Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 represents a high-end CPU married to a mid-range GPU. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the data shows a system where the graphics card is the primary bottleneck across most settings, though the CPU’s strength prevents any frame pacing issues. This combo ranks 1673 out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the upper half of all tested systems for this title. The following analysis breaks down how each component contributes to the measured performance.

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

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz. Its 36 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support for both DDR4 and DDR5 give it ample bandwidth for feeding a modern GPU. This processor sits in the 95th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79097. The data shows it is essentially tied with its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-14900KF, which scores 79371 with a delta of -0.3 percent, and the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus at 79574 with a -0.6 percent delta. It is also 1.7 percent ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, which scores 77740.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU's role is to maintain a consistent frame delivery, particularly at lower resolutions where the GPU is not as saturated. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 117 FPS average, which is the highest measured in this dataset. This indicates the CPU is more than capable of pushing well beyond 100 FPS when the graphical load is lightened. The i9-14900K’s high boost clock of 6.00 GHz is the key here; the game's engine benefits from strong single-thread performance for physics and AI calculations, and this processor delivers that in abundance. The 32 threads also ensure that background tasks and the game's own multi-threaded systems do not cause stutters, evidenced by the lack of any recorded minimum FPS below 37 even at the heaviest 4K settings.

When moving to higher resolutions and settings, the CPU's workload does not change as dramatically as the GPU's. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 26, which is a GPU limitation, not a CPU one. The CPU is effectively waiting on the GPU to render frames. The benchmark data for the processor—such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5—confirms its ability to handle any game engine demand. The PassMark physics score of 3140 further supports its capability in game physics calculations. In short, this CPU is not a limiting factor in any of the measured scenarios for this game; its 24 cores and 32 threads provide a massive headroom that will not be fully utilized by Red Dead Redemption 2.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with a 5 nm process and features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its base clock is 2280 MHz with a boost of 2497 MHz. The GPU has 3840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with 30 RT cores and 120 tensor cores. It sits in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 26331. Its nearest rivals are surprisingly close: the AMD Radeon 860M scores 26401 (-0.3 percent), the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 scores 26421 (-0.3 percent), and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary scores 26553 (-0.8 percent). The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT trails slightly with a score of 26011 and a 1.2 percent delta.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is a critical factor in Red Dead Redemption 2 at higher settings. The data shows a steep drop in performance when moving from Medium to High settings at every resolution. At 1080p, the average FPS falls from 88 on Medium to 73 on High, a 15 FPS difference. At 1440p, it drops from 65 to 55, a 10 FPS difference. This pattern suggests that the High preset is pushing against the memory capacity and bandwidth limits of the card. The GDDR7 memory clock of 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective) is fast, but the 128-bit bus width restricts total throughput compared to wider-bus cards in the same class. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 4K results show the card struggling to maintain playable framerates.

The GPU's 19.18 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is respectable, but the data shows it is not enough for 4K Ultra settings in this game, where it manages only 26 FPS average. The card’s performance relative to its rivals is telling; while it is only 0.3 percent behind the integrated Radeon 860M in raw benchmark score, in actual game tests the discrete RTX 5060's dedicated VRAM and drivers likely provide a more consistent experience. However, the benchmark score parity indicates that the RTX 5060 is positioned as a mainstream card, not a high-end one. The pixel rate of 119.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 299.6 GTexel/s are solid for its class, but they are the physical limits that manifest in the measured FPS figures.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear scaling pattern that identifies the GPU as the dominant bottleneck. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 117 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the FPS drops to 87, a 25.6 percent reduction. At 4K Low, it further drops to 58 FPS, a 33.3 percent reduction from 1440p. This consistent drop with resolution increases is the classic signature of a GPU-limited scenario. The CPU has ample headroom at 1080p, as evidenced by the 117 FPS, but the GPU cannot sustain that throughput as pixel count rises.

The scaling becomes even more pronounced at higher settings. At Medium settings, the FPS goes from 88 at 1080p to 65 at 1440p (a 26.1 percent drop) and then to 43 at 4K (a 33.8 percent drop). At High settings, 1080p yields 73 FPS, 1440p drops to 55 (a 24.7 percent drop), and 4K falls to 36 (a 34.5 percent drop). The percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is consistently larger than from 1080p to 1440p, which indicates that the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute resources are being saturated at the higher resolutions. The 8 GB VRAM buffer is likely being exhausted at 4K, forcing the card to manage textures less efficiently.

