Red Dead Redemption 2

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 pairing in Red Dead Redemption 2 represents a fascinating study in bottleneck dynamics. The 12-core, 24-thread Zen 3 processor, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost of 4.80 GHz, provides ample computational headroom for a 2018 title. The CPU’s 64 MB L3 cache helps feed the massive 32 GB GDDR7 frame buffer of the RTX 5090, which operates on a 512-bit bus delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. This GPU, built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 2017 MHz base and 2407 MHz boost clock, is the dominant half of this equation. The data shows a combo that ranks 30th out of 1687 tested combinations, placing it in the top 1.8% of all pairings tested in this game.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Ryzen 9 5900X brings a substantial core count to Red Dead Redemption 2, which is known for its sprawling open world and complex AI simulations. The 12 cores and 24 threads, combined with the Zen 3 architecture's strong single-thread performance, ensure the game’s main thread and background tasks are handled without stutter. The processor’s 3.70 GHz base and 4.80 GHz boost clocks are the key figures here, as the game benefits from high-frequency responses to draw calls and physics calculations. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 33150 and a single-core score of 4680, indicating a balanced profile that can handle both the heavily threaded asset streaming and the latency-sensitive primary game logic.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the 5900X holds its ground firmly. It sits within 1% of the AMD EPYC 4245P, with a deltaPct of 0.2%, and trails the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8845HS by 0.7%. Against Intel competition, it leads the Core i7-13700F by 0.9% and the Core i7-13700 by 1.0% in average benchmark scores. This positioning in the 90th percentile of all CPUs tested means the processor is rarely the limiting factor in this pairing. For a title like Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU’s job is to keep the world coherent while the GPU renders it; the 5900X’s 24 threads provide a safety margin even when the game engine spawns numerous NPCs or simulates dynamic weather, but at the resolutions tested here, the GPU dictates the final frame rate.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The RTX 5090 is an absolute powerhouse, and its specifications suggest it was designed for future titles, not necessarily for a 2018 release. Its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory is far beyond what Red Dead Redemption 2 requires, even at 4K Ultra settings. The memory clock of 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) and the 1.79 TB/s bandwidth provide a data pipeline that the game’s textures simply cannot saturate. The GPU’s 21760 shading units and 176 ROPs handle the game’s lighting and post-processing effects with ease, evidenced by a Passmark G3D score of 39650. The 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is overkill for this engine, which was designed for the previous console generation.

In the benchmark hierarchy, the RTX 5090 sits in the 94th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84306. Its closest rival, the RTX 5090 D, is a mere 0.1% behind, while the RTX 5050 Mobile trails by 0.2%. The AMD Radeon PRO W6600 is 1.3% slower, and the NVIDIA CMP 40HX is 1.6% ahead. This tells us that the GPU is operating at the absolute top of the performance stack. In practical terms for this game, the RTX 5090’s role is to brute-force high frame rates, but the data reveals that it is often held back by the game’s engine or the CPU, particularly at lower resolutions where the frame rate ceiling is more apparent.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data paints a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 208.3 FPS. That number falls to 165.4 FPS at 1440p and then to 106.9 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is a 20.6% reduction, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 35.4%. This scaling pattern indicates that the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p. The 5900X cannot feed the RTX 5090 fast enough to push beyond that 208 FPS ceiling, even with Low settings that reduce GPU load. The engine’s draw call overhead and the CPU’s single-thread limits cap the performance.

