Outriders

The pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 produces a top-tier 4K gaming experience in Outriders, though the data reveals that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. With a combo rank of 29 out of 2913 tested configurations, this system sits in the top 1% of all pairings, delivering exceptionally high frame rates across all settings. The benchmark results show a clear scaling pattern where performance degrades as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound title like this looter shooter, but the absolute frame rates remain high enough for smooth gameplay even at 4K Ultra.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a predictable decline as resolution increases, but the magnitude of that decline varies significantly depending on the quality preset. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 290 at 1080p to 248 at 1440p (a 14.5% reduction), and then further to 158 at 4K (a 36.3% reduction from 1440p). This indicates that at Low settings, the system is heavily CPU-bound at 1080p, allowing the RTX 4090 to stretch its legs at higher resolutions without hitting a hard wall.

The scaling pattern is more pronounced at Medium settings. The average FPS goes from 257 at 1080p to 219 at 1440p (a 14.8% drop), then down to 115 at 4K (a 47.5% drop from 1440p). The minimum FPS numbers at Medium settings tell a similar story: 219 at 1080p, 187 at 1440p, and 97 at 4K. This steeper decline at 4K suggests that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor, as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K while the frame rate only drops by roughly 55%.

High settings show a similar trend. At 1080p, the average is 232 FPS, which drops to 165 at 1440p (a 28.9% reduction) and then to 86 at 4K (a 47.9% reduction from 1440p). The gap between 1440p and 4K is nearly identical to the Medium preset, reinforcing that the GPU is the primary constraint at 4K regardless of quality level. The fact that High settings at 4K still produce 86 FPS average is remarkable, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold even with a demanding preset.

Ultra settings exhibit the largest relative drop. At 1080p, the average is 188 FPS, which falls to 119 at 1440p (a 36.7% reduction) and then to 62 at 4K (a 47.9% reduction from 1440p). The 4K Ultra result of 62 FPS is barely above the 60 FPS standard for console-like smoothness, but it is still playable. The consistent ~48% drop from 1440p to 4K across Medium, High, and Ultra presets confirms that resolution scaling is entirely GPU-limited at this point, with the CPU providing enough headroom to avoid becoming a bottleneck.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Core Ultra 7 265 and RTX 4090 achieves a combo rank of 29 out of 2913 tested combinations in Outriders. This places the system in the 99th percentile of all configurations, meaning only 28 other pairings deliver higher average frame rates in this specific game. The ranking reflects the synergy between a high-end 20-core CPU and the flagship Ada Lovelace GPU, producing results that are competitive with even more exotic workstation-grade pairings.

The CPU itself sits in the 93rd percentile when compared against all processors, with an average benchmark score of 64640. Its nearest rival is the AMD EPYC 4464P, which scores 64823 (a 0.3% advantage), while the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F scores 64438 (a 0.3% deficit). This places the 265 squarely in the middle of a tight cluster of high-performance processors, all within 1% of each other. The AMD EPYC 7343 scores 64202 (0.7% slower), and the AMD EPYC 9124 scores 65104 (0.7% faster). This tight grouping suggests that while the CPU is not the absolute fastest, it provides ample performance for gaming without being a limiting factor.

The GPU, meanwhile, holds an 88th percentile ranking among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 60347. Its nearest rival is the Intel Arc Pro A60 at 60326 (a 0.0% difference), followed by the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 at 60140 (0.3% slower). The AMD Radeon Pro W6600M scores 61896 (2.5% higher), and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 scores 58657 (2.9% lower). While the RTX 4090 is not the highest-scoring GPU in the database according to these synthetic benchmarks, its real-world performance in Outriders is clearly exceptional, as evidenced by the top-29 combo ranking.

GPU Role

The RTX 4090's specifications play a decisive role in the measured frame rates. The card features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. This massive memory subsystem is more than sufficient for Outriders at any resolution, even 4K Ultra, where texture streaming and asset loading demand significant bandwidth. The 16,384 shading units and 512 texture mapping units ensure that pixel throughput is never a constraint, while the 176 ROPs handle rasterization efficiently.

Clock speeds are equally important. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2235 MHz and boosts to 2520 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). These high clocks contribute to the card's 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which directly translates to raw shading power in game. The pixel rate of 443.5 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1,290.2 GTexel/s are both industry-leading figures that explain why the card can push 158 FPS at 4K Low settings without breaking a sweat.

