Outriders

# Outriders CPU/GPU Combo Analysis: Intel Core i7-14700F + AMD Radeon RX 7700

This combination pairs Intel's 20-core Raptor Lake refresh processor with AMD's RDNA 3.0-based RX 7700, producing a system that ranks 1140th out of 2913 tested combos in Outriders. The measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a setup that handles 1080p with ease, remains strong at 1440p, but shows clear strain at 4K Ultra. The data suggests a balanced pairing where the CPU provides ample headroom for the GPU to operate, though the RX 7700's mid-pack GPU percentile (58th) becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F brings substantial processing power with 20 cores and 28 threads, running at a base clock of 2.10 GHz and boosting up to 5.40 GHz. This Raptor Lake architecture chip sits in the 91st percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53,620. The processor's multi-threaded capabilities are evident in synthetic tests like Cinebench R23 multicore scoring 35,122, while single-thread performance reaches 4,958 in the same test. These scores place the CPU in close competition with the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X (0.6% ahead) and AMD EPYC 7313P (0.8% ahead), while trailing the Intel Xeon 6505P marginally by 0.2%.

In Outriders, the CPU's role appears to be providing consistent frame delivery without becoming a bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 260 FPS average, which is a demanding scenario for CPU-bound performance. The fact that this frame rate scales down to 102 FPS at 1080p Ultra suggests the CPU can feed the GPU adequately even when settings increase draw calls and physics calculations. The processor's 33 MB shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help maintain data locality for game logic, while the 65 W TDP indicates efficient power delivery during extended play sessions.

The nearest rival comparison shows the i7-14700F performing essentially at parity with the Xeon 6505P (delta -0.2%) and Xeon Phi 7290 (delta +0.3%), meaning any performance differences in Outriders come from the GPU rather than CPU architecture. The processor's DDR4 and DDR5 memory support gives system builders flexibility, though the dual-channel memory bus is standard for this class. With a PassMark multithread score of 41,317 and a single-thread score of 4,257, the CPU demonstrates balanced performance that aligns with its 91st percentile ranking.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is built on the Navi 32 chip using a 5 nm process from TSMC, packing 28,100 million transistors across a 346 mm² die. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. Clock speeds are respectable with a 1900 MHz base, 2041 MHz game clock, and 2459 MHz boost. The memory runs at 2438 MHz (19.5 Gbps effective), which helps feed the 2560 shading units and 96 ROPs.

The GPU's percentile ranking sits at 58th among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 15,852. This places it in close competition with the AMD Radeon R9 370X (delta -0.1%) and AMD Radeon RX 9060 (delta -1%), while running slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (delta +1.1%). The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti edges it out by 1.7%. These rival comparisons indicate the RX 7700 occupies a solid mid-range position, which aligns with its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2,865 and PassMark G3D score of 20,974.

In Outriders, the GPU's 16 GB VRAM capacity proves sufficient even at 4K Ultra, as the game's textures and effects do not exceed this allocation. The 40 ray tracing cores suggest capability for advanced lighting effects, though the game's implementation may not heavily utilize them. The pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s provide the raw throughput needed for the frame rates observed. The GPU's 200 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for this performance class, and the PCIe 4.0 x16 interface ensures adequate bandwidth for data transfer.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals how the system's bottleneck shifts with resolution. At Low settings, the combo delivers 260 FPS at 1080p, 164 FPS at 1440p, and 86 FPS at 4K. This represents a 36.9% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 47.6% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling suggests the GPU becomes progressively more strained as pixel count increases, which is typical for a mid-range card at 4K.

At Medium settings, the pattern continues with 189 FPS at 1080p, 119 FPS at 1440p, and 62 FPS at 4K. The 1440p to 4K drop of 47.9% mirrors the Low settings pattern, indicating consistent GPU-bound behavior. High settings show 142 FPS at 1080p, 89 FPS at 1440p, and 47 FPS at 4K. Here the 1080p to 1440p drop is 37.3%, which is slightly steeper than the Low settings drop, suggesting that increased visual fidelity places additional load on the GPU.

