Ready Or Not

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti delivers a broad range of framerates in Ready Or Not, from extremely high refresh-rate territory at 1080p to merely playable performance at 4K. The measured data shows that the combination ranks 906th out of 1748 tested combos in this game, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. The six-core CPU and the 8 GB Ampere GPU produce a balanced platform, but the scaling curve reveals where each component takes the lead.

Resolution Scaling

The gap between 1080p and 4K performance is stark, and it precisely maps to the GPU's workload. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 277.9 FPS, but that drops to 90.3 FPS at 4K with the same preset—a 67.5% reduction. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 3060 Ti is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions; the CPU has ample headroom at 1080p, as evidenced by the exceptionally high framerates that exceed typical display refresh rates.

The scaling behavior changes character when moving between medium and ultra presets. At 1440p, the High preset produces 138.3 FPS, while Ultra falls to 94.8 FPS—a difference of 43.5 FPS for the jump in visual fidelity. At 4K, the same preset change is even more punishing: High delivers 74.8 FPS, but Ultra drops to 52.7 FPS, a 22.1 FPS loss. This non-linear scaling suggests that the Ultra preset introduces effects that disproportionately tax the GPU's 8 GB frame buffer at 4K, whereas at 1080p the Ultra setting still manages 155.3 FPS, indicating the GPU can handle the extra load when pixel count is lower.

The data shows that 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo. The difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings is 81.4 FPS (219.7 down to 138.3), which is substantial, but the 1440p result remains well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The drop from 1440p to 4K at High is 63.5 FPS, a much larger absolute loss, confirming that the GPU is being pushed past its comfortable envelope at 4K. Interestingly, the Low preset at 4K (90.3 FPS) still exceeds the Ultra preset at 1440p (94.8 FPS) is only slightly lower, suggesting that players prioritizing framerate over visuals might prefer 1440p Ultra over 4K Low, as the former delivers a comparable average with better image quality.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor from the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It lacks hyper-threading, so its six threads must handle all game logic and draw calls. In Ready Or Not, a tactical shooter that can be CPU-intensive during AI-heavy firefights, this configuration shows its limits primarily at lower resolutions where the GPU is less taxed.

At 1080p Low, the 277.9 FPS result is far beyond what most displays can show, indicating the CPU is not holding back the GPU at this setting. The processor's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 7969 places it at the 50th percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rival being the Intel Core i3-10305, which scores 2300 on the average benchmark—a mere 0.2% delta. This suggests the i5-9400 is a mid-pack performer, adequate for this game but not a standout.

The boost clock of 4.10 GHz is critical for single-threaded performance in Ready Or Not, as the game's AI and physics calculations often rely on fewer threads. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1125 is modest, and this shows at 4K where the CPU's job is easier (fewer frames to feed) but still must process the same game state. The fact that 4K Low (90.3 FPS) is only 16.0% lower than 4K High (74.8 FPS) suggests the CPU is not the bottleneck at 4K; the GPU is. Conversely, at 1080p, the jump from Low to Ultra (277.9 to 155.3 FPS) shows a 44.1% drop, which is more attributable to GPU load than CPU limitations, as the CPU's six threads can still feed frames at these rates.

The lack of hyper-threading means the processor's six threads could become saturated in intense scenarios, but the measured average FPS does not reflect any catastrophic stutters. The data indicates that the CPU is sufficient for 1440p high-refresh gaming, but players seeking maximum framerates at 1080p with future game updates might find the six-thread ceiling a potential future constraint.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the star of this pairing, built on the Ampere architecture with 4864 shading units, 152 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for Ready Or Not's detailed environments. The GPU's boost clock of 1665 MHz and base clock of 1410 MHz are modest, but the architecture's efficiency shines through.

The GPU's benchmark scores are strong: its Passmark G3D score of 20349 and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2626 place it at the 69th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, scores 25180 on average—a negligible 0.2% delta. This positions the RTX 3060 Ti as a solid mid-range performer, and the game data confirms this: at 1440p High, it produces 138.3 FPS, which is excellent for a tactical shooter.

