Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2’s benchmark data for the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 combination shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-limited at higher resolutions, but which still delivers playable frame rates even under the most demanding settings. The measured FPS across the board indicates that this pairing is positioned near the top of the database, ranking 3rd out of 1687 tested combinations. The data reveals consistent scaling patterns that point to the RTX 5090 as the primary bottleneck once resolution increases, while the 9900X provides ample headroom at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and clearly demonstrates where the performance ceiling lies. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 221.3 FPS at 1920x1080 to 109.1 FPS at 3840x2160 — a reduction of roughly half, which is a classic sign of GPU saturation. The same pattern holds across all presets: High settings drop from 138.4 FPS at 1080p to 66.6 FPS at 4K, Medium from 169.7 to 82.3, and Ultra from 102.7 to 50.5. In every case, moving from 1080p to 1440p costs about 25-30% of the frame rate, and the subsequent jump to 4K costs another 35-40% of the remaining performance.

This scaling behavior tells a clear story about the limiting component. At 1080p, the Ryzen 9 9900X’s 12 cores and 24 threads are more than sufficient to feed the RTX 5090, so the GPU becomes the limiting factor almost immediately. The fact that the gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 118.6 FPS (221.3 vs 102.7) indicates that the GPU is still being pushed hard even at the lowest settings. By 4K, the GPU is so heavily loaded that the difference between Low and Ultra narrows to 58.6 FPS (109.1 vs 50.5), confirming that pixel throughput — not CPU logic — is the dominant constraint. The data shows no evidence of CPU bottlenecking at any resolution; even at 1080p Ultra, the 102.7 FPS average suggests the CPU has headroom to spare.

FAQ

Q: Is the Ryzen 9 9900X strong enough for the RTX 5090 in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: Yes. The benchmark data shows no CPU-limited scenarios. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 221.3 FPS, and even at 4K Ultra it maintains 50.5 FPS. The 9900X’s 12 cores and 24 threads, with a boost clock of 5.60 GHz, are sufficient to keep the RTX 5090 fed across all tested settings.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this combo?

A: For high refresh rate monitors, 1440p is the sweet spot. At High settings, the system averages 105.5 FPS at 2560x1440, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K, you’ll need to step down to Low settings (109.1 FPS) or Medium (82.3 FPS) to stay above 60 FPS, since High only manages 66.6 FPS.

Q: How much of a performance hit does Ultra settings cause?

A: Compared to High, Ultra reduces the average frame rate by roughly 30% at every resolution. At 1080p, the drop is from 138.4 to 102.7 FPS; at 1440p, from 105.5 to 75.3 FPS; and at 4K, from 66.6 to 50.5 FPS. The cost is consistent, so the choice depends on your target refresh rate.

Q: Does the RTX 5090’s 32 GB VRAM matter in this game?

A: The benchmark data does not indicate any VRAM-related limitations. With 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and a 512-bit bus, the card has far more memory bandwidth (1.79 TB/s) than needed, so the FPS differences between settings are due to compute load, not memory capacity.

Q: How does this combo rank against other systems in the database?

A: The combination ranks 3rd out of 1687 tested combos for Red Dead Redemption 2. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 54450 places it in the 94th percentile, and the GPU’s average score of 84306 also sits in the 94th percentile, indicating a well-balanced high-end pairing.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 4K with High settings?

A: The measured average is 66.6 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings. This is just above the 60 FPS standard, so you can expect smooth gameplay with minor dips possible, but it’s not a locked 60 FPS experience.

CPU Role

The Ryzen 9 9900X is a 12-core, 24-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, codenamed Granite Ridge, with a base clock of 4.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU’s role is to manage game logic, physics, and draw calls, and the benchmark data shows it does so without becoming a constraint. The single-thread performance is strong — a 3dmark single-thread score of 1286 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 6555 — which matters for a game that relies heavily on a few main threads.

The multi-threaded capabilities are equally robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 46438 and a Geekbench multicore score of 19827. However, the game doesn’t appear to scale perfectly with all 24 threads. The 3dmark results show a progression from 2519 with 2 threads to 13929 with max threads, but the jump from 8 threads (9114) to 16 threads (12552) is notable. This suggests that while the CPU has plenty of headroom, Red Dead Redemption 2 likely uses a limited number of threads effectively, making the 9900X’s high single-core clocks more important than its core count in this title.

