Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Comet Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, supported by a 12 MB shared L3 cache. In synthetic workloads, the processor's multi-threaded capability is evident, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 10297 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 5783. Its single-thread performance is comparatively modest, as seen in the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1453, which aligns with its 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs.

In the context of Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU's role is primarily to maintain a consistent frame delivery, particularly at lower graphical settings where the GPU is not the limiting factor. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 95.9 FPS. This high frame rate suggests that the processor's 6-core, 12-thread configuration is sufficient to feed the GPU effectively at this resolution. However, the data indicates that the CPU's headroom shrinks as resolution increases, not because the CPU gets slower, but because the GPU becomes the bottleneck, reducing the demand on the CPU. The processor's average benchmark score of 14168 places it very close to its nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 7552, which scores 14115 (a 0.4% difference). This proximity in synthetic scores suggests that in a CPU-limited scenario, the i5-10400F would perform nearly identically to these alternatives, but the measured game data shows that such a scenario is rare at higher settings.

The processor's 12 threads are a key asset for a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, which can utilize multiple cores for physics, AI, and world streaming. The benchmark results show a strong scaling from 2-thread to 8-thread workloads in 3DMark, with scores jumping from 1350 to 3929, indicating that the CPU's multi-threading capabilities are well-utilized. This is crucial for maintaining frame pacing in a vast open world, where background tasks can otherwise cause stutters. However, the data also suggests that the CPU is not the primary driver of performance differences between settings presets; instead, the GPU's workload dictates the frame rate, as detailed in the following sections.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its memory clock is rated at 1750 MHz, with an effective data rate of 14 Gbps. The GPU's compute power is rated at 7.181 TFLOPS for FP32 operations, and it includes 2176 shading units, 136 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. The GPU sits in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19774, placing it just ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN, which scores 19706 (a 0.3% difference).

The measured frame rates in Red Dead Redemption 2 clearly demonstrate that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the dominant factor in this combo's performance, especially at higher resolutions and settings. At 4K (3840x2160) with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 21.2, which is a steep decline from the 55.5 FPS observed at 1080p High. This behavior is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the rendering load outpaces the GPU's capabilities. The GPU's 8 GB of VRAM is sufficient for the textures at these settings, but the raw compute power is insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K. The transition from 1080p Medium (69.7 FPS) to 1440p Medium (53.4 FPS) shows a 23% drop in performance, which is expected as the pixel count increases by roughly 78%.

The GPU's performance relative to its rivals reinforces its mid-range positioning. The RTX 2060 SUPER's average score is only 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, indicating that despite the name difference, the performance gap in synthetic benchmarks is minimal. In game, this parity would manifest as similar frame rates, meaning that the RTX 2060 SUPER is effectively a high-end 1080p and capable 1440p card, but not a 4K card. The data shows that to achieve a playable experience at 4K, the settings must be reduced to Low, where the average FPS reaches 49.1, a 132% improvement over the Ultra preset. This dramatic shift underscores the GPU's limitations at high resolutions and the importance of settings adjustments.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data across resolutions and presets provides a clear picture of the optimal settings for this hardware combination. At 1080p, the High preset yields an average of 55.5 FPS, which is playable, but the Medium preset offers a better balance with 69.7 FPS, a 25% improvement over High. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 95.9 FPS, but this comes at the cost of visual fidelity, which is unnecessary for a smooth experience. For 1080p, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it provides a substantial frame rate buffer above 60 FPS while retaining a reasonable level of graphical detail.

At 1440p, the situation changes. The High preset drops to 43.9 FPS, which is below the ideal threshold for fluid gameplay. The Medium preset at 1440p delivers 53.4 FPS, which is a compromise, but the Low preset reaches 70.1 FPS, offering a consistently smooth experience. Given that the native resolution is higher, the visual quality at Low is still acceptable for many players. Therefore, for 1440p, the Low preset is the best option to maintain performance, as the jump from Low to Medium costs 16.7 FPS, a 24% reduction, for what may be a marginal visual improvement.

At 4K, the data is unequivocal. The Ultra preset results in an unplayable 21.2 FPS, and even High only reaches 28 FPS. The Medium preset improves to 34.7 FPS, but this is still below 40 FPS. Only the Low preset at 4K provides a playable experience, with an average of 49.1 FPS. This is the only setting that allows for a playable frame rate at this resolution, and even then, it is below 60 FPS. Consequently, the recommendation for 4K is to use the Low preset, accepting the visual compromise for a functional frame rate. Across all resolutions, the data indicates that the GPU's performance ceiling is hit quickly, and the best experience is achieved by prioritizing frame rate over visual fidelity, with the Medium preset at 1080p being the only setting that comfortably exceeds 60 FPS.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a consistent 60 FPS experience?

A: The data shows that only at 1080p with the Medium preset does the average FPS reach 69.7, which is above 60. At 1080p High, the average is 55.5, just below the threshold. All other resolutions and presets fall below 60 FPS, with 1440p Low being the closest at 70.1 FPS, but this is still a lower resolution than the native 1440p.

Q: How does the CPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168. Its closest rival, the AMD EPYC 7552, scores 14115, which is a 0.4% difference. Other rivals include the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (14277, -0.8%) and the Intel Core i5-8500 (14332, -1.1%). This indicates that the CPU's synthetic performance is nearly identical to these alternatives.

Q: Is the GPU's 8 GB of VRAM sufficient for Red Dead Redemption 2 at 4K?

A: The measured data does not specify VRAM usage, but it shows that at 4K with Low settings, the average FPS is 49.1. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s is ample, and the 8 GB capacity is not indicated as a limiting factor. The performance bottleneck is the GPU's compute throughput, not its memory.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset achieves an average of 95.9 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 39.5 FPS. This represents a 143% improvement in frame rate when switching from Ultra to Low, highlighting the significant impact of graphical settings on performance.

Q: How does the GPU's ranking compare to its performance in this game?

A: The GPU is in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 19774. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN, scores 19706 (0.3% difference). In this game, the GPU's performance is consistent with its mid-range ranking, as it struggles at 4K but handles 1080p well.

Q: What is the frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K at the High preset?

A: At 1080p High, the average FPS is 55.5. At 4K High, the average FPS drops to 28. This is a 49.5% reduction in frame rate, which is a direct result of the increased pixel count at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern in how performance scales with resolution. Moving from 1080p to 1440p and then to 4K shows a consistent decline in average FPS across all settings presets. At the High preset, the FPS drops from 55.5 at 1080p to 43.9 at 1440p, a 21% decrease, and then to 28 at 4K, a further 36% decrease. This exponential drop is characteristic of a GPU-bound workload, where the rendering load increases with pixel count, and the RTX 2060 SUPER's compute power becomes the limiting factor.

The scaling is even more pronounced when comparing the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 95.9. At 1440p Low, it drops to 70.1, a 27% reduction. At 4K Low, it further drops to 49.1, a 30% reduction from 1440p. The fact that the FPS does not halve when the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K suggests that the game's rendering pipeline is not purely pixel-bound, but the trend is clear: the GPU's performance is the dominant constraint.

This resolution scaling behavior indicates that the CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is not the limiting component in this configuration. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively constant across resolutions, as the CPU's workload does not change significantly with resolution. Instead, the FPS drops sharply with each resolution increase, which is a hallmark of GPU limitation. The only exception is at 4K Ultra, where the FPS drops to 21.2, but this is still a GPU-bound scenario. Therefore, the data conclusively shows that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is the primary determinant of performance in Red Dead Redemption 2 for this combo, and any attempts to improve frame rates at higher resolutions must involve reducing graphical settings, as the CPU has ample headroom.