The Ultra settings tell the most dramatic story. At 1080p Ultra, the system manages 53 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 39 FPS, a 26.4 percent reduction. At 4K Ultra, it plummets to 26 FPS, a 33.3 percent reduction from 1440p. This linear scaling pattern is a clear indicator that the RTX 5060 is the limiting factor. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see less variation between resolutions at the same settings, because the CPU workload is largely resolution-independent. Instead, the data shows that every increase in resolution costs a proportional amount of performance, confirming that the GPU is working at its maximum capacity. The i9-14900K is not holding back the system in any of these scenarios.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 1673 out of 3714 tested combinations in Red Dead Redemption 2. This places it in the 45th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it outperforms 55 percent of the tested combos but is beaten by the top 45 percent. Given the CPU's high standing (95th percentile) and the GPU's mid-range position (72nd percentile), this ranking makes sense. The combo is effectively held back by the GPU, which is the lower-performing component in this pairing.

The data suggests that this combo ranks lower than what the CPU alone would suggest. A system with the i9-14900K and a more powerful GPU would likely rank significantly higher. Conversely, a system with a weaker CPU and the same RTX 5060 would likely rank lower, as the CPU would become a secondary bottleneck. The 1673 rank indicates that this is a balanced yet GPU-limited setup. The CPU's high benchmark scores (e.g., 58674 in PassMark multithread and 210622 in integer math) are not fully leveraged in this game because the GPU cannot render frames fast enough to utilize all 24 cores and 32 threads effectively. The combo's position in the middle of the pack reflects this imbalance.

In practical terms, this ranking means the system is capable of playing Red Dead Redemption 2 at 1080p and 1440p with smooth framerates, but it is not a top-tier 4K machine. The 1673 rank is a solid result for a mid-range GPU, but it does not place the system in the upper echelon of performance. The nearest GPU rivals, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT, are within a 1.2 percent delta in raw benchmark scores, suggesting that swapping the GPU for a similarly performing card would yield comparable in-game results. The ranking is a reflection of the RTX 5060's capabilities, not a commentary on the i9-14900K's strength.

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

The measured FPS data is comprehensive, covering three resolutions and four settings levels. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 117 FPS on Low settings, 88 FPS on Medium (with a minimum of 75 and maximum of 101), 73 FPS on High, and 53 FPS on Ultra. The 1080p results show a clear progression; each step up in settings costs roughly 15-20 FPS. The Medium setting has the only recorded minimum FPS data at this resolution, with a 75 FPS floor, indicating that the system maintains a stable frame rate without major dips.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops as expected. Low settings yield 87 FPS average, Medium produces 65 FPS (with a minimum of 56 and maximum of 75), High delivers 55 FPS, and Ultra drops to 39 FPS. The 1440p Medium setting again has the only min/max data, with a 56 FPS minimum, which is still comfortably playable. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 48 FPS, showing that the GPU's performance scales significantly with the quality preset.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain high framerates. Low settings average 58 FPS, Medium averages 43 FPS (with a minimum of 37 and maximum of 50), High averages 36 FPS, and Ultra drops to 26 FPS. The 4K Medium setting has the only min/max data at this resolution, with a 37 FPS minimum, which is below the 40 FPS threshold many consider the minimum for smooth gameplay. The data shows that 4K gaming is only viable on Low settings, where the 58 FPS average is playable, but the Medium preset's 43 FPS average is borderline, and High and Ultra are not recommended for a fluid experience.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution. For 1080p gaming, the High preset at 73 FPS average is the best balance between visual fidelity and performance. It provides a smooth experience well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 53 FPS is also playable, but the 20 FPS drop from High is a significant sacrifice for marginal visual gains. The Medium preset at 88 FPS is the choice for competitive play or high-refresh-rate monitors, but High offers a better visual experience without dropping below 60 FPS.

For 1440p, the High preset at 55 FPS is the recommended choice for a balanced experience. It is slightly below 60 FPS, but it remains playable for a story-driven game like Red Dead Redemption 2. The Medium preset at 65 FPS is the safer option if you prefer a hard 60 FPS floor, as it offers a 10 FPS advantage over High. The Ultra preset at 39 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 40 FPS threshold. The Low preset at 87 FPS is only useful for maximizing frame rate, but it sacrifices too much visual quality for this game's detailed world.

At 4K, the options are limited. The Low preset at 58 FPS is the only setting that provides a consistently playable experience. The Medium preset at 43 FPS is borderline, and its minimum FPS of 37 indicates that there will be noticeable dips during intense scenes. The High preset at 36 FPS and Ultra at 26 FPS are not recommended for any serious playthrough. Therefore, for 4K, the Low preset is the only viable choice. For the best overall experience, the High preset at 1080p or 1440p is the sweet spot, delivering a solid frame rate while showcasing the game's graphical fidelity. The Medium preset is a strong fallback for those who prioritize a locked 60 FPS or higher at 1440p.