Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 pairs the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, a combination that lands in the 2013th position out of 3714 tested combos for this title. The CPU, a Zen 4 Raphael part on the AMD Socket AM5 platform, brings six cores and twelve threads to the table, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz that can boost up to 4.70 GHz. Those clocks are the primary driver for the processor's performance in this game, as RDR2's open-world simulation relies heavily on a few fast cores for physics, AI, and draw-call processing. The 32 MB of shared L3 cache helps feed those cores, reducing latency when the game streams in new areas of the map.

The benchmark data shows the Ryzen 5 7400F holding its own in synthetic tests, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21765 and a single-core score of 3072. The single-core result is particularly relevant here, as it indicates strong headroom for the game's main thread. In the PassMark suite, the multithread score of 25645 and the single-thread score of 3689 reinforce the picture of a balanced desktop chip. What is more telling for RDR2 specifically is the processor's percentile ranking against all CPUs, sitting at the 83rd percentile, and its average benchmark score of 32750. The nearest rivals in the data—the Intel Core i5-14600T, Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H, and AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360—are all within a 0.3% delta of the 7400F's average score, suggesting that in heavily threaded workloads, this CPU is effectively tied with those parts. In a game like RDR2, however, the single-threaded strength often matters more, and the 7400F's 4.70 GHz boost clock gives it a distinct advantage over lower-clocked mobile parts like the Ultra 7 155H.

FAQ

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 7400F's multi-core performance compare to its closest rivals?

A: The data shows the 7400F has an average benchmark score of 32750, which is effectively identical to its nearest competitors. It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14600T, 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, and 0.2% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H. These deltas are negligible, meaning the CPU is not a differentiator in multi-threaded synthetic loads.

Q: What is the CPU's single-threaded performance, and why does it matter for Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The 7400F scores 3072 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 3689 in PassMark single-thread. These scores, combined with a 4.70 GHz boost clock, indicate strong per-core performance. In RDR2, where game logic and rendering commands often bottleneck on one or two threads, this headroom helps maintain consistent frame pacing, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the limiting factor.

Q: Does the CPU hold back the RTX 4060 at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo hits 110 FPS average, while at High settings it drops to 69 FPS. The jump from Low to Medium at the same resolution shows a 72 FPS average (with a 70 FPS minimum), indicating the CPU can push high frame rates. The data suggests the CPU has enough single-thread power to feed the RTX 4060 at 1080p, as the frame rate differences between settings are more consistent with GPU-side rendering load than a CPU bottleneck.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations for this game?

A: The combination ranks 2013th out of 3714 tested combos, placing it in the 54th percentile of all systems. This mid-pack ranking reflects a balanced pairing where neither component is dramatically over- or under-powered for the other, but the overall system is not at the top tier for RDR2.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth and VRAM size, and how does that affect 4K performance?

A: The RTX 4060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo only manages 24 FPS average. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM and relatively narrow memory bus are likely limiting factors at 4K, as the game's high-resolution textures and heavy post-processing demand more memory capacity and bandwidth than this card can efficiently provide.

Q: Should you use Ultra settings with this hardware?

A: The measured data shows Ultra presets produce the lowest frame rates at every resolution: 49 FPS at 1080p, 37 FPS at 1440p, and 24 FPS at 4K. While 49 FPS at 1080p is playable, the frame rate drops sharply with resolution. Given that Medium settings at 1080p deliver 82 FPS and Medium at 1440p delivers 61 FPS, Ultra appears to demand more from the GPU than it can comfortably deliver for a smooth experience, especially at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data across resolutions and presets points to Medium as the sweet spot for this combo. At 1920x1080, Medium delivers 82 FPS average with a minimum of 70 FPS, which is a smooth experience for an action-adventure title. Dropping to Low at the same resolution only gains 28 FPS (110 FPS average), but the visual fidelity loss is typically not worth the extra headroom. High at 1080p still holds 69 FPS, but the step down to Medium offers a 13 FPS improvement with minimal visual difference in most scenes.

At 2560x1440, Medium remains the best choice, yielding 61 FPS average with a 52 FPS minimum. This is the highest resolution where the combo maintains a solid 60 FPS baseline without sacrificing too much detail. High at 1440p drops to 51 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for a game with frequent combat and horseback riding. Low at 1440p hits 82 FPS, but the reduction in draw distance and shadow quality hurts the game's atmosphere.

