Ready Or Not

Ready Or Not, a tactical shooter from 2021, is often assumed to be a CPU-bound title given its AI-driven squad mechanics and dense level geometry. However, the measured data for the Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D tells a more complex story, one where the massive GPU headroom redefines the bottleneck at lower resolutions while the CPU still imposes a firm ceiling at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1440p to 4K is remarkably linear, but the jump from 1080p to 1440p reveals a significant shift in the limiting component. At High settings, the average FPS at 1080p is 449, dropping to 284 at 1440p, and then to 148 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is a 36.7% reduction in frame rate, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is a 47.9% reduction. This indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck as resolution increases, which is expected given the RTX 5090 D's immense processing power.

The more telling data point is the comparison between Low and High settings at each resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low (567 FPS) and High (449 FPS) is 118 FPS, a 20.8% performance hit. At 1440p, the gap narrows to 74 FPS (from 358 to 284), and at 4K, it shrinks further to just 39 FPS (from 187 to 148). This pattern strongly suggests that at 1080p, the Intel Core i5-14600K is the limiting factor, as the GPU has enough headroom to push far beyond what the CPU can feed it. The fact that Low settings at 1080p reaches 567 FPS while High settings only reaches 449 FPS points to a CPU bottleneck that prevents the GPU from fully flexing its muscles.

At 4K, the situation flips. The GPU is now the clear bottleneck, as evidenced by the relatively small FPS delta between Low (187) and High (148). The RTX 5090 D is being pushed to its limits rendering the higher pixel count, and the CPU has plenty of time to prepare frames. The data implies that for this combo, the "sweet spot" for balancing CPU and GPU utilization is somewhere between 1440p and 4K, where neither component is completely saturated. The 4K Medium setting (163 FPS) versus 4K High (148 FPS) shows only a 9.2% difference, reinforcing that the GPU is the dominant constraint at this resolution.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The highest measured average is 567 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This indicates that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU an enormous number of frames at lower resolutions.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 D the primary bottleneck at 4K?

A: Yes. At 3840x2160, the difference between Low (187 FPS) and High (148 FPS) is only 39 FPS, suggesting that the GPU is nearly saturated and the CPU is not the limiting factor.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset (199 FPS) is 85 FPS slower than High (284 FPS), a 29.9% reduction. This is a substantial performance cost for the extra visual fidelity.

Q: What are the minimum FPS numbers for Medium settings?

A: The measured minimums are 420 FPS at 1920x1080, 265 FPS at 2560x1440, and 139 FPS at 3840x2160. These minimums show that the frame pacing remains stable even under load.

Q: Does the combo rank first among all tested configurations?

A: Yes, this specific CPU and GPU combination ranks number 1 out of 2947 tested combos in Ready Or Not.

Q: What is the performance delta at 1080p between Low and Ultra?

A: The average FPS drops from 567 on Low to 316 on Ultra, a difference of 251 FPS or a 44.3% reduction. This is the largest relative drop across all resolutions, highlighting the CPU's role in limiting performance.

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 performance in synthetic benchmarks is solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491 and a single-core score of 2064. In the context of Ready Or Not, these numbers translate to a CPU that can handle the game's AI and physics simulation tasks without breaking a sweat, but the data suggests it is the limiting factor at 1080p.

The evidence for a CPU bottleneck at 1080p is overwhelming. The fact that the average FPS at Low settings (567) is 26.3% higher than at High settings (449) is a classic sign of a CPU limitation. In a GPU-bound scenario, the difference between Low and High would be much smaller, as the GPU would be the bottleneck in both cases. Instead, we see the CPU failing to keep up with the GPU's demands at lower resolutions, capping the frame rate.

The CPU's 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache likely help with the game's level streaming and AI pathfinding. The high boost clock of 5.30 GHz is also beneficial for single-threaded performance, which is often critical in tactical shooters where frame time consistency is key. However, the 125W TDP and the fact that this is a mid-range i5, despite its high core count, means it cannot match the frame-feeding capabilities of higher-end CPUs when paired with a flagship GPU like the RTX 5090 D.

