Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i5-14600KF serves as the central processing unit in this Red Dead Redemption 2 configuration, bringing 14 cores and 20 threads to the table. Its architecture is Raptor Lake, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz that can boost up to 5.30 GHz. The processor's cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 24 MB of L3 cache. In synthetic workloads, this CPU achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32544 and a single-core score of 4594, while its Geekbench multi-core and single-core results are 17085 and 2445, respectively. With a percentile rank of 90 against all CPUs, the i5-14600KF sits firmly in the upper echelon of available processors. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, posts an average benchmark score of 49228, which is a mere 0.3% difference from the Intel chip's average of 49394, indicating these two processors are functionally equivalent in overall compute capability.

For a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, which is known for its sprawling open world and complex simulation systems, the CPU's multi-threaded prowess becomes relevant when rendering scenes with numerous NPCs, physics interactions, and AI routines. The 14-core, 20-thread configuration provides substantial headroom for these background tasks, even as the game's primary rendering load falls on the GPU. The boost clock of 5.30 GHz ensures that single-threaded game logic, such as the main render thread, receives strong performance, which is critical for maintaining consistent frame pacing. The data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the CPU is clearly keeping up, as the average FPS reaches 125, a figure that suggests the GPU is the limiting factor even at lower resolutions where CPU overhead typically becomes more pronounced.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is the graphics engine for this setup, built on the Ampere architecture with the GA104 chip manufactured on Samsung's 8 nm process. It houses 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 96 raster operation units, with a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1725 MHz. The memory subsystem consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. In compute terms, the GPU delivers 20.31 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3162, and it achieves 22214 in Passmark's G3D test. The RTX 3070 holds a percentile rank of 61 against all GPUs, placing it slightly above the median of tested graphics cards. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, has an average score of 17083, which is 0.7% higher than the RTX 3070's 17208 average, showing these two cards are closely matched in raw performance.

The VRAM capacity of 8 GB proves to be a defining characteristic in Red Dead Redemption 2, particularly as resolution increases. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 28, which is below the threshold for comfortable playability. The 448.0 GB/s memory bandwidth provides sufficient throughput for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 8 GB frame buffer becomes a constraint at higher resolutions where texture data demands more storage. The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern: the GPU's performance scales inversely with resolution, and the drop from 1080p High (78 FPS) to 4K High (38 FPS) indicates that the RTX 3070 is being pushed to its limits at the higher pixel count. The GPU's 61st percentile ranking suggests it is a mid-to-upper tier card, capable of solid 1440p gaming but requiring settings adjustments to maintain smooth frame rates at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data across resolutions provides a clear picture of how this CPU-GPU combination scales. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 125 FPS, which drops to 93 FPS at 1440p and further to 61 FPS at 4K. This represents a 51% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, a scaling pattern that strongly indicates the GPU is the performance bottleneck. When moving to High settings, the 1080p result is 78 FPS, the 1440p result is 58 FPS, and the 4K result is 38 FPS, showing a 51% drop from 1080p to 4K as well. The consistency of this scaling factor across different quality presets reinforces that the RTX 3070's rendering throughput, rather than the CPU's processing capability, dictates the frame rate ceiling.

The Medium preset reveals more detail about the system's behavior, as it is the only preset with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values. At 1080p Medium, the average is 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 and maximum of 107, while at 1440p Medium, the average drops to 70 FPS with a range of 59 to 80, and at 4K Medium, the average falls to 46 FPS with a range of 39 to 53. The tight variance between minimum and maximum at each resolution suggests stable frame delivery without severe stuttering, which points to the CPU providing consistent frame data to the GPU. The 1080p Medium result of 93 FPS matching the 1440p Low result of 93 FPS is particularly telling; it implies that at these settings, the GPU is the primary limiter, as increasing resolution while decreasing quality yields identical performance. At Ultra settings, the system struggles at higher resolutions, with 1080p delivering 56 FPS, 1440p dropping to 42 FPS, and 4K falling to 28 FPS, all of which are below the 60 FPS target that many players prefer.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this system to achieve 60 FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: Based on the measured data, 1440p with Low settings delivers 93 FPS, and 1080p with Medium settings delivers 93 FPS. To maintain a 60 FPS average, 1440p High (58 FPS) is slightly below target, so 1440p Medium (70 FPS) or 1080p High (78 FPS) are the safest options for consistent performance above 60 FPS.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49394, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900's score of 49228. It also trails the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 by 0.8%, whose score is 49796, indicating these processors are within a negligible performance margin of each other.

