Outriders

# Outriders Performance Analysis: Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050

The pairing of Intel's 24-core Core Ultra 9 290K Plus with NVIDIA's entry-level GeForce RTX 5050 creates an intriguing imbalance in Outriders, a looter shooter that demands both sustained frame rates and visual fidelity. Benchmark data reveals a system that can push well past 200 FPS at lower settings but struggles to maintain playable performance at 4K Ultra, suggesting the RTX 5050's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory interface become the primary constraint as resolution and graphical load increase. The combo ranks 1715th out of 2913 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle tier of systems tested for this title, which aligns with the GPU's 66th percentile ranking among all graphics cards.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a dramatic scaling curve from 1080p to 4K that clearly identifies the GPU as the limiting component. At High settings, average frame rates drop from 119 FPS at 1920x1080 to 75 FPS at 2560x1440, a 37% reduction, and then further to 39 FPS at 3840x2160, representing a 67% total decline from 1080p. This steep falloff pattern is typical of a graphics-bound scenario where the RTX 5050's 320.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 13.17 TFLOPS FP32 compute cannot keep pace with the quadrupling pixel count from 1080p to 4K.

The scaling becomes even more pronounced when examining the Ultra preset. At 1080p Ultra, the system manages 86 FPS, which drops to 54 FPS at 1440p and collapses to 28 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset's additional graphical effects appear to disproportionately tax the RTX 5050's 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores, as the transition from High to Ultra at the same resolution costs roughly 28-39% performance across all three resolutions. Interestingly, the Low preset shows the least severe scaling, with 218 FPS at 1080p dropping to 137 FPS at 1440p and 72 FPS at 4K — still a 67% reduction from 1080p to 4K, but with absolute numbers that remain playable even at the highest resolution.

This data suggests that the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 5.80 GHz boost clock and 36 MB of shared L3 cache, provides ample headroom at lower settings where the CPU could theoretically become a factor. The fact that Low preset at 1080p achieves 218 FPS without the frame rate being capped indicates the CPU is not the bottleneck even in the least demanding scenario. The limiting component is unambiguously the GPU, as evidenced by the linear relationship between pixel count and frame rate decline across all settings presets.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1715 out of 2913 tested combinations places it in the 41st percentile of all systems tested for Outriders. This mid-pack positioning is somewhat surprising given the CPU's strength — the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus sits in the 96th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 84003, placing it just 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and 1.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 4584PX. However, the RTX 5050's 66th percentile GPU ranking and average benchmark score of 21035 drag the overall gaming performance down, as the GPU sits just 1.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL.

What this ranking reveals is that Outriders is heavily GPU-bound in this configuration. The CPU's computational capabilities — including 24 cores, 24 threads, and a strong single-thread score of 7303 in Cinebench R23 — are largely underutilized in this title, as evidenced by the fact that the combo ranks in the bottom 59% of tested systems despite having a top-4% CPU. The data implies that pairing this processor with a more capable GPU would yield dramatically better results, as the CPU clearly has the headroom to feed a faster graphics card without becoming a bottleneck.

Comparing to the nearest rival GPUs, the RTX 5050's performance profile is consistent with cards like the RX 5600 XT and RX Vega M GL, which historically have been mid-range offerings. The 1.6% gap to the RX 5600 XT and the 1% deficit to the AMD Radeon HD 8970M suggest that the RTX 5050's 2560 shading units and 32 ROPs are competitive with older mid-range hardware but fall short of what would be needed to push this combo into the upper echelons of the ranking table.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus brings substantial compute resources to this pairing, with 24 cores and 24 threads based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture built on a 3 nm TSMC process. The processor's 5.80 GHz boost clock and 3.70 GHz base clock, combined with 36 MB of shared L3 cache, position it as one of the fastest desktop CPUs available, with a 96th percentile ranking among all processors. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and single-core score of 7303 indicate exceptional performance in both heavily threaded and lightly threaded workloads.

In Outriders, however, the CPU's role appears to be primarily that of a frame rate enabler rather than a performance driver. The data shows that even at 1080p Low, where CPU overhead would be most apparent, the system achieves 218 FPS — a figure that suggests the game engine is not taxing the CPU's capabilities. The Core Ultra 9's PassMark multithread score of 60860 and single-thread score of 4823 indicate it can handle the game's physics, AI, and streaming workloads without breaking a sweat, but these capabilities are not the limiting factor in this configuration.

The processor's memory support for DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 115.2 GB/s bandwidth provides ample data throughput for the game's asset streaming requirements. The 17,800 million transistors and 243 mm² die size reflect a high-end design, but the benchmark results show that the RTX 5050's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus cannot leverage the CPU's full potential in this title. The CPU's ECC memory support and PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes suggest forward-looking design, but these features have minimal impact on gaming performance in Outriders specifically.

