Outriders

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 produces a peculiar set of results in Outriders, a looter shooter that scales dramatically with settings. The data reveals a system that is capable of high refresh rates at 1080p but quickly succumbs to the GPU's limitations as resolution and quality demands increase. This combination ranks in the 23rd percentile of all tested combos, indicating that while it can deliver playable sessions, it is far from the top of the performance stack.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and tells a clear story about which component is the bottleneck. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 103 FPS. Moving to 1440p High sees that figure fall to 65 FPS, a reduction of roughly 37%. The jump to 4K High is even more punishing, with the average FPS collapsing to 34, which is just 33% of the 1080p result. This scaling behavior is the signature of a GPU-bound scenario; the CPU has ample headroom to feed frames, but the RTX 2060's rendering pipeline is saturated as pixel count increases.

The pattern holds across all settings tiers. At Low settings, the system produces 189 FPS at 1080p, 119 FPS at 1440p, and 62 FPS at 4K. The 4K Low result is particularly telling—it shows that even when the graphical load is minimized, the GPU cannot push past 62 FPS, whereas the CPU could likely handle far more. The gap between 1080p and 1440p at Low is 70 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 57 FPS, suggesting a consistent, resolution-driven decline that does not flatten out, meaning the GPU is the limiting factor throughout.

The data implies that the RTX 2060 is the primary constraint at all resolutions above 1080p. The CPU, with its 10 cores and 10 threads, is not the limiting component here. The 4K Ultra result of 24 FPS is a clear indicator that this combination is not intended for native 4K gaming, as it falls below the threshold for smooth motion. The scaling from 1080p High to 1440p High is a 38 FPS drop, but the drop from 1440p High to 4K High is 31 FPS, showing that the GPU's performance degrades at a slightly slower rate at higher resolutions, but it is still the dominant factor.

GPU Role

The RTX 2060, based on the Turing architecture with a TU106 chip, is the engine that governs the frame rates in Outriders. Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. In a game like this, memory capacity can become a concern at high resolutions and ultra textures, but the data shows that the GPU's raw compute is the main issue. The 1920 shading units and 120 texture mapping units are responsible for the pixel throughput, and their limits are exposed at 4K.

The GPU's clock speeds—1365 MHz base and 1680 MHz boost—are modest by modern standards. The boost clock is what the card will typically run at under load, and the measured FPS suggests it is hitting a ceiling. The card's FP32 performance of 6.451 TFLOPS is a key metric; in a fast-paced looter shooter with many particles and effects, this compute throughput is what determines the frame rate. The PassMark G3D score of 14111 for this GPU places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, which aligns with the observed performance: it is a mid-range part that handles 1080p well but struggles with higher resolutions.

The VRAM configuration is also a factor. While 6 GB is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p in most cases, the 4K High and Ultra settings likely approach the memory limit, causing the GPU to offload data and further reducing performance. The fact that 4K Low (62 FPS) is nearly double the 4K High (34 FPS) suggests that the bandwidth and memory size are not the primary bottleneck—the shader and texture processing are. The GPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database, such as the AMD Radeon RX 7600 with a deltaPct of 0.8%, show that this card is positioned at a specific performance tier, and Outriders does not allow it to punch above that weight.

How This Combo Ranks

In the context of all tested CPU-GPU combinations, this pair ranks 2257 out of 2913 combos, placing it in the lower half of the database. This ranking is a holistic measure that combines the CPU's and GPU's capabilities in this specific game. The CPU itself is a strong performer, with an average benchmark score of 36938 and an 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs, but the GPU's 58th percentile ranking drags the combo down.

The ranking indicates that while the CPU is well above average, the GPU is not. This is a classic mismatch where the processor's potential is left untapped because the graphics card cannot keep up. The combo rank is more reflective of the GPU's performance than the CPU's, given that the game is GPU-bound at most settings. The deltaPct values for the CPU's nearest rivals—such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with a deltaPct of 0 and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at -0.2%—suggest that the CPU is on par with its peers, but the overall combo rank suffers due to the graphics card.

This ranking means that users of this combo will see frame rates in Outriders that are typical for a mid-range system. It is not a high-end configuration, and the data shows it should not be treated as one. The 4K results, in particular, are below the 30 FPS playability threshold, which is a direct consequence of the GPU's placement in the performance hierarchy. The combo is better suited for 1080p, where it can achieve high frame rates, but the rank suggests that many other combinations will offer superior performance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience. At 1080p, the Low preset yields an average of 189 FPS, which is exceptionally high and well-suited for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset drops to 137 FPS, still excellent, while High produces 103 FPS, which is more than adequate for a smooth experience. The Ultra preset falls to 74 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action.

