Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 running with an Intel Core i5-12400F and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 yields a fully measured set of frame‑rate data across three resolutions and four quality presets. The CPU contributes six cores, twelve threads, a 2.50 GHz base clock, and a 4.40 GHz boost clock; the GPU carries 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256‑bit bus with 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The CPU's launch MSRP is $174, and the GPU's launch MSRP is 1,199 USD. This combination produces playable frame rates at every preset, but the interplay between resolution and settings reveals which part of the system is doing the heavy lifting.

Resolution Scaling

Measured average FPS scales consistently as resolution moves from 1920×1080 to 3840×2160. At the Low preset, the jump from 1080p to 1440p drops the average from 194 FPS to 145 FPS (a 25% reduction), and then from 1440p to 4K it falls further to 96 FPS (a 34% reduction). The High preset follows a similar pattern: 121 FPS at 1080p, 90 FPS at 1440p, and 60 FPS at 4K. Average performance at Medium goes from 145 FPS → 108 FPS → 72 FPS across the three resolutions. The Ultra preset produces 87 FPS, 65 FPS, and 43 FPS, respectively.

Doubling the linear resolution quadruples the pixel count, yet the frame rate only drops by about half. For instance, Low mode delivers 194 FPS at 1080p and 96 FPS at 4K – a 2.02× reduction despite 4× the pixels. This tells that the CPU is constraining the upper frame ceiling at lower resolutions. If the GPU alone decided the FPS, moving from 1080p to 4K would halve the FPS because the pixel throughput quadruples; here the drop is smaller, indicating the CPU is the bottleneck at 1080p and still contributes at 4K. At the Ultra preset, the scaling is more linear relative to pixel density – 87 FPS to 43 FPS is a 2.02× drop, which suggests the graphics workload is saturating the GPU and the CPU is less of a factor. Overall, the data show a system where the GPU is strong enough to handle 4K‑class workloads, but the CPU prevents it from reaching the very high frame rates seen with lighter graphics settings.

GPU Role

The RTX 4080 is built on 5 nm technology from TSMC, using the AD103 chip with 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die. Its base clock operates at 2205 MHz, boosting to 2505 MHz. The 16 GB GDDR6X memory runs at an effective speed of 22.4 Gbps across a 256‑bit bus, yielding 716.8 GB/s bandwidth. This VRAM capacity is ample for Red Dead Redemption 2 at any preset; even the most demanding Ultra setting at 4K will load the open world without exceeding the frame buffer, as the average 43 FPS confirms the workload is not memory‑bounded.

The card's pixel rate of 280.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 761.5 GTexel/s align with the measured results. In 4K High, the system sits at exactly 60 FPS average, indicating the GPU is filling the frame at a rate that the CPU can sustain. When the preset is dropped to Low at 4K, the frame count rises to 96, which is more than the 60 FPS target, so the GPU has a lot of reserve capacity. This pattern holds across all resolutions: GOPU capabilities exceed what the game demands at most presets, leaving the CPU to limit the top end.

The RTX0 series supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, all of which are used by Red Dead Redemption 2. The GPU also supports shader – the game uses the full suite, but no VRAM pressure was observed in the measured frames.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured averages, each resolution has a clear optimal preset for balance between visual quality and smoothness. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset reaches 87 FPS average, which exceeds a 60 FPS target, so players have free choice. The Low preset climbs as high as 194 FPS, perfect for high refresh monitors. For most users, the High preset delivers 121 FPS and is already excellent visual fidelity; Ultra only drops to 87, so the game is fluid on any of the four presets.

At 1440p, the High preset averages 90 FPS, and the Medium 108 FPS. Both run above 60, and the difference between them is barely noticeable. Ultra holds 65 FPS – still solid – but for a stable, high frame rate, High or Medium are recommended. The Low preset at 145 FPS is exceptionally light, but the visual degradation is far loses.

At 4K, the High preset averages exactly 60 FPS, giving a clean 60 Hz experience. Medium averages 72 FPS, providing more headroom with only a minor reduction in quality. Ultra falls to 44 FPS, which is not consistently smooth on a standard 60 Hz display; it may be acceptable for cinematic experiences, but the High or Medium presets are clearly advisable for gameplay. Therefore, the best balance of quality and speed is to use High at 1440p and High at 4K, while at 1080p gamers can freely choose Medium, High, or Ultra based on preference.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of 7800 tested CPU + GPU combinations, this specific i5-12400F + RTX0 4080 pairing is ranked at position 260 out of ; six total. That places the combination in the top ~7% of all configurations measured for Red Dead Redemption 2. The rank reflects the real performance in this title: with an average frame rate of 60 at 4K High preset, it outperforms the vast majority of systems that would settle for ~30 FPS in the same scenario.

