Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 presents a demanding workload that stresses both the CPU and GPU in different ways depending on resolution and settings. The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX, with its 16 cores and 32 threads, provides substantial processing headroom, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers the graphical muscle. The measured data reveals a system that is consistently capable of playable framerates at 1080p and 1440p, but which begins to struggle at 4K with higher quality presets.

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

The AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is a high-end mobile processor built on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Dragon Range. It packs 16 cores and 32 threads, which is a significant amount of parallelism for a laptop part. Its base clock is 2.50 GHz, but it can boost up to 5.40 GHz under load. This combination of a high core count and high boost clock makes it a formidable component for gaming, where it can handle both the main game thread and the numerous background tasks that a modern open-world title like Red Dead Redemption 2 generates. The CPU's 64 MB of L3 cache is also a boon, reducing the latency of frequently accessed data.

The benchmark results for this CPU place it in the 95th percentile of all processors tested, indicating its top-tier status. In the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, it scores 42,713 points, while its single-core score is 6,030. This demonstrates a balanced performance profile, with the multi-core score showing the benefit of the 32 threads. Its performance is closely matched by the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX, which has an average benchmark score just 0.1% higher. It also edges out the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D by 0.6% in average score, though that desktop part is a different class of chip. The data suggests the 8945HX is a top-tier mobile CPU that is unlikely to be the primary bottleneck in most gaming scenarios.

In the context of Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU's role is most critical at lower resolutions where the GPU is not as heavily taxed. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (110 FPS) versus 1440p Low (82 FPS) shows a 28 FPS drop, a clear sign that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU enough data to reach high framerates, but the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. The CPU's robust multi-threading is also important for this game, which is known to use multiple cores for physics, AI, and world simulation. With 32 threads available, the 8945HX ensures that no single core is overwhelmed, helping to maintain smooth framerates and prevent stutters, even in busy scenes like the town of Valentine or during intense gunfights.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the best resolution to play Red Dead Redemption 2 with this combo for a smooth 60 FPS experience?

A: The data shows that at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the average FPS is 61, with a minimum of 52 FPS. This is the only resolution above 1080p where the average FPS meets the 60 FPS target. At 1920x1080, both High (69 FPS) and Medium (82 FPS) settings exceed 60 FPS, but 1440p Medium offers a higher resolution with acceptable performance.

Q: How much of a performance drop is there when moving from 1080p to 4K at High settings?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 69. When the resolution is increased to 3840x2160 (4K) with High settings, the average FPS drops to 34. This is a reduction of 35 FPS, or roughly half the framerate, indicating that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at the higher resolution.

Q: Is the 12 GB of VRAM on the RTX 4070 sufficient for the game's Ultra settings?

A: The measured data does not include specific VRAM usage metrics, so a definitive answer based on usage is impossible. However, the performance at Ultra settings is poor, with an average of 49 FPS at 1080p, 37 FPS at 1440p, and only 24 FPS at 4K. This suggests the settings are too demanding for the GPU overall, and it is likely that the 12 GB VRAM capacity is not the bottleneck; rather, the raw processing power of the GPU is insufficient for a smooth experience at this preset.

Q: How does this CPU compare to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX in terms of overall benchmark score?

A: The average benchmark score for the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is 76,212. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX has an average score of 76,155, which is a delta of 0.1%. This means the AMD processor is marginally faster in this aggregate metric, but the performance difference is negligible and effectively ties them.

Q: What is the single-core and multi-core performance of the Ryzen 9 8945HX?

A: In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 6,030 points in the single-core test and 42,713 points in the multi-core test. This demonstrates a strong single-thread performance for gaming and a very high multi-thread performance for productivity tasks, reflecting its 16-core, 32-thread design.

Q: At which settings and resolution does the system achieve its highest framerate?

A: The highest average framerate measured is 110 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only settings combination that breaks the 100 FPS barrier, showing the system's peak performance when graphical demands are minimized.

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

The scaling of framerates across resolutions is the most telling indicator of system balance. Moving from 1080p to 1440p to 4K shows a clear and consistent pattern of performance degradation, which becomes more severe as the quality preset increases. At Low settings, the average FPS goes from 110 at 1080p to 82 at 1440p, a 25% decrease, and then to 54 at 4K, a further 34% decrease from the 1440p figure. This scaling is typical of a GPU-bound scenario; as the pixel count increases, the GPU must work harder, and the framerate drops accordingly.

The pattern is more pronounced at higher quality settings. With High settings, the average FPS drops from 69 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p (a 26% decrease), and then to 34 at 4K (a 33% decrease from 1440p). The absolute drop from 1080p to 4K is 35 FPS. At Ultra settings, the drop is even more severe: from 49 at 1080p to 37 at 1440p (a 24% decrease), and then to 24 at 4K (a 35% decrease). The fact that the percentage drop is similar across all quality presets indicates that the GPU is the consistent bottleneck.

