Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i5-13400F paired with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 delivers a playable but demanding experience in Red Dead Redemption 2, with performance scaling that clearly illustrates the GPU's workload at higher resolutions. The data shows a steady and predictable decline in frame rates as resolution increases, with the most substantial drop occurring between 1440p and 4K. This pattern indicates that while the CPU provides a solid foundation, the Radeon RX 7700 becomes the limiting factor when pixel count rises, particularly at the highest settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear trend of diminishing returns as resolution scales upward. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 73 FPS average. Moving to 1440p at the same High preset drops the average to 54 FPS, a reduction of 19 frames. The jump to 4K at High settings further reduces performance to 36 FPS average, which is a 49% decrease from the 1080p figure. This pattern strongly suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the CPU's workload does not increase proportionally with pixel count.

Looking at the Low preset, the scaling is even more revealing. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 117 FPS average, which drops to 87 FPS at 1440p and then to 57 FPS at 4K. The 60 FPS gap between 1080p and 4K at Low settings is substantial, indicating that even when graphical load is minimized, the Radeon RX 7700 cannot maintain high frame rates at 4K. The Medium preset shows a similar trajectory: 87 FPS at 1080p, 65 FPS at 1440p, and 43 FPS at 4K. This consistent drop of roughly 20-30 FPS per resolution step confirms that pixel throughput is the dominant constraint.

The Ultra preset, which represents the heaviest load, exhibits the steepest decline. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 52 FPS, falling to 39 FPS at 1440p and then to 26 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra figure is barely above the threshold for smooth gameplay, and the data suggests that this setting combination is only suitable for users who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate. The scaling behavior across all presets points to the GPU being the limiting component, as the CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads are more than sufficient to feed frames at these rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-13400F provides a robust processing foundation for Red Dead Redemption 2, with 10 physical cores and 16 threads operating at a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The CPU's benchmark scores indicate strong multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22604 and a Geekbench multicore score of 11068. These figures position the chip in the 77th percentile of all CPUs, showing that it has ample headroom for both game logic and background tasks.

In the context of this game, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU's workload. The 3DMark scores are particularly telling: the 16-thread test scores 7314, while the max-thread test scores 7307, showing that the processor's additional threads beyond 16 provide negligible gains. This suggests that Red Dead Redemption 2 does not fully utilize the CPU's threading capacity, and the processor is unlikely to be the bottleneck at any resolution tested. The PassMark multithread score of 25032 further confirms that the CPU is performing well above average for gaming workloads.

The comparison with nearest rivals shows the i5-13400F is closely matched with several other processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS scores 25284, essentially identical to the Intel chip's 25292 average benchmark score. The Intel Core 5 120 and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D both score 25362 and 25365 respectively, which are 0.3% higher than the i5-13400F. The AMD Ryzen 7 6800H trails slightly at 25201, which is 0.4% lower. These narrow margins confirm that the CPU is not a differentiating factor in this game's performance; the frame rate differences between resolutions are almost entirely attributable to the GPU.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate achievable with this combo?

A: The maximum measured average FPS is 117, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the FACT PACK where the combo exceeds 100 FPS average.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this hardware?

A: At 4K, the best result is 57 FPS average with Low settings. Medium settings at 4K yield 43 FPS, High settings produce 36 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 26 FPS. Only the Low preset at 4K approaches playable frame rates.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Radeon RX 7700 has an average benchmark score of 15852, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 370X (15862) and 1.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15679). It trails the AMD Radeon RX 9060 by 1% (16014) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti by 1.7% (16129).

Q: What frame rate can users expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 54 FPS at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is a moderate drop from the 73 FPS at 1080p High, representing a 26% reduction in performance.

Q: Does the CPU hold back the GPU in this game?

A: No. The i5-13400F's benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 22604 and a PassMark multithread score of 25032, indicate it has sufficient processing power. The performance scaling across resolutions is consistent with GPU limitations rather than CPU bottlenecks.

Q: What is the most consistent performance across all settings?

A: The Medium preset at 1080p offers 87 FPS average with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS, providing a stable experience. At 1440p Medium, the data shows 65 FPS average with a min of 55 and max of 75, which is also relatively consistent.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-13400F and AMD Radeon RX 7700 combination ranks 1320 out of 2902 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the 45th percentile of all configurations. This mid-pack ranking reflects the balanced nature of the pairing, where neither component is exceptionally high-end nor underwhelming. The rank suggests that while this combo is capable of running the game, there are many other systems that deliver higher frame rates, particularly those with more powerful GPUs.

