Overpower

Overpower pairs a six-core Intel Core i5-11400F with the flagship NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D, creating a stark contrast between a mid-range 2021 CPU and a top-tier 2025 GPU. The benchmark data reveals a system where the GPU is clearly the dominant force, but the CPU's influence becomes more apparent as resolution and settings change. This combination ranks 194th out of 2980 tested combos in the game, placing it in the top 7% of all configurations, a strong showing that underscores the raw power of the RTX 5090 D even when paired with a more modest processor.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across the three tested resolutions shows a relatively flat performance curve, which is a strong indicator of a CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate moves from 160 FPS at 1920x1080, to 154 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 144 FPS at 3840x2160. The drop from 1080p to 4K is only 10%, a surprisingly small penalty that suggests the CPU is limiting performance even at the highest resolution. This is a classic sign of a system where the graphics card has headroom to spare, and the processor is struggling to feed it enough data.

The pattern intensifies when looking at Low settings. Here, the frame rates are 197 FPS at 1080p, 190 FPS at 1440p, and 180 FPS at 4K. The difference between 1080p and 4K is a mere 8.6%, which is remarkably consistent. This near-flat scaling is the signature of a CPU-bound scenario. The RTX 5090 D is so powerful that even at 4K with Low settings, it can render frames faster than the Core i5-11400F can issue draw calls and process game logic. The data implies that the GPU is waiting on the CPU for a significant portion of each frame.

However, the story changes when we examine the Ultra preset, which is the most demanding on the GPU. At Ultra settings, the frame rate drops from 150 FPS at 1080p to 140 FPS at 1440p and then to 119 FPS at 4K. This represents a 20.7% drop from 1080p to 4K, which is a much more significant scaling penalty. This shift indicates that at Ultra settings, the workload shifts back towards the GPU, allowing it to become the primary limiting factor. The 4K Ultra result of 119 FPS suggests the RTX 5090 D is finally being pushed to its limits, while the 1080p Ultra result is still likely constrained by the CPU.

The Medium preset offers a middle ground, with frame rates of 164 FPS at 1080p, 158 FPS at 1440p, and 150 FPS at 4K. The scaling here is a 9.3% drop from 1080p to 4K, which is closer to the Low and High presets than to Ultra. This further reinforces the idea that the CPU is the primary bottleneck for most of the settings, and only the most graphically intense preset can engage the GPU fully. The data suggests that for players targeting high refresh rates, the CPU will be a limiting factor, but for 4K Ultra gaming, the GPU becomes the more critical component.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its benchmark scores show a solid mid-range performer, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and a single-core score of 2024. The CPU's percentile rank of 71st among all CPUs indicates it sits above the median, but its nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 7H12 and the Intel Core i5-12450H, show that it is not a top-tier part. The data shows the i5-11400F is capable, but its age and core count limit its ability to keep up with a GPU of the RTX 5090 D's caliber.

The game's results highlight this limitation. The fact that frame rates barely improve when moving from High to Low settings at 1080p (160 FPS vs 197 FPS) suggests that the CPU is the limiting factor. The game is likely not heavily multi-threaded enough to fully utilize all 12 threads of the i5-11400F, or the single-thread performance is insufficient to keep up with the GPU's frame generation. The 3DMark single-thread score of 868 and Geekbench single-core score of 1777 are respectable, but they are not in the same league as the GPU's capabilities.

The CPU's 12 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support are standard for its generation, but they may contribute to the bottleneck. The memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s is a potential constraint when feeding a GPU that requires massive amounts of data. The benchmark results imply that while the CPU is not weak, it is the component that holds the system back from achieving its full potential in Overpower, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the limiting factor. The data suggests that a more powerful CPU with higher single-thread performance would yield higher frame rates.

FAQ

Q: Why is the frame rate at 1080p High (160 FPS) so close to the frame rate at 4K High (144 FPS)?

A: This small difference indicates that the Intel Core i5-11400F is the limiting component. The RTX 5090 D is powerful enough to maintain high frame rates at both resolutions, but the CPU cannot provide frames fast enough to fully utilize the GPU at 1080p, resulting in a bottleneck.

Q: What is the best performance setting for this combo at 4K?

A: According to the data, the High preset at 3840x2160 yields an average of 144 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 119 FPS, while Medium and Low offer 150 FPS and 180 FPS, respectively. High provides a good balance of visual quality and performance.

Q: Is this combo better suited for 1080p or 4K gaming?

A: The data shows the system is heavily CPU-bound at 1080p, with frame rates not scaling much with lower settings. At 4K, the GPU becomes more engaged, as seen in the larger performance drop at Ultra settings. The system is more balanced at 4K, where the GPU's workload is higher.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its rivals?

