Ready Or Not

The pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 in Ready Or Not presents a study in balanced performance, where the choice of resolution and graphical preset drastically alters which component becomes the primary driver of frame rates. Measured data across three resolutions and four settings tiers reveals a system capable of high refresh rate play at 1080p, strong performance at 1440p, and playable, though more demanding, results at 4K. The benchmark results indicate that this mobile CPU and desktop GPU combination has a significant performance ceiling, but the path to that ceiling is heavily influenced by the workload placed on each component.

Resolution Scaling

Analyzing the measured FPS data, the most striking pattern is the dramatic drop in performance as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160. At the "High" preset, the average frame rate falls from 208 FPS at 1080p to 131 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 77 FPS. The descent continues to 68 FPS at 4K, representing a further 63 FPS loss. This steep decline of 140 FPS from 1080p to 4K indicates that the rendering resolution is a primary bottleneck, a classic sign that the GPU is being tasked with an exponentially larger number of pixels to fill.

The scaling behavior across all presets confirms this trend. At "Low" settings, the 1080p average of 262 FPS is exceptionally high, but it still falls to 165 FPS at 1440p and 86 FPS at 4K. Even at the most demanding "Ultra" preset, the frame rate drops from 146 FPS at 1080p to 92 FPS at 1440p and 48 FPS at 4K. The consistent pattern of roughly halving the performance from 1080p to 4K across all settings strongly suggests that pixel throughput is the limiting factor. The data implies the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are being saturated as the pixel count quadruples, even when other graphical workloads are varied.

This scaling also reveals a potential shift in the bottleneck. At 1080p, where frame rates are exceptionally high (208-262 FPS), the CPU must keep up with the frame generation demands. The Core Ultra 7 155H, with its 16 cores and 22 threads, appears to be sufficient for this task, as the FPS numbers are high enough to suggest the GPU is still the limiting factor, albeit less severely. However, the fact that the 1080p "Low" preset yields 262 FPS versus the "High" preset's 208 FPS shows that even the GPU is still working hard at this resolution. The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K is the dominant factor, indicating that for users targeting maximum frame rates, the resolution is the first variable to adjust.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the clear workhorse in this configuration, and its role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus provides 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a substantial amount of memory bandwidth, but the data suggests it is a key constraint at 4K. The significant FPS drop at 4K, particularly the fall to 48 FPS at "Ultra" settings, points to the GPU struggling to manage the high-resolution textures and geometry alongside the increased pixel fill rate. The 12 GB capacity is sufficient for the game's requirements at these settings, as there are no indications of texture streaming failures, but the bandwidth is likely a limiting factor for the 4K performance.

The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 2325 MHz and a boost of 2512 MHz, are relatively high. This is reflected in the strong performance at lower resolutions. At 1440p, the RTX 5070 achieves a 92 FPS average on "Ultra" and 165 FPS on "Low," showcasing its raw compute power. The GPU's 30.87 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 48 RT cores are likely being utilized for the game's lighting and effects, but the primary driver of the performance differences between resolutions is the pixel output. The data shows that the GPU is the dominant factor in frame rate at all tested resolutions, but its headroom is much larger at 1080p and 1440p.

The benchmark results indicate that the RTX 5070's performance percentile is 82, placing it in a high tier of GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 40377, with nearest rivals like the AMD Radeon Pro 580 showing a 0.1% delta, indicates it is a solid performer. However, in this specific game, the 4K "Ultra" result of 48 FPS shows that even a strong GPU can be brought to its knees by high resolution and maximum settings. The 4K "High" preset, at 68 FPS, is much more reasonable, suggesting that the "Ultra" preset includes effects that are particularly taxing on the GPU's resources.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H plays a supporting role, but a critical one, especially at high frame rates. With 16 cores and 22 threads, it has substantial multi-threaded capability, which is reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15028. The single-core performance, as measured by Cinebench R23 at 1743, is adequate for gaming. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is not a bottleneck, as the GPU is still able to produce over 200 FPS on average. The 3.80 GHz base clock and 4.80 GHz boost clock provide sufficient speed to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations.

The CPU's role becomes more apparent when examining the FPS drops at higher resolutions. While the GPU is the primary cause of the frame rate decline from 1080p to 4K, the CPU's performance is not entirely irrelevant. The fact that the 1080p "Low" preset hits 262 FPS and the "High" preset reaches 208 FPS shows that the CPU can handle even the highest frame rates this GPU can produce. If the CPU were a limiting factor, we would expect to see a plateau in FPS at 1080p, regardless of the GPU's workload. The data shows no such plateau, indicating that the Core Ultra 7 155H has enough headroom.

