Pc Building Simulator

# Pc Building Simulator: Intel Core i5-9400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080

The pairing of a six-core Coffee Lake CPU with a flagship Ada Lovelace GPU produces a peculiar split in Pc Building Simulator: the RTX 4080 dominates the workload at every resolution, while the i5-9400 keeps pace just well enough to avoid becoming a severe bottleneck. The measured frame rates show a system that scales predictably with resolution and settings, but the CPU's modest single-thread and multi-thread scores place it near the 47th percentile of all tested processors, suggesting that this combo's ceiling is defined more by the GPU than the processor.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep but consistent with a GPU-bound simulation title. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 244 at 1920x1080 to 209 at 2560x1440 — a 14.3% reduction — and then to 155 at 3840x2160, which is 36.5% below the 1080p result. This pattern indicates that the RTX 4080's rendering pipeline is the primary limiter as pixel count rises, not the CPU. The 4K Low figure of 155 FPS still exceeds the refresh rate of most high-end monitors, so the resolution drop is more about visual fidelity than playability.

At Medium settings, the scaling is similar: 214 FPS at 1080p, 184 FPS at 1440p (a 14.0% decrease), and 110 FPS at 4K (a 48.6% drop from 1080p). The larger percentage decline from 1440p to 4K at Medium compared to Low suggests that the increased shading and texture work at Medium begins to tax the GPU more heavily, though the RTX 4080's 48.74 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 761.5 GTexel/s texture rate keep the game well above 60 FPS even at the highest pixel count.

High and Ultra settings show an even more pronounced scaling curve. High averages 188 FPS at 1080p, 148 FPS at 1440p, and 78 FPS at 4K — the 4K figure is 58.5% lower than 1080p. Ultra follows suit with 185 FPS at 1080p, 141 FPS at 1440p, and 74 FPS at 4K, a 60.0% reduction from 1080p. The convergence of High and Ultra results at 4K (78 vs 74 FPS) indicates that the game's Ultra preset adds little beyond High at that resolution, with the GPU already operating near its limit. The 4K Ultra average of 74 FPS is still comfortably playable, but it is the only configuration where the frame rate approaches the 60 FPS threshold from above.

The data reveals that this combo is GPU-limited at all resolutions above 1080p, with the 16 GB GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth of the RTX 4080 being more than sufficient for the game's demands. The minimal difference between High and Ultra at 4K (4 FPS) suggests that Ultra's extra effects are not substantially heavier than High's, whereas the 33 FPS gap between Low and Medium at 4K (155 vs 110 FPS) shows where the real rendering cost lies.

GPU Role

The RTX 4080 is the undisputed driver of performance in this pairing. Its 16 GB GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for a simulation game that likely holds many texture assets in VRAM. The GPU's 9728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs deliver the raw compute needed to push high frame rates, with a pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s. These specifications translate directly into the measured results: even at 4K Ultra, the combo averages 74 FPS, a figure that would be unattainable with a lesser GPU paired with this CPU.

Clock speeds are also relevant. The GPU boosts to 2505 MHz (base 2205 MHz), and the memory runs at 22.4 Gbps effective. These clocks, combined with the Ada Lovelace architecture's efficiency on a 5 nm TSMC process, allow the RTX 4080 to sustain high utilization without thermal throttling, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates across resolutions. The GPU's 320 W TDP and 700 W suggested PSU are engineering constraints, but the benchmark data shows no signs of power limiting — the 4K Low result of 155 FPS indicates the GPU can run well below its maximum load while still delivering triple-digit frame rates.

In terms of benchmark standing, the RTX 4080 sits at the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 54247. Its nearest rival is the RTX 4080 SUPER, which scores 54209 (0.1% higher), meaning the non-SUPER variant is effectively identical in performance. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X trails by 1.1% (54828 score), while the RX 6750 GRE 12 GB and Radeon 8060S are 2.6% and 2.7% behind, respectively. This puts the RTX 4080 in a class of its own for this game, where its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6567 and Passmark G3D score of 34457 corroborate its strong rasterization performance.

