Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 pairing in Red Dead Redemption 2 represents a study in contrasting generational strengths. The CPU, a 14-core Raptor Lake Refresh part with 20 threads, operates at a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This configuration, built on a 10 nm process, provides the foundational instruction throughput that the game’s simulation layer demands. The data shows the processor sits at the 90th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48618. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H (scoring 48698, a delta of -0.2%) and the AMD EPYC 4345P (scoring 48470, a delta of 0.3%), indicating that the i5-14600K slots into a tightly contested performance band for general compute.

In the context of Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU’s role is to manage the persistent world, NPC logic, and physics calculations, which are not typically the primary bottleneck in this title at high graphical presets. The processor’s single-core performance, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2491 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2064, is robust enough to handle the game’s main thread. The multi-core headroom, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491, ensures that background tasks and the game’s secondary threads do not introduce stutter. The data suggests that at lower resolutions, where the GPU produces frames faster, the CPU’s capability becomes more critical; however, the measured FPS indicates that even at 1080p Low, the combination achieves 201 FPS, suggesting the CPU is not a limiting factor in these tested rows.

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

The Intel Core i5-14600K brings a hybrid architecture to the table, with 14 cores and 20 threads. Its 3.50 GHz base clock is a starting point, but the 5.30 GHz boost clock is the figure that matters for single-threaded game logic. Red Dead Redemption 2 is known for its heavy draw distances and complex AI routines, which often rely on a single powerful core. The benchmark data for this CPU shows a PassMark single-thread score of 4270, which is a strong indicator of its ability to handle those critical threads. The L3 cache of 24 MB shared is also a factor, as it reduces latency when the game needs to access frequently used data.

The relationship between the CPU’s capabilities and the game’s results becomes clear when examining the 1080p Low preset, where the average FPS is 201. At this setting, the GPU is not rendering as many effects, so the CPU must keep up with the game’s simulation tick. The fact that the frame rate is this high suggests the i5-14600K has ample headroom. The processor’s 125 W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory are general characteristics, but the measured FPS data does not isolate memory type as a variable. The CPU’s percentile rank of 90 versus all CPUs implies it is in the top decile of processors available, which aligns with the high frame rates observed across all resolutions.

The data does not suggest that the CPU is the limiting component in this specific game, as the FPS scales dramatically with resolution and settings changes. For instance, moving from 1080p Low (201 FPS) to 4K Low (99 FPS) shows a 102 FPS drop, which is a GPU-bound behavior. The CPU’s performance is relatively constant across these scenarios, meaning its 14 cores and 20 threads are sufficient to feed the RTX 5080 without creating a bottleneck at the tested settings. The Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 13709 and the Geekbench multi-core score of 16673 further confirm that the processor has the aggregate throughput for modern game engines, even if the game itself does not fully utilize all 20 threads.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the dominant force in this pairing, as the measured FPS data clearly shows the GPU is the primary driver of performance differences. It comes equipped with 16 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s. This is a massive amount of bandwidth, which is crucial for Red Dead Redemption 2’s open-world textures and high-resolution assets at 4K. The GPU’s base clock is 2295 MHz, with a boost clock of 2617 MHz, and it has 10752 shading units to process the game’s geometry and lighting.

The GPU’s role is most evident when comparing the Ultra preset across resolutions. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 90; at 1440p Ultra, it drops to 67; and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 45. This linear progression of decreasing frame rates with increasing pixel count is the classic signature of a GPU-bound scenario. The RTX 5080’s 16 GB VRAM is also a factor at 4K, as the game’s high-resolution textures and Ultra settings can consume large amounts of memory. The data shows that at 4K Medium, the average FPS is 74, which is significantly higher than the 45 FPS at 4K Ultra, indicating that the GPU’s compute units and memory bandwidth are being saturated by the Ultra preset’s additional effects.

The GPU’s benchmark scores reinforce its high-end status. With a PassMark G3D score of 36565 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 8637, it sits at the 87th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 8060S, has an average score of 55757, a delta of 0.6%, which places the RTX 5080 in a very competitive tier. The RTX 5080’s 960.0 GB/s bandwidth is particularly important for Red Dead Redemption 2, as the game is known for streaming in large amounts of environmental data as the player moves across the map. The 4K High preset, which averages 62 FPS, shows that the GPU can handle the game’s visual fidelity at the highest resolution, but the Ultra preset pushes it to the edge of playability, with an average of 45 FPS.

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

Q: What is the average FPS at 1440p High with this CPU and GPU combination?

A: The measured data shows an average FPS of 94 at 2560x1440 with High settings.

Q: How does the RTX 5080 rank against other GPUs in the benchmark database?

A: The RTX 5080 has a percentile rank of 87 versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 56083.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14600K a bottleneck at 4K Ultra in this game?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor, as the 4K Ultra preset yields an average of 45 FPS, which is a significant drop from the 4K Medium average of 74 FPS, suggesting the GPU is saturated.