A: The Core i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17177. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 7H12, scores 17120, which is 0.3% lower. The Intel Core i5-12450H scores 17239, which is 0.4% higher. This shows the i5-11400F is in a very tight performance cluster with these other processors.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 197, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next highest are 190 FPS at 2560x1440 Low and 180 FPS at 3840x2160 Low, showing that the Low preset consistently produces the highest frame rates across all resolutions.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 D perform as expected in this pairing?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 77712, and its percentile rank is 92, indicating it is a top-tier graphics card. However, in this specific pairing, the data suggests its performance is being limited by the CPU in many scenarios, as evidenced by the small frame rate differences between resolutions at lower settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves a rank of 194 out of 2980 tested combos in Overpower. This places it in the top 6.5% of all configurations, which is an impressive result given the CPU's mid-range status. The high rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU's immense power, as the RTX 5090 D is capable of high frame rates even when paired with a processor that is not its ideal match.

The data suggests that this combo outperforms many systems with more balanced components, simply because the GPU is so strong. The rank of 194 indicates that the system is well above average for gaming performance, but it also implies that there is untapped potential. The fact that it is not ranked higher, despite having one of the most powerful consumer GPUs available, points to the CPU as the limiting factor. A system with a more modern, higher-core-count CPU would likely rank significantly higher, as the GPU would be able to stretch its legs.

The performance gap between this combo and the top-ranked ones is likely due to the CPU's inability to keep up with the GPU's frame generation, particularly in scenarios with lower graphical demands. The benchmark results indicate that while this is a very capable gaming system, it leaves performance on the table. The rank of 194 out of 2980 is a strong showing, but it confirms the GPU's raw power rather than the synergy of the components. The data implies that the CPU is holding the system back from reaching its true potential.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. The Low preset achieves an average of 197 FPS, while High and Medium presets reach 160 FPS and 164 FPS, respectively. The Ultra preset produces an average of 150 FPS. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 140 FPS and a maximum of 189 FPS, indicating some fluctuation. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is the main constraint, as the difference between Low and Ultra is only 47 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high. Low settings produce an average of 190 FPS, while High and Medium yield 154 FPS and 158 FPS, respectively. Ultra settings result in 140 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum of 134 FPS and a maximum of 182 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is minimal, reinforcing the CPU-bound nature of the system at these settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to take on more responsibility. The Low preset still delivers a high average of 180 FPS, but the High and Medium presets drop to 144 FPS and 150 FPS, respectively. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 119 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum of 127 FPS and a maximum of 172 FPS. The data shows a more significant drop from 1440p to 4K, particularly at Ultra settings, where the GPU is finally being pushed. The 4K Ultra result of 119 FPS is the lowest average FPS recorded for this combo, but it is still a very playable frame rate.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user's resolution and refresh rate priorities. For players using a 1080p or 1440p monitor with a high refresh rate, the High preset is the best choice. It offers a substantial improvement in visual quality over Low settings while maintaining very high frame rates (160 FPS at 1080p and 154 FPS at 1440p). The Ultra preset, while more visually demanding, only reduces the frame rate by 10-14 FPS compared to High at these resolutions, making it a viable option for those who prioritize image quality.

For 4K gaming, the High preset is again the recommended choice. It delivers an average of 144 FPS, which is excellent for 4K. The Ultra preset drops to 119 FPS, which is still smooth, but the 25 FPS penalty may not be worth the marginal visual improvement for some users. The Medium preset offers 150 FPS at 4K, which is a slight improvement over High, but the visual quality difference is more significant. The data suggests that High settings at 4K provide the best balance of visual fidelity and performance.

The Low preset is not recommended for any resolution, as it offers only a marginal frame rate increase over High while significantly reducing visual quality. For example, at 1080p, Low is 37 FPS faster than High, but at 4K, the difference is only 36 FPS. This suggests that the CPU bottleneck is so severe that lowering settings has a limited effect on performance. The best experience, according to the data, is to use the High preset at any resolution, as it provides a strong balance between the visual quality and the high frame rates that this hardware is capable of delivering.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is an absolute powerhouse, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process. It features 21,760 shading units, 170 RT cores, and 680 tensor cores, all running at a boost clock of 2407 MHz. The GPU is equipped with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. Its benchmark scores are exceptional, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14326 and a Passmark G3D score of 44065, placing it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs.

In Overpower, the GPU's role is to render the game at high resolutions and settings. The data shows that it is more than capable of handling the game's demands, as it maintains high frame rates even at 4K Ultra. The RTX 5090 D's performance is so high that it exposes the CPU's limitations as the primary bottleneck. The GPU's massive memory bandwidth and compute power are not fully utilized in this pairing, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU cannot feed it enough data.

The GPU's performance, however, becomes more critical at higher settings. The significant drop in frame rate from 4K High (144 FPS) to 4K Ultra (119 FPS) demonstrates the GPU's workload increasing. The 32 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for any game at any resolution, ensuring that memory capacity is not a limiting factor. The data suggests that the RTX 5090 D is a future-proof component that will be able to handle demanding games for years to come, but its full potential is currently being held back by the Core i5-11400F. The GPU's average benchmark score of 77712 and its nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, which scores 76904, show its dominant position in the market.