The GPU's role in Pc Building Simulator is further confirmed by the 4K Medium minimum FPS of 93 and maximum of 126, which shows that even in demanding scenes, the RTX 4080 maintains a narrow frame time distribution. The 1080p Medium range of 182-247 FPS (min-max) indicates that the GPU is rarely the bottleneck at lower resolutions, but the CPU begins to assert its presence there.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 provides six cores and six threads, running at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boosting to 4.10 GHz. This Coffee Lake Refresh processor, built on a 14 nm process, offers 9 MB of shared L3 cache and 64 KB L1 per core. Its benchmark scores are modest: Cinebench R23 multi-core of 6629 and single-core of 935, with a Geekbench multi-core of 5141 and single-core of 1389. The average benchmark score of 2254 places it at the 47th percentile of all CPUs, which is below average but not critically so.

In Pc Building Simulator, the CPU's role becomes apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU has headroom. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 244 FPS, but this is likely near the CPU's limit for game logic and physics updates. The fact that 1080p Ultra (185 FPS) is only 3 FPS lower than 1080p High (188 FPS) suggests that the CPU is not the primary limiter even at these settings — the GPU still has enough power to render both presets at similar rates. However, the 1080p Medium result of 214 FPS, which is 30 FPS lower than Low, indicates that the GPU's increased workload at Medium is the limiting factor, not the CPU.

The CPU's nearest rivals show how close the i5-9400 is to other mid-range parts. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259 (0.2% above), the Core i7-10710U scores 2248 (0.3% below), the Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246 (0.4% below), and the Core i3-10305 scores 2264 (0.4% above). All four rivals are within a 0.8% band of the i5-9400, meaning that swapping this CPU for any of them would produce nearly identical frame rates in this game. The 6-core, 6-thread configuration is sufficient for a simulation title that likely does not leverage more than six threads, and the 4.10 GHz boost clock provides adequate single-thread performance for game logic.

The CPU's 65 W TDP and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (42.7 GB/s bandwidth) are not limiting factors here. The benchmark results show that the i5-9400 can feed the RTX 4080 enough data to sustain high frame rates, but the 1080p Low ceiling of 244 FPS hints at a slight CPU cap — the GPU could theoretically render more frames, but the CPU's processing of game state prevents it from exceeding that threshold.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 862nd out of 3723 tested combinations in Pc Building Simulator, placing it in the top 23.2% of all configs. This is a strong showing for a system with a mid-range CPU and a flagship GPU, but it is not at the very top. The rank reflects the fact that the RTX 4080 is a top-tier GPU (86th percentile) while the i5-9400 is below average (47th percentile), so the combo's overall position is pulled down by the CPU.

In practical terms, this rank means that the combo outperforms 76.8% of tested systems in this game, but it would be beaten by combos pairing the RTX 4080 with stronger CPUs like the Core i7-1068NG7 (which scores 0.2% higher) or the Core i3-10305 (0.4% higher). The delta between the i5-9400 and its rivals is small enough that the rank difference would be minimal, but the CPU's low percentile relative to all CPUs suggests that a faster processor could push the combo higher.