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1080p Low and 1080p Ultra?

A: The average FPS at 1080p Low is 201, while at 1080p Ultra it is 90, representing a difference of 111 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU’s multi-threaded performance affect the game’s frame rates?

A: The CPU has a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 24491, but the FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K is consistent with GPU-bound behavior, indicating the CPU is not the primary constraint in these tests.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded in the measured data?

A: The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 63, which occurs at 3840x2160 with Medium settings, alongside a maximum FPS of 85.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 achieves a rank of 220 out of 3714 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2. This places it in the top 6% of all configurations in the database, which is a strong showing for a high-end desktop pairing. The rank reflects the combined capabilities of the 90th percentile CPU and the 87th percentile GPU. The data suggests that this combo outperforms the vast majority of tested systems, likely due to the RTX 5080’s high memory bandwidth and core count, which are well-suited for this game’s demanding visuals.

The rank of 220 indicates that there are 219 other combos that achieve higher average FPS across the measured settings. These are likely to include higher-tier CPUs or even more powerful GPUs, but the data does not specify which. The fact that this combo is in the top 6% suggests that for most users, the performance will be exceptionally smooth, especially at 1440p and 1080p. At 4K, the combo still ranks highly, but the Ultra preset’s 45 FPS average shows that there is a limit to what this pairing can achieve at the highest visual fidelity. The rank is a holistic measure, meaning it accounts for performance across all resolutions and settings, and the data indicates that the combo is particularly strong at lower resolutions where the CPU’s high single-thread performance can shine.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at how this combo performs across three resolutions and four graphical presets. Starting with 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 201 at Low to 90 at Ultra. The Medium preset at 1080p achieves an average of 151 FPS, with a minimum of 128 and a maximum of 173. The High preset averages 126 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the RTX 5080 is capable of extremely high frame rates, easily exceeding 144 Hz on High and Medium, and even the Ultra preset’s 90 FPS is playable on high-refresh-rate monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the average FPS drops as expected. Low settings yield 150 FPS, which is still very high. Medium averages 112 FPS, with a minimum of 95 and a maximum of 129. High averages 94 FPS, and Ultra drops to 67 FPS. These figures indicate that 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, as even the Ultra preset is playable, and the High preset provides a smooth experience for competitive or immersive play. At 3840x2160, the performance decreases further. Low averages 99 FPS, Medium averages 74 FPS, and High averages 62 FPS. The Ultra preset averages 45 FPS, which is the lowest recorded in the data. The Medium preset at 4K shows a minimum of 63 FPS and a maximum of 85 FPS, which is the only preset at 4K with min/max data available.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal setting for this combo depends on the user’s resolution and frame rate target. At 1080p, the High preset’s 126 FPS average is a good balance between visual quality and performance, but the Medium preset’s 151 FPS average might be preferable for those seeking higher refresh rates. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with its 90 FPS average, is also viable, but the jump from High to Ultra is not worth the 36 FPS loss for most players. At 1440p, the High preset’s 94 FPS average is the best choice for a smooth experience, as it provides a significant improvement over the Ultra preset’s 67 FPS while maintaining high visual fidelity.

At 4K, the data suggests that the Medium preset, with its 74 FPS average, is the best compromise. The High preset’s 62 FPS is still playable, but it is closer to the 60 FPS threshold, and the Ultra preset’s 45 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. The Low preset at 4K achieves 99 FPS, but the visual downgrade is likely too severe for a game like Red Dead Redemption 2. Therefore, the medium preset is the highest setting that consistently provides a frame rate above 70 FPS at 4K. For users with high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors, the High preset offers the best balance, while for 1080p users, the Medium or High presets are both excellent choices.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear pattern of GPU limitation. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 201 at 1080p to 150 at 1440p, a 25.4% decrease, and then to 99 at 4K, a further 34% decrease from 1440p. This scaling is more aggressive at higher settings. For example, at Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 90 at 1080p to 67 at 1440p (a 25.6% decrease) and then to 45 at 4K (a 32.8% decrease from 1440p). The percentage drops are consistent across settings, which indicates that the GPU is the limiting component, as its workload scales directly with the pixel count.

The data implies that the CPU is not a significant bottleneck at any resolution, as the frame rate drops are proportional to the increase in resolution. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the FPS would be more similar across resolutions, especially at lower settings. The fact that the 4K Ultra preset yields 45 FPS while 1080p Ultra yields 90 FPS suggests that the RTX 5080 is being pushed to its limits at 4K with Ultra settings. The memory bandwidth of 960.0 GB/s is likely being fully utilized at 4K, and the 16 GB of VRAM is sufficient for the game’s assets. This analysis points to the GPU’s raw compute power being the primary determinant of performance, with the i5-14600K providing enough headroom to ensure it is not the limiting factor in this title.