This behavior confirms that the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX is not the limiting factor in this game. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see framerates plateau at lower resolutions, with the 1080p and 1440p results being very similar. Instead, the framerate scales almost linearly with the pixel count, which is a classic sign of a GPU-limited workload. The CPU has enough headroom to keep up with the GPU at all tested resolutions, and the decisive factor for performance is the RTX 4070's ability to render the scene.

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

The measured data provides a detailed look at the system's performance across a matrix of resolutions and quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system is very capable, with all presets delivering playable framerates. The Low preset yields an average of 110 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. Medium settings achieve 82 FPS with a minimum of 70 and a maximum of 95 FPS. High settings produce an average of 69 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, bringing the average down to 49 FPS, which is still playable but not ideal for a high-refresh-rate monitor.

Moving to 2560x1440, the demands on the GPU increase, and the framerates drop accordingly. The Low preset still delivers a smooth 82 FPS. Medium settings average 61 FPS, with a minimum of 52 FPS, just above the 60 FPS target. High settings average 51 FPS, which is playable but not consistently smooth. The Ultra preset drops to 37 FPS, which starts to feel less fluid for a fast-paced action game.

At 3840x2160, the system is clearly pushed to its limits. The Low preset averages 54 FPS, which is borderline playable. Medium settings drop to 41 FPS, with a minimum of 34 FPS. High settings are at 34 FPS, and the Ultra preset is nearly unplayable at an average of 24 FPS. The data shows a clear trend: 4K is only viable with the Low preset, and even then, it does not reach a solid 60 FPS.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is a mid-to-high-range graphics card based on the Ada Lovelace architecture. It features 5,888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units. The GPU has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz. It is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. This configuration is designed to handle modern games at high settings, but the data from Red Dead Redemption 2 shows its limitations.

The GPU's performance is directly reflected in the measured FPS. The RTX 4070 scores in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37,648. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile, which is 1.3% faster, and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, which is 0.4% slower. This places the RTX 4070 in a competitive position, but not at the top tier. In Red Dead Redemption 2, this translates to an inability to maintain high framerates at 4K with higher quality presets.

The 12 GB of VRAM is a significant factor for a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, which has large textures and extensive draw distances. While the data does not show VRAM usage, the performance at Ultra settings suggests that the GPU is running out of processing power before it runs out of memory. The 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth is sufficient for the data throughput, but the raw compute power (29.15 TFLOPS FP32) is not enough to handle the Ultra preset's effects at high resolutions. The GPU's role as the primary bottleneck is clear from the resolution scaling data, which shows framerates halving when moving from 1080p to 4K.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and desired framerate. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the best option is 2560x1440 with Medium settings, which averages 61 FPS. This provides a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, and the minimum FPS of 52 ensures that there are no major dips. At 1920x1080, High settings offer an average of 69 FPS, which is a solid choice for gamers who prefer higher visual quality over a higher refresh rate. For those with a 144Hz or 165Hz monitor, 1080p Low settings at 110 FPS would be the way to go, though this sacrifices visual quality.

At 4K, the system is not capable of delivering a consistently smooth experience above Low settings. The Low preset averages 54 FPS, which is playable for a story-driven game, but it will not be as fluid as 60 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K drops to 41 FPS, which is more problematic for action sequences. Therefore, for 4K, the recommendation is to use the Low preset and accept the lower visual fidelity. For the best overall experience, the sweet spot is 1440p Medium, which provides a high resolution and good detail levels while maintaining an average framerate above 60 FPS. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it consistently produces framerates below 50 FPS, making the game feel sluggish.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the grand scheme of all tested hardware combinations for Red Dead Redemption 2, this particular pairing of the AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 1,544 out of 2,902 combos. This places it in the 53rd percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms more than half of the configurations tested by the database. However, it also falls short of the top tier, indicating that there are many more powerful setups available.

This mid-pack ranking is consistent with the hardware's position in the market. The CPU is a high-end mobile part, ranking in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, which is excellent. The GPU, however, is a mid-range desktop part, ranking in the 81st percentile of all GPUs. When combined, the system's overall performance is limited by the GPU, which is the weaker of the two components. This is why the combo does not crack the top 1,000, despite having a top-tier CPU. The data suggests that if a user were to upgrade the GPU to a more powerful model, the system's rank would improve significantly, as the CPU has plenty of headroom to support a faster graphics card. The ranking is a direct reflection of the balance between the two components, with the GPU being the primary constraint in this demanding title.