Red Dead Redemption 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a playable but not flawless Red Dead Redemption 2 experience, with performance scaling that clearly identifies the graphics card as the primary constraint. Across the measured 12 configurations, the combination produces a wide spread of results, from a very smooth 108.9 FPS at 1080p Low to a demanding 22.4 FPS at 4K Ultra. The data indicates that this system is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming at moderate settings, while 4K remains a significant challenge.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 is steep and highly dependent on the graphics preset. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 108.9 at 1080p to 79.3 at 1440p, a reduction of 29.6 FPS, and then to 55 at 4K, a further drop of 24.3 FPS. This 49.5% total loss from 1080p to 4K at Low settings shows that even when visual load is minimized, the rendering resolution heavily taxes the GPU.

The pattern becomes more severe at higher presets. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 70.8 at 1080p to 52 at 1440p, and then to 35.6 at 4K. This represents a 50.3% decrease from 1080p to 4K. The Ultra preset shows the most extreme scaling, with 46.4 FPS at 1080p falling to 37.9 FPS at 1440p and finally to 22.4 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is less than half the 1080p Ultra figure, indicating that the GPU is overwhelmed by the combined demands of high resolution and maximum settings.

These results suggest the system becomes GPU-bound at all resolutions, but the bottleneck intensifies dramatically as resolution increases. The CPU, an 8-core, 16-thread Zen 3 part, has ample headroom for this title, as evidenced by the consistent frame rates at 1080p where the GPU is still the limiting factor. The scaling pattern is a classic sign of a mid-range graphics card, where 4K Ultra is out of reach but 1080p and 1440p remain viable.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This memory configuration appears to be a limiting factor at 4K, where the High preset yields only 35.6 FPS and Ultra drops to 22.4 FPS. The large frame buffer demands of Red Dead Redemption 2 at high resolutions likely exceed the 8 GB capacity, forcing the card to rely on slower memory transfers.

The GPU's clock speeds are substantial, with a base of 1830 MHz and a boost of 2460 MHz. These clocks contribute to the card's 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. However, the data shows that raw compute power is insufficient for 4K Ultra, where the card delivers a sub-30 FPS experience. The GPU's 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores are present, but their impact on this particular game's rasterized performance is not directly measured in the provided data.

The RTX 4060 ranks in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, which has an average score 0.6% higher. This close margin confirms that the RTX 4060 is a solid mid-range performer, but it lacks the headroom needed for the most demanding 4K scenarios. The 115 W TDP and dual-slot design suggest a power-efficient card, but efficiency does not translate to high-end 4K performance.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Red Dead Redemption 2, this pairing of the Ryzen 7 5800X and RTX 4060 ranks 981st out of 1687 tested combos. This places it in the lower-middle portion of the rankings, slightly below the median. The percentile position indicates that while this combo is capable, a significant number of other CPU-GPU pairings deliver higher average frame rates in this specific title.

The CPU's individual benchmarks show it is a strong performer, with a 3DMark max threads score of 7578 and a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23571. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800, has an average score 0.3% lower, making the 5800X effectively tied with its non-X counterpart. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 19545 aligns with its mid-range positioning, but the combo rank reflects that the RTX 4060 is the weaker link in this pairing for Red Dead Redemption 2.

The discrepancy between the CPU's high percentile (84th) and the combo's middling rank (981st) underscores that the graphics card is the performance limiter. A higher-tier GPU paired with the same CPU would likely produce a substantially better combo rank, while the current pairing is constrained by the RTX 4060's 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system produces its most playable results. Low settings achieve 108.9 FPS, Medium hits 83.7 FPS, and High reaches 70.8 FPS. These are all comfortably above 60 FPS, making 1080p gaming with high refresh rates feasible on High settings. The Ultra preset drops to 46.4 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold but still playable for slower-paced content.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance takes a noticeable hit. Low settings maintain a respectable 79.3 FPS, but Medium falls to 60.3 FPS, exactly at the 60 FPS target. High settings drop to 52 FPS, and Ultra falls to 37.9 FPS. The 1440p results show that the RTX 4060 can handle Medium settings at 60 FPS, but High and Ultra require compromises.

At 3840x2160, the GPU struggles significantly. Low settings yield 55 FPS, which is playable but not smooth. Medium drops to 38.7 FPS, High falls to 35.6 FPS, and Ultra becomes nearly unplayable at 22.4 FPS. The 4K results clearly demonstrate that this combo is not suitable for high-fidelity 4K gaming, as even Low settings barely break 50 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rates, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1080p with High settings, delivering 70.8 FPS. This configuration provides a strong balance of visual quality and smoothness, with the 8 GB VRAM likely sufficient at this resolution. For players prioritizing frame rate, 1080p Low at 108.9 FPS offers the highest performance, but the visual trade-off is substantial.

At 1440p, Medium settings at 60.3 FPS is the recommended choice, as it achieves the 60 FPS target while offering better detail than Low. Dropping to Low at 1440p yields 79.3 FPS for a smoother experience, but the visual quality is noticeably reduced. High and Ultra at 1440p are not recommended, as they fall below 60 FPS and do not justify the performance loss.

For 4K, the data suggests avoiding this resolution entirely. Even Low settings at 55 FPS require significant visual compromises, and the higher presets drop below 40 FPS. If 4K is mandatory, Low settings are the only viable option, but the experience is marginal. The measured data indicates that the RTX 4060 is simply not equipped for 4K gaming in this title.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU combo in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The data shows 1920x1080 provides the most consistent frame rates, with High settings achieving 70.8 FPS and Medium reaching 83.7 FPS. At 2560x1440, only Low and Medium settings exceed 60 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: No, the measured results show that 4K Ultra produces only 22.4 FPS, and even 4K Low drops to 55 FPS. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are insufficient for smooth 4K performance.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rival in this context?

A: The RTX 4060's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600M, has an average benchmark score that is 0.6% higher. This places the two cards in a near-identical performance tier.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 5800X a limiting factor in this game?

A: No, the CPU ranks in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, and its 3DMark max threads score of 7578 indicates strong multi-threaded performance. The GPU is the clear bottleneck in this combination.

Q: What settings provide the best balance of visuals and performance?

A: At 1080p, High settings at 70.8 FPS offer the best balance. At 1440p, Medium settings at 60.3 FPS are optimal, as they hit the 60 FPS target without the visual degradation of Low.

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

A: The combo ranks 981st out of 1687 tested combinations, placing it in the lower-middle range. This reflects the GPU's mid-range capabilities rather than any CPU deficiency.