The ranking is notable because it places this combo below the median of all tested systems. This is likely due to the GPU's position in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, which is respectable but not top-tier. The CPU's 77th percentile ranking is stronger, but in this game, the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions drag the overall combo down. Users seeking better rankings would need to pair a stronger GPU with this CPU, as the processor has headroom for higher frame rates.

The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it performs competitively. At 1080p, the combo achieves above 50 FPS on all presets except Ultra, and at 1440p, it maintains above 39 FPS on all presets. The ranking reflects this reality: the combo is neither a top performer nor a weak one, but rather a solid mid-range option for mainstream gaming.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers the highest average at 117 FPS, followed by Medium at 87 FPS, High at 73 FPS, and Ultra at 52 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p has a documented minimum of 74 FPS and maximum of 100 FPS, indicating smooth frame pacing. The High and Ultra presets at 1080p lack min/max data, but their averages suggest playable performance.

Moving to 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves 87 FPS average, which is exactly the same as the 1080p Medium figure. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 65 FPS, with a minimum of 55 FPS and maximum of 75 FPS, providing a stable experience. High settings at 1440p produce 54 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 39 FPS. The 1440p results show a consistent pattern of roughly 25-30% performance loss compared to 1080p across all presets.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only one that approaches playable frame rates, averaging 57 FPS. Medium settings at 4K average 43 FPS, with a minimum of 37 FPS and maximum of 49 FPS. High settings produce 36 FPS average, and Ultra drops to 26 FPS. The 4K results demonstrate that this combo is not optimized for ultra-high-definition gaming, particularly at higher quality presets where frame rates fall below 30 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution and performance priorities. At 1080p, the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, with 87 FPS average and a tight range of 74-100 FPS. The High preset at 1080p is also viable at 73 FPS, but the 14 FPS drop from Medium may not justify the visual improvement for users who prioritize smoothness. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 117 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors, but sacrifices visual fidelity.

For 1440p gaming, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, delivering 65 FPS average with a minimum of 55 FPS. This provides a consistent experience that stays above 60 FPS on average, with occasional dips that are unlikely to be noticeable. The High preset at 1440p averages 54 FPS, which is playable but may show stutter in demanding scenes. Users who prefer higher quality should consider Medium as the sweet spot, as the jump from Medium to High only yields a 11 FPS loss, but the drop from High to Ultra is more severe at 15 FPS.

At 4K, the Low preset is the only viable option for smooth gameplay, averaging 57 FPS. Medium settings at 4K can be considered if users accept an average of 43 FPS, but the minimum of 37 FPS may cause noticeable frame drops. High and Ultra at 4K are not recommended, as their averages of 36 FPS and 26 FPS respectively fall below the threshold for comfortable gameplay. The data clearly shows that this combo is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p, with 4K reserved for users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the primary determinant of frame rate in Red Dead Redemption 2, as evidenced by the performance scaling across resolutions. The GPU features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. This substantial memory allocation is more than sufficient for the game's textures at all settings, even at 4K where the High preset uses the full capacity without issue. The GPU's clock speeds, with a base of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost of 2459 MHz, are moderate but effective for this workload.

The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, with a PassMark G3D score of 20974 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2865. These figures indicate that the RX 7700 is a mid-range performer, capable of handling most games at 1080p and 1440p with high settings. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU's performance at 1080p High (73 FPS) and 1440p Medium (65 FPS) demonstrates its suitability for mainstream gaming, but its 4K performance is limited.

The comparison with nearest rivals shows the RX 7700 is closely matched with older and lower-tier cards. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 15862, just 0.1% higher than the RX 7700's 15852, while the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 15679, which is 1.1% lower. The RX 7700 trails the AMD Radeon RX 9060 by 1% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti by 1.7%, with scores of 16014 and 16129 respectively. These narrow margins suggest that the RX 7700 is positioned in a competitive segment, but its performance in this game is constrained by the GPU's raw compute power rather than its memory or bandwidth.

The GPU's 96 ROPs and 160 TMUs contribute to its pixel and texture processing capabilities, with a pixel rate of 236.1 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 393.4 GTexel/s. These specifications explain why the GPU handles 1080p and 1440p well but struggles at 4K, where the pixel fill rate becomes a limiting factor. The data indicates that for this game, the GPU is the definitive bottleneck at higher resolutions, and users seeking better 4K performance would need to consider a more powerful GPU.