Outriders

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 delivers a robust Outriders experience, though the data reveals that hitting high refresh rates requires careful settings management. This combination sits at rank 1444 out of 2913 tested combos, placing it in the upper half of the database. The 16-core CPU is never the bottleneck; the 12 GB VRAM GPU dictates performance, with results showing that the game scales predictably from 4K down to 1080p.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Outriders?

A: The data shows 2560x1440 as the sweet spot. At Medium settings, it achieves 111 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play. While 1920x1080 offers higher frame rates (175 FPS on Medium), the visual clarity of 1440p is worth the performance cost, especially since the GPU maintains high numbers there.

Q: Can this system run Outriders at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at lower presets. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the combo averages 80 FPS. Medium settings drop that to 58 FPS, which is still playable. However, High (43 FPS) and Ultra (31 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS target, making them less ideal for competitive or fast-paced play.

Q: How does the CPU perform relative to its rivals?

A: The Ryzen 9 8945HX posts an average benchmark score of 76212, placing it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, scores 76155, which is just 0.1% lower. This indicates the CPU is essentially on par with top-tier mobile processors, ensuring it does not limit gaming performance.

Q: What is the GPU's standing among other graphics cards?

A: The RTX 5070 achieves an average benchmark score of 40377, landing in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs. It is 0.1% faster than the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40318) but 2% slower than the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (39568), showing it is a solid mid-to-high range performer.

Q: Is the 12 GB VRAM sufficient for Outriders?

A: The measured results indicate yes. Across all tested resolutions, there are no indications of VRAM-related stutters or crashes. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for the textures and effects at the settings tested.

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

A: The jump is significant. Low settings average 241 FPS, while Ultra averages 95 FPS. This represents a 146 FPS difference, making Low the choice for maximum refresh rate, but Ultra still maintains a playable frame rate for slower-paced exploration.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the primary driver of Outriders' frame rates. Its 12 GB of GDDR7 VRAM is a key asset, providing sufficient memory for the game's environments at all tested resolutions. The memory operates at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) across a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. This bandwidth is critical for streaming textures and geometry in a looter-shooter where multiple enemies and particle effects are common.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 2325 MHz and a boost of 2512 MHz, ensure consistent performance under load. The architecture includes 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 80 ROPs. These specifications translate into a texture rate of 482.3 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 201.0 GPixel/s. For Outriders, this means the card can handle the game's visual effects, such as the anomalous abilities and weather effects, without significant drops.

The VRAM capacity becomes more relevant at higher resolutions. At 3840x2160, the card is pushed harder, and the data shows a clear tiering of performance based on settings. The 12 GB capacity is not a limiting factor here, as even the Ultra preset, which will use the most memory, does not show signs of failure—it just runs slower due to compute load. The GPU's FP32 performance of 30.87 TFLOPS provides the raw compute power needed for the game's rendering, and the results show that scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K reduces the average frame rate from 80 to 31, a 61% drop. This is a direct reflection of the GPU's workload increasing with more complex shading and lighting calculations.

In contrast, the 192-bit memory bus, while narrower than some desktop counterparts, is sufficient for this game. The 672.0 GB/s bandwidth is high enough to avoid bottlenecks, as evidenced by the smooth scaling of frame rates from 1080p to 1440p. The data indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, not the memory subsystem, as the frame rate drops are consistent with increased pixel count and settings complexity.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data points to Medium settings as the best balance of visual quality and performance. Across all resolutions, Medium delivers a frame rate that is significantly higher than High or Ultra while maintaining a more detailed image than Low.

At 1920x1080, Medium averages 175 FPS with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 202 FPS. This is a comfortable margin above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on gaming monitors. High settings at this resolution yield 132 FPS, which is still smooth, but the 43 FPS jump from High to Medium is substantial. For competitive play, Low offers 241 FPS, but the visual downgrade is noticeable in textures and shadows.

At 2560x1440, Medium averages 111 FPS (94 min, 127 max). This is an excellent result for a high-resolution panel. High settings drop to 83 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium provides a 28 FPS advantage. Ultra falls to 60 FPS, which is the minimum for a smooth experience, making it a borderline choice. The data suggests that Medium is the recommended preset for 1440p, as it provides a high frame rate without sacrificing the visual fidelity that makes the game's environments engaging.