The system component similarity is relevant: the CPU sits near the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU reaches the 86th percentile among all graphics cards. The combination of the two result is a strong overall performance index because the 3060‑level GPU pulls the system ahead of many pre‑builds, while the i5‑12100F is enough to let the card express its strengths. In terms of individual rivals, the CPU benchmarks show jurisdiction for a theato inthe fill area.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5‑12400F implements Alder Lake architecture, a 10nm process, and a 65W TDP. Its 6P + 0E cores / 12 threads run at 2.50 GHz base and boost to 4.40 GHz. The L3 cache is 18 MB shared. For a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, which benefits from a few fast threads, the i5's single‑thread performance is more relevant than raw all‑core. Multi‑core benchmarks place the chip at 12,380 in Cinebench R23 multi and 1,680 in single, while Geekbench gives 9,472 ‑‑ these numbers reflect a powerful core for its class.

In the CPU percentile, the i5‑12400F sits at 73, meaning it beats about 73% of CPUs. When compared to its nearest rivals, it is roughly even: it scores within 0 IP of the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, within −0.5 p of the Intel Core 3 201E, and +0.3 p over the Intel 16th‑gen Core i5‑1435U. These rivals are integrated‑oriented or mobile parts, so the desktop i5 offers similar performance but on a socket with way layout headroom for the GPU.

Continuing with gaming workloads, the i5 is not a bottleneck at 0.4 GHz boost. The measured low‑preset 1080p frame exceeds 190 FPS, but does not scale to 1440 or 4K as the GPU gains effort. This indicates that the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at 4K, the pure flatness is limited by the game’s single‑threaded components. For instance, at 1080p Low the CPU data is required to drive 194 FPS, which stresses the cores; yet at 4K Low the same CPU sustains 96, a number that’s still high and proves the CPU is not the last.

The i5‑12400F’s power is sufficient for the 320W GPU, but TDP of 65W keeps thermal resolution simple. It supports DDR4‑4800 or DDR5‑5600 as per motherboard choice, and includes PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes, which does not itself impact this game much.

FAQ

Q: At 4K, which preset achieves at least 60 FPS?

A: The average FPS at 4K on High is exactly 60 FPS; the Medium preset runs at 72 FPS, so both meet the mark. Ultra drops to 43 FPS, and Low is 96 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU limit the frame rate?

A: Yes. At 1080p the Low preset reaches 194 FPS, yet at 4K the frame is only 50% lower – while pixel count quadruples – implying the CPU is not letting the GPU hit its highest ceiling when render load is low, but the CPU is still sufficient for 4K, giving 60-96.

Q: What settings would be best for a 1440p display?

A: For 1440p, Medium averages 108 FPS or High hits 90 FPS. Both are above 60, and High offers better quality while still 90 FPS; Ultra slightly drops to 65 within comfort but less‑smooth.

Q: Is the 12GB VRAM enough for Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: Yes. The 16 GB GPU at 256‑bit bus runs all settings without hitting VRAM limits, as the camera shows stable frame rates even at 4K Ultra (43 FPS) – which is not a VRAM‑limit issue.

Q2: Where does this combo stand among all tested systems?

A: The comboRankInGame place this at 260 out of 3714, i.e., in the top 7%. The ranking is high because at 4K High it holds 60.

7. Instructions

4K – 60 avg (High), 72 (Medium), 43 (Ultra).

1440p – 90 (High), 108 (Med), 65 (Ultra).

1080p – 121 (High), 184 (Low), 152 (Med), 870 (Ultra).

Measured FPS Breakdown

Measurements are average FPS unless noted; some rows also include minimum/maximum for Medium at each resolution. The list is given below for every preset and resolution set.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|--------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 1280x2160 | High | 60 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 96 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 72 | 21 | 32 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 43 | - | – |

| 2560x1440 | High | 90 | - | – |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 145 | - | – |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 108 | 92 | 125 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 65 | - | – |

| 1280x1024 | High | 121 | - | – |

| 1280x1024 | Low | 194 | - | – |

| 1280x1024 | Medium | 145 | 123 | 167 |

| 1280x1024 | Ultra | 87 | - | – |

These results represent the exact measured average FPS from the database for the specified settings. As discussed, the Medium preset includes additional minimum and maximum data that show the variance – for instance at 4K Medium the frame times range from 61 to 82 FPS, signifying that the engine’s worst‑case still exceeds a 60 FPS target. At 1080p Medium, the range is 123–167 FPS meaning the perceived smoothness is high.

The combined picture is clear: this pairing with an RTX0 4080 offers a top‑tier experience once settings are tuned to the resolution4 with enough frame headroom at 1080p and 1440p and a comfortable 60 FPS at 4K on recommended settings.