Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 delivers a highly capable Red Dead Redemption 2 experience, with the measured data showing a clear hierarchy across resolutions and presets. The combination ranks 563rd out of 2,902 tested combos, placing it in the top 20% of systems for this title. The benchmark results indicate that while the GPU is the dominant factor at higher resolutions, the CPU provides sufficient headroom to maintain playable frame rates even at 1080p.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of which preset offers the best balance of visual fidelity and performance. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers 121 FPS average, which is a 20 FPS improvement over High at 101 FPS, while still maintaining a much higher visual quality than Low at 162 FPS. The Medium preset also shows a minimum of 103 FPS, ensuring consistent frame pacing without drops below the 100 FPS threshold, making it the optimal choice for high-refresh-rate monitors.

For 2560x1440, Medium again stands out as the sweet spot with 90 FPS average and a minimum of 77 FPS. High drops to 75 FPS, which is still playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. The 15 FPS gap between Medium and High at this resolution is more pronounced than the 20 FPS gap at 1080p, suggesting the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor. Low at 121 FPS is available for competitive play, but the visual sacrifice is significant.

At 3840x2160, the situation changes dramatically. Ultra falls to 36 FPS, which is below the 40 FPS threshold many consider the minimum for playable action games. High manages 50 FPS, which is acceptable but not smooth. Medium provides 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 FPS, making it the only preset at 4K that consistently stays above 50 FPS. The data suggests Medium is the recommended setting for 4K, as it offers the best compromise between visual quality and frame rate stability.

The overall recommendation across all resolutions is Medium. At 1080p and 1440p, it provides frame rates well above 60 FPS with comfortable minimums. At 4K, it is the only preset that maintains a consistent 60 FPS average. Low is only advisable for esports-style play where maximum frame rate is paramount, while High and Ultra are best reserved for systems where visual fidelity takes precedence over smoothness.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the primary driver of performance differences across settings. With 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, the card provides 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is substantial for Red Dead Redemption 2's large open-world textures. The GPU's 80 ROPs and 192 texture mapping units handle the game's detailed environments, while the 48 RT cores are present but not heavily utilized in this title's traditional rendering.

The clock speeds are notable: a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz. These frequencies, combined with 6144 shading units, produce 30.87 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. The benchmark data shows the GPU's raw capabilities, with a Passmark G3D score of 29,137 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 5,077. These synthetic scores correlate with the measured FPS, where the GPU's performance scaling from Low to Ultra presets follows a predictable pattern.

The memory configuration is critical at higher resolutions. At 4K, the 12 GB frame buffer is sufficient for Medium settings (60 FPS) but becomes a limiting factor when moving to High (50 FPS) and Ultra (36 FPS). The 672.0 GB/s bandwidth allows the card to stream textures efficiently, but the GPU's compute throughput becomes the bottleneck at Ultra settings. The VRAM capacity is adequate for this game, as evidenced by the fact that the 4K Medium preset maintains a 60 FPS average without stutter.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 5070's Passmark G3D score of 29,137 puts it 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40,318 avg score) and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40,063 avg score). However, it trails the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 by 1.2% (40,870 avg score) and is 2% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (39,568 avg score). These deltaPct values are small, indicating the RTX 5070 sits in a tightly contested performance band for this game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 provides the processing foundation for this combo. With 10 cores and 10 threads, the CPU has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This 10-core configuration is well-suited for Red Dead Redemption 2, which benefits from multiple threads for physics, AI, and world simulation. The 20 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, while the dual-channel DDR5 memory support provides 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth.

The CPU's benchmark scores indicate strong single-threaded performance, which is crucial for game logic. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,655 and Passmark single-thread score of 4,412 show the CPU can handle the game's main thread efficiently. Multi-threaded performance is also solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25,891 and a Passmark multithread score of 30,459. These scores suggest the CPU will not bottleneck the RTX 5070 in most scenarios.

The CPU's 85th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 36,938, places it in a competitive position. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (36,945 avg score, 0% delta), AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37,018 avg score, -0.2% delta), AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37,093 avg score, -0.4% delta), and Intel Core i9-12900T (37,112 avg score, -0.5% delta). The fact that the Core Ultra 5 225 is within 0.5% of these processors indicates it delivers comparable CPU-bound performance.

In the measured FPS data, the CPU's role is most apparent at 1080p with Low settings, where the 162 FPS average is likely approaching a CPU limit. The jump from 1080p Low (162 FPS) to 1440p Low (121 FPS) shows a 25% reduction, which is less than the resolution scaling would suggest if the GPU were the sole bottleneck. This indicates the CPU is contributing to overall performance, though the GPU becomes more dominant as resolution increases.

FAQ

Q: What is the best preset for a 60 FPS experience at 4K?

A: The Medium preset at 3840x2160 delivers 60 FPS average with a minimum of 51 FPS. High drops to 50 FPS, while Ultra falls to 36 FPS, making Medium the only preset that maintains a consistent 60 FPS target at 4K.

Q: How does the RTX 5070 compare to its nearest GPU rivals in this game?

A: The RTX 5070's Passmark G3D score of 29,137 places it 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40,318 avg score) and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40,063 avg score). It trails the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 by 1.2% (40,870 avg score) and leads the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile by 2% (39,568 avg score).