The sweet spot for this combo is 1080p Medium or High. Medium offers a 34 FPS advantage over High, with a minimum FPS of 117, ensuring no noticeable stutters. High, at 103 FPS, still maintains a high minimum frame rate and provides better visual fidelity. Ultra at 74 FPS is a viable option for those who prioritize graphics, but the 29 FPS drop from High to Ultra is substantial, and the visual difference may not justify the performance cost.

At 1440p, the situation changes. Medium is the best choice, with an average of 87 FPS and a minimum of 74 FPS, which is smooth. High, at 65 FPS, is playable but may feel less fluid. Low, at 119 FPS, is an option for competitive play, but the visual downgrade is significant. Ultra, at 47 FPS, should be avoided, as it dips below the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K, the only acceptable preset is Low, with 62 FPS. Medium (45 FPS) and High (34 FPS) are not recommended, and Ultra (24 FPS) is unplayable.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers a wide range of performance. Low settings produce an average of 189 FPS. Medium settings average 137 FPS, with a minimum of 117 FPS and a maximum of 158 FPS. High settings average 103 FPS. Ultra settings average 74 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop significantly. Low settings average 119 FPS. Medium settings average 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 99 FPS. High settings average 65 FPS. Ultra settings average 47 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is heavily taxed. Low settings average 62 FPS. Medium settings average 45 FPS, with a minimum of 38 FPS and a maximum of 52 FPS. High settings average 34 FPS. Ultra settings average 24 FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern: each increase in resolution or settings tier reduces the average FPS by a predictable margin. The minimum FPS data for Medium settings at all resolutions indicates that frame pacing is stable, with the 1080p Medium minimum of 117 FPS being particularly strong. The lack of min/max data for other presets suggests that the average is the primary metric, but the Medium preset's range shows it is the most consistent performer.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run Outriders at 4K?*

A: At 4K, the combination only achieves playable frame rates on Low settings, with an average of 62 FPS. Medium settings drop to 45 FPS, High to 34 FPS, and Ultra to 24 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS minimum for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1080p?

A: The Medium preset offers the best balance, with an average of 137 FPS and a minimum of 117 FPS. This provides a high frame rate with minimal risk of stuttering, while High at 103 FPS is also a strong choice for better visuals.

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

A: The GPU is the limiting component. The frame rate drops significantly as resolution increases from 1080p to 1440p to 4K, indicating that the RTX 2060 cannot keep up with the rendering demands, while the CPU has ample headroom.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to others?

A: This combination ranks 2257 out of 2913 tested combos in Outriders, placing it in the lower 23% of all configurations. This is due to the GPU's mid-range performance, despite the CPU's strong showing.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The average FPS is 65, which is playable but not ideal for competitive play. It is a significant drop from the 103 FPS seen at 1080p High, and users may prefer Medium settings at 1440p for a smoother 87 FPS experience.

Q: Is the 6 GB VRAM on the RTX 2060 sufficient?

A: The 6 GB of GDDR6 memory is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K with high textures, it may become a limiting factor. The data shows that 4K High (34 FPS) is far worse than 4K Low (62 FPS), suggesting that memory bandwidth and capacity contribute to the performance drop, though compute is the primary bottleneck.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. Its base clock of 3.30 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz provide strong single-thread performance, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655. This is crucial for Outriders, which relies on a single main thread for game logic and physics. The CPU's multi-core performance is also robust, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25891, but the game does not appear to scale well with this core count.

The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and 3 MB per-core L2 cache provide ample data storage for game assets, reducing latency. Its 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36938, shows it is a high-end processor. However, in Outriders, the CPU is not the limiting factor. The GPU is the bottleneck, as shown by the resolution scaling. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with a deltaPct of 0 and the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D with a deltaPct of -0.2%, perform similarly in synthetic benchmarks, but this does not translate to higher FPS in this game because the GPU cannot render frames fast enough.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and support for DDR5 memory are more than sufficient for the game's needs. The PassMark single-thread score of 4412 indicates excellent per-core performance, which is beneficial for the game's primary thread. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would be most likely to bottleneck, the system achieves 189 FPS, which is near the limit of what most displays can show. This proves the CPU is not holding back the GPU. Ultimately, the Core Ultra 5 225 is a capable processor that provides a solid foundation, but the RTX 2060's performance ceiling dictates the overall experience in Outriders.