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is the closest competitor, with a mere 0.8% higher average benchmark score. This indicates that the i5-14600K is positioned well within the performance envelope of modern mid-range processors. The data suggests that for 1080p gaming with this GPU, a stronger CPU would be needed to fully unlock the RTX 5090 D's potential, but the i5-14600K provides a capable, if not fully saturated, foundation.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo delivers exceptional frame rates, starting at 567 FPS on Low and dropping to 449 FPS on High. The Medium preset averages 494 FPS with a minimum of 420 FPS and a maximum of 568 FPS, showing tight frame pacing. The Ultra preset drops to 316 FPS, which is still extremely high for competitive play.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains stellar. Low settings achieve 358 FPS, High hits 284 FPS, and Medium averages 312 FPS with a minimum of 265 FPS. Ultra drops to 199 FPS, which is a significant step down from High but still well above the refresh rates of most monitors. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a consistent drop of roughly 37-40% across all settings, indicating that the GPU is starting to take on more load.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings average 187 FPS, Medium averages 163 FPS with a minimum of 139 FPS, and High averages 148 FPS. Ultra is the most demanding, dropping to 104 FPS. The difference between Low and High at 4K is only 39 FPS, compared to 118 FPS at 1080p, which confirms the shift in bottleneck. The 4K Ultra setting at 104 FPS is still playable, but it shows that even a flagship GPU like the RTX 5090 D has limits when pushed to the absolute maximum.

The Medium settings provide the most detailed data, with both minimum and maximum FPS recorded. At 1080p, the minimum of 420 FPS and maximum of 568 FPS show a 148 FPS spread, indicating some frame time variance. At 1440p, the spread narrows to 94 FPS (265-359), and at 4K, it narrows further to 48 FPS (139-187). This suggests that as the GPU becomes the bottleneck, frame pacing becomes more consistent, which is a positive sign for stability.

How This Combo Ranks

This combo ranks first overall, placing at number 1 out of 2947 tested configurations in Ready Or Not. This reflects the sheer power of the RTX 5090 D when paired with a competent mid-range CPU. The GPU's raw performance, as indicated by its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14326 and Passmark G3D score of 44065, places it in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs.

The CPU, while not the absolute fastest, holds its own in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48618. Its nearest rival, the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, scores just 0.2% higher, showing that the i5-14600K is well-matched against much more expensive server-class processors in synthetic workloads.

However, the ranking does not tell the whole story. The fact that this combo is first overall despite the CPU bottleneck at 1080p is impressive, but it also suggests that the RTX 5090 D is so powerful that even a mid-range CPU can't hold it back enough to prevent a top ranking. In games that are more GPU-bound, this combo would likely dominate even further. The data indicates that for Ready Or Not specifically, the combination of the i5-14600K's high single-core boost clock and the RTX 5090 D's massive bandwidth (1.79 TB/s) creates a synergistic pairing that outperforms all other tested configurations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the High preset at 1440p appears to be the optimal balance of visual quality and performance. At 284 FPS, it offers a 42.6% improvement over the Ultra preset (199 FPS) at the same resolution, while still delivering a visually rich experience. The High preset at 4K (148 FPS) is also viable for players with high-refresh-rate 4K monitors, but it sacrifices 136 FPS compared to 1440p.

For players seeking the absolute maximum frame rate, the Low preset at 1080p (567 FPS) is the clear choice, though it likely compromises visual fidelity significantly. The Medium preset offers a good middle ground, with 494 FPS at 1080p and 312 FPS at 1440p, both with respectable minimum frame rates. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 420 at 1080p and 265 at 1440p ensures smooth gameplay even during intense firefights.

The Ultra preset is the most demanding, and the data shows it comes with a hefty performance penalty. At 1080p, it drops to 316 FPS, a 29.8% reduction from High. At 4K, it drops to 104 FPS, which is below the 144 Hz threshold that many gamers consider the minimum for competitive play. Given that the visual difference between High and Ultra is often subtle, the High preset is the recommended choice for most players, as it delivers excellent frame rates across all resolutions while maintaining high visual quality.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a monster of a GPU, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process. It features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a staggering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. Its 21760 shading units and 170 RT cores make it a powerhouse for both rasterization and ray tracing, though the latter is less relevant for Ready Or Not's tactical gameplay.

The GPU's clock speeds are 2017 MHz base and 2407 MHz boost, and it achieves a pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s. These specs translate to real-world performance that is nothing short of exceptional. The GPU's role in Ready Or Not becomes more pronounced as resolution increases, as evidenced by the FPS scaling data.

At 1080p, the GPU is largely underutilized, as the CPU becomes the bottleneck. This is clear from the fact that Low settings (567 FPS) are 26.3% faster than High settings (449 FPS), which would not be the case if the GPU were the limiting factor. The GPU's massive frame buffer and bandwidth are wasted at this resolution, as it waits for the CPU to deliver instructions.

At 4K, the GPU's immense power becomes the defining factor. The fact that it can maintain 148 FPS at High settings and 187 FPS at Low settings at 4K is a remarkable achievement, placing it in the top 8% of all GPUs. The GPU's 32 GB of VRAM is far more than Ready Or Not requires, but it future-proofs the system for more demanding titles. The data suggests that for this game, the RTX 5090 D is not the limiting factor until you reach 4K Ultra, where it finally hits its stride and delivers a playable, albeit demanding, experience.