The GPU's 86th percentile is the dominant factor in the rank. Since the RTX 4080 is within 0.1% of the RTX 4080 SUPER, the combo's rank would only improve by a few positions with a marginally faster GPU. The CPU's 47th percentile is the weaker link, but the game's apparent lack of heavy multi-threading means that the i5-9400's six cores are adequate. The rank of 862/3723 confirms the GPU's raw power overcoming the CPU's mediocrity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings average 244 FPS, Medium averages 214 FPS with a minimum of 182 and maximum of 247, High averages 188 FPS, and Ultra averages 185 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 59 FPS, but the gap between High and Ultra is only 3 FPS, indicating that Ultra adds minimal cost at this resolution. The Medium minimum of 182 FPS ensures that even in the most demanding scenes, the frame rate never drops below the refresh rate of most 144 Hz monitors.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 209 FPS (Low), 184 FPS (Medium, with min 156 and max 211), 148 FPS (High), and 141 FPS (Ultra). The Medium minimum of 156 FPS is still above 144 Hz, so this resolution is fully playable on high-refresh displays. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 14.3% at Low, 14.0% at Medium, 21.3% at High, and 23.8% at Ultra, showing that higher settings incur a larger percentage penalty as pixel count increases. The High and Ultra results at 1440p (148 and 141 FPS) are close, reinforcing the pattern seen at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 155 FPS (Low), 110 FPS (Medium, with min 93 and max 126), 78 FPS (High), and 74 FPS (Ultra). The Medium minimum of 93 FPS means that even the lowest frame rate at this resolution is above 90 FPS, which is smooth for most users. The High and Ultra results (78 and 74 FPS) are the only configurations that dip below 80 FPS, but they remain comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. The 4K Low result of 155 FPS is remarkable, showing that the RTX 4080 can handle 4K at low settings with ease.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data suggests that Medium settings at 2560x1440 offer an optimal balance. At 184 FPS average with a 156 FPS minimum, this configuration provides smooth gameplay on high-refresh monitors while retaining moderate visual quality. The 4K Medium setting (110 FPS average, 93 FPS minimum) is also excellent if the display is 4K and the user prioritizes resolution over settings, as the 93 FPS minimum ensures no noticeable stuttering.

If the user prefers maximum visual fidelity, 4K Ultra at 74 FPS is playable, but the 4 FPS gain from High to Ultra is minimal — choosing High at 4K (78 FPS) yields nearly identical performance with slightly lower quality. At 1440p, Ultra at 141 FPS is the best choice for visual quality without sacrificing smoothness, as the 148 FPS High result is only 7 FPS higher. For 1080p, Ultra at 185 FPS is the clear recommendation, as the 3 FPS difference from High is negligible and the 59 FPS gap from Low is substantial.

The Medium presets consistently show the widest min-max ranges (e.g., 182-247 at 1080p, 156-211 at 1440p, 93-126 at 4K), indicating that this setting level introduces more variance in frame times. The Low and Ultra presets lack min/max data, but the average FPS suggests they are more stable. Given the measured results, Medium at 1440p is the sweet spot for competitive play, while Ultra at 1440p or High at 4K suits those who prioritize visuals.

FAQ

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

A: The highest measured average is 244 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next highest is 214 FPS at 1080p Medium, followed by 209 FPS at 1440p Low.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Pc Building Simulator?

A: Yes. At 4K, the combo averages 155 FPS on Low, 110 FPS on Medium, 78 FPS on High, and 74 FPS on Ultra. Even the lowest 4K result, 74 FPS on Ultra, is above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its nearest rival in terms of benchmark score?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080 SUPER (54209). The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is 1.1% lower, and the RX 6750 GRE 12 GB is 2.6% lower.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4080 in this game?

A: The data shows minimal CPU bottleneck at most resolutions. At 1080p Low, the 244 FPS average may be near the CPU's limit, but at higher settings and resolutions, the GPU is the primary limiter. The CPU's 47th percentile ranking is below average, but it does not significantly reduce frame rates in this game.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 144 Hz monitor?

A: At 1440p, Medium settings average 184 FPS with a 156 FPS minimum, which stays above 144 Hz. At 1080p, Ultra averages 185 FPS, also above 144 Hz. For 4K, only Low (155 FPS) exceeds 144 Hz; Medium drops to 110 FPS average.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: It ranks 862nd out of 3723 tested combos, placing it in the top 23.2%. This is driven by the RTX 4080's 86th percentile GPU ranking, while the CPU's 47th percentile pulls the overall position down.