Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i7-14700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 delivers a highly capable 1440p experience in Red Dead Redemption 2, but the data suggests that chasing Ultra settings is a mistake. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and presets show a clear pattern: the High preset offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance, while Ultra demands a heavy toll that this combo cannot consistently pay. At 2560x1440, the High preset averages 68.9 FPS, which is a playable and smooth experience for an action-adventure title. Dropping to Medium yields 86 FPS, but the visual jump from Medium to High is typically more substantial than the 17.1 FPS difference suggests. At 1920x1080, High produces 95.1 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Ultra preset, however, is the outlier: it delivers 66.8 FPS at 1080p, 52.5 FPS at 1440p, and only 35.9 FPS at 4K. These numbers indicate that the GPU is being pushed past its comfort zone, making Ultra a poor choice for maintaining frame times. The data supports High as the recommended preset for this combination, as it keeps the experience fluid without the steep performance degradation seen in Ultra.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows present a straightforward hierarchy across all three resolutions. At 1920x1080, the jump from Low (149.7 FPS) to Medium (116.2 FPS) is a 33.5 FPS drop, but the jump from Medium to High (95.1 FPS) is a smaller 21.1 FPS drop. High is the sweet spot here, as it retains a high frame rate while offering significantly better image quality than Medium. At 2560x1440, the pattern holds: Low (112.6 FPS) and Medium (86 FPS) are playable, but High (68.9 FPS) is the first preset that feels both visually rich and responsive. The drop from High to Ultra at 1440p is severe, falling to 52.5 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold that most players consider mandatory for a smooth experience. At 3840x2160, the situation is more constrained. High (47 FPS) is borderline, while Medium (59 FPS) actually provides a more consistent frame rate, but it is still below 60. The data indicates that for 4K, you are forced to use Low (77.5 FPS) or Medium to achieve playability, but the visual compromise is significant. For most users, the High preset at 1440p or 1080p is the optimal choice; it provides a frame rate that is 30% higher than Ultra at 1080p and 31% higher at 1440p, while maintaining the visual quality that makes the game's world believable.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the primary driver of the performance differences between presets. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, is sufficient for the game's textures at High settings, but the data suggests that Ultra settings exceed what this memory configuration can comfortably handle. The GPU's boost clock of 2475 MHz and base clock of 1920 MHz provide the raw compute power, but the performance drop from High to Ultra is steep: 28.2 FPS at 1080p, 16.4 FPS at 1440p, and 11.1 FPS at 4K. This pattern indicates that the bottleneck is not just raw shading power but likely memory capacity or bandwidth pressure when the game loads higher-resolution textures and effects. The GPU scores in the 81st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37283, which positions it as a strong mid-to-high-end part. However, in this specific game, the data reveals that it is not a 4K Ultra card. The measured 4K High result of 47 FPS is below the 60 FPS target, showing that the RTX 4070 is better suited for 1440p High, where it delivers 68.9 FPS. The GPU's 5888 shading units and 64 ROPs are adequate, but the game's Ultra preset appears to require more than the 12 GB frame buffer can efficiently manage at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700KF is a formidable partner for this GPU, and its specifications suggest it is unlikely to be the limiting factor in most scenarios. With 20 cores and 28 threads, it provides ample parallel processing power, and its boost clock of 5.60 GHz ensures strong single-thread performance, which is often critical for game logic and draw calls. The CPU's L3 cache of 33 MB shared helps keep frequently accessed data close to the cores, reducing latency. In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 44557 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 6290 in single-core, placing it in the 96th percentile of all CPUs. This high percentile indicates that the CPU is far more capable than the GPU in this pairing, meaning the RTX 4070 is the bottleneck. The measured FPS data supports this: at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 149.7 FPS, but at 1080p High, it drops to 95.1 FPS. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain similar regardless of GPU load, but the significant drop shows the GPU is being taxed harder. The CPU's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-14700K with a deltaPct of 0, indicating they are virtually identical in average score, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, which is 0.4% faster. This data confirms that the i7-14700KF is not holding back the RTX 4070; it is the GPU that dictates the frame rates at higher settings.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this pairing of the Intel Core i7-14700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 398th out of 1687 combos for Red Dead Redemption 2. This places it in the top 24% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing for a mid-range to high-end setup. The rank reflects the GPU's 81st percentile performance and the CPU's 96th percentile, but the game's demands lean heavily on the GPU, so the overall combo rank is pulled down by the RTX 4070's position. The data shows that this combo is not in the top tier for this game, as the top performers likely feature higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4080 or 4090, but it is comfortably above average. The rank of 398 out of 1687 suggests that many weaker CPU/GPU pairings fall below this, but there are also many stronger ones above. For a 1440p High target, this rank is appropriate; the combo delivers 68.9 FPS, which is solid but not exceptional. The rank also indicates that users with this combo should not expect to dominate 4K Ultra, as the measured 35.9 FPS at that setting is far below competitive standards. The combination is well-balanced for its intended use case, but it is not a top-tier performer in this specific title.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data across resolutions reveals how the system scales and where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p High, the combo produces 95.1 FPS. Moving to 1440p High, the FPS drops to 68.9, which is a 27.6% decrease. Moving to 4K High, the FPS drops to 47, which is a 31.8% decrease from 1440p and a 50.6% decrease from 1080p. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario: as resolution increases, the pixel count and memory bandwidth demands rise, and the RTX 4070's performance degrades proportionally. The CPU's role remains constant, so the consistent FPS drops indicate the GPU is the limiting component. At Low settings, the scaling is similar but less severe: 1080p Low (149.7 FPS) to 1440p Low (112.6 FPS) is a 24.8% drop, and to 4K Low (77.5 FPS) is a 31.2% drop from 1440p. This confirms that even at Low settings, where the CPU has more relative influence, the GPU still dominates the performance curve. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p, where it can maintain high frame rates. At 4K, it is only playable at Low or Medium settings, and even then, the 77.5 FPS at Low is the only result above 60. This resolution scaling analysis strongly suggests that the RTX 4070 is the primary constraint, and users should prioritize 1440p High for the best overall experience.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset to use with this CPU and GPU combo for a 60 FPS target?

A: The High preset is the best choice. At 2560x1440, it delivers 68.9 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target. At 1920x1080, it delivers 95.1 FPS, offering headroom for high refresh rates. The Ultra preset falls below 60 FPS at 1440p, making it unsuitable for a smooth experience.

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

A: The data shows that 4K is only playable at Low (77.5 FPS) or Medium (59 FPS) settings. The High preset at 4K produces 47 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. For a consistent 60 FPS, users must sacrifice visual quality and use Low or Medium settings.

Q: How does the GPU's performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4070's average benchmark score is 37283, which is 0.6% higher than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 and 1.9% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A. It is 2.2% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile, but those are not direct desktop competitors.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck for this GPU in this game?

A: No, the data indicates the CPU is not the limiting factor. The i7-14700KF scores in the 96th percentile of all CPUs, and its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-14700K, is virtually identical. The FPS drops from 1080p to 1440p and 4K show a GPU-bound pattern, confirming the RTX 4070 is the constraint.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 149.7 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 66.8 FPS. This is a difference of 82.9 FPS, representing a 55.4% reduction in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems?

A: This combination ranks 398th out of 1687 tested combos for Red Dead Redemption 2. This places it in the top 24% of all systems, indicating it is a strong performer but not in the top tier for this game.