For 3840x2160, the data suggests avoiding anything above Low. Low at 4K produces 54 FPS average, which is just playable, but Medium drops to 41 FPS and High falls to 34 FPS. Ultra at 4K is effectively unplayable at 24 FPS. Given the 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus of the RTX 4060, the card struggles to feed 4K textures and geometry, so users should stick to 1080p or 1440p with Medium presets for the best balance of visual quality and playability.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2013 out of 3714 tested configurations places it in the middle of the pack for Red Dead Redemption 2. This is a surprising position given the individual component specs: the CPU is in the 83rd percentile of all processors, and the GPU is the 61st percentile of all GPUs. The discrepancy between the component-level strength and the in-game ranking suggests that RDR2's performance is heavily dependent on the GPU at higher settings, and the RTX 4060's relatively modest 8 GB VRAM and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth hold the system back compared to combos featuring higher-end cards.

Looking at the ranking more critically, the 7400F's strong synthetic scores (21765 in Cinebench R23 multi-core) do not translate into top-tier game performance because the game is not purely CPU-bound. The data implies that the CPU is not the bottleneck; rather, the RTX 4060 limits the system at higher resolutions and settings. This is evident from the FPS scaling: at 1080p Low, the combo hits 110 FPS, showing the CPU can handle high frame rates, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 24 FPS, which is a GPU limitation. The mid-pack ranking reflects a system that excels at 1080p and 1440p Medium but cannot compete with combos using more powerful GPUs at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear GPU-bound scenario. At Medium settings, the combo delivers 82 FPS at 1920x1080, 61 FPS at 2560x1440, and 41 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 25.6% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 32.8% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not linear, as pixel count increases by 1.78x from 1080p to 1440p and by 2.25x from 1440p to 4K. The more significant drop at 4K indicates the GPU runs out of memory bandwidth and VRAM capacity, not just raw compute.

At High settings, the scaling is steeper: 69 FPS at 1080p, 51 FPS at 1440p, and 34 FPS at 4K. The 4K High result (34 FPS) is only 49% of the 1080p High result, showing that the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM is insufficient for high-detail 4K textures. The Low preset shows less dramatic scaling (110 FPS at 1080p, 82 FPS at 1440p, 54 FPS at 4K), which suggests that when texture memory pressure is reduced, the GPU can better maintain performance. The data strongly indicates that the limiting component at 4K is the GPU, not the CPU, as the 7400F's single-thread performance is more than adequate for the frame rates being achieved.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the data shows a spread from 49 FPS at Ultra to 110 FPS at Low. Medium settings land at 82 FPS average with a 70 FPS minimum and 95 FPS maximum. High settings produce 69 FPS average. The 31 FPS gap between Low and Ultra (110 vs. 49) indicates significant GPU headroom for visual tuning, but the step from Medium to High costs 13 FPS, which is a reasonable trade-off for improved shadows and reflections.

At 2560x1440, the results are 37 FPS at Ultra, 51 FPS at High, 61 FPS at Medium, and 82 FPS at Low. Medium shows a minimum of 52 FPS and maximum of 71 FPS, providing a stable experience. The 21 FPS difference between Low and Medium (82 vs. 61) is more pronounced than at 1080p, suggesting the GPU is working harder to fill the additional pixels. Ultra at 37 FPS is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the data reveals the GPU's limits: 24 FPS at Ultra, 34 FPS at High, 41 FPS at Medium, and 54 FPS at Low. Medium at 4K has a minimum of 35 FPS and maximum of 47 FPS, which is inconsistent and likely to cause noticeable stuttering during intense scenes. Low at 4K is the only preset that approaches playable frame rates, but it still falls short of the 60 FPS target that many players prefer.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD107 chip, has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's boost clock of 2460 MHz and base clock of 1830 MHz drive its 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU's role is dominant at higher resolutions and settings, as evidenced by the FPS scaling data.

The GPU's 8 GB VRAM is a critical factor. At 4K Ultra, the combo produces 24 FPS, which is likely due to texture swapping and memory pressure as the game's high-resolution assets exceed the VRAM capacity. The 128-bit memory bus, providing only 272.0 GB/s, further hampers performance at 4K, where the GPU must constantly fetch new data. The RTX 4060's PassMark G3D score of 19545 places it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790, AMD Radeon 780M, and AMD Radeon Pro 560/460, all within a 0.7% delta in average score. This indicates the 4060 is a mid-range card, and the data shows it performs as such in RDR2: excellent at 1080p Medium (82 FPS), good at 1440p Medium (61 FPS), but struggling at 4K.

The GPU's 15.11 TFLOPS FP32 compute and 24 RT cores suggest it can handle the game's advanced lighting and shadow effects, but the memory subsystem is the bottleneck. The 8 GB VRAM and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are simply not enough for 4K Ultra in a game as demanding as RDR2. The measured results show that the RTX 4060 is best paired with a 1080p or 1440p monitor, where its strengths in rasterization and DLSS can be fully utilized without being limited by memory constraints.