Outriders

The data for Outriders with the Intel Core i5-10400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 shows a system that is heavily influenced by resolution and graphics settings. The measured FPS across the board indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides a solid foundation that allows the RTX 3070 to stretch its legs at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, revealing a classic GPU-bound scenario. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 127.8 FPS at 1920x1080 to 95 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of roughly 26%. Moving to 3840x2160, the average drops further to 50.2 FPS, which is a 61% decrease from the 1080p result. This sharp decline indicates that the rendering load is scaling directly with pixel count, and the RTX 3070’s compute and memory resources are being saturated.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced at Ultra settings. The system delivers 110.2 FPS at 1080p, but this tumbles to 66.4 FPS at 1440p and then to just 35.4 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is less than a third of the 1080p Ultra figure, which strongly suggests that the GPU’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and its 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are being overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and maximum graphical fidelity. The data shows that the limiting component shifts decisively to the GPU as resolution increases, with the CPU’s role diminishing.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F provides a capable baseline for this configuration. With 6 cores and 12 threads, it offers enough parallel processing power to feed the RTX 3070 at lower resolutions. Its boost clock of 4.30 GHz and base clock of 2.90 GHz are sufficient to handle the game’s logic and draw calls without becoming a primary constraint. The benchmark results support this, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10297 and a single-core score of 1453, indicating balanced performance.

In the context of Outriders, the CPU’s role is most evident at 1080p, where the frame rates are highest. For instance, at Low settings, the average FPS reaches 157.2 at 1920x1080, which is the highest recorded in the dataset. This suggests that at this resolution, the CPU is able to keep up with the GPU’s output, and the system is not yet fully GPU-limited. The CPU’s percentile rank of 73 among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 14168, places it in a solid mid-to-upper tier, though it is not a top-tier performer. Compared to its nearest rivals, it is nearly identical in average score, with a delta of just 0.4% against the AMD EPYC 7552 and -0.8% against the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, indicating that its processing power is typical for its class.

The cache hierarchy, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache, helps with data locality, but the game’s performance scaling with resolution confirms that the CPU is not the bottleneck in demanding scenarios. The data shows that when the GPU is stressed at 4K, the frame rates drop significantly, even though the CPU’s workload remains relatively constant.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications directly explain the measured performance. The GPU features 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units, all running on the Ampere architecture at a boost clock of 1725 MHz. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, which is a critical factor for high-resolution gaming.

The GPU’s role becomes clear when examining the FPS differences between settings. At 4K, the average frame rate drops from 93.3 FPS at Low settings to 66.4 FPS at Medium, then to 50.2 FPS at High, and finally to 35.4 FPS at Ultra. This consistent degradation indicates that each increase in graphical fidelity adds a significant load on the GPU’s processing units and memory subsystem. The 4K Ultra result of 35.4 FPS is particularly telling, as it falls below the 50 FPS threshold that is often considered playable, highlighting the GPU’s limits when pushed to its maximum.

The GPU’s performance is also reflected in its benchmark scores. It achieves a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3162, and a Passmark G3D score of 22214, placing it in the 72nd percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 28238 is comparable to the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, which is just 0.9% ahead, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti, which is 1% ahead. This suggests that the RTX 3070 offers a balance of raw compute and memory bandwidth that is well-suited for 1440p gaming, but struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K with maximum settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed view of the system’s performance across all combinations of resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is highly capable, with average frame rates ranging from 110.2 FPS at Ultra to 157.2 FPS at Low. The Medium setting delivers 137.7 FPS, and High produces 127.8 FPS. These numbers indicate that the RTX 3070 is not fully taxed at this resolution, and the CPU is able to keep the frame rate high.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. Low settings yield an average of 132.4 FPS, Medium produces 120 FPS, and High drops to 95 FPS. The Ultra setting sees a significant reduction to 66.4 FPS, which is exactly the same as the 4K Medium result. This crossover point suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth is becoming a limiting factor, as the increased pixel count at 1440p Ultra requires more data throughput than the 8 GB frame buffer can efficiently handle.

At 3840x2160, the system’s limits are exposed. Low settings provide 93.3 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium drops to 66.4 FPS, High falls to 50.2 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 35.4 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is 57.9 FPS, showing the massive impact of settings on the GPU’s workload. The data indicates that for smooth 4K gameplay, users would need to stick to Low or Medium settings, while 1440p offers a better balance of visual quality and performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combination in Outriders?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with Medium or High settings provides a strong balance. Medium delivers an average of 120 FPS, while High yields 95 FPS, both of which are smooth and visually appealing.

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

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 35.4 FPS. This result is below the 50 FPS threshold, indicating that the GPU is unable to handle the maximum load at this resolution.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate that the GPU is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions. The frame rate drops significantly from 1080p to 4K, while the CPU’s workload remains consistent, showing that the RTX 3070 is the bottleneck.

Q: How does the RTX 3070 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 3070 has an average benchmark score of 28238. It is 0.9% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT and 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti, indicating near-identical performance levels.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded in the dataset?

A: The highest average frame rate is 157.2 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This shows the system’s peak capability when the GPU is least stressed.

Q: Does the CPU’s performance affect the frame rate at 1080p?

A: Yes, at 1080p, the CPU is more relevant. The lowest FPS at this resolution is 110.2 FPS at Ultra, and the highest is 157.2 FPS at Low, suggesting that the CPU can still influence results when the GPU is not fully saturated.