At 4K, the situation inverts. The GPU begins to struggle with the pixel count, and the frame rates drop significantly across all settings. With Ultra settings at 4K, the average FPS falls to 46.4, which is a 55.1% reduction from the 1080p Ultra result of 98.4 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is stark: 106.9 FPS versus 46.4 FPS, a 56.6% performance hit. This indicates that the RTX 5090, despite its immense power, is being taxed by the combination of high resolution and maximum graphical fidelity. The 32 GB VRAM is not the issue; rather, the shader complexity and fill rate demands of the game’s Ultra preset are what bring the GPU to its knees. The data suggests that for competitive frame rates, 1440p is the sweet spot, where the combo delivers 165.4 FPS on Low and 105.2 FPS on High.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

With a combo rank of 30 out of 1687 tested combinations, this pairing sits in the top 1.8% of all CPU-GPU combinations tested in Red Dead Redemption 2. This rank reflects the raw power of both components, but it also reveals that there are 29 other combos that perform better. These likely include configurations with even newer CPUs that can push higher frame rates at 1080p, where the 5900X is the bottleneck. The rank is more impressive at higher resolutions; at 4K, the GPU’s dominance is the primary driver, and the CPU’s limitations are less impactful.

The data indicates that the combo’s weakest showing is at 1080p Low, where the 208.3 FPS average is likely far behind the top-ranked combos that feature CPUs with higher single-thread performance. The 5900X’s percentile of 90 against all CPUs is respectable, but it is not in the top tier of gaming processors for this title. The GPU, however, is in the 94th percentile, and its contribution to the combo’s overall rank is significant. The 30th place finish is a strong result, but it is not the absolute best, suggesting that for this specific game, a newer CPU like a 7000-series or 14th-gen Intel part could unlock higher frame rates at lower resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the combo starts strong with 208.3 FPS on Low, then drops to 164.9 FPS on Medium, 141.0 FPS on High, and 98.4 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is 109.9 FPS, or 52.8%. This shows that the game’s Ultra preset at 1080p introduces significant GPU load, but the CPU still manages to keep the frame rate above 90 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the results are 165.4 FPS on Low, 123.9 FPS on Medium, 105.2 FPS on High, and 72.7 FPS on Ultra. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings: Low drops by 42.9 FPS, Medium by 41.0 FPS, High by 35.8 FPS, and Ultra by 25.7 FPS. The diminishing impact at Ultra suggests that the GPU is becoming the primary bottleneck. At 3840x2160, the numbers are 106.9 FPS on Low, 80.9 FPS on Medium, 65.9 FPS on High, and 46.4 FPS on Ultra. The 4K Ultra result is the lowest of the entire dataset, and it is the only configuration that falls below 50 FPS. The data clearly shows that for a 60 FPS experience at 4K, High settings are the maximum this combo can achieve, while 1440p allows for a high refresh rate experience on Medium or High settings.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo capable of 4K 60 FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: Yes, but only at High settings. The measured 4K High average is 65.9 FPS, while 4K Ultra falls to 46.4 FPS. Low and Medium settings achieve 106.9 FPS and 80.9 FPS, respectively.

Q: What is the best resolution for this pairing to maximize frame rate?

A: At 1080p, the combo achieves 141.0 FPS on High and 208.3 FPS on Low. For a balance of visual quality and speed, 1440p High at 105.2 FPS is a strong choice, while 1080p Low is the only configuration that exceeds 200 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in overall benchmark scores?

A: The Ryzen 9 5900X has an average benchmark score of 39453. It is 0.2% faster than the AMD EPYC 4245P, 0.7% slower than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8845HS, 0.9% faster than the Intel Core i7-13700F, and 1.0% faster than the Intel Core i7-13700.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals in overall benchmark scores?

A: The RTX 5090 has an average benchmark score of 84306. It is 0.1% faster than the RTX 5090 D, 0.2% faster than the RTX 5050 Mobile, 1.3% faster than the AMD Radeon PRO W6600, and 1.6% slower than the NVIDIA CMP 40HX.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between 1080p and 4K at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 141.0. At 4K High, the average FPS is 65.9. This represents a 53.3% reduction in frame rate when moving from 1080p to 4K.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p Low settings?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the GPU is under minimal load, yet the frame rate caps at 208.3 FPS. The 5900X’s single-thread performance limits the frame rate, as the GPU could likely render more frames if the CPU could feed it faster.