What the data implies is that the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus would perform identically in Outriders with a significantly less powerful GPU, as the graphics card is saturated well before the CPU reaches its limits. The 24 cores and 24 threads are far more than this looter shooter requires, and the processor's 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs is entirely untapped in this specific game configuration.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 218 FPS, while Medium achieves 158 FPS with a minimum of 135 FPS and maximum of 182 FPS. High settings yield 119 FPS, and Ultra drops to 86 FPS. These numbers indicate that 1080p gaming is thoroughly playable at any preset, though the 132 FPS gap between Low and Ultra demonstrates the significant impact of graphical settings on the RTX 5050's output.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance curve steepens. Low settings maintain 137 FPS, which remains smooth for competitive play. Medium settings average 100 FPS with a range of 85 to 115 FPS, showing acceptable consistency. High settings drop to 75 FPS, and Ultra falls to 54 FPS. The 1440p results suggest that Medium or High presets offer the best balance, as 75 FPS at High is still playable, while Ultra's 54 FPS approaches the threshold where frame pacing issues may become noticeable.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5050's limitations become fully apparent. Low settings average 72 FPS, which is playable but represents a 67% reduction from 1080p Low. Medium settings average 52 FPS with a minimum of 44 FPS and maximum of 60 FPS, indicating inconsistent frame delivery. High settings drop to 39 FPS, and Ultra plummets to 28 FPS. The 4K data clearly shows that this combination is not suited for high-fidelity 4K gaming, as even Medium settings cannot maintain a consistent 60 FPS.

The Medium preset across all resolutions provides the most complete data with min/max values. At 1080p, the 135-182 FPS range shows 47 FPS variance, while at 1440p the 85-115 FPS range narrows to 30 FPS, and at 4K the 44-60 FPS range shows 16 FPS variance. This tightening of frame delivery as resolution increases suggests that the GPU becomes more consistently saturated at higher resolutions, reducing the CPU's ability to introduce frame time spikes.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, based on the GB207 chip with Blackwell 2.0 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process, is clearly the performance ceiling in this configuration. With 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus providing 320.0 GB/s bandwidth, the card has enough capacity for 1080p and 1440p gaming but struggles with 4K textures and effects. The 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs combine for 13.17 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 205.8 GTexel/s texture rate, figures that place it in the mid-range of the GeForce 50-series lineup.

The GPU's 66th percentile ranking among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 21035, puts it in direct competition with older mid-range cards like the RX 5600 XT and RX Vega M GL. The card's 2502 score in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and 17326 in PassMark G3D indicate solid DirectX 12 performance, but the 66th percentile ranking shows it is not a high-end part. The RTX 5050's 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores support ray tracing and DLSS features, but the data suggests these are not sufficient for high-resolution ray-traced workloads in Outriders.

The memory configuration deserves particular attention. The 8 GB GDDR6 capacity and 128-bit bus width are the most likely culprits for the severe performance drops at 4K Ultra. The 320.0 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for 1080p and 1440p, but 4K Ultra settings likely exceed the memory bandwidth and capacity available, causing the frame rate to collapse to 28 FPS. The card's 2317 MHz base clock and 2572 MHz boost clock are respectable, but they cannot compensate for the memory subsystem limitations at higher resolutions.

The RTX 5050's 130 W TDP and dual-slot design indicate a power-efficient card, but its 1x 8-pin power connector and 300 W suggested PSU reflect its entry-level positioning. The PCIe 5.0 x8 interface provides adequate bandwidth, but the card's performance is ultimately constrained by its 13.17 TFLOPS compute and 8 GB VRAM, not by interface limitations. The GPU's 16,900 million transistors on a 149 mm² die with 113.4M transistors per mm² density show a modern design, but the measured gaming performance confirms it is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming.

FAQ

Q: Is this combination suitable for 4K gaming in Outriders?

A: The data shows 4K performance ranges from 72 FPS at Low settings to 28 FPS at Ultra, with Medium averaging 52 FPS. Only Low settings at 4K achieve consistently playable frame rates, while Medium and above fall below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The measured data indicates 1440p offers the best balance, with High settings achieving 75 FPS and Medium at 100 FPS. At 1080p, the system exceeds 119 FPS on all presets, but 1440p provides higher visual fidelity while maintaining playable frame rates.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus scores 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, 1.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4584PX, and 1.2% higher than the AMD EPYC 9135. It trails the AMD EPYC 7F72 by 1.3%.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5050 scores 1.6% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, but is 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, 1% behind the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, and 1.6% behind the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p Ultra?

A: The measured data shows 86 FPS average at 1080p Ultra. This is the highest preset available, and the system maintains playable performance, though Lower settings provide significantly higher frame rates up to 218 FPS.

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

A: The data clearly indicates the GPU is the limiting component. The CPU ranks in the 96th percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 66th percentile. The steep FPS drops from 1080p to 4K across all settings presets confirm the RTX 5050 is the performance constraint.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 provides the best overall experience, delivering 100 FPS average with a minimum of 85 FPS and maximum of 115 FPS. This configuration offers smooth gameplay with visual quality that takes advantage of the RTX 5050's capabilities without overwhelming its memory subsystem. The 1440p Medium settings maintain frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold for comfortable play, and the min/max range shows acceptable consistency.

For players prioritizing maximum frame rates, 1080p Low settings at 218 FPS is the clear choice, though the visual sacrifice may not be worthwhile for a story-driven looter shooter. The 1080p High preset at 119 FPS offers an excellent balance of visual quality and performance, providing a 33 FPS improvement over Ultra while maintaining well above 100 FPS. At 1440p, High settings at 75 FPS provide the best visual fidelity while keeping gameplay smooth, though players sensitive to frame rate fluctuations may prefer Medium at 100 FPS.

The 4K resolution is not recommended with this configuration. Even at Low settings, the 72 FPS average is below the 75 FPS achievable at 1440p High, and the visual quality difference between Low at 4K and High at 1440p is minimal. The RTX 5050's 8 GB VRAM and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K Ultra, where the 28 FPS average makes the game effectively unplayable. Players with 4K displays should run the game at 1440p with High settings for the best experience, as the GPU's performance ceiling prevents meaningful 4K gaming outside of Low settings.