Red Dead Redemption 2

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 lands at rank 63 out of 1,687 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2. That places this pairing in the top 3.7% of all configurations tested for this specific title, making it a formidable combination for this game. The data shows a system that is heavily GPU-driven at higher resolutions, while the CPU proves sufficient to feed even an RTX-class flagship at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

At rank 63 of 1,687 combos, this pairing sits in the 96th percentile of tested configurations for Red Dead Redemption 2. This is a strong result, but the ranking reveals more about the balance of the system than raw supremacy. The RTX 4090 is the dominant component here, and the Ryzen 5 5600, while capable, does not hold the pairing back in most scenarios. The rank indicates that the 4090’s raw power is being utilized effectively; if the CPU were a bottleneck, the combo would fall significantly lower in the rankings.

Looking at the CPU’s standalone performance, the Ryzen 5 5600 achieves an average benchmark score of 21,765, which places it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals in synthetic tests include the Intel Xeon D-1746TER (0.6% faster) and the AMD EPYC 9554P (0.6% slower). This suggests the 5600 is a solid mid-range performer, but its ranking in this combo is elevated by the GPU’s sheer capabilities. The data implies that in CPU-heavy scenes at lower resolutions, the 5600 might limit the 4090, but for most of this game’s workload, the combo holds its high rank.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the clear workhorse of this pairing. It features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. With a boost clock of 2,520 MHz, the 4090’s 16,384 shading units can push 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. In Red Dead Redemption 2, this translates to massive headroom at lower settings, where the GPU is barely stressed. The 24 GB frame buffer is more than sufficient for this game, even at 4K Ultra, where memory usage is unlikely to approach the limit.

The 4090’s benchmark percentile of 91 places it among the top GPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 66,473. Its nearest rivals in synthetic tests are the NVIDIA Tesla T4 (-0.4%) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 (-0.9%), though these are workstation cards, not gaming equivalents. In practice, the 4090’s role is to eliminate GPU bottlenecks. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 196.8 FPS, which is likely CPU-limited. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is fully engaged, dropping to 46.3 FPS, showing that the 4090’s limits are only reached at the most demanding settings.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling across resolutions clearly identifies the limiting component. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at High settings, the average FPS drops from 134.4 to 99, a 26.3% decrease. From 1440p to 4K at High, the FPS drops from 99 to 68.6, a 30.7% decrease. This pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario; as resolution increases, the GPU workload grows, and FPS falls proportionally. However, at Low settings, the scaling is less dramatic: 196.8 FPS at 1080p drops to 162.7 at 1440p (17.3% decrease) and then to 103.3 at 4K (36.5% decrease).

The smaller drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings suggests that the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p Low. The Ryzen 5 5600’s 6 cores and 12 threads, with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, can only push so many frames. At 1080p Low, the 4090 is idle much of the time, waiting for the CPU to deliver draw calls. At 4K Ultra, the opposite is true: the GPU is fully saturated, and the FPS of 46.3 reflects the 4090’s raw rendering limits with this game’s Ultra settings. The data shows that to get the most out of this combo, users should target 1440p or 4K, where the GPU is the primary driver.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this combo for a balance of quality and FPS?

A: At High settings, 1440p delivers 99 FPS, while 4K High drops to 68.6 FPS. For a smooth 60+ FPS experience with high visual fidelity, 1440p High is the sweet spot. 4K High is playable but hovers near the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 5600 bottleneck the RTX 4090 in this game?

A: Yes, but only at lower resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 196.8 FPS, which is likely CPU-limited. At 1080p Ultra, the FPS drops to 97.9, showing the GPU becomes the bottleneck as settings increase. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for this game’s engine at higher resolutions.

Q: Is 24 GB of VRAM necessary for Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The data does not show VRAM usage, but the 24 GB frame buffer on the RTX 4090 is far beyond what this game requires at any tested setting. Even at 4K Ultra, the 4090’s performance is limited by compute, not memory capacity.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested configurations?

A: This pairing ranks 63rd out of 1,687 combos, placing it in the top 4%. The RTX 4090’s 91st percentile GPU standing and the Ryzen 5 5600’s 79th percentile CPU standing combine for a system that is far above average for this title.

Q: What are the FPS differences between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Low settings yield 162.7 FPS, Medium 118.3 FPS, High 99 FPS, and Ultra 73.4 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium is a 27.3% FPS decrease, while the jump from High to Ultra is a 25.9% decrease.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K High, it averages 68.6 FPS, while 4K Medium hits 76.5 FPS. 4K Ultra drops to 46.3 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. For 4K, High or Medium settings are recommended for a smooth experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings average 196.8 FPS, Medium 162.8 FPS, High 134.4 FPS, and Ultra 97.9 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra is a 50.3% FPS reduction, indicating that the GPU is increasingly engaged as settings rise, but the CPU still has headroom at lower presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 162.7 FPS at Low, 118.3 FPS at Medium, 99 FPS at High, and 73.4 FPS at Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low is 17.3%, while at Ultra it is 25.0%. This shows that higher settings amplify the resolution penalty as the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 103.3 FPS at Low, 76.5 FPS at Medium, 68.6 FPS at High, and 46.3 FPS at Ultra. From 1440p to 4K, the FPS drops by 36.5% at Low and 36.9% at Ultra. This consistent percentage drop indicates that the GPU is the sole limiting factor at 4K across all settings. The 4090’s 24 GB VRAM and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth are adequate, but the 82.58 TFLOPS compute is stretched at 4K Ultra.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture, running on the AMD Socket AM4 platform. Its base clock of 3.50 GHz boosts to 4.40 GHz, and it features 32 MB of shared L3 cache. In this combo, the CPU’s role is to feed the RTX 4090 with data, and its single-thread performance is critical for this game’s engine.

The 5600’s Cinebench R23 multicore score is 18,309, with a single-core score of 2,584. In Passmark, it scores 3,256 in single-thread tests and 21,541 in multithread. These scores indicate a CPU that is capable but not top-tier. Its 79th percentile ranking among all CPUs is respectable, but the nearest rivals with similar average scores include the Intel Core i7-11700F, which is 0.9% faster. For Red Dead Redemption 2, the data shows that at 1080p Low, the CPU limits the combo to 196.8 FPS. At 1440p and above, the GPU takes over, and the CPU’s 12 threads are sufficient to maintain high FPS without stuttering.

The 5600’s 65W TDP and 7nm process node make it an efficient choice, but efficiency is not the primary concern here. The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s with dual-channel DDR4 is adequate for this game. The benchmark results indicate that while the CPU is not the star of this pairing, it does not significantly detract from the overall experience at 1440p or 4K. Users seeking higher 1080p frame rates would need a stronger CPU, but for this game’s demanding visuals, the 5600 holds its own.