The CPU’s 64 MB of shared L3 cache and 1 MB of L2 per core provide fast access to game data, which helps maintain consistent frame times. Compared to its nearest rivals, the 9900X’s average benchmark score of 54450 is only 0.4% behind the Ryzen 9 9900X3D (54681) and 0.7% ahead of the Intel Core i7-14700F (54097). This puts it in a tight performance band, but given the GPU-bound nature of this game, those small differences in CPU score are unlikely to translate into meaningful FPS differences in Red Dead Redemption 2.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Starting at 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 221.3, which is ideal for competitive or high-refresh-rate play. Medium settings bring the average down to 169.7 FPS, still well above 144 Hz. High settings produce 138.4 FPS, and Ultra drops to 102.7 FPS. All of these are playable, but the gap between Low and Ultra (118.6 FPS) shows how much GPU headroom exists at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain strong but begin to show GPU pressure. Low settings average 164.1 FPS, which is still excellent. Medium settings hit 125.3 FPS, and High drops to 105.5 FPS. Ultra settings fall to 75.3 FPS. The scaling from High to Ultra at 1440p costs 30.2 FPS, which is a significant but expected penalty for the visual fidelity gain.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 5090 is clearly the limiting factor. Low settings average 109.1 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS. Medium settings produce 82.3 FPS, and High settings drop to 66.6 FPS. Ultra settings average 50.5 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may be too choppy for some players. The step from Medium to High at 4K costs 15.7 FPS, while the step from High to Ultra costs 16.1 FPS, indicating that the GPU is running out of compute headroom.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a monster of a GPU, with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory, a 512-bit bus, and 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. Its 21,760 shading units and 176 ROPs deliver massive raw throughput, evidenced by its FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU’s role is to handle rendering, shading, and post-processing, and the data shows it is the primary bottleneck at all resolutions above 1080p.

The GPU’s boost clock of 2407 MHz and base clock of 2017 MHz are relatively modest for its class, but the sheer number of compute units compensates. The benchmark scores reflect its dominance: a Geekbench Vulkan score of 379571 and a Passmark G3D score of 39650. However, the game’s scaling pattern reveals that even this GPU struggles at 4K Ultra, averaging only 50.5 FPS. This is not a VRAM issue — 32 GB is overkill for this 2018 title — but rather a raw shader and ROP throughput limitation.

The RTX 5090’s nearest rivals in the database show how close the top tier is. The RTX 5090 D scores 84241 (0.1% lower), the RTX 5050 Mobile scores 84171 (0.2% lower), and the AMD Radeon PRO W6600 scores 83209 (1.3% lower). The RTX 5090’s average benchmark score of 84306 puts it in the 94th percentile of all GPUs, confirming that this is a top-tier part. Yet the game’s 4K Ultra results suggest that even the fastest consumer GPU on the database cannot brute-force Red Dead Redemption 2 at max settings with a locked 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience at 3840x2160, the data points to Medium settings as the optimal choice. Medium delivers 82.3 FPS, which provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS while still offering a significant visual upgrade over Low (109.1 FPS). High settings at 66.6 FPS are playable but leave little headroom for demanding scenes, and Ultra at 50.5 FPS should be avoided unless you prioritize visuals over smoothness.

At 2560x1440, High settings are the clear winner. The 105.5 FPS average is well above 60 FPS and provides a smooth experience on 144 Hz displays. If you have a 165 Hz or higher refresh rate monitor, Medium settings at 125.3 FPS or Low at 164.1 FPS are better choices. Ultra at 75.3 FPS is acceptable for those who want max fidelity, but the 30 FPS penalty versus High is steep.

At 1920x1080, the choice depends entirely on your monitor’s refresh rate. For 144 Hz displays, High settings at 138.4 FPS is ideal. For 240 Hz displays, Medium at 169.7 FPS or Low at 221.3 FPS will take full advantage of the panel. Ultra at 102.7 FPS is still playable and provides the best image quality, but it sacrifices the high refresh rate potential of this CPU-GPU combo.

Overall, the data suggests that this system is best suited for 1440p High or 4K Medium play. The RTX 5090’s 32 GB VRAM and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth ensure that even at 4K Medium, there is no memory-related stutter, and the Ryzen 9 9900X’s strong single-thread performance keeps frame pacing consistent. If you prioritize frame rate over fidelity, step down one preset level; if you prioritize visuals, step up one — but be prepared for the corresponding FPS hit.