Overpower

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, running on a 14 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with 9 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU’s 50th percentile ranking among all tested CPUs places it at the midpoint of the performance distribution, which is consistent with its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 7969 and single-core score of 1125. In Overpower, this configuration produces frame rates that range from a 43.9 FPS average at 4K Ultra to a 125.3 FPS average at 1080p Low, indicating that the processor is not the primary constraint in most scenarios. The 6-thread design is sufficient for the game’s demands, as evidenced by the fact that lowering resolution from 1440p to 1080p at High settings yields a relatively modest FPS gain from 64.0 to 74.6, suggesting that the CPU can keep up with the GPU’s output at these settings.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-9400 posts an average benchmark score of 2305, which is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i3-10305 (2300) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (2299), and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Xeon E-2134 (2295). The Intel Core i7-8809G sits slightly above it with a score of 2319, making the i5-9400 0.6% slower than that part.

Q: What is the best measured FPS for this combo in Overpower?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 125.3 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next best is 112.8 FPS at 2560x1440 with Low settings, showing that the low preset provides the most headroom for high refresh rates.

Q: Does the RX 5700 XT bottleneck the i5-9400 at 1080p?

A: Data suggests the GPU is the limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p, moving from High (74.6 FPS) to Low (125.3 FPS) yields a 67.9% increase in frame rate, which indicates the GPU is heavily engaged. In contrast, at 4K, the same setting change from High (57.6 FPS) to Low (94.9 FPS) shows a smaller relative gain, pointing to a more balanced load.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations for Overpower?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 with AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT holds a combo rank of 1323 out of 1744 total tested combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the ranking table, meaning there are 421 other combinations that deliver higher average performance in this game.

Q: Is the i5-9400’s memory bandwidth a concern for Overpower?

A: The CPU supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a theoretical bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. Since the game’s frame rates scale consistently with resolution and settings changes, there is no indication in the measured data that memory bandwidth becomes a bottleneck, as the FPS drops are gradual from 1080p to 4K.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the GPU in this combo?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT has a launch MSRP of 399 USD. This figure is provided for reference only and does not reflect current market pricing.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, but the severity of the drop varies significantly by settings preset. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 125.3 FPS at 1080p to 112.8 FPS at 1440p, a 10.0% reduction, and then to 94.9 FPS at 4K, a further 15.9% drop from 1440p. This relatively shallow curve suggests that at Low settings, the game is less demanding on the GPU, allowing the CPU to maintain higher output.

At High settings, the scaling is steeper: 74.6 FPS at 1080p drops to 64.0 FPS at 1440p (a 14.2% decline) and then to 57.6 FPS at 4K (a 10.0% decline from 1440p). The Ultra preset shows the most pronounced resolution sensitivity, with 64.2 FPS at 1080p falling to 56.4 FPS at 1440p (12.1% lower) and then to 43.9 FPS at 4K (22.2% lower than 1440p). This indicates that at Ultra settings, the GPU becomes the dominant limiting factor, as the pixel throughput demand at 4K overwhelms the RX 5700 XT’s capabilities.

The Medium preset sits between these extremes, with 81.5 FPS at 1080p, 74.0 FPS at 1440p, and 61.0 FPS at 4K. The consistent 10-15% drops across each resolution step at Medium and High settings imply a balanced workload where neither the CPU nor GPU is entirely saturated. The overall trend shows that the RX 5700 XT provides playable frame rates at 4K only on Low settings, while 1440p is viable across all presets, and 1080p offers the best headroom for high-refresh-rate displays.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo of the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT achieves a rank of 1323 out of 1744 tested combinations in Overpower. This places the pairing in the 24th percentile of all combos, meaning roughly three-quarters of the tested systems deliver higher average frame rates. The ranking position is more heavily influenced by the GPU than the CPU, as the RX 5700 XT sits at the 68th percentile among all GPUs, while the i5-9400 is at the 50th percentile among CPUs. The delta between these percentile positions suggests that the GPU is the stronger component in this pairing, and the game’s performance is likely constrained by the CPU in some scenarios.

When compared to other combos in the database, this pairing falls behind those featuring higher-end CPUs or newer GPUs. However, it still outperforms the bottom 421 combinations, which likely include older or lower-tier hardware. The rank of 1323 indicates that while this system is not competitive for high-refresh-rate 4K gaming, it remains viable for 1080p and 1440p play across most settings. The data shows that the combo’s relative standing improves at lower resolutions, where the CPU’s 6-core/6-thread configuration is less likely to bottleneck the GPU’s output.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is based on the Navi 10 chip with RDNA 1.0 architecture, manufactured on a 7 nm process by TSMC. It features 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs, with a base clock of 1605 MHz and a boost clock of 1905 MHz. The GPU is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. These specifications contribute to a Passmark G3D score of 16277 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2134, placing the GPU at the 68th percentile among all tested GPUs.

In Overpower, the GPU’s role is evident in the frame rate scaling across settings. At 1080p Ultra, the combo delivers 64.2 FPS, which drops to 43.9 FPS at 4K Ultra, a 31.6% reduction. This steep decline at the highest settings indicates that the RX 5700 XT’s compute throughput (9.754 TFLOPS FP32) is the primary bottleneck when pixel counts rise. Conversely, at Low settings, the GPU maintains 125.3 FPS at 1080p and 94.9 FPS at 4K, showing that the card has sufficient raw power for less demanding visual loads. The memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s appears adequate for the game’s texture streaming, as no abnormal FPS stutters are apparent in the average values.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for this combo in Overpower covers three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates are: Low 125.3 FPS, Medium 81.5 FPS, High 74.6 FPS, and Ultra 64.2 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is 43.8 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 10.4 FPS, showing diminishing returns as settings rise.

At 2560x1440, the averages are: Low 112.8 FPS, Medium 74.0 FPS, High 64.0 FPS, and Ultra 56.4 FPS. The difference between Low and Medium here is 38.8 FPS, and the High-to-Ultra gap narrows to 7.6 FPS. This compression of frame rates at higher settings suggests that the GPU is hitting a performance ceiling.

At 3840x2160, the averages are: Low 94.9 FPS, Medium 61.0 FPS, High 57.6 FPS, and Ultra 43.9 FPS. The Low-to-Medium gap is 33.9 FPS, and the High-to-Ultra gap is 13.7 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 43.9 FPS is the lowest recorded value in the entire dataset, indicating that this combo is not suitable for maximum settings at 4K. The data shows that the most consistent performance across all resolutions is achieved at Low settings, where the FPS never drops below 94.9, while Ultra settings at 4K fall below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.