Ultra settings demonstrate the most dramatic scaling: 102 FPS at 1080p, 65 FPS at 1440p, and 34 FPS at 4K. The 1080p to 1440p drop of 36.3% and 1440p to 4K drop of 47.7% follow the established pattern. Across all settings, the consistent ~37% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~48% drop from 1440p to 4K indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component at higher resolutions. The CPU's strong performance means it does not become a constraint until frame rates exceed 200 FPS at 1080p Low.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the combo demonstrates its strongest performance. Low settings produce an average of 260 FPS, which drops to 189 FPS at Medium with a minimum of 161 and maximum of 217. High settings deliver 142 FPS average, while Ultra yields 102 FPS. These numbers indicate that the i7-14700F and RX 7700 combination can easily handle high refresh rate gaming at 1080p, with even Ultra settings exceeding 100 FPS.

Moving to 1440p, the performance remains playable across all presets. Low settings achieve 164 FPS average, Medium reaches 119 FPS (minimum 101, maximum 137), High hits 89 FPS, and Ultra settles at 65 FPS. The minimum frame rate of 101 FPS at Medium settings suggests smooth gameplay without significant stuttering, while the 65 FPS at Ultra remains above the 60 FPS threshold for most displays.

At 4K, the system's limitations become apparent. Low settings produce 86 FPS average, which is respectable for a mid-range GPU at this resolution. Medium settings drop to 62 FPS with minimum 53 and maximum 72, indicating playable but occasionally dipping below 60 FPS. High settings yield 47 FPS, and Ultra falls to 34 FPS, both of which may be considered too low for smooth gameplay. The 4K results clearly show that this combo is better suited for lower resolutions or reduced settings at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 1140th out of 2913 tested combinations in Outriders, placing it in the 61st percentile of all tested systems. This ranking reflects the RX 7700's mid-range position (58th GPU percentile) combined with the i7-14700F's strong CPU performance (91st percentile). The gap between CPU and GPU percentiles suggests that the processor has headroom to support a more powerful graphics card, while the GPU holds the system back in GPU-intensive scenarios like 4K Ultra.

The ranking distribution indicates that 1773 combos perform worse, meaning this setup outperforms the majority of tested systems. However, the 1139 combos ahead likely feature higher-tier GPUs or more balanced pairings. The data suggests that in Outriders, this combo delivers performance roughly in line with its component positioning — the CPU punches above its weight while the GPU anchors the system's overall capability. For players targeting 1080p or 1440p gaming with high refresh rates, this ranking is more than adequate, but 4K enthusiasts would need a stronger GPU to climb the rankings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Outriders?

A: The data shows 1440p Medium delivers 119 FPS average with minimum 101 FPS, offering a strong balance of visual quality and performance. 1080p Ultra achieves 102 FPS, which is also excellent for high refresh rate displays.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Outriders?

A: At 4K, only Low settings reach 86 FPS average, with Medium at 62 FPS (minimum 53). High drops to 47 FPS and Ultra to 34 FPS, so 4K is playable only at lower settings or with frame rate insensitivity.

Q: How does the RX 7700 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU sits within 1.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (which leads by 1.7%), runs 1% behind the AMD Radeon RX 9060, and is essentially tied with the AMD Radeon R9 370X (0.1% difference).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The CPU's 91st percentile ranking versus the GPU's 58th percentile indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. Consistent FPS drops from 1080p to 4K across all settings confirm the GPU constrains performance at higher resolutions.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p with this combo?

A: Low settings produce 260 FPS, Medium 189 FPS (minimum 161), High 142 FPS, and Ultra 102 FPS. All presets exceed 100 FPS, making this an excellent 1080p high-refresh-rate system.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems?

A: It ranks 1140th out of 2913 tested combos, placing it in the upper 61% of all systems tested in Outriders.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, Ultra settings at 102 FPS average provide the best visual experience while maintaining high frame rates. Players with 144Hz or 165Hz monitors may prefer High settings at 142 FPS for smoother motion, while competitive players can push Low settings to 260 FPS for maximum responsiveness.

At 1440p, Medium settings deliver 119 FPS with minimum 101 FPS, offering the best combination of visual fidelity and smoothness. High settings at 89 FPS are also viable for those who prioritize image quality over raw frame rate, while Ultra at 65 FPS remains playable but with less headroom for demanding scenes.

For 4K gaming, Low settings at 86 FPS are the only preset that consistently exceeds 60 FPS. Medium settings hover near the 60 FPS threshold with a minimum of 53 FPS, which may cause noticeable dips during intense action. High and Ultra presets fall below 50 FPS and are not recommended for a smooth experience. The measured data suggests this combo is best suited for 1080p Ultra or 1440p Medium, where the i7-14700F's CPU headroom and the RX 7700's 16 GB VRAM can be fully utilized without compromising frame delivery.