Outriders

The Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination delivers a compelling performance profile in Outriders, a game that scales significantly with both CPU and GPU resources. Analyzing the measured frame rates reveals a system that excels at high-refresh 1440p gaming and capably handles 4K, though with some interesting bottlenecks and scaling characteristics that are worth unpacking. The data shows a clear hierarchy of performance across settings and resolutions, with the GPU emerging as the primary driver of frame rate at higher resolutions, while the CPU holds its own in lighter loads.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 is significant and reveals the GPU-bound nature of Outriders at high resolutions. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 229 FPS at 1080p to 142 FPS at 4K, a 38% reduction. This indicates that even at low settings, the RTX 4080 SUPER is not fully saturating the frame buffer at 1080p, as the CPU becomes a limiting factor. In contrast, at Ultra settings, the drop is from 162 FPS at 1080p to 56 FPS at 4K, a 65% decrease. This suggests that at ultra, the GPU is handling a much heavier load, and its performance is more directly tied to resolution.

The data implies that at 1080p, the i5-14400F is capable of pushing frame rates beyond the GPU’s effective limit. The 229 FPS at Low settings is the highest measured frame rate in the dataset, and the 183 FPS at High settings further supports this. As the resolution climbs to 1440p, the GPU starts to assert its dominance, but the CPU is still able to maintain high frame rates. The 4K results indicate that the GPU is the primary bottleneck, as frame rates are significantly lower, especially at Ultra settings, where the GPU is working at its maximum capacity.

The pattern of frame rate drops from 1080p to 4K at each setting level highlights the shifting bottleneck. At Low settings, the 1080p to 4K drop is 38%, while at Medium it is 49%, and at High it is 58%. This escalating percentage drop with increasing settings is a classic sign of the GPU becoming more influential. At Ultra, the drop is 65%, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K, and the CPU is no longer the primary constraint.

This data suggests that for a system with this CPU and GPU, the sweet spot for high refresh rate gaming is at 1440p, where the frame rates are still high enough to take advantage of 144Hz or 165Hz monitors, while 4K is best suited for with VRR or at High settings to ensure a playable frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo in Outriders?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 229 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

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

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo delivers an average of 56 FPS, which is the lowest measured average in the dataset.

Q: Is there a significant difference between Medium and High settings at 1440p?

A: Yes, the data shows a difference of 26 FPS, with Medium averaging 174 FPS and High averaging 148 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for high refresh rate gaming with this combo?

A: The data suggests that 2560x1440 is the best choice, as it delivers 140+ FPS on High and 196 FPS on Low, making it ideal for high refresh displays.

Q: How many FPS does the combo lose when going from 1080p to 1440p at High settings?

A: The system loses 35 FPS, dropping from 183 FPS at 1080p to 148 FPS at 1440p.

Q: At 1440p, what is the minimum FPS recorded?

A: The minimum FPS is 148 FPS, recorded at Medium settings, with a maximum of 201 FPS in the same test.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the main driver of the high frame rates at 1440p and 4K. With its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory, the GPU is well equipped for Outriders’ demanding visuals. The high memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s ensures that the GPU can quickly access texture data, which is critical for a game with large environments and many effects. The GPU’s base clock of 2295 MHz and boost clock of 2550 MHz are substantial, but the data suggests that the GPU is not always the limiting factor at lower resolutions.

At 1080p, the GPU is not fully stressed, as evidenced by the 229 FPS at Low settings. The CPU is likely the bottleneck in this scenario, as the GPU has more capacity than the CPU can feed it. However, at 4K Ultra, the GPU is the clear limiting factor, with an average of 56 FPS. This is a result of the high demand on the GPU’s resources, including its 10240 shading units and 112 ROPs. The 80 RT cores and 320 tensor cores are also present, but their impact on frame rates at different settings is not directly measurable from the provided data.

The GPU’s performance in this game is consistent with its overall standing. In the PassMark G3D benchmark, it scores 34245, and its percentile rank of 86% indicates it is in the top 14% of all GPUs. This is a strong result, and it is reflected in the frame rates seen in Outriders. The GPU’s nearest rivals in terms of average score are the RTX 4080, which is 0.1% lower, and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X, which is 1.1% lower. This shows that the RTX 4080 SUPER is a high-end card, but in this game, it is not the absolute fastest, as the RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and Radeon 8060S are 2.7% and 2.8% higher in average score, respectively. However, these rival scores are from synthetic benchmarks and do not directly translate to Outriders performance.

