Outriders

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 delivers a highly capable 1080p and 1440p experience in Outriders, but the data shows that the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor as resolution climbs to 4K. The measured frames per second (FPS) reveal a system that is well-balanced at lower resolutions, yet the gap between settings widens dramatically at 4K, indicating that the GPU’s rendering load is the dominant constraint in that regime.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, which points directly to the GPU as the bottleneck at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 211.4 at 1920x1080 to 184.7 at 2560x1440, then plunges to 103.2 at 3840x2160—a total reduction of roughly half from the 1080p baseline. This pattern is even more pronounced at High settings, where the average drops from 173 at 1080p to 112.1 at 1440p and finally to 58.4 at 4K. The scaling from 1440p to 4K alone represents a 48% performance loss at High settings, which is a classic sign of pixel-throughput limits rather than CPU-bound behavior.

The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings expands with resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low (211.4 FPS) and Ultra (126.7 FPS) is 84.7 FPS. At 1440p, that gap narrows slightly to 104.5 FPS between Low (184.7) and Ultra (80.2). However, at 4K, the spread becomes 59.5 FPS (103.2 Low versus 43.7 Ultra), but the relative penalty of Ultra is far larger—Ultra runs at less than half the speed of Low. This suggests that at 4K, the GPU’s memory bandwidth and shading resources are saturated, and the extra visual fidelity of Ultra settings imposes a disproportionate cost.

The Core i5-12400’s role in this scaling is secondary. With 6 cores and 12 threads, the CPU is not the limiting factor at 4K, as evidenced by the fact that even at Low settings (which reduce GPU load), the 4K average of 103.2 FPS is still well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 1080p, where CPU overhead could theoretically matter, the i5-12400’s strong single-thread performance—evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2249—keeps the system from being CPU-bound, as the Low setting still hits 211.4 FPS. The scaling analysis thus indicates that users targeting 4K should expect the GPU to be the primary constraint, while 1080p and 1440p results are more balanced.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 provides a solid foundation for Outriders, with its 6 cores and 12 threads proving sufficient to feed the Radeon RX 9070 across all tested resolutions. The processor’s boost clock of 4.40 GHz and base clock of 2.50 GHz are complemented by a 3DMark single-thread score of 910, which is a strong indicator of per-core capability. In a looter shooter like Outriders, where enemy counts and particle effects can create CPU spikes, the i5-12400’s 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache help maintain consistent frame delivery.

Benchmark results place the i5-12400 in the 77th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19850. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, scores 19831, a delta of just 0.1%, meaning the i5-12400 is statistically tied with a previous-generation 8-core part. The data also shows a 0.4% advantage over the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771), which suggests that the 12th-generation architecture provides a meaningful uplift in threaded workloads. This is relevant for Outriders, as the game’s multi-threaded nature can benefit from the 12 threads, though the measured FPS at 4K (58.4 at High) shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor there.

In practical terms, the CPU’s role is to ensure that the GPU is not starved at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 211.4 FPS, which is far beyond what the GPU can maintain at 4K, indicating that the CPU can handle high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck. The PassMark multi-thread score of 18747 and Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15935 further confirm that the i5-12400 has enough headroom for gameplay that involves simultaneous physics, AI, and rendering tasks. The data suggests that users will only see CPU limitations if they pair this processor with a significantly faster GPU or push frame rates above the 200 FPS range at 1080p.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications directly explain the measured FPS patterns. With 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, the card offers 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for 4K textures but still shows scaling penalties at Ultra settings. The GPU’s boost clock of 2520 MHz and game clock of 2070 MHz, combined with 3584 shading units, deliver a peak FP32 throughput of 36.13 TFLOPS. This raw compute power is what enables 58.4 FPS at 4K High, but the drop to 43.7 FPS at 4K Ultra highlights the cost of enabling every visual feature.

The GPU’s 16 GB VRAM is a key asset for Outriders, as the game’s environments and effects can be memory-hungry at high resolutions. The data shows that the card does not run out of memory at 4K Ultra—the frame rate is still playable at 43.7 FPS—but the performance penalty from Ultra settings is severe. The Radeon RX 9070 sits in the 79th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 34780. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA A2, scores 34866, a delta of -0.2%, while the AMD Radeon HD 7970 is only 0.7% behind, which confirms how far GPU architecture has come but also indicates that the RX 9070’s raw score is not exceptional in the absolute sense.

