Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 lands at rank 954 out of 1687 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2. This places the pairing in the lower-middle tier of the database, indicating that while it is not a top-tier configuration for this title, it sits above roughly 43% of all recorded combinations. The ranking reflects a balance where the CPU’s strong synthetic scores do not fully translate into elite gaming performance when constrained by the GPU’s capabilities in this specific open-world title.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 954 out of 1687 places it just below the median, suggesting that many other CPU-GPU pairings deliver higher frame rates in Red Dead Redemption 2. The Intel Core i5-14600KF itself is a high performer in general benchmarks, holding a 93rd percentile rank among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 49367 places it 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i5-14600K and 1.4% ahead of the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H, while sitting 0.5% behind the AMD EPYC 4345P and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X. These margins are negligible in real-world gaming, meaning the CPU is not the limiting factor here.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, by contrast, holds a 66th percentile rank among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23181. Its nearest rivals show tight competition: it trails the AMD Radeon RX 6600M by 0.6% and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti by 0.7%, while leading the Intel Arc B580 by 0.7% and the AMD Radeon 760M by 0.8%. Given the GPU’s mid-pack standing, the combo’s overall rank of 954 is largely dictated by the graphics card’s performance envelope in this game, which is known for heavy GPU load.

GPU Role

The RTX 4060 brings 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. In Red Dead Redemption 2, this memory configuration proves adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 8 GB capacity becomes a constraint at higher resolutions and ultra settings. The GPU’s base clock of 1830 MHz and boost clock of 2460 MHz are moderate for the Ada Lovelace architecture, and the 3072 shading units handle the game’s shader complexity without issue at lower presets.

The GPU’s 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores are present but underutilized in this title, which relies more on traditional rasterization. The 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is sufficient for the game’s geometry and lighting calculations, but the 128-bit memory bus limits texture streaming at 4K. The measured FPS data confirms this: at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo manages just 23.3 FPS, which is barely playable. At the same resolution with High settings, the average rises to 34 FPS, still below the 60 FPS target most players seek. The GPU’s 272.0 GB/s bandwidth is a bottleneck when the game demands large texture loads at 4K, a scenario where the 8 GB VRAM also fills quickly.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and reveals the GPU as the primary limiter. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves 71.6 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops the average to 50.9 FPS, a reduction of roughly 29%. At 3840x2160, the average falls further to 34 FPS, which is a 53% drop from the 1080p result. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU has ample headroom but the graphics card cannot sustain frame rates as pixel count increases.

The Low preset tells a similar story but with higher absolute numbers. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 108.8 FPS, which drops to 81.7 FPS at 1440p and 55.1 FPS at 4K. The relative drop from 1080p to 4K is 49%, slightly less severe than the High preset’s 53% drop, suggesting that even at Low settings the GPU remains the bottleneck. The data indicates that the RTX 4060 is best utilized at 1080p, where it can approach or exceed 100 FPS on lower presets, while 1440p is viable for medium to high settings, but 4K is only playable at Low settings or with significant compromises.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers a wide range of performance depending on the preset. Low settings produce an average of 108.8 FPS, which is smooth for competitive play. Medium settings reduce the average to 80.4 FPS, still comfortable for most displays. High settings yield 71.6 FPS, which is adequate for a cinematic experience. Ultra settings, however, drop the average to 49.9 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold and may cause noticeable stutter on high-refresh monitors.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages decrease across the board. Low settings produce 81.7 FPS, which remains playable. Medium settings deliver 63.3 FPS, close to the 60 FPS target. High settings average 50.9 FPS, which is borderline. Ultra settings fall to 39.8 FPS, making the game feel sluggish. At 3840x2160, the numbers decline further: Low averages 55.1 FPS, Medium 41 FPS, High 34 FPS, and Ultra 23.3 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is the only measurement below 30 FPS, indicating that this configuration is not suited for maximum fidelity at 4K.

The progression from Ultra to Low at each resolution shows a consistent improvement: at 1080p, the jump from Ultra (49.9 FPS) to Low (108.8 FPS) represents a 118% increase in frame rate. At 1440p, the same transition yields a 105% increase (from 39.8 to 81.7 FPS). At 4K, the improvement is 137% (from 23.3 to 55.1 FPS). These percentages highlight how lowering settings can dramatically boost performance, especially at higher resolutions where the GPU is most strained.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience on this combo, the data points to 1080p as the primary resolution target. At 1920x1080, the High preset offers a solid balance of visual fidelity and performance at 71.6 FPS, while Medium provides a smoother 80.4 FPS with only a minor visual sacrifice. For players prioritizing frame rate, Low at 1080p delivers 108.8 FPS, which is ideal for fast-paced gameplay. Ultra at 1080p is not recommended, as the 49.9 FPS average fails to meet the 60 FPS standard and the visual gains over High are marginal.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, offering 63.3 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS target. High at 1440p drops to 50.9 FPS, which may be acceptable for slower exploration but not for action sequences. Low at 1440p provides 81.7 FPS, making it the best choice for competitive play on a 1440p monitor. Ultra at 1440p should be avoided, as 39.8 FPS compromises the experience.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset achieves a playable frame rate at 55.1 FPS. Medium at 41 FPS and High at 34 FPS are below the playable threshold for most users. Ultra at 4K is effectively unplayable at 23.3 FPS. For 4K gaming, the combo requires the Low preset to maintain any semblance of smoothness, and even then, the 55.1 FPS average is close to the edge. The data suggests that users with 4K displays should either lower resolution scaling or accept the Low preset, as the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus cannot handle higher settings at this resolution.

The benchmark results indicate that this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming with High or Medium settings, where it delivers strong performance. At 1440p, Medium is the highest playable preset, while 4K requires Low settings to remain functional. The CPU’s high synthetic scores do not compensate for the GPU’s limitations in this title, making the RTX 4060 the defining component for frame rates.