Q: Is the GPU's VRAM sufficient for 4K gaming in this title?

A: The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 28, and at 4K High, it is 38. These low frame rates suggest that the 8 GB VRAM and the GPU's compute capabilities are insufficient for smooth 4K gameplay, as even dropping to Low settings at 4K only yields 61 FPS.

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

A: At 1080p, the Low preset achieves 125 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves 56 FPS. This represents a 55% reduction in average frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset, demonstrating the significant performance cost of Ultra settings.

Q: How does this system rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combination of the Intel Core i5-14600KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 1597 out of 3714 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the upper half of all configurations in the database.

Q: Which resolution shows the smallest drop in performance when increasing settings?

A: At 4K, moving from Low (61 FPS) to Medium (46 FPS) results in a 24.6% drop, whereas at 1080p, moving from Low (125 FPS) to Medium (93 FPS) results in a 25.6% drop. The percentage drops are similar, but the 4K Medium setting has a lower absolute frame rate of 46 FPS, which is less playable.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 achieves a rank of 1597 out of 3714 tested combinations in Red Dead Redemption 2. This places the system in the 57th percentile of all configurations, meaning it outperforms a majority of tested setups while remaining behind the top-tier combinations. The rank reflects a balanced pairing where the CPU's 90th percentile performance complements the GPU's 61st percentile performance, resulting in a system that is capable but not at the extreme high end for this game. The CPU's average benchmark score of 49394 is only 0.3% above the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, and the GPU's average score of 17208 is 0.7% below the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, indicating that neither component is a standout outlier in its respective market segment.

The ranking suggests that this combination is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where the measured FPS data shows playable frame rates across most settings. At 1080p, the system delivers 125 FPS on Low, 93 FPS on Medium, and 78 FPS on High, all of which exceed the 60 FPS threshold. At 1440p, the system manages 93 FPS on Low, 70 FPS on Medium, and 58 FPS on High, with the High preset being borderline for 60 FPS gaming. The 4K results, with a maximum of 61 FPS on Low and 38 FPS on High, indicate that this rank is not earned through high-resolution capability but rather through solid mid-range performance. Compared to the 3714 total combos, this setup's rank of 1597 means there are 2117 configurations that perform worse, validating the i5-14600KF and RTX 3070 as a competent pairing for mainstream gaming.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data across resolutions and presets provides clear guidance for optimizing the gameplay experience with this hardware. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 FPS, offering a substantial improvement over High's 78 FPS while maintaining visual quality that is noticeably better than Low's 125 FPS but with lower fidelity. The Medium preset at 1080p provides the best balance of smoothness and visual fidelity, as the minimum FPS of 79 ensures that frame drops remain above the 60 FPS threshold, avoiding noticeable stutter during intense scenes. For players prioritizing maximum frame rate, the Low preset at 1080p achieves 125 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors, though it sacrifices the graphical richness that Red Dead Redemption 2's open world benefits from.

At 1440p, the Medium preset yields 70 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS, which is close to the 60 FPS target but with occasional dips below it. The High preset at 1440p averages 58 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in inconsistent frame pacing. For 1440p gaming, the Low preset at 93 FPS provides the smoothest experience, while Medium offers a compromise at 70 FPS that is playable but not perfectly stable. At 4K, the Low preset achieves 61 FPS, which is marginally above the 60 FPS target, while the Medium preset drops to 46 FPS. Given that the data shows the GPU is the limiting factor, players using this system should prioritize the Low preset at 4K if they want near-60 FPS performance, or accept the lower frame rates of Medium at 46 FPS for better visuals. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as even at 1080p it only achieves 56 FPS, which is below the playability threshold, and at 4K it falls to 28 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay.