Red Dead Redemption 2

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor from the Core 14th Gen series, built on the Raptor Lake architecture with a 10 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The processor includes L1 cache of 80 KB per core, L2 cache of 2 MB per core, and a shared L3 cache of 36 MB. It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and features PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes for the CPU.

In the context of Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU's role is primarily to feed the GPU with draw calls, physics calculations, and AI routines across the game's large open world. The high boost clock of 6.00 GHz is particularly relevant for single-threaded tasks, which the game's engine relies on for main-thread processing. The 24 cores and 32 threads provide headroom for background workloads and multi-threaded aspects, though the game's optimization does not scale perfectly across all cores. The processor's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and single-core score of 2262.5 indicate strong overall throughput, but in this game, the single-core performance often matters more for maintaining consistent frame pacing.

The database shows the i9-14900K ranks in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79097. Compared to its nearest rivals, it trails the Intel Core i9-14900KF by 0.3% (score 79371), the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus by 0.6% (score 79574), and the AMD EPYC 7413 by 1.2% (score 80041). It leads the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 by 1.7% (score 77740). These differences are marginal, meaning the CPU's raw compute capability is not a limiting factor in Red Dead Redemption 2 at standard resolutions.

The measured FPS data across all settings and resolutions shows that the CPU does not become a bottleneck except potentially in low-settings scenarios at 1080p, where the frame rate reaches 110 FPS. At that point, the GPU's load decreases, and the CPU's ability to process game logic and issue draw commands becomes more prominent. However, the i9-14900K's 32 threads and high boost clock ensure that even at lower graphical settings, the game maintains playable frame rates without severe stutter. The CPU's L3 cache of 36 MB also helps keep frequently accessed game data close to the cores, reducing memory latency in open-world traversal.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process node from TSMC. It uses the AD107 chip with 18,900 million transistors on a die size of 159 mm². The GPU has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, with memory running at 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective). It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU includes 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, 48 ROPs, 24 RT cores, and 96 tensor cores, delivering 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, the RTX 4060's role is central to rendering the game's detailed environments, character models, and lighting effects. The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor, as the game's High and Ultra presets can consume significant memory at higher resolutions. The GPU's pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s determine how quickly it can fill the screen and apply textures, which directly influences frame rates at 1440p and 4K.

The RTX 4060 ranks in the 61st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (score 17666, delta -0.2%), the AMD Radeon 780M (score 17588, delta 0.3%), the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (score 17551, delta 0.5%), and the AMD Radeon Pro 460 (score 17509, delta 0.7%). These deltas are small, suggesting the RTX 4060 sits near a cluster of GPUs with similar aggregate performance, though its feature set and driver optimization for modern titles may differ.

In this game, the GPU's 272.0 GB/s bandwidth and 8 GB VRAM are more impactful than raw compute. At 4K Ultra, the measured average FPS drops to 24, indicating that the GPU's memory bandwidth and capacity are stretched. The boost clock of 2460 MHz helps in scenes with moderate geometry, but the 128-bit memory bus limits effective throughput. The RTX 4060's 24 RT cores are not heavily utilized in Red Dead Redemption 2, which does not emphasize ray tracing, so the GPU's traditional rasterization performance is what matters most.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a consistent decline as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, which indicates that the GPU becomes the primary limiting component at higher pixel counts. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 110 at 1080p to 82 at 1440p (a 25.5% decrease) and further to 54 at 4K (a 34.1% decrease from 1440p). This scaling pattern is typical for a GPU-bound scenario: as the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, the frame rate does not halve proportionally because the CPU maintains a steady baseline, but the GPU's rendering workload grows.

At Medium settings, the average FPS at 1080p is 82, at 1440p it is 61 (a 25.6% drop), and at 4K it is 41 (a 32.8% drop from 1440p). The min FPS values for Medium settings show 70 at 1080p, 52 at 1440p, and 35 at 4K, indicating that frame pacing remains stable but the overall ceiling lowers. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 69 at 1080p to 51 at 1440p (a 26.1% drop) and then to 34 at 4K (a 33.3% drop from 1440p). The scaling from 1440p to 4K is steeper than from 1080p to 1440p for all presets, which reflects the GPU's memory bandwidth saturation as pixel output demands more data.

At Ultra settings, the average FPS is 49 at 1080p, 37 at 1440p (a 24.5% drop), and 24 at 4K (a 35.1% drop from 1440p). The 4K Ultra result of 24 FPS is below the playable threshold for most users, showing that the RTX 4060 cannot handle the game's maximum preset at that resolution. The resolution scaling data suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck at any resolution above 1080p Low; the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus are the limiting factors, especially when textures and effects increase memory usage.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 4060 paired with the i9-14900K delivers the following average FPS: Low settings achieve 110 FPS, Medium settings reach 82 FPS with a min of 70 and max of 95, High settings produce 69 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 49 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 61 FPS, which is significant and indicates that the Ultra preset imposes a heavy load on the GPU. At 1080p, even the Ultra preset remains playable with 49 FPS, though it approaches the lower bound of smooth gameplay.

