Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 produces a mid-pack result in Red Dead Redemption 2, landing at rank 563 out of 2902 tested combos. This places the configuration in the top fifth of all tested systems, with the CPU and GPU each contributing distinct strengths and limitations depending on resolution and settings. The measured frame rates reveal a system that is clearly capable of high-refresh gameplay at 1440p, but one that becomes increasingly GPU-bound as resolution climbs to 4K.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is built on the Arrow Lake-S architecture with a 3 nm process node from TSMC, featuring 14 cores and 14 threads. This is a notable configuration because it lacks hyper-threading, meaning each core handles a single thread. The base clock sits at 3.50 GHz with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, providing strong single-core performance that is critical for game logic and physics in Red Dead Redemption 2. The CPU’s 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 192 KB of L1 cache per core help reduce memory latency, which benefits the open-world streaming demands of this title.

In synthetic benchmarks, the processor achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 32924 and a single-core score of 4648. These numbers indicate a well-balanced chip that can handle both the heavily threaded rendering tasks and the single-threaded game simulation code. The PassMark single-thread score of 4394 reinforces this, showing strong IPC (instructions per clock) performance. The CPU’s percentile ranking of 90 among all CPUs means it outperforms the vast majority of processors on the market, and its average benchmark score of 48995 places it in close competition with several high-end desktop parts.

The nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks are telling. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G has an average score of 49196, which is only 0.4% higher than the Ultra 5 245. Similarly, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 scores 49228, a 0.5% advantage. On the other side, the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H and Intel Core i5-14600K score 48698 and 48618 respectively, putting the Ultra 5 245 0.6% and 0.8% ahead. This clustering shows that the CPU’s raw computational power is squarely in the upper echelon, though not at the very top. For a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, which does not scale perfectly across unlimited threads, the 14-core design with a high boost clock is sufficient to avoid becoming a bottleneck at most settings, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is less taxed.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Core Ultra 5 245 and RTX 5070 achieves a combo rank of 563 out of 2902 tested configurations in Red Dead Redemption 2. This places the system in the 80.6th percentile of all recorded results, meaning it outperforms roughly four out of every five tested combos. This is a strong showing, but it is not a top-tier result, which reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU rather than any single component’s absolute performance.

The ranking suggests that while both components are individually capable, the system is not optimized for absolute maximum frame rates in this specific title. The data shows that the combo sits well above the median, but there are many systems with higher-end GPUs or CPUs that push further up the list. The gap between this combo and the top performers is likely due to the RTX 5070’s position in the GPU hierarchy rather than a CPU limitation, as the processor’s synthetic scores are competitive with much more expensive parts. In practical terms, a rank of 563 means this system will deliver smooth, playable performance in Red Dead Redemption 2 across most settings, but users seeking the absolute highest frame rates at 4K Ultra may need to look at faster graphics cards.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a classic scaling pattern that clearly identifies the GPU as the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 162 FPS average, which is a very high frame rate that indicates the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU without bottlenecking. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 121 FPS, a 25.3% decrease. At 4K Low, the average falls to 80 FPS, which is a 50.6% drop from the 1080p result. This steep decline is characteristic of a GPU that is running out of pixel throughput capabilities as resolution increases.

The pattern becomes even more pronounced at higher settings. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 73 FPS, but at 1440p Ultra it drops to 54 FPS, and at 4K Ultra it falls to 36 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K at Ultra shows a 33.3% reduction, which is less than the drop from 1080p to 1440p (26.0% reduction). This non-linear relationship suggests that at the highest settings, the game is increasingly constrained by the GPU’s raw compute and memory bandwidth. The RTX 5070 has 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus with 672.0 GB/s bandwidth, which is substantial but not unlimited. At 4K Ultra, the game’s texture and shading demands likely saturate the GPU’s resources, leading to the observed 36 FPS floor.

Conversely, the CPU’s role is more evident at 1080p Low, where the 162 FPS result is not far from the processor’s theoretical maximum for this game engine. The fact that 1080p Medium yields 121 FPS and 1080p High yields 101 FPS shows that even at lower resolutions, the game’s settings have a significant impact on frame rate, which is a sign that the GPU is still doing most of the heavy lifting. The data does not show a scenario where the CPU becomes the bottleneck, as frame rates do not plateau at a low level regardless of resolution or settings. This indicates that the Core Ultra 5 245 is sufficient for this GPU pairing, and users should look to the graphics card for any performance headroom.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve 60 FPS or higher?

A: At 1440p Medium, the system averages 90 FPS, and at 1440p High it averages 75 FPS. Both exceed the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K, only Low settings (80 FPS average) and Medium settings (60 FPS average) reach or meet 60 FPS, while High drops to 50 FPS and Ultra to 36 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 5070’s synthetic performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 40377, which is 0.1% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro 580 and 0.8% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100. It is 1.2% lower than the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 and 2.0% higher than the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile. Its percentile ranking is 82 among all GPUs.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more responsible for the 4K Ultra performance of 36 FPS?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the limiting factor. The frame rate drops from 73 FPS at 1080p Ultra to 54 FPS at 1440p Ultra and finally to 36 FPS at 4K Ultra. This consistent decline with increasing resolution points to the RTX 5070’s pixel throughput limits, not the CPU’s processing capability.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS values recorded at Medium settings?

