Red Dead Redemption 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination delivers a compelling 1080p and 1440p experience in Red Dead Redemption 2, but 4K performance requires careful settings management. The measured data reveals a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU provides ample headroom for high refresh-rate gaming at 1080p.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and clearly indicates a GPU-bound workload at higher resolutions. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 153 FPS at 1920x1080 to 100 FPS at 2560x1440, a 35% reduction, and then further to 55 FPS at 3840x2160, a 64% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline is characteristic of a game that scales heavily with pixel count, placing the rendering load squarely on the graphics card.

The scaling pattern becomes even more pronounced when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 233 FPS, but this drops to 152 FPS at 1440p (a 35% decrease) and 84 FPS at 4K (a 64% decrease). The consistency of these percentage drops across different settings presets confirms that resolution is the dominant factor in performance scaling, rather than the specific graphical features enabled. This behavior is typical for a title where the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth become increasingly critical as resolution increases.

Interestingly, the gap between 1080p and 1440p is relatively smaller than the gap between 1440p and 4K. At Medium settings, the transition from 1080p (179 FPS) to 1440p (117 FPS) represents a 35% loss, while moving from 1440p to 4K (64 FPS) represents a 45% loss. This suggests that the RTX 4070's 192-bit memory bus and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1440p but become a limiting factor as the pixel count approaches 4K. The data indicates that 1080p and 1440p are the sweet spots for this combination, with 4K requiring significant settings compromises to maintain playable frame rates.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD104 chip, is clearly the performance ceiling for this configuration in Red Dead Redemption 2. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus provides 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which proves adequate for 1080p and 1440p but becomes strained at 4K. The measured data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average frame rate drops to 43 FPS, a 63% reduction from the 1080p Ultra result of 119 FPS. This dramatic falloff highlights the memory bandwidth limitations when pushing higher resolutions.

The clock speeds play a significant role in the GPU's performance profile. With a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, the RTX 4070 demonstrates strong scaling across settings at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is 114 FPS (233 vs 119), showing that the GPU has enough headroom to handle increased graphical loads without becoming the primary constraint. However, at 4K, the same settings range yields only a 41 FPS difference (84 vs 43), indicating that the GPU is nearing its limits even at Low settings.

The GPU's 5888 shading units and 64 ROPs contribute to its pixel throughput capabilities, but the data suggests that raw compute power is not the limiting factor in this game. The 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores are present for ray tracing and DLSS features, but the measured FPS values in this dataset are from standard rasterization. The GPU's percentile rank of 81 among all tested GPUs, coupled with an average benchmark score of 37648, places it as a solid mid-to-high tier performer. In the context of Red Dead Redemption 2, the RTX 4070 delivers excellent 1080p performance, strong 1440p performance, and playable 4K performance only with settings reduced to Medium or below.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, proves to be more than sufficient for Red Dead Redemption 2 at all tested resolutions. The CPU's Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm process provides strong single-threaded performance, evidenced by its 3DMark single-thread score of 1090 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1987. This is crucial because the game's engine benefits from strong per-core performance for game logic and physics calculations.

At 1080p Low settings, the system achieves 233 FPS, which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU with data at very high frame rates. The fact that performance scales nearly linearly with resolution at all settings presets indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any tested configuration. Even at 1080p Ultra with 119 FPS average, the frame rate is high enough to suggest the CPU has additional headroom. The CPU's boost clock of 5.40 GHz and base clock of 4.50 GHz provide the necessary frequency to maintain high instruction throughput.

The 32 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB L2 cache per core contribute to the CPU's ability to handle the game's data demands efficiently. The 3DMark scores show strong scaling from 2 threads (2112) to 8 threads (7057), indicating that the game can utilize multiple cores when needed. However, the relatively small difference between the 8-thread score (7057) and the max-thread score (8852) suggests that Red Dead Redemption 2 does not heavily benefit from more than 8 threads. The CPU's percentile rank of 85 among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35909, places it in the upper tier of processors, confirming its capability to handle any modern game without becoming the limiting factor.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 113th out of 3714 tested combinations in Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the top 3% of all configs tested. This ranking reflects the balanced nature of this pairing, where the CPU and GPU complement each other well across various resolutions and settings. The high rank is particularly notable given that the GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (with an average score 1.3% higher) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (0.4% higher average score).

