Pc Building Simulator

Pc Building Simulator, a simulation title from 2019, presents an interesting case study for the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT combination. The benchmark data reveals a pairing where the GPU's immense power is frequently held in check by the CPU's older architecture, leading to a pattern of performance that scales more with settings than with resolution. The measured frames per second (FPS) across various configurations show a system that is capable of high refresh rates at 1080p but whose consistency and headroom are dictated by processor limitations.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K with this CPU-GPU combo tells a compelling story about system bottlenecks. At 1080p with Low settings, the average FPS is 244, which is an exceptionally high number. However, when the resolution is increased to 1440p at the same Low settings, the average FPS drops to 209, a decrease of 35 FPS. Moving further up to 4K at Low settings yields an average of 131 FPS, a significant 78 FPS drop from the 1440p figure. This pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, but the absolute numbers suggest the CPU is still playing a role.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p at High settings shows a more moderate reduction, from 188 FPS down to 125 FPS. This is a 33.5% decrease in performance. The jump from 1440p to 4K at High settings is less severe in percentage terms, going from 125 FPS to 65 FPS, a 48% drop. This indicates that as the resolution increases, the GPU is working harder, but the initial drop suggests a CPU limit at 1080p. The fact that the 1080p High setting (188 FPS) is higher than the 1440p Low setting (209 FPS) is expected, but the margin is smaller than one might anticipate if the GPU were the sole limiting factor.

Looking at the Ultra settings, the trend continues. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 185 FPS. This falls to 119 FPS at 1440p Ultra, and then to 62 FPS at 4K Ultra. The 1080p to 1440p drop of 66 FPS suggests that the GPU is being saturated with pixel work, but the 4K Ultra result of 62 FPS indicates that even this powerful GPU is not sufficient for a locked 60 FPS experience at maximum settings in this title. The data implies that at 1080p, the frame rate is likely capped or limited by the CPU's ability to feed the GPU, whereas at 4K, the GPU's rendering capabilities become the primary constraint.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. Its base clock is 2.90 GHz with a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 6629 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 935 points in the single-core test. Its Geekbench scores are 5141 for multi-core and 1389 for single-core. These scores place the CPU in the 47th percentile when compared to all CPUs, indicating it is a mid-range performer by modern standards. Its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 and the Intel Core i3-10305, with deltas of -0.2% and -0.4% respectively, showing it is closely matched with those parts.

In the context of Pc Building Simulator, the CPU's role appears to be a significant limiter at lower resolutions. The jump from 1080p Low (244 FPS) to 1080p Medium (214 FPS) is a 30 FPS reduction, which is a larger gap than the change from High to Ultra at the same resolution (188 FPS to 185 FPS). This suggests that the game's engine is not heavily reliant on the CPU for physics or complex AI, but the single-thread performance is crucial for high frame rate generation. The 6-core, 6-thread configuration without Hyper-Threading might be a bottleneck when trying to maintain frame rates above 200 FPS, as the data shows it can achieve at Low settings.

The CPU's performance in this game is best understood by observing the diminishing returns at 1080p. The scores show a strong processor for its generation, but the measured FPS data implies that the i5-9400 cannot fully utilize the RX 7900 XT's potential at lower resolutions. The difference between 1080p High (188 FPS) and 4K High (65 FPS) is stark, but the difference between 1080p Low and 1440p Low is also substantial. This indicates that while the GPU is handling increased pixel counts, the CPU is more likely to be the bottleneck when the GPU has less work to do.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT achieves a rank of 1115 out of 3723 tested combos in Pc Building Simulator. This places it in the top 30% of all tested systems, which is a solid result given the CPU's age relative to the GPU. The ranking reflects that while the GPU is excellent, the overall system performance is dragged down by the processor's limitations in this specific game.

This rank is interesting because the GPU alone sits in the 55th percentile when compared to all GPUs, and the CPU is in the 47th percentile. The combo rank of 1115 out of 3723 is better than what the CPU's percentile alone might suggest, indicating that the RX 7900 XT is doing most of the heavy lifting, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The data suggests that this is a pairing where the GPU is significantly more capable than the CPU, and the overall system performance is not reaching its full potential.

