Red Dead Redemption 2

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination delivers a top-tier Red Dead Redemption 2 experience, ranking 7th out of 1,687 tested combos. The data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, with the CPU’s strength becoming apparent only at 1080p. This pairing is built for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming, where it comfortably exceeds 100 FPS on High settings.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, revealing a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p High, the system produces 139.2 FPS. Moving to 1440p High reduces that to 101.9 FPS, a 26.8% decrease. Scaling further to 4K High yields 67.7 FPS, which is 33.6% lower than 1440p and 51.4% lower than 1080p. This pattern indicates that the RTX 5090 is the primary limiting factor as pixel count rises.

The scaling behavior across all settings confirms this. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 222 FPS at 1080p to 167.9 FPS at 1440p (a 24.4% reduction), and then to 109.8 FPS at 4K (a 34.6% reduction from 1440p). Even at the most demanding Ultra preset, the trend holds: 101 FPS at 1080p falls to 72.7 FPS at 1440p and 49.2 FPS at 4K. The consistent percentage drops suggest that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution; the workload scales directly with the number of pixels rendered.

This is a GPU-bound game for this configuration. The RTX 5090’s raw power is the deciding factor between playable and extremely high frame rates. The Ryzen 7 9700X has enough headroom to feed the GPU at 1080p, where the 222 FPS Low result suggests the CPU can still push well beyond typical display refresh rates without becoming the limiting component.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus with 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth is more than sufficient for Red Dead Redemption 2’s demands. The benchmark results show that the GPU’s performance ceiling is the primary constraint at 4K, where even the Medium preset only reaches 80.6 FPS.

The GPU’s clock behavior is not directly measured in the FPS data, but its architecture and memory subsystem are. With 21,760 shading units and a boost clock of 2407 MHz, the card delivers massive compute throughput. This is reflected in the fact that the 4K Ultra preset still manages 49.2 FPS, a playable frame rate for a game this visually demanding, despite being the lowest result in the dataset.

The GPU’s position in the market is confirmed by its benchmark scores. It achieves 39,650 in Passmark G3D and 14,411 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, placing it in the 94th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the RTX 5090 D, which scores 0.1% higher, and the RTX 5050 Mobile, which is 0.2% ahead. This indicates the desktop RTX 5090 is at the absolute top of the GPU hierarchy, and its performance in this game reflects that, with the only limitations coming from the game’s own engine at higher settings.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, plays a supporting role that becomes more critical as resolution decreases. Its 3.80 GHz base clock and 5.50 GHz boost clock provide the single-threaded speed necessary for game logic and draw calls. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is able to drive the GPU to 222 FPS on Low settings, indicating it is not a bottleneck even at high frame rates.

The CPU’s multi-threaded capability is robust, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 31,588 and Passmark multithread score of 37,161. This places it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are closely matched: the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H scores 0.4% higher, while the Intel Core Ultra 5 225H is 0.8% higher. The difference between the Ryzen 7 9700X and these competitors is negligible in synthetic benchmarks, and the game data suggests this translates to consistent performance.

The CPU’s 32 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth provide ample data throughput for the game. The fact that 1080p frame rates are significantly higher than 1440p and 4K, even at the same settings, confirms that the CPU is not the limiting factor. The system is GPU-bound from 1440p upward, and the CPU’s role is to ensure the GPU is never starved of data.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Ryzen 7 9700X and RTX 5090 ranks 7th out of 1,687 tested combos for Red Dead Redemption 2. This places it in the top 0.4% of all tested pairings, a position that reflects the strength of both components. The high ranking is driven by the GPU’s dominance; the CPU is capable but not exceptional, sitting in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU is in the 94th percentile.

The ranking is notable because the CPU is not the absolute fastest available. The Ryzen 7 9700X’s average benchmark score of 36,029 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, with a delta of only 0.2% to 0.8% against the Intel Core i5-14500HX and Core Ultra 5 225H. This means the combo’s 7th-place finish is almost entirely attributable to the RTX 5090’s performance. In games that are less GPU-intensive, this pairing might rank lower, but for Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU’s ability to maintain high frame rates across all settings secures its top-tier position.

