For a playable 4K experience, you must use Low settings. If you want higher quality at 4K, you would need a more powerful GPU. Overall, the best experience with this combo is at 1440p with Medium settings, where you get 100 FPS and a good balance of quality and speed.