Ready Or Not

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a severely unbalanced combination for Ready Or Not, ranking in the bottom half of tested configurations. Out of 1,748 combos, this pairing sits at rank 301, which places it in the top ~17% of results. However, this rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU's raw power, as the data shows the CPU becomes a significant bottleneck, particularly at lower resolutions where frame rates are capped by the processor's six threads.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 301 out of 1,748 tested combos indicates solid performance overall, but the data reveals a lopsided contribution from each component. The RTX 4090 is a top-tier card, with an average benchmark score of 66,473 and a percentile rank of 91 against all GPUs. In contrast, the Intel Core i5-9400 has an average score of 2,305 and sits at exactly the 50th percentile against all CPUs. This creates a scenario where the GPU is performing far above its peer group while the CPU is performing at the median level.

Benchmark results indicate this is a case of the GPU being held back. The i5-9400's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-10305 (deltaPct of 0.2) and the Intel Xeon E-2134 (deltaPct of 0.4), showing it trades blows with lower-tier and older workstation chips. The GPU, meanwhile, is flanked by professional cards like the NVIDIA Tesla T4 (deltaPct of -0.4) and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 (deltaPct of -0.9). The disparity in the component quality is stark. The measured FPS data shows the combo can exceed 300 frames per second in certain conditions, but the fact that the CPU is a 6-core, 6-thread part from the Coffee Lake architecture means it lacks the multi-threaded headroom for a modern tactical shooter.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4090 in Ready Or Not?

A: Yes, the data strongly suggests it is. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo produces 309 FPS, but at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, it drops to 94.1 FPS. The frame rate scaling is not linear with resolution, indicating that the CPU is limiting performance in the lower-resolution, higher-FPS scenarios.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at for maximum frame rate?

A: The highest average frame rate is observed at 1920x1080 with Low settings, hitting 309 FPS. However, the margin over 2560x1440 Low settings (267.2 FPS) is much smaller than the gap between 1440p and 4K, suggesting you can move up a resolution without losing a significant amount of performance.

Q: How does the combo rank against other tested systems?

A: It ranks 301 out of 1,748 combos, placing it in the top 17% of all tested configurations. This is a strong overall position, but it is misleading given the enormous gap in capability between the two components.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the GPU?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 had a launch MSRP of 1,599 USD. The CPU does not have a listed launch MSRP.

Q: Is the RTX 4090 a high-performing GPU in general benchmark tests?

A: Yes, it holds a 91st percentile rank against all GPUs. Its Passmark G3D score is 38,194, and it achieves 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, confirming it is a flagship-level part.

Q: What are the CPU's core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has 6 cores and 6 threads. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with 9 MB of shared L3 cache.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear shift in the bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the average is 286.6 FPS. This drops to 246.1 FPS at 2560x1440 (a 14% reduction) and then to 137.9 FPS at 3840x2160 (a 44% reduction from 1440p). This pattern shows that at 1080p, the frame rate is likely constrained by the CPU's ability to feed the GPU, as the RTX 4090 is not being fully utilized. The i5-9400 has a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, which is respectable for single-threaded performance, but its six threads are insufficient for the game's engine to push beyond the 300 FPS mark.

When moving to 4K, the load shifts to the GPU. The RTX 4090, with its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, becomes the limiting factor. The scaling from 1440p to 4K is far more severe, indicating that the GPU is now working at its full capacity. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo still manages 94.1 FPS, which is playable, but the transition from 1080p to 4K demonstrates that this pairing is best suited for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, where the CPU bottleneck is less pronounced but still present.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average is 309 FPS. Medium settings yield 295.1 FPS, and High settings yield 286.6 FPS. The most demanding setting, Ultra, still produces an average of 251.9 FPS. The differences between Low and Medium are minimal (a 4.5% drop), but the jump from High to Ultra is more significant, showing a 12% performance penalty.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but the gap between settings narrows. Low settings average 267.2 FPS, Medium averages 253.4 FPS, and High averages 246.1 FPS. Ultra settings drop the average to 186 FPS, which is a 30% reduction from High. This suggests that the CPU is starting to hold back the GPU, as the performance delta between settings is smaller than at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the primary constraint. Low settings average 172.5 FPS, Medium averages 153.2 FPS, and High averages 137.9 FPS. Ultra settings drop to 94.1 FPS. The scaling here is more consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. The difference between Low and Ultra is 45%, which is expected given the RTX 4090's capabilities. However, the fact that 4K Low (172.5 FPS) is lower than 1440p Ultra (186 FPS) highlights that the resolution is the main factor, not the settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 7,969 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1,125 in single-core. These scores place it in the 50th percentile of all CPUs, showing it is a mid-range part. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-10305 (deltaPct of 0.2) and the Intel Core i7-8809G (deltaPct of -0.6), which are all similarly performing chips.

In Ready Or Not, the CPU's limited thread count is a clear liability. The game is likely optimized for higher core counts, as the FPS at 1080p Low (309 FPS) is not significantly higher than 1080p High (286.6 FPS). This indicates that the CPU is not able to fully utilize the GPU's power, even at the lowest settings. The i5-9400's memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s and dual-channel DDR4 support are also modest, which can further constrain performance in a game with complex AI and physics. The 9 MB of shared L3 cache helps, but the data shows that the processor is the limiting factor in high-FPS scenarios.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, High settings at 2560x1440 is the optimal choice. The measured average is 246.1 FPS, which is far above the refresh rate of most monitors and represents a 17% drop from Low settings at the same resolution. The visual improvement from Low to High is substantial, and the frame rate remains well above 200 FPS. At 1080p, Ultra settings (251.9 FPS) are also viable, but the performance gain from moving to 1440p High is worth the slightly lower frame rate for a sharper image.

If the user has a 4K display, High settings (137.9 FPS) are recommended over Ultra (94.1 FPS). The 32% frame rate increase from Ultra to High is significant, and the visual difference between High and Ultra is often less noticeable in a fast-paced tactical shooter. Low or Medium settings at 4K are not necessary, as the RTX 4090 can handle High settings with playable frame rates. The data shows that the GPU is powerful enough to push high frame rates at 4K, but the CPU will prevent the system from reaching the 250+ FPS seen at lower resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing. It features 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, with a boost clock of 2520 MHz. Its memory subsystem is massive: 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, delivering 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. The GPU achieves 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and has a 91st percentile rank against all GPUs. Its Passmark G3D score of 38,194 is more than ten times higher than the CPU's average benchmark score, underscoring the performance disparity between the two.

In Ready Or Not, the GPU's role becomes apparent at higher resolutions. At 4K, the RTX 4090 is fully utilized, and the frame rates scale with settings. The GPU's 24 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for this game, even at 4K Ultra. The data shows that the GPU can handle the game's demands, but it is often waiting for the CPU to send it data. The RTX 4090's launch MSRP of 1,599 USD reflects its top-tier positioning, and the benchmark results confirm that it is a flagship component. However, pairing it with a 6-thread CPU from 2018 limits its potential, as the measured FPS at 1080p is far below what the GPU is capable of delivering in other configurations.