At 2560x1440, the average FPS values are: Low settings at 82 FPS, Medium at 61 FPS with a min of 52 and max of 71, High at 51 FPS, and Ultra at 37 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at each preset is roughly 25%, which aligns with the increased pixel count. The Medium preset at 1440p stays above 60 FPS on average, making it a viable option for smooth play, while High and Ultra fall below 60 FPS, requiring adjustments for consistent frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the average FPS values are: Low settings at 54 FPS, Medium at 41 FPS with a min of 35 and max of 47, High at 34 FPS, and Ultra at 24 FPS. The 4K Low preset is the only one that exceeds 50 FPS, while High and Ultra dip into territory that may cause noticeable stutter. The min FPS at 4K Medium is 35, which suggests that scenes with heavy foliage or crowded towns can cause frame drops below the average.

The recorded data shows that the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM is likely a constraining factor at 4K High and Ultra, as the game's texture quality increases memory allocation. At 1080p, all presets are playable, with Low and Medium providing high refresh-rate capabilities. At 1440p, Medium is the balanced choice, while at 4K, only Low settings approach a smooth experience.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 2013 out of 3714 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the 54th percentile of all tested configurations. This rank reflects that while the CPU is among the top 5% of processors, the GPU is only in the 61st percentile, and the overall combo performance is dragged down by the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions and settings.

The rank of 2013 indicates that many other CPU-GPU pairings deliver better results in this game, likely those with more powerful GPUs such as the RTX 4070 or higher, which would provide greater VRAM and bandwidth. The i9-14900K's high performance does not compensate for the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus in a game that is heavily GPU-bound at 1440p and 4K. The combo's ranking is closer to the median, which suggests that users pairing this CPU with a weaker GPU would see similar results, while pairing it with a stronger GPU would yield significantly better frame rates.

The database's percentile fields show that the CPU's 95th percentile rank versus all CPUs and the GPU's 61st percentile rank versus all GPUs combine to a mid-tier result for this specific game. The measured FPS data supports this: at 1080p Ultra, the combo achieves 49 FPS, which is below what many high-end combos would produce, but at 1080p Low, the 110 FPS result is respectable. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, as the CPU has ample headroom to push higher frame rates if the GPU could keep up.

FAQ

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

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 provides the most consistent experience, with all presets from Low to Ultra achieving at least 49 FPS. At 2560x1440, only Low and Medium presets exceed 60 FPS, while 4K requires Low settings to stay above 50 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4060's VRAM affect performance?

A: The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus. The data shows that at 4K High and Ultra, average FPS drops to 34 and 24 respectively, which indicates that VRAM capacity and bandwidth are limiting factors at higher resolutions and settings.

Q: What is the difference between Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 110 FPS average, while Ultra achieves 49 FPS average. This represents a 61 FPS difference, showing that the Ultra preset imposes a substantial rendering load on the GPU.

Q: Is the i9-14900K a bottleneck for the RTX 4060 in this game?

A: The data does not indicate a CPU bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 110 FPS, and at 4K Low it reaches 54 FPS, with the GPU's performance scaling consistently with resolution. The CPU's 95th percentile ranking suggests it has ample headroom.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for Medium settings across resolutions?

A: For Medium settings, the minimum FPS values are 70 at 1080p, 52 at 1440p, and 35 at 4K. These values show that frame pacing degrades as resolution increases, with the 4K result potentially causing visible stutter in demanding scenes.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 2013 out of 3714 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2. This places it near the median, reflecting the GPU's mid-tier performance relative to the CPU's high-tier capability.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance on which presets to use for different priorities. For a target of 60 FPS or higher, the only viable options are 1080p Low (110 FPS) and 1080p Medium (82 FPS), along with 1440p Low (82 FPS). At 1080p High, the average drops to 69 FPS, which is still above 60 but with less margin for dips. At 1440p Medium, the average is 61 FPS with a min of 52, meaning that while the average is acceptable, some scenes will fall below 60 FPS.

For users prioritizing visual quality over frame rate, 1080p Ultra at 49 FPS is the highest preset that remains mostly playable, though it may suffer in busy scenes. At 1440p, High at 51 FPS is a compromise, while Ultra at 37 FPS is borderline. At 4K, Low at 54 FPS is the only preset that provides a smooth experience, with Medium at 41 FPS and High at 34 FPS being progressively less viable.

The data suggests that the optimal balance between visual fidelity and performance is 1080p High or 1440p Medium. Both presets deliver average FPS above 60 at their respective resolutions, with the 1080p High offering better image quality and the 1440p Medium providing higher resolution detail. For users with high refresh rate monitors, 1080p Low or Medium is the best choice, as the 110 FPS and 82 FPS averages respectively take advantage of the display's capabilities.

At 4K, the recommendation is to use Low settings only, as the 54 FPS average is the sole preset above 50 FPS. The 4K Medium preset at 41 FPS with a min of 35 may be acceptable for less action-oriented gameplay, but the data shows that frame dips can be noticeable. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended, as the 24 FPS average falls below the standard threshold for smooth motion. Overall, the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus make it best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming in Red Dead Redemption 2, with settings adjusted to Medium or High depending on the desired frame rate.