The data indicates that the combo is well-balanced for this specific title. The 4K Ultra result of 49.2 FPS is the weakest showing, but it is still a playable frame rate. The 1440p High result of 101.9 FPS is the sweet spot, offering a high refresh rate experience that is visually detailed. The system’s overall ranking suggests that users with this hardware can expect a premium experience without needing to compromise heavily on settings.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Red Dead Redemption 2 at 4K smoothly?

A: Yes, but with caveats. The measured data shows 67.7 FPS at 4K High and 80.6 FPS at 4K Medium. The 4K Ultra preset drops to 49.2 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What resolution is best for this hardware?

A: 2560x1440 is the optimal resolution. At High settings, it delivers 101.9 FPS, and even at Ultra it maintains 72.7 FPS. This offers a high refresh rate experience without sacrificing visual fidelity.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 in this game?

A: No. The data shows frame rates scale proportionally with resolution, indicating a GPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 222 FPS, showing the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond typical monitor refresh rates.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested systems?

A: It ranks 7th out of 1,687 combos. This places it in the top 0.4% of all tested configurations for Red Dead Redemption 2.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, High settings produce 101.9 FPS, while Ultra produces 72.7 FPS. This is a 29.2 FPS difference, or a 28.7% reduction in performance for higher quality settings.

Q: Is the GPU's 32 GB of memory necessary for this game?

A: The data does not indicate memory capacity is a limiting factor. The GPU’s bandwidth and compute power are the primary drivers of performance. The 32 GB capacity ensures headroom, but the benchmark results show the GPU’s rendering speed, not memory exhaustion, determines frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual quality and frame rate, the High preset at 2560x1440 is the recommended configuration. This setting delivers 101.9 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay and approaches the 120 Hz refresh rate common on modern monitors. The 1,687-combo ranking suggests this hardware is capable of handling more, but the data shows that Ultra settings at this resolution reduce performance to 72.7 FPS, a 28.7% drop that may not justify the visual improvement.

At 4K, the Medium preset is the optimal choice. It produces 80.6 FPS, which is a solid playable frame rate. The High preset at 4K drops to 67.7 FPS, which is still playable but closer to the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 4K should be avoided for competitive play, as 49.2 FPS is below the threshold for smooth motion.

For users with high-refresh-rate 1080p displays, the Low preset achieves 222 FPS, which is extreme. However, the High preset at 139.2 FPS is more practical, offering a significant visual upgrade while still maintaining a frame rate above 120 FPS. The data shows that the Low preset provides diminishing returns for most users, as the jump from Low to High at 1080p is 82.8 FPS, but the jump from High to Ultra is only 38.2 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured frame rate data for this combo is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 222 FPS
• Medium: 169.6 FPS
• High: 139.2 FPS
• Ultra: 101 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 167.9 FPS
• Medium: 125.6 FPS
• High: 101.9 FPS
• Ultra: 72.7 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 109.8 FPS
• Medium: 80.6 FPS
• High: 67.7 FPS
• Ultra: 49.2 FPS

The data reveals a clear pattern: each step up in settings reduces performance by a consistent margin. At 1080p, moving from Low to Medium costs 52.4 FPS, from Medium to High costs 30.4 FPS, and from High to Ultra costs 38.2 FPS. At 1440p, the same transitions cost 42.3 FPS, 23.7 FPS, and 29.2 FPS respectively. At 4K, the cost is 29.2 FPS, 12.9 FPS, and 18.5 FPS.

These results show that the RTX 5090 has the most headroom at lower resolutions, where it can push frame rates above 200 FPS. The performance gap between settings narrows as resolution increases because the GPU becomes the limiting factor. The system’s 7th-place ranking among 1,687 combos is justified by its ability to maintain high frame rates across all tested configurations, with only the most demanding 4K Ultra preset falling below 50 FPS.