Outriders

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 produces a highly variable experience in Outriders, with performance dictated almost entirely by the chosen resolution and quality preset. The measured data shows a clear pattern: at 1080p the combination keeps frame rates comfortably high across all settings, but moving to 4K Ultra reveals the GPU's limits as frame rates fall to levels that will test player patience. This analysis breaks down the measured results across the three tested resolutions and four quality presets, placing the combo's performance in context with its percentile rank and the surrounding hardware field.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is a stark indicator of where the bottleneck lies in this pairing. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 102 FPS at 1920x1080 to 84 FPS at 2560x1440, and then down to 44 FPS at 3840x2160. That represents a 57% reduction from 1080p to 4K at the same High preset, a figure that clearly shows the RTX 4060 being progressively saturated as pixel count rises.

The scaling pattern differs noticeably by preset. At Low settings, the drop is less severe: 128 FPS at 1080p, 110 FPS at 1440p, and 81 FPS at 4K. That is a 37% loss from 1080p to 4K, significantly smaller than the High preset's 57% drop. This suggests that at Low settings, the CPU and game engine are doing relatively more of the work, and the GPU is less of a limiting factor. Conversely, the Ultra preset shows the steepest cliff: 91 FPS at 1080p, 61 FPS at 1440p, and just 32 FPS at 4K. That is a 65% loss from 1080p to 4K, confirming that Ultra settings place an enormous load on the RTX 4060's 8 GB of VRAM and its chip.

The data reveals that the transition from 1440p to 4K is the most punishing. Across all presets, the average FPS roughly halves when moving from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160. For example, Medium settings drop from 98 FPS at 1440p to 59 FPS at 4K, a 40% reduction. This is the point where the GPU's memory bandwidth and fill rate become the dominant constraint. The 128-bit memory bus and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply not sufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K with demanding settings. The benchmark results indicate that for 4K gameplay, even Medium settings require substantial compromise.

GPU Role

The RTX 4060's specifications provide a clear backdrop for these results. The GPU is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture on a 5 nm process from TSMC, with a transistor count of 18,900 million on a 159 mm² die. Its core configuration includes 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs, with a boost clock of 2460 MHz. The measured frame rates in Outriders demonstrate that this hardware is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but struggles at 4K with high-quality settings.

The GPU's memory subsystem is a critical factor. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus delivers 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. In Outriders, this bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at most presets, but at 4K Ultra, the combination of high resolution and intensive effects appears to overwhelm the memory subsystem. The frame rate at 4K Ultra falls to 32 FPS, which is a clear sign of the GPU being the primary limitation at that resolution. In contrast, at 1080p Ultra, the same GPU manages 91 FPS, showing that the card's raw compute power is not the issue; the memory bandwidth is.

The RTX 4060's clock speeds also play a role. The boost clock of 2460 MHz is a significant contributor to performance at lower resolutions where the GPU is not limited by memory. The measured data shows that at 1080p, even the Ultra preset delivers 91 FPS, which is a respectable result for a modern GPU. However, the same card at 4K Ultra drops to 32 FPS, a 65% reduction, which is a clear indication that the GPU's memory bus width and bandwidth are the limiting factors at higher resolutions. The 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is more than adequate for Outriders, but the 272.0 GB/s bandwidth is not enough for 4K with Ultra effects.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 achieves a combo rank of 2823 out of 3710 tested combinations in Outriders. This places the pairing in the 76th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of the configurations tested. The rank is influenced by the CPU's mid-range position and the GPU's performance level.

The i5-9400 holds a percentile rank of 47 among all CPUs, which situates it near the midpoint of performance. This CPU is a six-core, six-thread part with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, based on the Coffee Lake architecture. Its multi-core benchmark scores, such as 2784 in Cinebench R20 and 6629 in Cinebench R23, are typical for a mid-range part. The CPU's average benchmark score of 2254 places it in a cluster with rivals like the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (score 2259, delta -0.2%) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (score 2246, delta +0.4%).

The RTX 4060 GPU, by contrast, has a percentile rank of 61 among all GPUs, indicating it is slightly above the median. The GPU's average benchmark score of 17639 is very close to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (score 17666, delta -0.2%), and the AMD Radeon 780M (score 17588, delta +0.3%). This suggests that the RTX 4060 is well-balanced within its tier, but its 8 GB VRAM capacity is a potential limitation for future titles.

The combined rank of 2823 out of 3710 is a consequence of the CPU being a weaker link than the GPU. In Outriders, a game that is not heavily threaded, the i5-9400's six cores and six threads are sufficient, but the GPU's performance at 4K is the primary bottleneck. The rank indicates that there are many combos that outperform this one, but also a large number that perform worse. This is a mid-table result, not a top-tier one, but it is not a poor showing either.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides the most granular breakdown of performance, and it reveals the sweet spots and the weak spots of this configuration.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 128 FPS average
• Medium: 114 FPS average (min 97, max 131)
• High: 102 FPS average
• Ultra: 91 FPS average

At 1080p, the combination delivers excellent frame rates across all settings. Even at Ultra, the average remains above 90 FPS, which is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay. The spread from Low to Ultra is a modest 37 FPS, indicating that the GPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution. The CPU is likely capping performance, as the six cores and six threads of the i5-9400 are not a bottleneck at this level.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 110 FPS average
• Medium: 98 FPS average (min 83, max 112)
• High: 84 FPS average
• Ultra: 61 FPS average

At 1440p, the GPU starts to show its limitations. The Ultra preset drops to 61 FPS, which is still playable but a noticeable step down from the 91 FPS at 1080p. The High preset at 84 FPS is a more balanced choice. The gap between Low and Ultra is now 49 FPS, and the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for this resolution, but the bandwidth is starting to strain.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 81 FPS average
• Medium: 59 FPS average (min 50, max 68)
• High: 44 FPS average
• Ultra: 32 FPS average

At 4K, the RTX 4060 struggles. Only the Low preset manages to stay above 80 FPS, and the Medium preset falls to 59 FPS. The High preset at 44 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 32 FPS is very demanding. The measured data shows that the 4K Medium settings (59 FPS) are the highest preset that maintains a playable frame rate, but with a minimum FPS of 50, there will be noticeable dips. The 4K Low preset at 81 FPS is the only setting that provides a truly smooth experience at this resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-threaded processor from the Coffee Lake family, designed for a desktop socket. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. With a TDP of 65 W, it is a power-efficient part. The processor's performance in Outriders is sufficient for most settings, but it can become a limiting factor at lower resolutions and high frame rates.

The CPU's benchmark scores are modest. In Cinebench R23, it achieves 6629 points in multi-core and 935 points in single-core. In Gamebench, it scores 5141 multi-core and 1389 single-core. These numbers indicate that the CPU is a mid-range performer, not a high-end gaming chip. In Outriders, which is a game that is not heavily multi-threaded, the six cores are usually enough, but the low single-core performance can be a constraint.

The relationship between CPU and GPU is most evident at 1080p Low, where the frame rate reaches 128 FPS. At this setting, the GPU is not heavily loaded, and the CPU's single-core performance becomes the bottleneck. The CPU's boost clock of 4.10 GHz is decent, but it is not high enough to push frame rates much beyond 130 FPS. In contrast, at 4K Ultra, the GPU is the bottleneck, and the CPU's performance is not a factor. The data shows that the CPU is a limiting factor primarily at 1080p with low settings, but it is not a major hindrance at higher resolutions.

The CPU's memory support is DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. This is standard for the time. The CPU's PCIe Gen 3 interface with 16 lanes is also typical, and it does not restrict the RTX 4060, which uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 connection. The CPU's overall performance is adequate for this game, but it is not a high-end part, and this is reflected in the combo rank.

Settings Recommendations

For a smooth experience in Outriders, the best choice is the Medium preset at 1440p. This delivers an average of 98 FPS, with a minimum of 83 FPS and a maximum of 112 FPS. This is a solid result that maintains high frame rates without major dips. At 1080p, the Medium preset also performs well at 114 FPS average, but the Ultra preset at 91 FPS is also a viable option for those who prefer higher visual quality.

For players who prioritize a high frame rate and do not mind lowering quality, the Low preset at 1080p is the best, with 128 FPS average. However, this may be overkill for most displays, and the 1440p Medium preset is a better balance of quality and performance. At 1440p, the High preset at 84 FPS is also acceptable, but it is not as high as the Medium preset's 98 FPS average.

At 4K, the situation is different. The Medium preset is the best choice, with 59 FPS average and a minimum of 50 FPS. This is the only preset that is playable at 4K, as the High preset at 44 FPS is too low for smooth gameplay. The Low preset at 81 FPS is another option, but the visual quality is significantly reduced. For a 4K display, the Medium preset is the recommended default, but players with a higher tolerance for lower frame rates can use High for better visuals.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest playable frame rate at 1080p with this CPU/GPU combo?

A: The best result at 1080p is achieved with the Low preset, which delivers 128 FPS average. The Ultra preset still produces 91 FPS, but the Medium preset at 114 FPS is a good balance of quality and performance.

Q: Can this configuration handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. The Medium preset at 4K delivers 59 FPS average, and the Low preset delivers 81 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is only 32 FPS, which is not a playable frame rate for most players.

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

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at 4K resolutions, as the frame rate drops significantly at 4K. At 1080p, the CPU can be a bottleneck at low settings, but the GPU is not the primary issue at 1440p.

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

A: This combo is ranked 2823 out of 3710 tested in Outriders, placing it in the bottom 24% of all tested combinations. The CPU is ranked in the 47th percentile, and the GPU is ranked in the 61st percentile.

Q: What is the best preset for a smooth 1440p experience?

A: The Medium preset is the best choice at 1440p, with 98 FPS average and a minimum of 83 FPS. The High preset at 84 FPS is also acceptable, but the Medium preset offers a higher average frame rate.

Q: What is the impact of the GPU's 8 GB VRAM on performance?

A: The 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with Ultra settings, it is not enough, resulting in a 32 FPS average. The memory bandwidth is also limited, which is a key factor in the 4K performance.

Benchmark Interpretation

The data for Outriders shows that the Intel Core i5-9400 and RTX 4060 combo has a clear performance ceiling at 4K. The GPU, while strong for 1080p and 1440p, cannot maintain playable frame rates at 4K with high-quality settings. The CPU, while not a top-tier part, is sufficient for the game at most resolutions. The combo's rank of 2823 out of 3710 reflects a mid-table performance, adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but not a high-end experience.