Ready Or Not

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 delivers a dominant performance profile in Ready Or Not, placing this combo in the top third of all tested configurations. The data clearly shows that this system is capable of extreme frame rates, particularly at 1080p and 1440p, where the GPU is the primary performance driver. While the CPU provides a solid foundation, the benchmark results indicate that the RTX 4080 is the star of the show, dictating the experience at higher resolutions and settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H is a 16-core, 22-thread mobile processor based on the Meteor Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, featuring a 24 MB shared L3 cache. This processor is a mobile part with a TDP of 28 W, indicating it is designed for laptops and compact systems, yet it still delivers the necessary compute power to avoid bottlenecking the high-end GPU in most gaming scenarios.

In the context of Ready Or Not, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, AI, and physics, while the GPU manages rendering. The benchmark data suggests that the Core Ultra 7 165H is more than adequate for this task. At 1080p with Low settings, the system reaches an average of 337 FPS, a figure that is unlikely to be limited by the processor given its multi-threaded capacity. The CPU’s PassMark multithread score of 25933 and its 84th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicate strong overall processing power. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H (with only a 0.3% lower average score) and the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (0.5% lower), the 165H holds its own, ensuring that the GPU is fed with data without significant delays.

However, the data also reveals the CPU's limitations. While the Core Ultra 7 165H is strong, it is not the primary factor in the highest frame rate scenarios. The performance scaling from 1080p Low (337 FPS) to 1080p Ultra (188 FPS) shows a 44% drop in FPS, which is a larger drop than what would be expected from CPU-bound work alone. This indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck when settings are increased. The CPU’s single-thread performance, evidenced by a PassMark single-thread score of 3509, is competent but not exceptional, meaning that in extremely CPU-intensive scenes, it could become a limiting factor, though the measured FPS data does not show this occurring at the tested settings.

The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14551 and single-core score of 1759 further support its balanced performance profile. This is not a processor that will hold back a flagship GPU in a game like Ready Or Not, which is more dependent on GPU rasterization power. The 22 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks and game engine overhead, but the core gaming workload is clearly handled by the RTX 4080. The fact that the combo ranks 949th out of 2947 tested combos shows that while the CPU is good, the overall performance is elevated by the GPU’s capabilities, placing it in the 68th percentile of all tested system pairings.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H's performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Core Ultra 7 165H has an average benchmark score of 34083. This is 0.3% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H and 0.4% higher than the AMD EPYC 4244P and AMD Ryzen AI 7 350. It also outperforms the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X by 0.5%. These are marginal differences, indicating the 165H is competitive within its performance class.

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

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 337 at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. The minimum FPS for this setting was not recorded, but the Medium setting at the same resolution shows a minimum of 250 FPS and a maximum of 338 FPS, suggesting the system can frequently hit above 300 FPS at 1080p.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 the bottleneck at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, the data strongly suggests the GPU is the limiting factor at 3840x2160. The average FPS drops from 111 at Low settings to 62 at Ultra settings. This significant performance reduction with increased graphical load is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the graphics card's rendering capabilities are the primary constraint.

Q: How does the combo rank compared to all other tested systems?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 949th out of 2947 total tested combos for Ready Or Not. This places it in the 67.8th percentile of all systems, indicating it performs better than roughly two-thirds of the tested hardware configurations.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS is 213 on Low settings, which drops to 118 on Ultra settings. This represents a 44.6% decrease in average frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset. This is a substantial difference, showing the heavy load Ultra settings place on the GPU.

Q: Does the CPU's 28W TDP limit its gaming performance?

A: The benchmark data does not indicate that the CPU is a limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 337 FPS, which is extremely high. The CPU's performance scores, like the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14551 and PassMark multithread score of 25933, suggest it has sufficient power to feed the GPU. The bottleneck is consistently the GPU, as seen in the FPS drops when increasing resolution and settings.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling of frame rates across resolutions clearly demonstrates the GPU-bound nature of this system in Ready Or Not. When examining the High settings preset, the average FPS drops from 267 at 1920x1080 to 169 at 2560x1440, and finally to 88 at 3840x2160. This represents a 67% decrease in performance from 1080p to 4K, highlighting the immense rendering load placed on the RTX 4080 at higher resolutions.

This pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the drop is from 337 FPS at 1080p to 213 FPS at 1440p and 111 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 36.8% from 1080p to 1440p and 47.9% from 1440p to 4K. This non-linear scaling is typical for a GPU-bound scenario, where the number of pixels to render quadruples from 1080p to 4K, leading to a significant increase in GPU workload.

