Outriders

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 sits at rank 390 out of 3,710 tested combinations in Outriders, placing it comfortably within the top 11% of all configurations evaluated. This is a strong showing for a mid-range CPU paired with a high-end GPU, indicating that the combination avoids severe bottlenecking in this title. The percentile data reinforces this: the CPU ranks in the 83rd percentile against all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 86th percentile against all graphics cards, suggesting both components are performing near their expected tier. The combo's position in the 390th spot out of thousands implies that while there are faster combinations, this setup delivers a level of performance that should satisfy most players seeking high refresh rates or high-fidelity visuals. The data suggests the pairing is well-balanced for Outriders specifically, as the game's engine appears to distribute load effectively between the 10-core processor and the Ada Lovelace GPU.

GPU Role

The RTX 4080 brings 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. In Outriders, this memory configuration proves more than sufficient, as even at 4K Ultra settings the frame rates remain playable, indicating the VRAM capacity is not being stressed to its limits. The GPU's 76 ray tracing cores and 304 tensor cores are present but Outriders does not heavily utilize ray tracing, so these resources remain largely idle during gameplay. The 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is the primary driver of the raw rasterization performance seen in the measured results. The boost clock of 2505 MHz, combined with the 9728 shading units, allows the card to push high frame rates at lower resolutions, while the 112 ROPs handle the pixel throughput needed for 4K output. Interestingly, the GPU's nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, shows an average benchmark score delta of only 0.1%, meaning the non-SUPER variant is effectively matched in synthetic tests. However, in Outriders specifically, the measured FPS shows this card is capable of 229 FPS at 1080p Low, which suggests the GPU is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions — the CPU takes over that role.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling as resolution increases, with the GPU becoming progressively more dominant. At 1080p High, the combo produces 183 FPS, which drops to 149 FPS at 1440p High, a 18.6% reduction. Moving to 4K High, the frame rate falls to 78 FPS, representing a 57.4% drop from 1080p. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 4080 is the limiting component at higher resolutions, while the CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at 1080p. The Low settings preset shows a similar trend but with higher absolute numbers: 229 FPS at 1080p, 196 FPS at 1440p, and 143 FPS at 4K. The gap between Low and High settings narrows as resolution increases — at 1080p the difference is 46 FPS, at 1440p it is 47 FPS, but at 4K it shrinks to 65 FPS (comparing Low to High), which is actually a larger gap. This suggests that at 4K, the GPU's compute resources are so heavily taxed that reducing settings provides substantial relief. The Medium preset at 4K shows 104 FPS with min/max of 88 and 119, indicating a playable range even during intense scenes. The data implies that for 4K gaming, players should expect to use Medium or High settings to maintain smooth performance, while 1440p and 1080p allow for Ultra settings at high refresh rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS values, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. At 1080p, the Ultra preset delivers 162 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors up to 165 Hz. However, the Medium preset at 203 FPS is better suited for 240 Hz displays, and Low pushes to 229 FPS for competitive play. At 1440p, the Ultra setting at 108 FPS is ideal for 120 Hz displays, while Medium at 174 FPS supports 165 Hz monitors, and High at 149 FPS is a balanced choice. For 4K, the High preset at 78 FPS is only suitable for 60 Hz displays, but the Medium preset at 104 FPS with a min of 88 FPS offers a more comfortable margin for VRR displays. The Low preset at 4K yields 143 FPS, which is surprisingly high and suggests that if visual fidelity is not a priority, 4K at Low settings can deliver smooth gameplay on high-refresh monitors. The Ultra preset at 4K drops to 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and should be avoided for competitive play. The data strongly suggests that the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all resolutions, as it consistently provides frame rates that are playable and often exceed 100 FPS even at 4K.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations in Outriders?

A: The Intel Core i5-14400F with the RTX 4080 ranks 390th out of 3,710 tested combos, placing it in the top 11% of all configurations. This indicates the pairing is well above average for this game.

Q: Is the RTX 4080's 16 GB of VRAM sufficient for Outriders at 4K?

A: Yes, the measured data shows playable frame rates at 4K Ultra (56 FPS) and 4K High (78 FPS), suggesting the 16 GB GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus with 716.8 GB/s bandwidth is not a limiting factor in this title.

Q: What is the performance difference between the RTX 4080 and its closest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: Based on average benchmark scores, the RTX 4080 SUPER is only 0.1% faster than the RTX 4080, making the performance difference negligible in synthetic tests. In Outriders, the measured FPS data for this combo shows strong results regardless of this small delta.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at any resolution?

A: At 1080p, the data suggests the CPU may become more relevant, but the Core i5-14400F with 10 cores and 16 threads still delivers 229 FPS at Low settings. The scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a larger performance drop, indicating the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

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

A: The Ultra preset at 1440p delivers 108 FPS, which is ideal for 120 Hz displays. For 165 Hz monitors, the Medium preset at 174 FPS is recommended, while High at 149 FPS offers a middle ground.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Core i5-14400F has an average benchmark score of 32,279, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i9-11900, and 0.5% higher than the Intel Core i7-12800H. It trails the AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS by 0.2%.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache provide adequate data throughput for Outriders' asset streaming. In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 21,645 in multi-core and 3,055 in single-core, indicating strong multi-threaded capabilities that help maintain consistent frame pacing in scenes with many enemies or particle effects. The CPU's 83rd percentile ranking among all processors shows it is a capable mid-range part, but the measured FPS data reveals that at 1080p Low (229 FPS) and 1080p Medium (203 FPS), the GPU is not fully saturated — these frame rates are high enough that CPU overhead becomes relevant. The 65W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 compatibility make it a power-efficient choice that pairs well with the RTX 4080's 320W TDP, though the system likely requires the suggested 700W PSU. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 3,701 and multi-thread score of 25,470 suggest it can handle the game's physics and AI calculations without introducing stutters. The processor's 4.70 GHz boost clock is particularly beneficial in Outriders, which appears to have scenes that are single-thread dependent based on the scaling behavior seen at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 229 FPS, Medium averages 203 FPS with min/max of 173 and 234, High averages 183 FPS, and Ultra averages 162 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 67 FPS, showing that settings have a moderate impact at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but show more variance. Low settings average 196 FPS, Medium averages 174 FPS with min/max of 148 and 201, High averages 149 FPS, and Ultra averages 108 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra widens to 88 FPS, indicating the GPU is starting to feel the load.

At 3840x2160, the scaling becomes dramatic. Low settings average 143 FPS, Medium averages 104 FPS with min/max of 88 and 119, High averages 78 FPS, and Ultra averages 56 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra reaches 87 FPS, and even Medium shows a 39 FPS drop from Low. The Ultra setting at 56 FPS is the only configuration that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting it should only be used for screenshot purposes. The Medium preset at 4K provides the most consistent experience, with the min FPS of 88 ensuring smooth gameplay even during intense combat sequences. The data across all resolutions shows that the RTX 4080 scales predictably with resolution, while the CPU maintains adequate performance to avoid becoming a bottleneck until the GPU is pushed to its limits at 4K Ultra.