Outriders

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread desktop processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It relies on a 9 MB shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory, and it sits at the 50th percentile when compared against all CPUs in the database. In this specific combo, the processor’s role in Outriders is best understood through its measured performance alongside the RTX 2070 SUPER. The CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the FPS drops align more closely with GPU load, but its six threads without hyperthreading can still be a limiting factor in CPU-bound scenarios. Benchmark results indicate that the i5-9400 delivers a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 7969 and a single-core score of 1125, which positions it as a mid-range part. Its nearest rivals in average benchmark score include the Intel Core i3-10305, which is effectively tied at 0.2% higher, and the Intel Core i7-8809G, which is 0.6% faster. This means the CPU is neither a standout performer nor a weak link; it is a balanced, mainstream chip that provides adequate throughput for a looter shooter like Outriders, especially when the GPU is doing the heavy lifting at 1440p and 4K.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data for Outriders shows a clear hierarchy across settings presets, and the best experience depends on the resolution you target. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers the highest average FPS at 127.6, but Medium and High are not far behind at 112.1 and 103.2, respectively. The Ultra preset drops to 89.0 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant 30% performance loss compared to Low. For a smoother experience with better visual fidelity, High at 1080p is the sweet spot, as it maintains over 100 FPS while offering substantially improved graphics over Low. At 1440p, the story changes: Low yields 109.0 FPS, Medium drops to 96.5, and High falls to 75.9. The Ultra preset at 1440p is a steep cliff, hitting only 53.5 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold many players consider essential. For 1440p, Medium is the recommended preset because it keeps the frame rate above 90 FPS while still providing a decent visual upgrade over Low. At 4K, the situation is more constrained. Low produces 75.7 FPS, Medium drops to 56.1, High falls to 43.5, and Ultra is nearly unplayable at 31.4 FPS. For 4K, Low is the only preset that guarantees a fluid experience, while Medium is acceptable if you can tolerate occasional dips below 60 FPS. The data suggests that High is the best overall balance for 1080p, Medium for 1440p, and Low for 4K, with Ultra being reserved for screenshot moments rather than actual gameplay.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals where the bottleneck lies in this combo. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 103.2 at 1080p to 75.9 at 1440p, a 26% reduction, and then to 43.5 at 4K, a further 43% drop from 1440p. This steep decline at 4K is a classic sign of GPU limitation, as the RTX 2070 SUPER is being pushed to its limits at that pixel count. At Low settings, the scaling is less severe: 127.6 FPS at 1080p, 109.0 FPS at 1440p, and 75.7 FPS at 4K. The fact that Low settings still see a significant drop at 4K indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint even with reduced graphical load, but the smaller percentage drop suggests the CPU is keeping up well enough at lower settings. The pattern is consistent with the GPU’s 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 256-bit bus, which provides 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, but the 4K resolution demands more fill rate and shading power than the TU104 chip can deliver at high quality. The i5-9400, with its 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth, is not the limiting factor in these scenarios, as the FPS differences between settings at the same resolution are much larger than the differences between resolutions at the same setting. Benchmark results indicate that the combo is GPU-bound at 4K and becomes increasingly CPU-bound only at 1080p with Low settings, where the 127.6 FPS figure approaches the CPU’s practical ceiling for this title.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER ranks 1400 out of 1693 tested combos in Outriders. That places it in the bottom 17% of all combinations, which might sound alarming, but the ranking is heavily influenced by the fact that the database includes many top-end CPUs and GPUs. The combo’s position is not a reflection of poor performance in absolute terms; rather, it shows that this pairing is outpaced by a large number of newer and more expensive hardware combinations. The GPU itself ranks at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, which is respectable, but the CPU sits at the 50th percentile, and the combination of a mid-range CPU with a high-end GPU from the previous generation does not push the combo into the upper echelons of the ranking. When compared to its nearest GPU rivals, the RTX 2070 SUPER is 0.9% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z and 2.5% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 5700, but it is 2.3% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile, which is a laptop part that outperforms it in synthetic benchmarks. The combo’s rank suggests that while this system can play Outriders comfortably at 1080p and 1440p, it is not a top-tier setup for 4K gaming, and users should temper their expectations accordingly.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the driving force behind this combo’s gaming performance, especially at higher resolutions. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is sufficient for Outriders’ textures and effects at 1440p but becomes strained at 4K. The GPU has a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz, with 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Its FP32 performance is rated at 9.062 TFLOPS, which is a solid figure for a card of this class. The GPU’s 40 RT cores and 320 tensor cores are present, though Outriders does not heavily utilize ray tracing, so their impact is minimal in this title. The 12 nm Turing architecture, with a die size of 545 mm² and 13,600 million transistors, provides ample raw compute for rasterized gaming. In Outriders, the GPU’s role is dominant, as evidenced by the FPS scaling across resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS plummets to 31.4, which is a clear indication that the GPU is overwhelmed by the combination of high pixel count and demanding settings. Even at 4K High, the 43.5 FPS figure shows that the card is struggling to maintain playable framerates. The GPU’s performance is more comfortable at 1440p High, where it achieves 75.9 FPS, and at 1080p High, where it hits 103.2 FPS. The RTX 2070 SUPER is a capable card for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Outriders, but it is not a 4K powerhouse, and users should stick to lower settings if they want to play at that resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Outriders is detailed across three resolutions and four settings presets, providing a comprehensive picture of this combo’s capabilities. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 127.6 FPS, which is the highest of any configuration tested. Medium drops to 112.1 FPS, a 12% reduction, while High falls to 103.2 FPS, a further 8% drop. Ultra is the most demanding at 1080p, with an average of 89.0 FPS, which is still above the 60 FPS threshold but represents a 30% loss compared to Low. At 2560x1440, the performance scaling is more pronounced. Low yields 109.0 FPS, Medium drops to 96.5 FPS, and High falls to 75.9 FPS. Ultra at 1440p is a significant step down, with an average of 53.5 FPS, which is below 60 FPS and indicates that this preset is not suitable for smooth gameplay at this resolution. At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly the limiting factor. Low produces 75.7 FPS, which is playable, but Medium drops to 56.1 FPS, and High falls to 43.5 FPS. Ultra at 4K is the worst performer, with an average of 31.4 FPS, which is not recommended for anything other than static scenes. The data shows a consistent pattern: each step up in settings costs roughly 10-20% performance, and each step up in resolution costs significantly more, especially at 4K. For a balanced experience, 1080p High and 1440p Medium are the standout configurations, offering good visual quality without sacrificing frame rate. The 4K resolution is only viable with Low settings, and even then, the 75.7 FPS average is not as smooth as the 1080p results. This breakdown confirms that the RTX 2070 SUPER is best paired with a 1080p or 1440p monitor for Outriders, and the i5-9400 is sufficient to keep up with the GPU at those resolutions.