The CPU's nearest rivals provide context for its contribution to this ranking. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 has an average score just 0.3% lower than the 7700X, while the Intel Core 7 250H and AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 350 are both 0.5% lower. This tight grouping indicates that the 7700X is well-positioned among modern processors, and its performance is not a differentiator in this game. The Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, with a 0.7% lower score, is the closest competitor from Intel's lineup.

The combo's rank of 113 out of 3714 suggests that while this is a strong configuration, there are many faster combinations available for Red Dead Redemption 2. However, the rank also indicates that this pairing offers a well-balanced experience, avoiding the common pitfall of a CPU or GPU bottleneck that would lower the overall ranking. The data shows that this combo is particularly effective at 1080p and 1440p, where it delivers frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 153 FPS offers an excellent balance between visual quality and performance, providing a smooth experience on high refresh-rate monitors. Players with 144 Hz displays could also consider the Ultra preset at 119 FPS, which remains above the 100 FPS threshold for responsive gameplay while maximizing visual fidelity.

At 1440p, the High preset at 100 FPS is the recommended choice for most users, as it provides a good balance of visual quality and smoothness. The Medium preset at 117 FPS offers slightly higher performance but with reduced graphical detail, which may be noticeable in a visually rich game like Red Dead Redemption 2. The Ultra preset at 78 FPS is playable for those who prioritize visual quality, but the 22 FPS drop from High to Ultra may not justify the marginal visual improvements.

For 4K gaming, the data suggests that the Medium preset at 64 FPS is the highest playable option, providing a stable experience just above the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 55 FPS is borderline playable but may suffer from occasional dips during intense scenes. The Low preset at 84 FPS offers the best performance at 4K but significantly reduces visual quality. The Ultra preset at 43 FPS is not recommended for 4K, as it falls well below the 60 FPS standard and would result in a noticeably less smooth experience. For 4K, Medium settings provide the best compromise between visual fidelity and playability.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combination?

A: The data shows that 1440p at High settings provides 100 FPS average, making it the sweet spot for balanced visual quality and performance. At 1080p, the system achieves 153 FPS on High, which is ideal for high refresh rate displays. 4K is playable but requires Medium settings to maintain 64 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K Medium settings, the system averages 64 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K High, the average drops to 55 FPS, which is still playable but may not be ideal for competitive gaming. The Low preset at 84 FPS offers the smoothest 4K experience.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 compare to its nearest rivals for this game?

A: The RTX 4070 has an average benchmark score of 37648, which is 0.1% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and 0.4% higher than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 1.3% higher, while the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 1.3% lower.

Q: Is the Ryzen 7 7700X a bottleneck for the RTX 4070?

A: No. The CPU's performance is sufficient to avoid becoming a bottleneck at all tested resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 233 FPS, indicating the CPU can feed the GPU effectively. The CPU's 8 cores and 16 threads provide adequate processing power for the game's engine.

Q: What is the highest FPS achievable at 1080p?

A: The highest measured average FPS at 1080p is 233, achieved with Low settings. At Medium, the average is 179 FPS, at High it is 153 FPS, and at Ultra it is 119 FPS. These figures suggest the system is capable of very high frame rates at 1080p across all settings.

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

A: This combination ranks 113th out of 3714 tested combos, placing it in the top 3% of all configurations tested for Red Dead Redemption 2. This ranking indicates a well-balanced system capable of delivering strong performance across various settings and resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates, with Low settings yielding 233 FPS average, Medium at 179 FPS (with a minimum of 152 FPS and maximum of 206 FPS), High at 153 FPS, and Ultra at 119 FPS. These figures demonstrate that 1080p gaming is exceptionally smooth at all settings, with even the most demanding preset maintaining triple-digit frame rates.

At 2560x1440, performance remains strong but shows the expected decrease from 1080p. Low settings produce 152 FPS average, Medium delivers 117 FPS (with a minimum of 99 FPS and maximum of 134 FPS), High achieves 100 FPS, and Ultra reaches 78 FPS. The 1440p results indicate that High settings provide the best balance for most users, with frame rates comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, performance drops significantly, particularly at higher settings. Low settings still manage 84 FPS average, Medium delivers 64 FPS (with a minimum of 55 FPS and maximum of 74 FPS), High achieves 55 FPS, and Ultra drops to 43 FPS. The 4K results show that Medium settings are the highest playable option, with frame rates just above 60 FPS. The High and Ultra presets fall below the 60 FPS standard and would result in a less smooth experience. The data across all resolutions demonstrates a consistent pattern of GPU-bound performance, with the RTX 4070 providing excellent 1080p and 1440p performance while requiring settings compromises at 4K.