The GPU’s role becomes clearer when comparing settings at the same resolution. At 1440p, the difference between Low (184.7 FPS) and Ultra (80.2 FPS) is 104.5 FPS, showing that the GPU has headroom to spare. At 4K, the same settings comparison shows a 59.5 FPS gap, but the absolute numbers are much lower, indicating that the GPU is hitting its limits. The Radeon RX 9070’s 128 ROPs and 224 texture units are sufficient for high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K Ultra result of 43.7 FPS suggests that users seeking smooth 4K gameplay should stick to High settings or lower.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of performance across twelve configurations. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast: Low settings yield 211.4 FPS, Medium achieves 189.8 FPS, High reaches 173 FPS, and Ultra still manages 126.7 FPS. These numbers indicate that the CPU-GPU combination is well-matched for 1080p gaming, with every setting delivering well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but show the expected decline. Low settings produce 184.7 FPS, Medium drops to 148.6 FPS, High hits 112.1 FPS, and Ultra falls to 80.2 FPS. The 1440p High result of 112.1 FPS is particularly notable, as it provides a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate monitors without needing to compromise settings.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more demanding. Low settings yield 103.2 FPS, which is still playable, but Medium drops to 77.4 FPS, High to 58.4 FPS, and Ultra to 43.7 FPS. The 4K High result of 58.4 FPS is right at the edge of the 60 FPS target, while 4K Ultra is not a viable option for smooth gameplay. The data suggests that 4K users should select High settings for a balanced experience, as the jump from High to Ultra costs 14.7 FPS, which is a 25% reduction in frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 ranks 488th out of 1693 tested combos in Outriders, placing it in the top 29% of all systems. This ranking reflects a strong overall performance, but it is not at the absolute top tier, which would require a more powerful CPU or GPU. The rank is driven primarily by the GPU’s strong 1440p performance and the CPU’s ability to maintain high frame rates at lower resolutions.

The combo’s rank of 488 out of 1693 means that the majority of tested systems (about 71%) are slower, but there are still 487 configurations that outperform this pairing. This suggests that while the i5-12400 and RX 9070 are well matched, users seeking maximum performance in Outriders would need to look at higher-end components. The data shows that the system is not bottlenecked by the CPU, as the 4K High result of 58.4 FPS is more GPU-limited, but the rank indicates that there is room for improvement with a faster GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and frame rate. For 1080p users, Ultra settings are the best choice, as they deliver 126.7 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides the best visual fidelity. Even at 1080p Ultra, the system has significant headroom, so users with 144Hz or 165Hz monitors can enjoy a smooth experience.

For 1440p users, High settings are recommended, as they provide 112.1 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate gaming. The jump from High to Ultra at 1440p costs 31.9 FPS (from 112.1 to 80.2), which is a significant drop for marginal visual gains. Medium settings at 1440p (148.6 FPS) are also viable for users who prefer higher frame rates over visual quality, but High offers the best balance.

For 4K users, High settings are the only sensible choice, as they deliver 58.4 FPS, which is close to the 60 FPS target. Medium settings at 4K (77.4 FPS) provide a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS and are recommended for users who prioritize smoothness over visual detail. Ultra settings at 4K (43.7 FPS) are not recommended, as the frame rate drops below the playable threshold for most users. Low settings at 4K (103.2 FPS) are possible but defeat the purpose of 4K resolution, so they are only suggested for competitive play where frame rate is paramount.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this system can achieve in Outriders?

A: The highest measured average is 211.4 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in Outriders?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. At 4K High, it averages 58.4 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it reaches 77.4 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 43.7 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12400 compare to its nearest CPU rival?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 19850, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831) and 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-11600K (19771).

Q: What is the GPU’s VRAM capacity and its impact on 4K performance?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9070 has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory. This capacity is sufficient for 4K Ultra in Outriders, but the frame rate drops to 43.7 FPS, indicating that memory bandwidth (644.6 GB/s) is more of a constraint than capacity.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: High settings at 2560x1440 provide 112.1 FPS, which is the best balance of visual quality and frame rate. Ultra drops to 80.2 FPS, while Medium offers 148.6 FPS.

Q: How does this system rank compared to all tested combinations?

A: This combo ranks 488th out of 1693 tested configurations, placing it in the top 29% of systems for Outriders.