The GPU’s 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for this game, even at 4K Ultra, and it does not appear to be a limiting factor in the measured results. The data shows that the frame rates are more dependent on the GPU’s compute and render output, rather than VRAM capacity or bandwidth, as the game doesn’t seem to exceed the memory capacity in these tests.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates provide a clear picture of the system’s performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the average frame rate scales from 229 FPS at Low to 162 FPS at Ultra. The Medium settings have a range of 173 to 234 FPS, with an average of 203 FPS. This shows that the system is exceptionally fast at 1080p, with even Ultra settings hitting 162 FPS, which is still high enough for a 144Hz monitor.

At 2560x1440, the average frame rate drops to 196 FPS at Low and 148 FPS at High. The Medium settings offer a range of 148 to 201 FPS, with an average of 174 FPS. The Ultra setting average is 107 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 1080p Ultra average of 162 FPS. This 55 FPS difference highlights the impact of resolution on the GPU.

At 3840x2160, the average frame rate is more varied. The Low setting average is 142 FPS, which is still very playable, but the Ultra setting average is 56 FPS, which is a demanding requirement for a 4K Ultra experience. The Medium setting has a range of 88 to 119 FPS, with an average of 103 FPS, and the High setting average is 77 FPS.

The data reveals that at 4K, the game is much more reliant on the GPU’s power. The 4K Ultra frame rate of 56 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold, but with a high-refresh monitor, it might be acceptable, while the 4K High average of 77 FPS is more comfortable. The 4K Medium frame rate of 103 FPS, with a minimum of 88 FPS, is a good middle ground, but it is clear that the GPU is the primary factor in these results.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank in the game is 398 out of 3710 tested combinations, placing it in the top 10.7% of all tested combos. This is a strong result, indicating that the i5-14400F and RTX 4080 SUPER is a potent pairing for Outriders. The rank is based on the measured FPS data, and the system’s performance is competitive, though not the absolute top. This ranking confirms the balance between the CPU and GPU, as the CPU is capable of supporting high frame rates without bottlenecking the GPU at 1440p, and the GPU is strong enough to handle 4K at playable frame rates.

The rank of 398 out of 3710 combos shows that there are 397 combinations that are faster in this game, but the combo is still in the top 11% of all tested systems. This suggests that while it’s not the fastest, it’s a high-end option that would be suitable for a high-refresh-rate gaming rig. The delta between the combo and the top 1% is not provided, but the rank itself is a strong indicator of the system’s capability.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this system in Outriders depends on the resolution of the display. For 1080p, the Ultra setting is entirely playable, with an average of 162 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and high enough for a 144Hz monitor. The Medium setting offers an excellent balance, with a minimum FPS of 173, ensuring a smooth experience.

At 1440p, the Ultra setting is the option to use if you have a high-refresh monitor, as it averages 107 FPS, which is good for 120Hz displays. The High setting is also viable, with an average of 148 FPS, but it is a trade-off between higher frame rate and lower visual quality. The Medium setting is still very playable with 174 FPS, but the Ultra setting provides the best visual quality while still maintaining a high frame rate.

At 4K, the situation is different. The Ultra setting is not recommended for a smooth experience, as the average is 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS line. The High setting is a better choice, with an average of 77 FPS, which is above 60 FPS. However, for the best experience at 4K, the Medium setting is the sweet spot, with an average of 103 FPS and a minimum of 88 FPS, which is a great combination of visual quality and performance. The Low setting is also viable, with an average of 142 FPS, but this is likely to be a significant visual downgrade.

Overall, the best experience is at 1440p with Ultra settings, as it offers a high frame rate and the highest visual quality without a major performance hit. For 4K, Medium is the most balanced choice, and for 1080p, Ultra is the best.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Its performance in Outriders is sufficient to drive the RTX 4080 SUPER in most scenarios, but it is not the primary driver. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is capable of producing frame rates up to 229 FPS, indicating that it can feed the GPU without being a limiting factor. However, the benchmark results for the CPU, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21645 and a single-core score of 3055, show that it’s a strong performer. The CPU’s 83rd percentile of all CPUs confirms that it is above average, but not top-tier.

In Outriders, the CPU’s role is crucial for maintaining high frame rates at lower resolutions, where the GPU is not the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the CPU is pushing the frame rate up to 229 FPS, which reflects the power of the i5-14400F. However, at 4K Ultra, the CPU is not the limiting factor, as the GPU is the clear bottleneck. The CPU’s performance is more relevant at 1080p and 1440p, where the frame rate is high and the CPU needs to feed the GPU with data.

The CPU’s benchmarks show that it is a capable processor, but its performance in Outriders is not the primary driver of the frame rate. The i5-14400F is a solid choice for gaming, but it is not the top-tier performer that the RTX 4080 SUPER is. The system’s overall performance is a result of the combination of the CPU and GPU, with the GPU being the more dominant factor in this game, especially at higher resolutions.