The 450W TDP and triple-slot cooler indicate that this is a power-hungry card, but the benchmarks show that the thermal and power delivery design is effective at sustaining high clocks under load. The PCIe 4.0 x16 interface provides sufficient bandwidth for the game's data transfer needs, and the 16-pin power connector ensures stable power delivery. The card's 76,300 million transistors on a 5nm TSMC process node allow for both high performance and reasonable efficiency, though the 450W power draw is substantial.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080 resolution, the system delivers exceptional performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 290 FPS, while Medium averages 257 FPS with minimum and maximum values of 219 and 296, respectively. High settings average 232 FPS, and Ultra averages 188 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, even the Ultra preset is well above the refresh rate of most high-end monitors, making this resolution somewhat wasted on such a powerful combination.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains excellent. Low settings average 248 FPS, Medium averages 219 FPS (with minimum 187 and maximum 252), High averages 165 FPS, and Ultra averages 119 FPS. The 1440p results show a more meaningful separation between presets, with Ultra being roughly half the speed of Low. This resolution is likely the sweet spot for high-refresh-rate gaming, as even Ultra stays above 119 FPS, comfortably exceeding the 100 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the system finally encounters some constraints. Low settings average 158 FPS, which is still extremely high for 4K. Medium averages 115 FPS (with minimum 97 and maximum 132), High averages 86 FPS, and Ultra averages 62 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 62 FPS is the only measurement that dips below the 100 FPS mark, but it remains above 60 FPS, ensuring playable frame rates. The minimum FPS of 97 at 4K Medium indicates that even in demanding scenes, the frame time stays consistent without major stutters.

Settings Recommendations

For players with a 4K display, the Medium preset at 3840x2160 offers the best balance of visual quality and performance. The 115 FPS average with a 97 FPS minimum ensures smooth gameplay throughout, while the visual uplift over Low settings is substantial. High settings at 4K drop to 86 FPS average, which is still playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. Ultra at 4K, at 62 FPS, is borderline for competitive play but acceptable for casual playthroughs.

For 1440p displays, the High preset is the recommended starting point, delivering 165 FPS average. This provides excellent visual fidelity while maintaining frame rates well above 144Hz monitors' refresh rates. If a player prefers maximum visual quality, Ultra at 119 FPS is also viable, as it stays above the 100 FPS threshold. Low and Medium settings at 1440p, with 248 and 219 FPS respectively, are overkill for most displays and do not provide proportional visual benefits.

At 1080p, even the Ultra preset at 188 FPS is more than sufficient for any display, so players should prioritize visual quality over frame rate. The data shows no reason to lower settings at this resolution, as even the most demanding preset produces frame rates that exceed the refresh rate of virtually all gaming monitors. The High preset at 232 FPS is a sensible choice for those who want a slight performance buffer, but Ultra is recommended for the best image quality without sacrificing smoothness.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 with High settings provides 165 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate displays. At 4K, Medium settings deliver 115 FPS, which is also excellent, making both resolutions viable depending on your monitor's native resolution and refresh rate.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 sufficient for 4K Ultra settings in Outriders?

A: Yes, but barely. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 62 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. However, the minimum FPS was not recorded for this preset, so there is some uncertainty about worst-case frame drops.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 7 265 compare to its nearest CPU rivals?

A: The 265 scores 64640 on average, which is 0.3% lower than the AMD EPYC 4464P (64823) and 0.3% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (64438). It also sits 0.7% above the AMD EPYC 7343 (64202) and 0.7% below the AMD EPYC 9124 (65104).

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

A: The data strongly suggests yes. At 1080p Low, the average is 290 FPS, while at 1440p Low it is 248 FPS. The relatively small drop from 1080p to 1440p indicates that the CPU is limiting performance at the lower resolution, as the GPU has more headroom than the CPU can feed.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among all tested systems?

A: This pairing ranks 29th out of 2913 tested combinations in Outriders, placing it in the top 1% of all configurations. Only 28 other CPU/GPU pairings produce higher average frame rates in this game.

Q: Is the 24 GB VRAM on the RTX 4090 necessary for Outriders?

A: The benchmark results do not indicate any VRAM-related limitations. The 24 GB capacity is far beyond what this game requires at any resolution or settings level, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates even at 4K Ultra. The card's 1.01 TB/s bandwidth is more likely to be the limiting factor than the memory capacity.