Red Dead Redemption 2

Resolution Scaling

Red Dead Redemption 2 presents a demanding scaling curve for the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination. The measured data shows a clear progression from playable to marginal as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 98 FPS average. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 73 FPS, and at 4K Low it falls further to 48 FPS. This represents a 51% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K at the lowest settings tier, indicating that the GPU becomes increasingly the limiting factor as pixel count rises.

The scaling pattern across all settings reveals the RTX 5050's character. At High settings, the drop from 1080p's 61 FPS to 1440p's 46 FPS is a 25% loss, while the 4K High result of 30 FPS is a further 35% reduction from 1440p. The Ultra preset shows the most severe scaling: 44 FPS at 1080p, 33 FPS at 1440p, and just 22 FPS at 4K. These numbers suggest that the frame rate penalty from 1080p to 1440p is relatively modest, but the leap to 4K imposes an outsized cost that pushes the experience below acceptable thresholds for most presets.

The Medium preset provides the only complete min/max data in the measured set, which offers insight into frame time stability. At 1080p Medium, the average is 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 and maximum of 84 — a spread of 22 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 55 FPS with a minimum of 46 and maximum of 63, widening the spread to 17 FPS. The 4K Medium result shows an average of 36 FPS with a minimum of 31 and maximum of 41, narrowing the range to 10 FPS. This compression of the frame rate envelope at higher resolutions is consistent with the GPU becoming the primary bottleneck, as variance from CPU-driven scenes diminishes when pixel throughput dominates.

The resolution scaling behavior indicates that this pairing is best suited for 1080p gaming, with 1440p viable only for Low or Medium presets. The 4K results, regardless of settings, fall below the 48 FPS threshold that typically defines a smooth experience for this genre. The data suggests that the RTX 5050's 8 GB memory and 128-bit bus, paired with the i5-9400's six cores, create a configuration where 1440p represents the practical ceiling for acceptable performance, and then only at reduced quality settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 brings six cores and six threads to this pairing, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. This Coffee Lake architecture processor, built on Intel's 14 nm process, has a 9 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration with 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth. These specifications position it as a mid-range desktop part from its generation, with a percentile rank of 47 against all CPUs in the benchmark database.

The CPU's benchmark scores provide context for its role in Red Dead Redemption 2. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6629 and single-core score of 935 indicate modest multi-threaded capability relative to modern processors. The Geekbench multi-core score of 5141 and single-core score of 1389 reinforce this picture. The average benchmark score of 2254 places it in a tight cluster with its nearest rivals: the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259 (-0.2% delta), the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248 (+0.3% delta), and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246 (+0.4% delta). This clustering suggests that the i5-9400 performs essentially on par with these alternatives, with differences well within run-to-run variance.

In the context of this game, the CPU's six threads may constrain performance at lower resolutions and settings where the GPU has headroom. The measured data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo reaches 98 FPS, which is the highest figure in the entire dataset. This suggests that at this resolution and settings level, the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU sufficiently. However, the absence of hyper-threading means that the CPU has six physical threads to handle all game logic, physics, and draw call processing. The boost clock of 4.10 GHz provides adequate single-thread performance for the game's primary simulation thread, but the six-thread limit could create bottlenecks in scenes with many NPCs or complex interactions.

The CPU's memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s and dual-channel DDR4 support are adequate for this workload, though not exceptional. The PCIe Gen 3, 16-lane interface provides sufficient bandwidth for the RTX 5050, which uses a PCIe 5.0 x8 connection — backward compatible but potentially limited in bandwidth compared to newer platforms. The data does not show frame rate differences that would clearly indicate CPU limitation at higher resolutions, as the scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p, however, the gap between Low (98 FPS) and Medium (73 FPS) settings is 25 FPS, which could partly reflect CPU limitations as the game's CPU workload increases with more complex rendering features.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using TSMC's 5 nm process, with a chip size of 149 mm² and 16,900 million transistors. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz, with memory running at 2500 MHz effective 20 Gbps. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs contribute to a peak FP32 throughput of 13.17 TFLOPS and a texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s.

The RTX 5050's benchmark profile shows a percentile rank of 66 against all GPUs, with an average score of 21035. Its nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL at 21153 (-0.6% delta), the AMD Radeon HD 8970M at 21237 (-1% delta), the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT at 20713 (+1.6% delta), and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile at 21379 (-1.6% delta). These deltas indicate that the RTX 5050 sits in a competitive middle ground, slightly outperforming the RX 5600 XT but trailing the mobile workstation card by a small margin.

For Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor at high resolutions and quality settings. The game's open-world environment with extensive textures and draw distances can stress VRAM, and the measured data shows a significant performance cliff at 4K. At 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 22 FPS, which is 27% below the 4K High result of 30 FPS. This pattern suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity become limiting factors as resolution increases, with the 128-bit bus and 320.0 GB/s bandwidth struggling to feed the render pipeline at 4K pixel counts.

The RTX 5050's ray tracing capabilities, with 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores, are present but not heavily utilized in this game's traditional rasterization workload. The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) ensures compatibility with modern rendering features, though the measured data does not indicate that these features significantly impact the frame rates shown. The 130 W TDP and dual-slot design make it a mainstream-oriented card, and the 1x 8-pin power connector with a 300 W suggested PSU indicates reasonable power requirements for a mid-range build.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured dataset for this combination at 1920x1080 shows the following averages: Low settings achieve 98 FPS, Medium achieves 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 and maximum of 84, High achieves 61 FPS, and Ultra achieves 44 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra represents a 55% reduction in frame rate, which is a substantial penalty for the visual quality gains. The Medium preset's minimum of 62 FPS indicates that even in demanding scenes, the frame rate stays above 60 FPS, making this the lowest settings tier that reliably maintains playable performance at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the results show a step down across the board. Low settings average 73 FPS, Medium averages 55 FPS with a minimum of 46 and maximum of 63, High averages 46 FPS, and Ultra averages 33 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 46 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting that players seeking consistent smoothness at 1440p would need to use Low settings, which maintain an average above 70 FPS. The High preset at 46 FPS average is playable but may exhibit noticeable frame rate dips in busy scenes.