Compared to other combos, this rank implies that there are many systems that perform better, likely those with more modern CPUs that can keep up with the GPU's frame generation capabilities. However, it also means that this combo outperforms a majority of tested configurations, which makes it a viable option for high-resolution gaming. The fact that it is not a top-tier combo is a direct consequence of the CPU's age and its inability to maintain extremely high frame rates at 1080p, which is a common metric for ranking performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 244 at Low settings to 185 at Ultra settings. The Medium settings show an average of 214 FPS, with a min FPS of 182 and a max of 247. This resolution shows the highest frame rates, with the Low setting being the only one to break the 240 FPS barrier Mendukung.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops noticeably. At Low settings, the average is 209 FPS, which is still very high. The Medium settings produce an average of 177 FPS, with a min of 150 and a max of 204. High settings yield 125 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 119 FPS. The 1440p results show a clear step down from 1080p, but the frame rates remain playable on high refresh rate monitors.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more demanding. The Low settings average 131 FPS, which is impressive for 4K. Medium settings average 93 FPS, with a min of 79 and a max of 106. High settings average 65 FPS, and Ultra settings average 62 FPS. The 4K data shows that the GPU can handle the resolution at lower settings, but for a consistent 60 FPS experience at high settings, there is little headroom. The Medium settings at 4K are the only preset that offers a comfortable margin above 60 FPS, with an average of 93 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo can achieve in Pc Building Simulator?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 244, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system maintain a stable 60 FPS at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, at 4K with Medium settings, the average FPS is 93, and at High settings it is 65. However, at Ultra settings, the average drops to 62, which is only slightly above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, has a score of 2259, which is 0.2% higher. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 has a score of 2246, which is 0.4% lower.

Q: What is the difference in average FPS between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 188. At 4K High, the average FPS is 65. This represents a 123 FPS difference, or a 65.4% reduction in performance.

Q: Is the GPU or the CPU the primary bottleneck at 1080p Low settings?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the primary bottleneck at 1080p Low settings, as the average FPS is 244. This is a very high frame rate, but it does not scale linearly when moving to 1440p, where the average is 209 FPS, indicating the CPU cannot maintain higher frame rates.

Q: What is the overall rank of this CPU and GPU combination in the benchmark database?

A: The combination ranks 1115 out of 3723 tested combos in Pc Building Simulator.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For users with a 1080p monitor, the High settings preset appears to be the sweet spot. It provides an average of 188 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on many monitors. The jump to Ultra only yields a marginal increase in visual quality but offers a lower average FPS of 185, making High the better choice for performance. The Low setting at 244 FPS is excessive for most displays and sacrifices visual fidelity for frame rates that most monitors cannot display.

For 1440p gaming, the Medium settings preset is the recommended choice. It delivers an average of 177 FPS, which is excellent for high refresh rate monitors. The High settings preset at 125 FPS is also very playableholistic, but Medium provides a significant FPS boost with a modest visual trade-off. The Low setting at 209 FPS is again overkill for most 1440p displays, while Ultra at 119 FPS is a viable option for those who prioritize image quality over a few extra frames.

At 4K resolution, the Medium settings preset is the best option for a smooth experience. It provides an average of 93 FPS, which offers a comfortable buffer above 60 FPS. The High settings preset at 65 FPS is also playable, but the margin for error is smaller, and any demanding scene could cause the frame rate to dip below 60. The Low setting at 131 FPS is the highest performer at 4K, but it negates the benefits of a high-resolution display. Ultra settings at 62 FPS are only recommended for users who have a 60 Hz display and prioritize maximum visual fidelity over frame rate stability.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is a high-end graphics card based on the RDNA 3.0 architecture with a 5 nm process node. It features 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus, resulting in a bandwidth of 800.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1387 MHz and a boost clock of 2394 MHz. Its compute power is substantial, with 5376 shading units and a peak FP32 performance of 51.48 TFLOPS. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 29009 in Passmark G3D, placing it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 660M and the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile, with deltas of -0.5% and -0.5% respectively.

In Pc Building Simulator, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. The data shows that at 4K, the GPU is the primary determinant of performance. The difference between Low and Ultra settings at 4K is significant, with a 69 FPS difference (131 FPS to 62 FPS). This indicates that the GPU is being heavily utilized at this resolutionholistic. The 20 GB of VRAM is likely sufficient for this game, but the 800.0 GB/s bandwidth is crucial for handling the high-resolution textures and data at 4K.

The GPU's performance in this title is also reflected in its near-rival comparisons. The RX 7900 XT's average benchmark score is 13745, which is 1.5% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT but 0.5% lower than the AMD Radeon 660M. This shows that while the GPU is powerful in synthetic tests, its real-world gaming performance is subject to other system components. The measured FPS data confirms that the GPU is capable of high frame rates, but only when paired with a CPU that can feed it enough data, which is not the case at lower resolutions with the i5-9400.