At 3840x2160, Medium averages 58 FPS (49 min, 67 max). This is just below the 60 FPS target, but the minimum of 49 FPS indicates some dips. Low settings at 80 FPS are the only preset that provides a consistently smooth 4K experience. High (43 FPS) and Ultra (31 FPS) are not recommended for 4K, as they fall into the territory of unplayable for a fast-paced shooter. The recommendation for 4K is Low, or Medium if the player is willing to tolerate occasional dips below 60 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The frame rate data for this combo in Outriders shows a clear hierarchy by resolution and settings.

1920x1080: The lowest resolution tested provides the highest frame rates. Low settings average 241 FPS, making it ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. Medium settings average 175 FPS, with a minimum of 149 FPS and a maximum of 202 FPS, indicating smooth performance throughout. High settings average 132 FPS, which is still excellent for most displays. Ultra settings drop to 95 FPS, which remains playable but shows the performance cost of maxing out the game.

2560x1440: This resolution shows a balanced performance profile. Low settings average 152 FPS, providing a high frame rate for competitive play. Medium settings average 111 FPS, with a minimum of 94 FPS and a maximum of 127 FPS, which is a strong result for 1440p. High settings average 83 FPS, which is suitable for most games. Ultra settings average 60 FPS, hitting the baseline for smooth gameplay but with no headroom for demanding scenes.

3840x2160: At 4K, the GPU is heavily taxed. Low settings average 80 FPS, which is the only preset that fully breaks the 60 FPS barrier. Medium settings average 58 FPS, with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 67 FPS, showing that the experience is inconsistent. High settings average 43 FPS, which is noticeably stuttery in action sequences. Ultra settings average 31 FPS, which is not recommended for a game that requires quick reactions.

The data shows that the performance gap between Low and Ultra is consistent across resolutions, but the average frame rates are heavily dependent on the number of pixels rendered, confirming that the GPU is the primary bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination ranks 1444 out of 2913 tested combos in Outriders. This places it in the 50th percentile of all systems tested, meaning it outperforms half of the configurations in the database. This is a respectable position, especially considering the mobile nature of the components.

The ranking is largely influenced by the GPU's performance, as the CPU is a high-end part that does not bottleneck the system. The Ryzen 9 8945HX's average benchmark score of 76212 places it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, which is a top-tier result. The RTX 5070, with an average score of 40377, is in the 82nd percentile, which is also strong. The combination of these two parts results in a balanced system.

The rank of 1444 suggests that while this combo is not the fastest available, it is far from a low-end configuration. It sits above the median, with many systems below it. The data indicates that this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming at high settings, but it is not a 4K powerhouse. The rank reflects this, as it is not in the top tier of combos that can handle 4K Ultra settings.

The nearest rivals to the CPU, such as the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, have similar scores, which shows that the CPU is a known quantity. The GPU's rivals, like the AMD Radeon Pro 580, are also close in performance. This suggests that the combo's ranking is not due to an unusually weak or strong component, but rather the expected performance of these parts together in Outriders.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a high-end mobile processor that provides more than enough performance for Outriders. It features 16 cores and 32 threads, based on the Zen 4 architecture. The base clock is 2.50 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. This high boost clock is crucial for gaming, as it allows the CPU to quickly respond to single-threaded tasks, which are common in game logic.

In benchmark tests, the CPU scores 42713 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 6030 in single-core. These scores are indicative of a processor that can handle both heavy multi-threaded workloads and the fast single-threaded response required for frame rendering. The 64 MB of L3 cache is a significant advantage, as it allows the CPU to keep more game data close to the cores, reducing latency.

For Outriders, the CPU's role is to handle the game's physics, AI, and the processing of the many enemies on screen. The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck, as the frame rates are consistently limited by the GPU. The CPU's high multi-core performance, with a Passmark multithread score of 51405, ensures that even in chaotic combat scenarios with numerous simultaneous actions, the CPU can keep up.

The CPU's memory support for DDR5 and dual-channel configuration provides a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. This is sufficient to feed the GPU with data, ensuring that the CPU-GPU pipeline is not starved. The 28 lanes of PCIe Gen 5 connectivity also ensure that the GPU has a high-bandwidth link to the rest of the system.

The Ryzen 9 8945HX's performance is consistent with its rivals. It is within 0.4% of the AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P and 0.1% of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX. This indicates that the CPU is a mature and well-optimized part that will not hold back the RTX 5070 in Outriders. The 5.40 GHz boost clock is particularly important for maintaining high frame rates, as it minimizes the time the CPU spends processing each frame.