A: At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 103 FPS and the maximum is 139 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 77 FPS and the maximum is 104 FPS. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 51 FPS and the maximum is 69 FPS.

Q: How does the Core Ultra 5 245’s single-core performance compare to its multicore performance?

A: The Cinebench R23 single-core score is 4648, while the multicore score is 32924. This represents a ratio of approximately 7.1:1, showing strong scaling across the 14 cores. The PassMark single-thread score of 4394 and multithread score of 38706 follow a similar pattern, confirming balanced thread utilization.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture using a 5 nm process node from TSMC. Its chip, designated GB205, contains 31,100 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. The GPU has a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). The 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is a crucial specification for Red Dead Redemption 2’s large open world and high-resolution textures.

The GPU’s compute capabilities are defined by 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 80 raster operation units. It also features 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores, which are relevant for ray tracing and DLSS features, though the measured FPS data does not specify whether these were enabled. The FP32 performance of 30.87 TFLOPS places it in the upper mid-range of current graphics cards, and this is reflected in its PassMark G3D score of 29137. The GPU’s percentile ranking of 82 among all GPUs indicates it outperforms most cards, but it is not at the very top tier.

In the context of this game, the RTX 5070’s memory configuration is particularly important. The 12 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at all settings, but at 4K Ultra, the game may be approaching the limits of VRAM capacity. The 672.0 GB/s bandwidth is adequate for the observed throughput, but the 192-bit bus is narrower than higher-end cards, which likely contributes to the significant frame rate drops at 4K. The GPU’s power draw of 250 W and dual-slot design are standard for this performance class, and its PCIe 5.0 x16 interface ensures no bandwidth bottleneck from the system bus. The benchmark results show that at 1080p Low, the GPU can push 162 FPS, proving its raw speed, but the demands of 4K Ultra reduce this to 36 FPS, demonstrating the limits of its memory subsystem and compute units.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience depends heavily on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For users with a 1080p display, the High preset offers the best balance, delivering 101 FPS average. This is a significant improvement over Medium’s 121 FPS and Ultra’s 73 FPS, but High provides a more stable visual experience without the extreme demands of Ultra. The 73 FPS at Ultra is playable, but it sacrifices 27.7% of the frame rate compared to High for marginal visual gains. The Low preset at 162 FPS is excessive for most monitors and does not represent a sensible visual compromise.

At 1440p, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation, achieving 90 FPS average with a minimum of 77 FPS and maximum of 104 FPS. This provides a smooth experience that is well above the 60 FPS threshold, while High drops to 75 FPS and Ultra falls to 54 FPS, which is below the ideal smoothness target. The Low preset at 121 FPS is again unnecessary, as the visual quality degradation is not worth the extra frames.

For 4K gaming, the situation is more constrained. The Medium preset is the only reasonable choice, delivering 60 FPS average with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS. This is right at the edge of smooth gameplay, and the minimum frame rate of 51 FPS could cause occasional stutter. The High preset at 50 FPS and Ultra at 36 FPS are both below the 60 FPS target and would likely result in a less enjoyable experience. The Low preset at 80 FPS is the only way to get a comfortable margin above 60 FPS at 4K, but it sacrifices significant visual fidelity. Overall, the data suggests that this combo is best suited for 1440p Medium or High, with 4K being a compromise between frame rate and visual quality.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the system achieves its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average is 162 FPS. Medium settings yield 121 FPS average, with a minimum of 103 FPS and maximum of 139 FPS. High settings produce 101 FPS average. Ultra settings drop to 73 FPS average. This shows a clear progression where each step up in settings costs a significant number of frames, with the largest single drop occurring from Low to Medium (41 FPS difference) and the smallest from High to Ultra (28 FPS difference).

At 2560x1440, the frame rates scale down proportionally. Low settings average 121 FPS, which is 25.3% lower than the 1080p Low result. Medium settings average 90 FPS, with a minimum of 77 FPS and maximum of 104 FPS. High settings average 75 FPS, and Ultra settings average 54 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across all settings, ranging from 25.3% at Low to 26.0% at Ultra. This uniformity suggests that the performance scaling is primarily resolution-driven rather than settings-driven, reinforcing the GPU-bound nature of the system.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more variable. Low settings average 80 FPS, which is a 50.6% drop from 1080p Low. Medium settings average 60 FPS, with a minimum of 51 FPS and maximum of 69 FPS. High settings average 50 FPS, and Ultra settings average 36 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more pronounced at lower settings (33.9% for Low) than at higher settings (33.3% for Ultra), which is counterintuitive but reflects the increasing memory bandwidth pressure at 4K. The minimum frame rate of 51 FPS at Medium 4K is a critical data point, as it shows the system can dip below the 60 FPS target even at the recommended settings. The data overall indicates that this combo is most comfortable at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K requiring careful settings management to maintain playable frame rates.