Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i5-14600KF pairs with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 to form a formidable gaming platform, but the data from Red Dead Redemption 2 reveals a distinct division of labor. The CPU, with its 14 cores (6 performance and 8 efficiency) and 20 threads, operates at a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. This configuration provides a robust foundation for the game's simulation and AI workloads, ensuring that the processor does not bottleneck the graphics card in most scenarios. The CPU's architecture, Raptor Lake-R, built on a 10 nm process, includes 24 MB of shared L3 cache, which is critical for feeding the GPU with data quickly. In contrast, the RTX 5090 is a monolithic powerhouse—a 5 nm Blackwell 2.0 chip with 92,200 million transistors and a die size of 750 mm². Its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus delivers 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, and its 21,760 shading units provide the raw computational muscle for rendering. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is rarely the limiting factor; instead, the GPU's immense power is held back by the game's engine and the chosen graphical settings, which is evident in the measured frame rates.

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

The Core i5-14600KF is a desktop processor from the Core 14th Gen series, released on 2023-10-16, and it remains in active production. With 14 cores and 20 threads, it offers a balanced mix of high-performance and high-efficiency cores, a design that is well-suited for a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, which can utilize multiple threads for physics, character AI, and world simulation. The processor's boost clock of 5.30 GHz on its performance cores is particularly relevant, as it ensures that single-threaded tasks—often the bottleneck in open-world games—are handled with minimal latency. The CPU's benchmark scores support this: it achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889 and a single-core score of 4643, placing it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs. In the context of this game, the data shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the CPU is capable of pushing the frame rate to 219.4 FPS, which suggests that the processor has significant headroom to feed the RTX 5090. However, the CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where the GPU is less taxed; the difference between 1080p Low and 4K Low (219.4 FPS vs. 111.7 FPS) indicates that the GPU is still the primary driver of performance, but the CPU must keep up with the increased draw calls and game logic. The 125 W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory (dual-channel) provide a flexible platform, though the actual memory bandwidth is not listed in the data. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14600K (0.4% ahead) and AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (0.6% ahead), show that it is competitively positioned, but in this game, its performance is more than adequate to complement the RTX 5090.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested combinations, the Intel Core i5-14600KF with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 10th out of 1687 combos for Red Dead Redemption 2. This top-1% placement underscores the synergy between these two components, even if the absolute frame rates do not always reflect the GPU's theoretical peak. The combo's rank confirms the CPU's ability to avoid bottlenecking the GPU, even at high frame rates. For context, the RTX 5090 alone sits in the 94th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84306, while the i5-14600KF is in the 93rd percentile with an average score of 49367. When combined, the system's performance in this game is near the top of the charts, but it is not the absolute best, which suggests that other combos with even higher-end CPUs (like the Core i9 or Ryzen 9 series) might extract slightly more performance from the RTX 5090 in CPU-bound scenarios. The data shows that the combo's rank of 10 is impressive, but it also highlights that the RTX 5090 is so powerful that it can be limited by the CPU in certain situations, particularly at 1080p where the graphics card is not the bottleneck. The nearest rivals for the GPU, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D (0.1% ahead) and the AMD Radeon PRO W6600 (1.3% ahead), do not directly compete in gaming, but they provide a reference point for the GPU's overall capability. This combo's ranking indicates that it is an elite pairing, but the measured FPS data reveals that it is not always pushing the boundaries of what the RTX 5090 can achieve, especially at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data across resolutions paints a clear picture of where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 219.4 FPS, but this drops to 164.1 FPS at 1440p and further to 111.7 FPS at 4K. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario: as resolution increases, the GPU's rendering workload grows exponentially, and the frame rate drops accordingly. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial—about 49%—which indicates that the RTX 5090 is the limiting factor at higher resolutions. Conversely, the relatively small drop from 1080p to 1440p (from 219.4 FPS to 164.1 FPS, a 25% decrease) suggests that the CPU is still capable of feeding the GPU at 1440p, but the GPU is starting to become the constraint. At 4K, the GPU is fully saturated, and the CPU's role is diminished. This is further supported by the Ultra settings data: at 1080p Ultra, the combo hits 100.3 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it falls to 50.5 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Ultra settings shows a 50% drop, which is consistent with the GPU being the primary limiter. The data indicates that the i5-14600KF is not holding back the RTX 5090 at any resolution, as the CPU's high single-core performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4643) ensures that it can keep up with the GPU's frame generation. However, the fact that the combo ranks 10th out of 1687 suggests that some other CPUs might allow the RTX 5090 to stretch its legs even further at 1080p, where the CPU is more heavily taxed.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data for this combo in Red Dead Redemption 2 is as follows, broken down by resolution and settings:

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the combo delivers 219.4 FPS on Low settings, 165.4 FPS on Medium, 136.7 FPS on High, and 100.3 FPS on Ultra. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 54% drop in frame rate, which is expected as the graphical fidelity increases. At 1080p, the CPU is more involved, but the RTX 5090 still dominates, as evidenced by the high frame rates even at Ultra.

Moving to 2560x1440 (1440p), the frame rates are 164.1 FPS on Low, 123.6 FPS on Medium, 106.7 FPS on High, and 76.7 FPS on Ultra. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across settings, averaging around 25-30%, which indicates that the GPU is scaling as expected with resolution. At 1440p Ultra, the combo still provides a playable 76.7 FPS, which is impressive for a game with demanding visuals.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the frame rates are 111.7 FPS on Low, 80.4 FPS on Medium, 70.6 FPS on High, and 50.5 FPS on Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 55%, similar to the 1080p gap, but the absolute numbers are much lower. At 4K Ultra, the combo dips below 60 FPS, which is a notable data point for gamers seeking the highest visual quality. The data shows that the RTX 5090 is capable of handling 4K High at 70.6 FPS, but Ultra settings push it to the limit. The performance at 4K Low (111.7 FPS) is still excellent, demonstrating the GPU's raw power. Overall, the measured FPS data shows that this combo is best suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p, where it can exceed 100 FPS on High settings, while 4K gaming is viable but requires settings compromises for smooth frame rates.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested CPU-GPU pairings for Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600KF with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 10th out of 1687 tested combos, placing it in the top 1% of all configurations.

Q: How does the i5-14600KF compare to its nearest rival, the Core i5-14600K?

A: The i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49367, which is 0.4% higher than the Core i5-14600K's score of 49166, making them essentially equivalent in performance.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings for achieving over 100 FPS with this combo?

A: The combo can achieve over 100 FPS at 1080p with all settings (Low: 219.4 FPS, Medium: 165.4 FPS, High: 136.7 FPS, Ultra: 100.3 FPS) and at 1440p with Low (164.1 FPS), Medium (123.6 FPS), and High (106.7 FPS) settings.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 4K resolution?

A: No, the data shows that at 4K, the GPU is the limiting factor, as frame rates scale down consistently with resolution increases. The CPU's high single-core performance (Cinebench R23 score of 4643) ensures it is not a bottleneck.

Q: What is the frame rate at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo delivers an average of 50.5 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the RTX 5090's performance compare to its nearest rival, the RTX 5090 D?

A: The RTX 5090 has an average benchmark score of 84306, which is 0.1% higher than the RTX 5090 D's score of 84241, indicating a negligible performance difference.