Outriders

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a playable, though not flawless, experience in Outriders. The data shows a configuration where the GPU is clearly the dominant performance driver, but the older six-core processor creates noticeable bottlenecks at lower resolutions and in lighter settings presets. This analysis breaks down how the components interact, what the measured frame rates mean, and where this specific combo sits in the broader testing database.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound workload, with the processor's limitations becoming more apparent as resolution drops. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo produces 100.5 FPS. Moving up to 2560x1440 High, the average falls to 85.8 FPS, a 14.7 FPS drop. At 3840x2160 High, the average drops further to 68.1 FPS. This pattern shows that the RTX 4070 SUPER is doing the heavy lifting, as the performance penalty from increasing pixel count is substantial and consistent.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution highlights where the bottleneck shifts. At 1080p, the spread from Low (126.7 FPS) to Ultra (92.2 FPS) is 34.5 FPS, indicating that the CPU can keep pace with the GPU's output even as graphical load increases. At 4K, the same Low-to-Ultra spread is 39 FPS (87 vs 48), but the absolute numbers are much lower, confirming that the GPU is now the limiting factor. The 4K Ultra result of 48 FPS is particularly telling; it suggests that the game's heaviest settings are too demanding for this GPU to maintain high frame rates at that resolution.

The data indicates that 1440p is the sweet spot for this pairing. At High settings, 85.8 FPS is smooth, and even Ultra settings (80.7 FPS) remain playable. At 1080p, the CPU starts to hold back the GPU, as the difference between High (100.5 FPS) and Low (126.7 FPS) is 26.2 FPS, which is a larger relative jump than at 4K where the difference is 18.9 FPS. This suggests that at 1080p, the i5-9400's six threads cannot fully feed the RTX 4070 SUPER's frame generation capacity.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor from the Coffee Lake architecture, released in late 2018. Its base clock is 2.90 GHz with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 7969 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1125 points in the single-core test. These scores place the CPU in the 50th percentile of all processors tested, meaning it is exactly average in the database. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-10305, which is 0.2% faster, and the Intel Core i7-8809G, which is 0.6% faster. This CPU is neither a weak link nor a strength; it is a middle-of-the-road part.

In Outriders, the CPU's role is most evident at 1080p. The game is not heavily multi-threaded, but the six threads are sufficient to avoid severe stutters. The data shows that the CPU can provide a solid foundation, but it cannot push frame rates beyond what the GPU allows. At 4K, the CPU is less of a concern, as the GPU's workload is so high that the processor has ample time to issue draw calls. The 65W TDP and dual-channel DDR4 memory support are standard for this generation, but the processor's age shows in the lack of high-frequency support and the modest 9 MB L3 cache.

The benchmark results indicate that the i5-9400 is a capable pairing for a mid-range GPU, but it is not ideal for a high-end card like the RTX 4070 SUPER. The processor's average benchmark score of 2305 is only 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i3-10305, which has a lower core count. This suggests that in CPU-bound scenarios, the i5-9400 will perform similarly to cheaper, newer processors. In Outriders, this translates to frame rates that are respectable but not exceptional at 1080p, where the CPU is more likely to be the limiting factor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is a high-end Ada Lovelace GPU with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1980 MHz, boosting to 2475 MHz. The GPU has 7168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output units. It also includes 56 RT cores and 224 tensor cores, making it well-equipped for modern game features. The GPU's benchmark scores are strong, with a Passmark G3D score of 29995 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 4627. It sits in the 84th percentile of all GPUs, meaning it outperforms most of the database.