At 3840x2160, the results are marginal across all settings. Low settings achieve 48 FPS, Medium averages 36 FPS with a minimum of 31 and maximum of 41, High averages 30 FPS, and Ultra averages 22 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 31 FPS indicates that even the most conservative settings tier struggles to maintain a stable experience at 4K. The 4K results, when compared to 1440p, show an average reduction of approximately 35% across all settings, which is a significant penalty that makes 4K gaming impractical for this combination.

The data also reveals the relative scaling between settings tiers at each resolution. At 1080p, the jump from Low to Medium costs 25 FPS (26%), from Medium to High costs 12 FPS (16%), and from High to Ultra costs 17 FPS (28%). At 1440p, the corresponding penalties are 18 FPS (25%), 9 FPS (16%), and 13 FPS (28%). At 4K, the penalties are 12 FPS (25%), 6 FPS (17%), and 8 FPS (27%). This consistent scaling pattern across resolutions indicates that the relative cost of each settings tier is stable, suggesting a balanced performance profile where no single setting tier imposes an outsized penalty.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination ranks 1760 out of 2902 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the 39th percentile of all tested configurations. This ranking reflects the pairing's mid-range positioning: the CPU sits at the 47th percentile against all CPUs, and the GPU at the 66th percentile against all GPUs, but their combined performance in this specific game places them below the median of tested systems.

The ranking gap between the GPU's individual percentile (66) and the combo's in-game percentile (39) suggests that the CPU is holding back the pairing's overall performance in this game. The i5-9400's six threads and modest single-core performance compared to newer processors likely limit the frame rates achievable, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU has headroom. The data supports this interpretation: at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 98 FPS, but the GPU alone would likely be capable of higher frame rates if the CPU were not a constraint.

Compared to the database's nearest rivals for each component, the combo's performance is consistent with expectations. The CPU's rivals — the Core i7-1068NG7, Core i7-10710U, Ryzen 5 PRO 1500, and Core i3-10305 — all have average scores within 0.4% of the i5-9400, indicating that swapping to any of these would yield nearly identical results. The GPU's rivals — the RX Vega M GL, HD 8970M, RX 5600 XT, and RTX A4000 Mobile — are within 1.6% of the RTX 5050's average score, suggesting that similar GPUs would produce frame rates within a few FPS of the measured values.

The rank of 1760 out of 2902 places this combo in the lower half of tested systems, which is notable given the GPU's above-average individual standing. This underscores the importance of balanced component selection for this game, as the CPU's age and thread count appear to be the limiting factor in achieving higher frame rates. For players considering this pairing, the data suggests that upgrading the CPU would yield greater performance gains than upgrading the GPU.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1920x1080 as the most viable resolution, with all settings tiers averaging above 44 FPS. At 1440p, only Low settings maintain an average above 70 FPS, while 4K results fall below 48 FPS across all settings.

Q: Which settings preset provides the most stable frame rate at 1080p?

A: The Medium preset at 1080p achieves an average of 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 and maximum of 84 FPS, making it the lowest settings tier that maintains a minimum frame rate above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5050's average benchmark score of 21035 places it 1.6% above the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (20713) and 0.6% below the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (21153), indicating near-parity with these alternatives.

Q: Is the i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RTX 5050 in this game?

A: The combo's rank of 1760 out of 2902 (39th percentile) compared to the GPU's 66th percentile individual ranking suggests the CPU limits overall performance, particularly at lower resolutions where frame rates are higher.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The 4K results show a maximum average of 48 FPS at Low settings, with Medium at 36 FPS, High at 30 FPS, and Ultra at 22 FPS. Only the Low preset approaches playability, and even then, frame times may be inconsistent.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 1440p, Low settings average 73 FPS while Ultra averages 33 FPS, representing a 55% reduction in frame rate. The Medium preset at 55 FPS offers a middle ground with a minimum of 46 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

For the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combination, the measured data points to a clear hierarchy of playable configurations. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers the most balanced experience: an average of 73 FPS with a minimum of 62 FPS, ensuring consistent smoothness without sacrificing all visual quality. The High preset at 61 FPS average is also viable, though the lack of minimum frame rate data means players may encounter dips below 60 FPS in demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 44 FPS average is only suitable for players who prioritize visual fidelity over frame rate smoothness.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset at 73 FPS average is the only configuration that maintains a comfortable frame rate. The Medium preset at 55 FPS average with a 46 FPS minimum may be acceptable for players who tolerate occasional dips, but the data suggests that High (46 FPS) and Ultra (33 FPS) presets at this resolution are not recommended for a satisfying experience. The 4K resolution is not viable for this combination; even the Low preset at 48 FPS average is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, and the Medium preset's 36 FPS average with a 31 FPS minimum indicates significant frame pacing issues.

The optimal configuration based on the measured data is 1920x1080 with Medium settings. This provides the best combination of frame rate stability (minimum 62 FPS), visual quality, and performance headroom for demanding scenes. Players seeking maximum visual fidelity should consider 1080p Ultra at 44 FPS, which trades smoothness for enhanced graphics. The 1440p Low preset offers an alternative for those who prioritize resolution over settings, maintaining a 73 FPS average. For the best overall experience, the 1080p Medium preset is the recommended choice, as it is the only settings tier across all resolutions that maintains a minimum frame rate above 60 FPS.