The VRAM situation is worth noting. With 8 GB, the card meets the requirements of Ready Or Not at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K Ultra, the 52.7 FPS result suggests the frame buffer is under strain. The difference between 4K High (74.8 FPS) and 4K Ultra (52.7 FPS) is 22.1 FPS, a 29.5% drop, which is larger than the 1080p High-to-Ultra drop of 64.4 FPS (219.7 to 155.3, a 29.3% drop). The absolute numbers show the GPU is running out of headroom at 4K Ultra, likely due to memory bandwidth or capacity limits on textures.

The GPU's memory clock of 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) provides the bandwidth needed for high-resolution textures, but the 4K results indicate that the 8 GB capacity is the limiting factor rather than raw compute. The FP32 performance of 16.20 TFLOPS is adequate for this game, but the RT cores (38) and tensor cores (152) are not heavily utilized in Ready Or Not, which is not a ray-tracing showcase. The GPU's percentile rank of 69 means it outperforms most GPUs, but the 4K Ultra performance shows it is not a 4K-max-settings card.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide clear guidance for optimal settings. At 1080p, the High preset delivers 219.7 FPS, which is 64.4 FPS less than Low (277.9) but 64.4 FPS more than Ultra (155.3). Given that most 1080p displays cap at 144 Hz or 165 Hz, the High preset is the best choice: it provides a massive framerate buffer above refresh rate limits while preserving visual quality. Medium (243.6 FPS) is also viable, but High offers a better balance of fidelity and headroom.

At 1440p, the High preset yields 138.3 FPS, which is ideal for 144 Hz monitors. Ultra drops to 94.8 FPS, which is still smooth for 60 Hz displays but not for high-refresh panels. Medium (154.6 FPS) and Low (175.1 FPS) are faster but sacrifice too much visual detail for a tactical shooter where spotting enemies is key. The data suggests that 1440p High is the "best experience" sweet spot, offering a 46.0% improvement over Ultra while maintaining a framerate that exceeds most 1440p monitor refresh rates.

At 4K, the choices are constrained. High (74.8 FPS) is playable but not high-refresh; Medium (77.9 FPS) is nearly identical, and Low (90.3 FPS) is the only preset that approaches 90 FPS. Ultra (52.7 FPS) is the only preset that dips below 60 FPS, making it less suitable for competitive play. For 4K, the High preset is recommended, as it provides a stable average above 70 FPS with better shadows and textures than Medium and Low. The 4K data shows that the RTX 3060 Ti is best treated as a 1440p card for this game, with 4K as a secondary option for slower-paced play.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Ready Or Not?

A: The highest measured average is 277.9 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This drops to 219.7 FPS at High settings, which is still exceptionally fast.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Ready Or Not?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K High, the average FPS is 74.8, and at Medium it is 77.9. However, Ultra settings drop to 52.7 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 3060 Ti compare to its nearest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has an average benchmark score of 25120. The AMD Radeon RX 6700M scores 25180 (0.2% higher), the RX 6600 scores 25235 (0.5% higher), and the Radeon 890M scores 25246 (0.5% higher). The differences are within 1%, indicating near-identical synthetic performance.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data shows no significant bottleneck at 1080p. The CPU achieves 277.9 FPS at Low settings, which is far above typical display refresh rates. The CPU's six threads are sufficient for this game, though it lacks hyper-threading.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 1440p delivers 138.3 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh monitors. Ultra drops to 94.8 FPS, while Medium and Low offer 154.6 and 175.1 FPS respectively, but with reduced visual fidelity.

Q: How much VRAM does the RTX 3060 Ti have, and does it matter at 4K?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 52.7, which is 22.1 FPS lower than 4K High (74.8). This suggests the 8 GB capacity is a limiting factor for the Ultra preset's texture and shadow demands at 4K.