Ready Or Not

Ready Or Not is a demanding tactical shooter, and the pairing of the Intel Core i5-14600K with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER produces a fascinating spread of results across resolutions and presets. The data indicates a system that is exceptionally capable at 1080p, but which begins to show its limitations as pixel count climbs. This analysis breaks down the measured performance to help you understand exactly where this combo excels and where you will need to make compromises.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS values show a classic pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo delivers 178 FPS average. Moving to 2560x1440 drops that to 112 FPS, a reduction of 66 FPS (37%). Pushing further to 3840x2160 brings the average down to 59 FPS, which is a 53 FPS drop from 1440p (47%) and a 119 FPS drop from 1080p (67%). This steep decline is a clear indicator that the RTX 2060 SUPER's rendering throughput is the primary constraint at higher resolutions, while the i5-14600K has ample headroom.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. For Low settings, the average FPS goes from 224 at 1080p, to 142 at 1440p, and finally to 74 at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is 82 FPS, while the gap between 1440p and 4K is 68 FPS. This suggests that the performance hit is not linear; the jump to 4K is particularly punishing for this GPU, as the sheer number of pixels being shaded overwhelms the 2060 SUPER's 64 ROPs and 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 compute.

At Medium settings, we see the only rows with min and max FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the average is 196 FPS with a min of 166 and a max of 225. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 124 FPS with a min of 105 and max of 142. At 4K Medium, the average is 65 FPS with a min of 55 and max of 74. The min FPS values are crucial here; they show that even at 4K, the frame time consistency is relatively stable, with the min being only about 15% lower than the average. This indicates that while the GPU is working hard, it is not experiencing severe hitches or stutters, which is a positive sign for playability.

The data strongly suggests that the limiting component at 4K is the GPU. The CPU, with its 14 cores and 20 threads, is not the bottleneck in this scenario. The transition from 1080p to 4K increases the pixel workload by roughly four times, and the performance drop is in line with what you would expect from a GPU that is hitting its fill-rate limits. For a smoother 4K experience, the RTX 2060 SUPER is being pushed to its absolute maximum, and the frame rates reflect that struggle.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 2611 out of 3714 tested combos for Ready Or Not. This places it in the lower third of all possible pairings, which might seem counterintuitive given the strong 1080p results. However, this rank is a global measure that considers all tested resolutions and settings, and it is heavily influenced by the fact that this GPU is an older, end-of-life product. Many modern combos in the database feature much more powerful GPUs that can handle 4K Ultra with ease.

The rank of 2611 is a reflection of the GPU's overall capability relative to the entire field of tested hardware, not a condemnation of its performance at a specific resolution. The CPU itself is a high performer, scoring 48618 in average benchmarks and ranking in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (deltaPct -0.2), the AMD EPYC 4345P (deltaPct 0.3), and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX (deltaPct 0.7). This shows that the i5-14600K is a top-tier processor, but it is being paired with a GPU that, while capable, is not in the same performance class as the top-tier cards in the database.

The disparity between the CPU's high percentile (90th) and the combo's lower rank (2611 out of 3714) highlights a significant bottleneck. The data suggests that the RTX 2060 SUPER is holding back the i5-14600K in this game, particularly at higher resolutions. If you were to pair this CPU with a more powerful GPU, the combo rank would likely improve dramatically. As it stands, this system is a strong 1080p performer, but its global ranking is dragged down by the GPU's inability to maintain high frame rates at 4K Ultra settings, where it manages only 41 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its memory clocks run at 1750 MHz, which translates to 14 Gbps effective. The GPU's boost clock is 1650 MHz, and it has a transistor count of 10,800 million on a 445 mm² die. These specifications are critical to understanding its performance in Ready Or Not.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a significant factor. At 4K resolution with High or Ultra settings, the game's texture and geometry data can easily approach or exceed this limit. While the measured data does not show a catastrophic failure at 4K, the significant drop in average FPS from High (59) to Ultra (41) suggests that the GPU is struggling not just with compute load, but also with memory bandwidth and capacity. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is a bottleneck when dealing with the massive amount of data required for 4K rendering.

The GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks places it in the 62nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18093. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (deltaPct -0.4), the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (deltaPct -0.5), and the AMD Radeon RX 460 (deltaPct -1.5). This positioning shows that the 2060 SUPER is a mid-range performer. In Ready Or Not, this translates to excellent 1080p capability, good 1440p capability, and playable but often sub-60 FPS 4K performance.

