Outriders

# How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 sits at rank 1391 out of 2913 tested combinations in Outriders. That places this combo in the 52nd percentile of all tested systems — essentially the middle of the pack. The data shows a pairing where a top-tier CPU is held back by a mid-range GPU, resulting in a system that lands squarely in the mainstream performance tier for this looter shooter.

What makes this rank particularly interesting is the contrast between the two components. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus ranks in the 96th percentile against all CPUs, while the RTX 4060 sits in the 61st percentile against all GPUs. The combined result, however, lands near the median of all combos tested in this game. This suggests that Outriders' performance ceiling with this pairing is dictated primarily by the graphics card, not the processor. The rank also implies that many cheaper CPU and GPU combinations could potentially match or exceed this setup's frame rates in Outriders, given that the GPU is the limiting factor.

Compared to other combos in the database, this rank indicates the system will deliver smooth gameplay at 1080p and 1440p with adjusted settings, but will struggle to maintain high frame rates at 4K with maximum quality. The 1391st position out of 2913 means roughly 52% of tested combinations perform better, while 48% perform worse — a truly median outcome for a system with a flagship-class CPU.

# GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 brings 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock runs at 1830 MHz, boosting to 2460 MHz. The card's AD107 chip, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, contains 18,900 million transistors across a 159 mm² die. With 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, the RTX 4060 is positioned as an entry-level Ada Lovelace part.

In Outriders, the GPU's role becomes clear when examining the frame rate scaling across resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the system hits 245 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to just 32 FPS. This dramatic scaling — a 7.7x reduction in frame rate from lowest to highest load — indicates that the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory interface become significant bottlenecks at higher resolutions and quality settings. The card's 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 118.1 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply insufficient for 4K Ultra in this title.

The GPU's benchmark scores reinforce this assessment. Its PassMark G3D score of 19545 places it in the 61st percentile, with nearest rivals including the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (0.2% lower), AMD Radeon 780M (0.3% lower), and AMD Radeon Pro 560 (0.5% lower). The RTX 4060's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2302 and Geekbench OpenCL score of 95057 further characterize it as a solid 1080p performer that extends into 1440p, but not a 4K-capable card for demanding titles like Outriders.

# Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, frame rates drop from 134 FPS at 1080p to 84 FPS at 1440p (a 37% reduction), then to 44 FPS at 4K (a 48% reduction from 1440p). This scaling behavior indicates that the system becomes increasingly GPU-bound as resolution increases, with the CPU's substantial headroom going unused at higher resolutions.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more dramatic: 245 FPS at 1080p drops to 155 FPS at 1440p (37% reduction), then to 81 FPS at 4K (48% reduction from 1440p). The percentage drops are nearly identical across settings, suggesting that resolution scaling is consistent regardless of quality level. This consistency implies that the limiting factor is purely the GPU's rendering throughput, not memory capacity or bandwidth, since the same relative drops occur even at Low settings where VRAM usage would be lower.

The Medium settings row provides the only complete min/max FPS data across all resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the system averages 178 FPS with a minimum of 152 and maximum of 205. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 112 FPS with a range of 96 to 129. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 59 FPS with a range of 50 to 68. The minimum frame rates at each resolution stay remarkably close to the averages — within 15% — suggesting consistent frame pacing without major drops, even when the GPU is heavily loaded.

Ultra settings prove to be the most demanding, with 4K Ultra producing just 32 FPS average. This represents a 67% reduction from 1080p Ultra's 97 FPS. The data strongly suggests that 4K Ultra is not a viable configuration for this combo, while 1440p Ultra at 61 FPS is borderline playable, and 1080p Ultra at 97 FPS provides a comfortable experience.

# Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance. Low settings produce 245 FPS average, Medium settings hit 178 FPS with a minimum of 152 and maximum of 205, High settings reach 134 FPS, and Ultra settings maintain 97 FPS. All four presets at 1080p exceed the 60 FPS threshold, and even the most demanding Ultra preset provides nearly 100 FPS. The 245 FPS at Low suggests the CPU is capable of very high frame rates when the GPU load is minimal, showcasing the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus's strength in this scenario.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows the GPU's limits beginning to appear. Low settings deliver 155 FPS, Medium settings average 112 FPS with a range of 96 to 129, High settings hit 84 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 61 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p is right at the edge of smooth gameplay, with the 61 FPS average being just above the 60 FPS target. Medium settings at 1440p provide the most comfortable margin, with the 96 FPS minimum still well above playable thresholds.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 4060 clearly struggles. Low settings produce 81 FPS, Medium settings average 59 FPS with a range of 50 to 68, High settings drop to 44 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to just 32 FPS. Only the Low preset at 4K maintains consistently playable frame rates, while Medium is marginal with its 50 FPS minimum. High and Ultra at 4K are effectively unplayable for smooth gameplay, with averages below 45 FPS and no min/max data suggesting the drops could be more severe.

# CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process at TSMC. It operates at a 3.70 GHz base clock, boosting up to 5.80 GHz, with a 125 W TDP. The CPU features 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. Its dual-channel DDR5 memory support provides 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth.

In Outriders, the CPU's role appears to be providing a high ceiling that the GPU rarely allows the system to reach. The 1080p Low result of 245 FPS demonstrates the CPU's ability to drive very high frame rates, but even at 1080p Ultra, the system only reaches 97 FPS — a 60% reduction that indicates the GPU is the primary constraint. The CPU's benchmark scores are exceptional: Cinebench R23 multicore at 51731, single-core at 7303, and PassMark multithread at 60860. These scores place it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, with nearest rivals including the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (0.2% faster) and AMD EPYC processors.

The CPU's 24 cores and 24 threads provide substantial headroom for Outriders' engine, which likely doesn't utilize all available cores. The 5.80 GHz boost clock ensures strong single-threaded performance, which is typically more important for game logic and frame generation. However, the data indicates that the 125 W TDP CPU is rarely the bottleneck in this pairing, as even at 4K Ultra with just 32 FPS, the GPU is clearly overwhelmed while the CPU likely sits with resources to spare.

# Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. At 1080p, the High preset at 134 FPS offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, providing a 34% improvement over Ultra's 97 FPS while maintaining excellent smoothness. For players prioritizing maximum frame rates, Low at 245 FPS is available, but the jump from High to Low at 1080p sacrifices significant visual fidelity for diminishing returns in perceived smoothness.

At 1440p, Medium settings at 112 FPS represent the sweet spot, offering a 33% improvement over High's 84 FPS while maintaining a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 96 FPS ensures consistent gameplay without drops below the smoothness threshold. Ultra at 61 FPS is technically playable but leaves no headroom for demanding scenes, while Low at 155 FPS sacrifices too much visual quality for the modest gain over Medium.

At 4K, the only viable option is Low settings at 81 FPS. Medium at 59 FPS is borderline, with its 50 FPS minimum potentially causing noticeable stutters in intense combat. High and Ultra at 44 and 32 FPS respectively are not recommended for smooth gameplay. The data suggests that 4K should be reserved for players who prioritize resolution over frame rate and are willing to accept the significant compromises required.

The overall recommendation across all resolutions is the Medium preset. At 1080p, it delivers 178 FPS; at 1440p, 112 FPS; and at 4K, 59 FPS. This preset provides the most consistent experience relative to visual quality, with the minimum frame rates at 1080p and 1440p (152 and 96 FPS respectively) ensuring no significant drops below the average.

# FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this system in Outriders?

A: The data indicates 1440p Medium provides the best experience, delivering 112 FPS average with a minimum of 96 FPS. This combination offers a strong balance of visual quality and performance, with sufficient headroom above the 60 FPS threshold.

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

A: At 4K, only Low settings achieve consistently playable frame rates at 81 FPS. Medium settings average 59 FPS with a 50 FPS minimum, while High and Ultra produce 44 and 32 FPS respectively. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory interface limit 4K performance.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 7790?

A: The RTX 4060 scores 19545 in PassMark G3D, which is 0.2% lower than the HD 7790's 17666 score. This places the two cards at essentially identical performance levels, with the RTX 4060's more modern architecture providing no significant advantage in this benchmark.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this system for Outriders?

A: The GPU is clearly the limiting factor. The CPU ranks in the 96th percentile of all processors, while frame rates drop dramatically as resolution increases — from 245 FPS at 1080p Low to 32 FPS at 4K Ultra. This scaling pattern is characteristic of GPU-bound performance.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the system averages 97 FPS. This is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides smooth gameplay, though it represents a 37% reduction from the High preset's 134 FPS.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus compare to the Core Ultra 9 285K in CPU benchmarks?

A: The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Core Ultra 9 285K's 83807. This makes the 290K Plus marginally faster, though the difference is within measurement noise.