The CPU's average benchmark score is 32697, with its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600T, having a 0% delta. This places it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs, showing it is a capable processor. In the context of Ready Or Not, its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support are likely sufficient for the game's data streaming needs. The data implies that while the GPU is the star of the show, the CPU is a competent supporting actor that does not impede performance in any of the tested scenarios. The 28W TDP is a mobile-class power draw, but it does not appear to limit the processor's ability to keep up with the RTX 5070.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo, and at what settings?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 262 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the "Low" preset.

Q: Is the game playable at 4K resolution with this hardware?

A: Yes, it is playable, but with compromises. The "High" preset averages 68 FPS, and the "Medium" preset averages 75 FPS, both of which are generally considered playable. The "Ultra" preset, however, drops to 48 FPS, which is less smooth.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-core performance compare to its nearest rival?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 155H has an average benchmark score of 32697, which is essentially identical to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-14600T, which has a 0% delta in average score.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the 1440p Medium settings?

A: The minimum FPS recorded for the 2560x1440 resolution at "Medium" settings is 122 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth, and how might it affect performance?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. This is a high figure, but the data suggests it may be a constraint at 4K, where the frame rate drops significantly compared to lower resolutions.

Q: Does the CPU's single-core performance appear to be a bottleneck?

A: The data suggests it is not. At 1080p, the frame rates reach up to 262 FPS, indicating that the CPU can keep up with the GPU's output at high frame rates. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score is 1743.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is ranked 1598 out of 2947 tested combos in Ready Or Not. This places it in the 54th percentile of all combos. This ranking is interesting, as it suggests that while the individual components are strong (the GPU is in the 82nd percentile, and the CPU is in the 83rd percentile), their combined performance in this specific game is more middling. This is likely due to the game's high demands at 4K resolution, which brings the combo's performance down relative to others that may have stronger GPUs or are tested at more favorable resolutions.

The rank implies that there are many other combinations that can achieve higher frame rates in this game. Given the GPU's high performance in synthetic benchmarks, the ranking may be influenced by the CPU's mobile-class nature, which could throttle or limit performance in certain scenarios compared to desktop parts. However, the measured FPS data shows that this is a very capable gaming setup, particularly at 1080p and 1440p. The 1598 rank is a holistic view, but the per-resolution data provides a more nuanced picture of its strengths and weaknesses.

The data suggests this combo is best suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p, where it can consistently achieve over 130 FPS on "High" settings. At 1080p, it is essentially overkill, with frame rates exceeding 200 FPS on most presets. The 4K performance is the weakest link, but it is still capable of delivering a playable experience on "Medium" or "High" settings. This ranking indicates that the combo is a solid mid-to-high-tier performer, but not at the absolute top of the charts for this game.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution and performance targets. For 1920x1080, the "Ultra" preset is the best choice, as it provides an average of 146 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and offers the best visual quality. Even the "High" preset at 208 FPS is excessive, so users can afford to max out the settings without sacrificing smoothness. The "Medium" preset at 228 FPS is also viable, but there is little reason to lower settings from "Ultra" at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the "High" preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 131 FPS. This provides a great balance between visual fidelity and high frame rates, making it ideal for fast-paced tactical gameplay. The "Ultra" preset at 92 FPS is still playable, but it sacrifices some smoothness for marginal visual gains. The "Medium" preset at 144 FPS is also a good option for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, but the "High" preset's extra visual detail is worth the minor FPS reduction.

For 3840x2160, the "Medium" preset is the recommended choice, with an average of 75 FPS and a minimum of 64 FPS. This is the highest preset that maintains a stable frame rate above 60 FPS. The "High" preset at 68 FPS is acceptable, but its minimum FPS is not recorded, and the "Medium" preset offers a more comfortable margin. The "Ultra" preset at 48 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the threshold for smooth, responsive gameplay. The data shows that "Medium" is the best compromise for 4K, offering a playable experience while still retaining a good level of visual quality.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are consistently high across all settings. The "Low" preset achieves an average of 262 FPS. The "Medium" preset averages 228 FPS, with a minimum of 194 FPS and a maximum of 263 FPS. The "High" preset averages 208 FPS. The "Ultra" preset averages 146 FPS. This resolution shows the combo's peak performance, with all presets exceeding the 144 FPS mark.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains robust but shows a clear step down from 1080p. The "Low" preset averages 165 FPS. The "Medium" preset averages 144 FPS, with a minimum of 122 FPS and a maximum of 166 FPS. The "High" preset averages 131 FPS. The "Ultra" preset averages 92 FPS. This resolution is the best balance, with "High" and "Medium" offering excellent frame rates for competitive play.

At 3840x2160, the performance is noticeably lower, and the GPU becomes the primary constraint. The "Low" preset averages 86 FPS. The "Medium" preset averages 75 FPS, with a minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 87 FPS. The "High" preset averages 68 FPS. The "Ultra" preset averages 48 FPS. This resolution is only suitable for "Medium" and "High" presets if a stable 60 FPS is desired, as the "Ultra" preset falls below that threshold.