The 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores are present on this chip, but the game's performance at 4K suggests they are not being heavily utilized, or the raw shader throughput is insufficient. The FP32 performance of 7.181 TFLOPS is the key metric here, as it directly dictates the pixel shading rate. At 4K, the GPU is rendering over 8 million pixels per frame, and its 105.6 GPixel/s pixel rate is what limits the average FPS to the 41-74 range depending on settings.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best experience for this combo depends entirely on your target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p, the data shows that even Ultra settings provide an average of 125 FPS, which is excellent for a smooth, high-refresh-rate experience. However, the jump to High settings (178 FPS) or Medium (196 FPS) offers a substantial FPS increase with diminishing visual returns. For competitive play or for those with a 144Hz or higher monitor, High settings at 1080p is the sweet spot, offering a 53 FPS advantage over Ultra.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts. Ultra settings drop to an average of 79 FPS, which is still playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. High settings at 112 FPS provide a much better balance, giving you a comfortable margin above 100 FPS. Medium settings at 124 FPS are the best choice if you prioritize frame rate above all else. The data does not support using Ultra at 1440p if you have a 120Hz or higher display, as the 79 FPS average will not fully utilize it.

At 4K, the situation is more constrained. The only settings that achieve an average above 60 FPS are Low (74 FPS) and Medium (65 FPS). High settings fall just below the 60 FPS mark at 59 FPS, which is a borderline playable experience. Ultra is not recommended, as the 41 FPS average is too low for a tactical shooter where quick reactions are essential. For a stable 4K experience, Medium settings are the recommended choice, providing an average of 65 FPS with a minimum of 55 FPS, ensuring a mostly smooth experience.

The data clearly shows a trade-off between visual fidelity and performance at higher resolutions. For this combo, High settings at 1080p and Medium settings at 1440p offer the best balance of image quality and frame rate. At 4K, you are forced to use Medium or Low to maintain playable frame rates. The measured FPS values do not indicate any stability issues, but the min FPS of 55 at 4K Medium suggests that you will occasionally dip below 60 FPS, which is worth considering.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset provides a clear picture of the combo's performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 224 on Low to 125 on Ultra. The Medium preset yields 196 FPS (min 166, max 225), and High yields 178 FPS. These numbers indicate that the CPU-GPU pair is exceptionally well-suited for 1080p gaming, with even the most demanding preset providing a high frame rate.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS decreases across the board. Low settings produce 142 FPS, Medium produces 124 FPS (min 105, max 142), High produces 112 FPS, and Ultra falls to 79 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra is 33 FPS, which is a significant jump in performance cost for the visual upgrade. The min FPS of 105 at Medium suggests that the experience is consistently smooth, with only minor dips.

At 3840x2160, the performance takes a significant hit. Low settings yield 74 FPS, Medium yields 65 FPS (min 55, max 74), High yields 59 FPS, and Ultra drops to 41 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a clear pattern: each step up in settings costs roughly 8-10 FPS on average. The Ultra preset's 41 FPS is the only result that is firmly in "unplayable" territory for a fast-paced game, while the High settings' 59 FPS is borderline.

The data also reveals that the scaling between settings is not uniform. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 99 FPS. At 1440p, it is 63 FPS. At 4K, it is 33 FPS. This suggests that as the resolution increases, the GPU becomes so overloaded that the relative cost of higher settings is lessened, but the absolute performance is still too low for a great experience. The 4K Medium result, with its 65 FPS average, is the most balanced option for that resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K is a 14-core, 20-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its maximum turbo frequency is a key asset for gaming, as Ready Or Not benefits from high single-thread performance. The CPU's substantial 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help reduce memory latency, which is crucial for maintaining high frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios.

In this specific game, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics data. The measured FPS data suggests that the i5-14600K is not a bottleneck at any resolution. Even at 1080p Low, where the GPU is least stressed and the CPU workload is proportionally higher, the system achieves 224 FPS. This indicates that the CPU can easily handle the game's logic at frame rates well above what the RTX 2060 SUPER can produce.

The CPU's strong performance is confirmed by its benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491 and a single-core score of 2064. Its average benchmark score of 48618 places it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rivals in terms of average score are the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, which is 0.2% slower, and the AMD EPYC 4345P, which is 0.3% faster. These are all high-end server or workstation chips, highlighting the desktop i5's impressive performance.

The data strongly suggests that the i5-14600K is overqualified for pairing with the RTX 2060 SUPER in Ready Or Not. The GPU is the definitive limiting factor, as evidenced by the significant FPS drops at higher resolutions. If you were to upgrade the GPU, this CPU would have no trouble pushing much higher frame rates. The CPU's 125W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory make it a flexible platform, but its raw processing power is largely untapped in this configuration, as the GPU is consistently holding the system back from reaching its full potential.