The data indicates that the limiting component is undeniably the GPU. The RTX 4080, despite being a high-end card, cannot maintain the same frame rates at 4K as it can at 1080p. The CPU's performance remains relatively constant regardless of resolution, as its workload does not change with pixel count. Therefore, the FPS drop is entirely attributable to the GPU's rendering capabilities. The system is well-balanced for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it delivers exceptional performance, but at 4K, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, especially on higher settings presets. The fact that the 4K Ultra preset yields only 62 FPS, while 1080p Ultra yields 188 FPS, shows the GPU is being pushed to its limits at the highest resolution.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the user's resolution and refresh rate target. For 1080p and 1440p displays, the High preset appears to be the most balanced choice. At 1920x1080, High settings deliver an average of 267 FPS, which is more than enough for even the fastest high-refresh-rate monitors. At 2560x1440, High settings still produce a very high average of 169 FPS, providing a smooth and responsive experience for competitive play.

The Medium preset is a viable alternative for those who prefer a slight visual quality boost without a massive FPS hit. At 1080p, Medium yields 294 FPS, which is only 12.7% lower than Low but offers better visuals. At 1440p, Medium delivers 185 FPS, which is still excellent. The Ultra preset, while visually superior, demands a significant performance sacrifice. At 1080p, it drops to 188 FPS, and at 1440p, it falls to 118 FPS. This preset is best reserved for users with 4K displays or those who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum frame rates.

For 4K gaming, the recommendation is more nuanced. The High preset at 3840x2160 yields an average of 88 FPS, which is playable but may not be ideal for a tactical shooter requiring precise aim. The Medium preset provides 97 FPS, which is a slight improvement, while Low offers 111 FPS. Given that the game is a tactical shooter where frame timing is crucial, the Medium preset at 4K appears to be the best trade-off, offering a balance between visual quality and a frame rate that remains above 90 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K, with its 62 FPS average, is not recommended for competitive play and should only be used for single-player or less demanding scenarios. The data suggests that the High or Medium presets provide the best experience for most users, with Low being the fallback for maximum frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of all tested hardware combinations for Ready Or Not, the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combo ranks 949th out of 2947 configurations. This ranking places the system in the top 32% of all tested setups, which is a strong result given the high number of possible combinations. This percentile ranking indicates that while the RTX 4080 is a top-tier GPU, the mobile CPU does slightly temper the overall system performance compared to desktop flagship pairings.

The ranking is a direct result of the synergy between the two components. The RTX 4080, with its Passmark G3D score of 34457 and its 86th percentile ranking among all GPUs, is a powerful rendering engine. However, the Core Ultra 7 165H, while performing well for a mobile chip, is not the absolute fastest processor available. The combo’s performance is therefore limited by the CPU in certain CPU-bound scenarios, though this is not evident in the Ready Or Not FPS data, which shows the GPU as the primary bottleneck.

Compared to the GPU’s nearest rivals, the RTX 4080 SUPER is only 0.1% faster, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE is 2.6% slower. This shows the RTX 4080 is at the peak of its performance class. The CPU, similarly, is competitive with its direct rivals. The combination of a top-15 percentile GPU and a top-20 percentile CPU results in a system that is well above average. The 949th rank out of 2947 combos reflects the balanced, high-performance nature of this pairing, ensuring it outperforms the majority of systems tested in this benchmark database. The data clearly indicates that this is a high-end gaming setup, capable of delivering an excellent experience in Ready Or Not.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following data presents the exact average FPS measurements for the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 in Ready Or Not across different resolutions and settings presets.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average FPS of 111.
• Medium: Average FPS of 97, with a minimum of 82 FPS and a maximum of 111 FPS.
• High: Average FPS of 88.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 62.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average FPS of 213.
• Medium: Average FPS of 185, with a minimum of 158 FPS and a maximum of 213 FPS.
• High: Average FPS of 169.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 118.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average FPS of 337.
• Medium: Average FPS of 294, with a minimum of 250 FPS and a maximum of 338 FPS.
• High: Average FPS of 267.
• Ultra: Average FPS of 188.

These figures illustrate the system's performance hierarchy. The 1080p Low setting is the peak performance point at 337 FPS, while the 4K Ultra setting is the most demanding, yielding only 62 FPS. The Medium settings at all resolutions show a clear minimum FPS, providing a stable frame time experience. The data confirms that the system is exceptionally fast at 1080p and 1440p, and remains capable at 4K, though with a significant performance penalty on the highest settings. The RTX 4080's 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient to handle the game's assets at all resolutions without becoming a limiting factor.