In Outriders, the GPU's role is clear from the resolution scaling. At 1080p, the GPU is not fully utilized, as the CPU limits the output. At 1440p, the GPU is working harder, and the frame rates remain high. At 4K, the GPU is the primary bottleneck, especially at Ultra settings where it drops to 48 FPS. The GPU's 12 GB of VRAM is likely sufficient for this game, as there is no indication of memory-related stutters in the measured data. The high texture rate of 554.4 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 198.0 GPixel/s suggest that the GPU can handle high resolutions, but the 4K Ultra result shows that even this hardware has limits.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX A6000, which is 0.2% slower, and the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE, which is 0.3% slower. This places the RTX 4070 SUPER in a competitive position, slightly above the professional-grade A6000 and the newer Radeon. In Outriders, the GPU's performance is the main driver of the overall experience, but it is held back by the i5-9400 at lower resolutions. The GPU's 35.48 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is substantial, but it cannot be fully realized when the CPU cannot deliver enough frames.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers 126.7 FPS on Low settings, 114.3 FPS on Medium, 100.5 FPS on High, and 92.2 FPS on Ultra. The difference between Low and Ultra is 34.5 FPS, showing that the GPU is still capable of scaling with graphical fidelity. However, the fact that Low settings do not hit 130+ FPS suggests the CPU is capping performance. The 1080p High result of 100.5 FPS is respectable, but players with high-refresh monitors will notice that the CPU prevents the GPU from reaching its full potential.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates are: 112.9 FPS on Low, 98.8 FPS on Medium, 85.8 FPS on High, and 80.7 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to High is 27.1 FPS, which is less severe than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming more of a factor. The Ultra setting at 1440p (80.7 FPS) is still smooth, making this resolution the best balance of quality and performance for this pairing.

At 3840x2160, the results are: 87 FPS on Low, 80.6 FPS on Medium, 68.1 FPS on High, and 48 FPS on Ultra. The Ultra setting is the only one that falls below 60 FPS, and the 39 FPS gap between Low and Ultra shows that the GPU is now the clear bottleneck. The 4K High result of 68.1 FPS is playable, but players will need to adjust settings to maintain higher frame rates. The 4K Low result of 87 FPS proves that the GPU is still strong, but the game's Ultra settings are too demanding for this card at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combo is ranked 1105 out of 1693 tested combinations in Outriders. This places it in the lower half of the database, which is surprising given the GPU's power. The ranking suggests that the CPU is dragging the overall score down. A combo in the top 500 would likely have a newer processor with more threads, as the GPU alone is not enough to secure a high rank.

The combo's rank is likely due to the CPU's average performance in the database. The i5-9400 has a percentile of 50, meaning half of all CPUs score better. When paired with a GPU in the 84th percentile, the overall result is a combo that performs below the sum of its parts. The data shows that the GPU is not the limiting factor, but the CPU's age and thread count are holding back the system's potential in Outriders.

FAQ

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this combo?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K High, the combo averages 68.1 FPS, which is playable. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. Players will need to use High or Medium settings for a smooth 4K experience.

Q: What is the best resolution for this pairing?

A: 2560x1440 is the sweet spot. At High settings, the combo delivers 85.8 FPS, and even Ultra settings stay above 80 FPS. This resolution allows the GPU to work without the CPU becoming a major bottleneck.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 1080p?

A: Yes. At 1080p Low, the combo only achieves 126.7 FPS, which is lower than expected from the RTX 4070 SUPER. The difference between Low and High at 1080p is also larger than at 1440p, indicating the CPU is limiting frame rates.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER compare to its rivals in this game?

A: The GPU is 0.2% faster than the NVIDIA RTX A6000 and 0.3% faster than the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE in general benchmarks. In Outriders, the GPU's performance is strong, but the CPU prevents the system from ranking higher.

Q: Is the i5-9400 a good match for the RTX 4070 SUPER?

A: The data suggests it is not an ideal match. The CPU's average benchmark score and 50th percentile ranking indicate it is a mid-range part. The combo ranks 1105 out of 1693, which is below average, primarily due to the CPU's limitations.

Q: What settings should I use for the best experience?

A: At 1080p, High settings (100.5 FPS) are recommended. At 1440p, High (85.8 FPS) or Ultra (80.7 FPS) are both good choices. At 4K, High (68.1 FPS) is the highest playable setting, while Ultra (48 FPS) should be avoided for smooth gameplay.