Q: Is the Core Ultra 5 225 sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 5070?

A: The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3,655 and Passmark single-thread score of 4,412 indicate strong per-core performance. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 162 FPS, suggesting the CPU can handle high frame rates without being a primary constraint.

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1080p and 1440p at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 121 FPS average with a minimum of 103 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it drops to 90 FPS average with a minimum of 77 FPS. This represents a 25.6% reduction in average FPS when moving from 1080p to 1440p.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested combinations for Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + RTX 5070 combo ranks 563rd out of 2,902 tested combos, placing it in the top 19.4% of systems for this game.

Q: Does the 12 GB VRAM cause issues at 4K?

A: The data shows 4K Medium achieves 60 FPS, but Ultra drops to 36 FPS. The 12 GB frame buffer appears sufficient for Medium and High settings, but the combination of higher texture quality and compute load at Ultra likely exceeds the card's capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how the combo scales across resolutions, providing insight into the limiting component. At Medium settings, the progression is 121 FPS at 1080p, 90 FPS at 1440p, and 60 FPS at 4K. This represents a 25.6% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 33.3% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is not perfectly linear, suggesting the GPU becomes increasingly dominant as resolution increases.

The Low preset shows a similar pattern: 162 FPS at 1080p, 121 FPS at 1440p (25.3% drop), and 80 FPS at 4K (33.9% drop from 1440p). The consistency of these percentage drops across presets indicates the GPU is the primary scaling factor. However, the fact that 1080p Low reaches 162 FPS, which is well above typical 144Hz refresh rates, suggests the CPU is not limiting at this resolution.

High settings show a steeper decline: 101 FPS at 1080p, 75 FPS at 1440p (25.7% drop), and 50 FPS at 4K (33.3% drop from 1440p). Ultra follows the same trend: 73 FPS at 1080p, 54 FPS at 1440p (26% drop), and 36 FPS at 4K (33.3% drop). The consistent ~25% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~33% drop from 1440p to 4K across all presets strongly indicates the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU's workload is relatively constant regardless of resolution.

The exception is at 1080p Low, where the 162 FPS result may be approaching a CPU limit. The Core Ultra 5 225's 10 cores and 4.90 GHz boost clock provide ample headroom, but the data suggests that at very low settings, the CPU's single-threaded performance becomes more relevant. This is corroborated by the fact that the 1080p Low to 1440p Low drop (25.3%) is slightly less than the theoretical pixel count increase (2.25x), indicating some CPU contribution at the lowest settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 162 FPS, which is ideal for competitive play. Medium settings achieve 121 FPS average with a minimum of 103 FPS and a maximum of 139 FPS, providing a smooth experience for most players. High settings reach 101 FPS, still above 100 FPS but with less headroom. Ultra settings drop to 73 FPS, which is playable but shows the GPU's limits at maximum quality.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales as expected. Low settings yield 121 FPS, matching the 1080p Medium result. Medium settings produce 90 FPS average with a minimum of 77 FPS and a maximum of 104 FPS, maintaining smooth gameplay. High settings achieve 75 FPS, which is adequate but not exceptional. Ultra settings fall to 54 FPS, dipping below the 60 FPS threshold that many consider optimal for action games.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload becomes substantial. Low settings still manage 80 FPS, which is respectable for 4K. Medium settings deliver 60 FPS average with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS, providing a consistent experience. High settings drop to 50 FPS, which is playable but shows noticeable frame pacing issues in demanding scenes. Ultra settings plummet to 36 FPS, which is below the playable threshold for most users.

The data shows a clear pattern: the Medium preset provides the most balanced experience across all resolutions. At 1080p, it offers 121 FPS with a 103 FPS minimum. At 1440p, it provides 90 FPS with a 77 FPS minimum. At 4K, it maintains 60 FPS with a 51 FPS minimum. The consistency of the minimum FPS values relative to the averages indicates stable frame pacing, which is critical for a smooth gameplay experience in an open-world title like Red Dead Redemption 2.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination ranks 563rd out of 2,902 tested combos for Red Dead Redemption 2, placing it in the top 19.4% of all systems. This ranking reflects the combo's ability to deliver high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p while maintaining playable performance at 4K. The position is influenced by both components, with the RTX 5070's 82nd percentile ranking among GPUs and the Core Ultra 5 225's 85th percentile among CPUs.

Given that the combo sits in the 80th-85th percentile for each component individually, the 563rd rank out of 2,902 indicates the pairing is well-balanced for this game. The GPU's 12 GB VRAM and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game's texture streaming, while the CPU's 10 cores and 4.90 GHz boost clock prevent bottlenecks at high frame rates. The data suggests that higher-ranked combos likely feature more powerful GPUs, such as the RTX 5070's higher-tier siblings, which would provide additional headroom at 4K Ultra settings.

The ranking also reflects the game's release date of 2018-10-25, meaning the title is well-optimized for a wide range of hardware. The combo's performance in this game is consistent with its synthetic benchmark scores: the RTX 5070's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 5,077 and the CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 25,891 both indicate strong mid-range to upper-mid-range performance. The fact that the combo ranks in the top 20% suggests it can handle this demanding title with high settings at 1440p and medium settings at 4K, which is a solid result for a system built around this CPU and GPU pairing.