Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B570 produces a mid-pack result in Red Dead Redemption 2, securing rank 2335 out of 2902 tested combinations. This places the combo in the lower half of the database, indicating that while the hardware can run the game, it requires careful settings management to achieve a consistently playable experience. The Arc B570’s position as the 65th percentile GPU globally is somewhat undermined by the older i5-9400, which sits at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, creating a system where the graphics card’s potential is partially constrained by the processor’s six-core, six-thread design.

How This Combo Ranks

The data places this configuration at rank 2335 out of 2902 combos, a percentile position of roughly 19.5% from the bottom. This is a modest standing, reflecting the combination's inability to push high frame rates at demanding settings. Benchmark results indicate the system is more suited to 1080p and 1440p gaming with adjusted presets rather than chasing maximum visual fidelity. The i5-9400’s average benchmark score of 2254 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (score 2259, delta -0.2%) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (score 2246, delta 0.4%), showing the CPU is a thoroughly average performer in this context. Similarly, the Arc B570’s average score of 20556 puts it within a hair of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (delta 0.1%) and the Intel Arc A750 (delta -0.1%), confirming that the GPU is a solid mid-range option. However, the measured FPS data shows that even with this balanced hardware pairing, the game’s heavy demands at 4K resolution push the system to its limits, with the High preset yielding only 24 FPS average and Ultra dropping to 18 FPS average.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is the primary driver of graphics performance in this setup, built on the Xe2-HPG architecture with a 5 nm process. It features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates at a fixed 2500 MHz base and boost clock, with memory running at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). This memory configuration is sufficient for Red Dead Redemption 2’s open-world textures at lower resolutions, but the data shows a sharp drop in performance as resolution scales. At 3840x2160, the average FPS ranges from 39 on Low to just 18 on Ultra, indicating that the 10 GB frame buffer and 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate are not enough to handle 4K’s pixel count without significant compromises. The card’s FP32 throughput of 11.52 TFLOPS and texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s are respectable for 1080p, where the Low preset achieves 79 FPS average. The GPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Arc A750, posts a nearly identical average benchmark score, but the B570’s higher memory bandwidth (380.0 GB/s vs the A750’s unspecified) does not translate into a clear win in this game’s measured results. The data suggests the B570 is best utilized at 1080p or 1440p with Medium or High settings, where its 18 ray tracing cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate support can be leveraged without overwhelming the memory subsystem.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the most playable resolution, with the Low preset hitting 79 FPS average and Medium achieving 59 FPS average. At 2560x1440, the Low preset drops to 59 FPS average, while 3840x2160 only reaches 39 FPS average on Low, making 4K unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the Arc B570 compare to its closest GPU rival in this game?

A: The Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Arc A750 (score 20582). In practical terms, the measured FPS data indicates the B570 delivers playable frame rates at 1080p Medium (59 FPS) but struggles at higher resolutions, suggesting the two cards are closely matched.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the Arc B570?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score of 2254 places it just 0.3% above the Intel Core i7-10710U (score 2248) and 0.4% above the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (score 2246). With only 6 cores and 6 threads, the i5-9400’s performance is modest, but the FPS data shows that at 1080p Low (79 FPS), the GPU is still able to output high frame rates, indicating the bottleneck is more pronounced at lower resolutions where CPU overhead is higher.

Q: What settings preset provides the most stable frame times?

A: The Medium preset at 1920x1080 shows a minimum FPS of 50 and maximum of 68, providing the narrowest range among the tested settings at that resolution. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset also shows a consistent range (min 38, max 51), making it the most predictable option for sustained gameplay.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: No, the measured data shows that at 3840x2160, the High preset averages only 24 FPS and the Ultra preset drops to 18 FPS. Even the Low preset at 4K averages just 39 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, so 4K is not viable for this game with this hardware.

Q: How does the CPU’s single-core performance affect the game?

A: The i5-9400’s Cinebench R23 single-core score of 935 and Geekbench single-core score of 1389 are unremarkable, but Red Dead Redemption 2’s engine relies on a mix of multi-threaded and single-threaded tasks. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system still reaches 79 FPS average, suggesting the CPU can keep up with the GPU at lower settings, but at 1440p Ultra (27 FPS), the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. At 3840x2160, the system averages 39 FPS on Low, 29 FPS on Medium (min 25, max 34), 24 FPS on High, and 18 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate that 4K is only marginally playable at the lowest preset, and even then, the frame rate is below the 60 FPS target most gamers prefer. The Medium preset’s minimum of 25 FPS suggests noticeable stuttering during intense scenes, while the Ultra preset’s 18 FPS average is a slideshow-like experience.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance improves significantly. The Low preset hits 59 FPS average, which is a solid playable frame rate, while Medium achieves 44 FPS (min 38, max 51) and High averages 37 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 27 FPS average, showing that this resolution requires a settings compromise to maintain smoothness. The Medium preset’s minimum of 38 FPS is the lowest point for any playable setting at this resolution, indicating that there is headroom for consistency.

At 1920x1080, the combo performs best. The Low preset averages 79 FPS, making it the only setting that approaches high-refresh-rate territory. The Medium preset averages 59 FPS (min 50, max 68), which is a very stable experience, while the High preset drops to 49 FPS average. The Ultra preset falls to 36 FPS average, which is still playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The data shows a clear pattern: each step up in resolution or settings costs roughly 10-15 FPS, with the most efficient configuration being 1080p Medium, which balances visual quality and frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, running at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support (42.7 GB/s bandwidth) are typical for its generation, but its performance is modest by modern standards. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 6629 and Geekbench multicore score of 5141 place it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs, which is below average. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU’s role is to handle game logic, AI, and physics, which can become a constraint at lower resolutions where the GPU is less taxed. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 79 FPS average, which is higher than at 1440p Low (59 FPS), indicating that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. However, the i5-9400’s lack of hyper-threading (only 6 threads) means it can struggle with heavily threaded scenes, which is reflected in the consistent frame rate drops when moving from Low to Medium settings at any resolution. The CPU’s nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, has a nearly identical average score (2259 vs 2254), but the i5-9400’s higher boost clock (4.10 GHz vs unspecified) does not translate into a significant advantage in this game’s measured results. The data suggests that the i5-9400 is sufficient for 60 FPS gameplay at 1080p Medium, but it will limit the system’s ability to maintain high frame rates in CPU-intensive areas, particularly when paired with a GPU that can output more than 60 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user’s priority for frame rate versus visual quality. For a smooth 60 FPS experience, the 1080p Medium preset is the best choice, averaging 59 FPS with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS. This configuration provides a stable frame time and acceptable visual fidelity for most players. For those who prefer higher frame rates, the 1080p Low preset delivers 79 FPS average, which is ideal for fast-paced gameplay or competitive play, though it sacrifices texture detail and shadows. At 1440p, the Low preset is the only option that achieves a playable 59 FPS average, while the Medium preset drops to 44 FPS (min 38), which is still playable but may show occasional dips. The data does not support using the Ultra preset at any resolution, as it averages 36 FPS at 1080p and 18 FPS at 4K, making it unsuitable for a responsive gaming experience. The High preset is a middle ground, providing 49 FPS at 1080p and 37 FPS at 1440p, but the Medium preset offers a better balance of performance and quality. For users with a 1440p monitor, the Medium preset is recommended, as the 44 FPS average with a minimum of 38 FPS is acceptable for a story-driven game like Red Dead Redemption 2, where frame rate consistency is more important than raw speed. In summary, the data indicates that the system is best configured at 1080p Medium for a locked 60 FPS experience, or 1440p Low for a higher resolution with a playable frame rate, while 4K should be avoided entirely.