Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 combination delivers a highly playable experience in Red Dead Redemption 2, though the data reveals a system that is decisively held back by the graphics card at higher resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across three resolutions and four quality presets, examining the roles of the CPU and GPU, and placing the combo within the broader database of tested configurations.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its base clock of 2.40 GHz can boost up to 5.30 GHz, and it features a 30 MB shared L3 cache. In Red Dead Redemption 2, this hardware configuration proves more than sufficient to feed the RTX 3070, as evidenced by the scaling patterns across resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 125 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded in the entire measured dataset. This indicates that the CPU is capable of driving very high frame rates without becoming a bottleneck, even in a demanding open-world title.

The processor’s multi-threaded capabilities are substantial, as reflected in its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216 and its Passmark multithread score of 49682. Red Dead Redemption 2 is known for its ability to utilize multiple cores for physics, AI, and world simulation, but the data suggests that the 265’s 20 cores provide ample headroom. The benchmark results show that at 1440p and 4K, the frame rate drops are almost entirely attributable to the GPU, as the CPU’s performance headroom remains largely untapped. The processor’s single-thread performance is also strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 5960, which is critical for the game’s main thread and overall frame pacing.

The Core Ultra 7 265 sits in the 93rd percentile among all tested CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 64640. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4464P, scores 64823, a difference of only -0.3%, placing the two processors in a statistical tie. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265F is also a close match, with a score of 64438, a 0.3% delta. This indicates that the 265 is a top-tier consumer processor, and its role in this combo is to ensure that the GPU is the primary determinant of performance. The data shows that at lower settings, where the GPU load is reduced, the CPU is able to push frame rates to 125 FPS at 1080p, confirming that it is not a limiting factor in this pairing.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the settings presets affect performance. At 1080p, the jump from Low to Medium is substantial, with average FPS dropping from 125 to 93, a 25.6% decrease. Moving from Medium to High reduces the average further to 78 FPS, and Ultra brings it down to 56 FPS. The sweet spot for a high-refresh-rate experience at 1080p appears to be the Medium preset, which offers an average of 93 FPS with a minimum of 79 FPS, ensuring smooth gameplay without significant dips. While the Low preset delivers the highest frame rate, the visual compromise is likely too severe for a game as visually rich as Red Dead Redemption 2.

At 1440p, the Medium preset again provides the best balance, delivering an average of 70 FPS with a minimum of 59 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for most gamers, and it maintains a 60 FPS floor, which is critical for consistent motion. The High preset at 1440p drops to an average of 58 FPS, which is just below the 60 FPS target, and the Ultra preset falls to 42 FPS, which is not recommended for a smooth experience. At 4K, the situation becomes more challenging. The Medium preset yields an average of 46 FPS with a minimum of 39 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The High preset at 4K averages 38 FPS, and Ultra drops to 28 FPS, both of which are below the threshold for a comfortable experience.

Based on the measured data, the Medium preset is the recommended choice for this combo across all three resolutions, as it consistently provides the best balance of visual fidelity and frame rate. At 1080p, it offers a high-refresh-rate experience, while at 1440p it maintains a stable 60 FPS. At 4K, it provides a playable, if not perfect, experience. The High preset is a viable alternative at 1080p and 1440p for those who prioritize visuals, but the frame rate drop is substantial. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as the performance cost is too high relative to the visual gains.

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

The scaling of average FPS across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 125 at 1080p to 93 at 1440p (a 25.6% decrease) and then to 61 at 4K (a 34.4% decrease from 1440p). This consistent and significant drop with each resolution increase is a hallmark of a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions, as the CPU's workload would not change substantially.

The scaling pattern is similar for the Medium preset, where FPS drops from 93 at 1080p to 70 at 1440p (a 24.7% decrease) and then to 46 at 4K (a 34.3% decrease). The High preset shows a drop from 78 at 1080p to 58 at 1440p (a 25.6% decrease) and then to 38 at 4K (a 34.5% decrease). The Ultra preset follows the same trend, dropping from 56 at 1080p to 42 at 1440p (a 25.0% decrease) and then to 28 at 4K (a 33.3% decrease). The consistency of these percentage drops across all settings strongly suggests that the RTX 3070 is the limiting component. The pixel count increases by 2.25x from 1080p to 1440p and by 4x from 1080p to 4K, and the frame rate drops proportionally to the increased GPU workload.

This analysis indicates that the CPU is not a factor in the performance scaling. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 has ample headroom to handle the increased draw calls and simulation complexity at higher resolutions, but the GPU's rendering capabilities are exhausted. The data shows that to achieve higher frame rates at 4K, a more powerful GPU would be required, as the current combo is firmly GPU-limited.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested configurations for Red Dead Redemption 2, this particular combo of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 ranks 1206 out of 2902 total combinations. This places it in the 58.4th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it outperforms a majority of other systems but is not near the top of the charts. This ranking is consistent with the performance profile of the RTX 3070, which is a capable mid-range to upper-mid-range graphics card from the previous generation.

The combo's ranking is likely influenced by the CPU's strong performance, as the Core Ultra 7 265 is a high-end processor that would not hold back the GPU. However, the overall ranking is capped by the GPU's absolute performance limits. The data shows that this combo is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates, but it falls behind more powerful GPU pairings at 4K. The 1206th rank out of 2902 indicates that there is substantial headroom for improvement, primarily by pairing the CPU with a more powerful graphics card. The RTX 3070's position in the GPU hierarchy, sitting in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17208, further confirms that this is a solid but not top-tier configuration.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is based on the Ampere architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. Its boost clock is 1725 MHz, and it has a TDP of 220 W. In Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU is the primary determinant of performance, as shown by the resolution scaling analysis. The 8 GB of VRAM is a critical factor, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows that at 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 28, which is likely due to both the GPU's compute limits and potential VRAM capacity constraints.

The RTX 3070’s compute capabilities are substantial, with 5888 shading units and 46 RT cores, but they are insufficient for the demands of 4K Ultra in this game. The GPU's Passmark G3D score is 22214, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3162, which places it in the 61st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT, scores 17083 in the average benchmark, a delta of 0.7%, indicating that the RTX 3070 is slightly faster. The data suggests that the RTX 3070 is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high frame rates. At 4K, it can handle Medium settings (46 FPS average) but struggles with High and Ultra presets.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s is a key asset for a game like Red Dead Redemption 2, which features large, detailed textures. However, the 8 GB VRAM capacity may be a limiting factor at 4K with High or Ultra settings, where texture data can exceed this limit, leading to performance drops. The measured FPS data shows a significant drop from Medium to High at 4K (46 to 38 FPS), which could be partly attributed to VRAM pressure. The GPU's role in this combo is to provide the rendering power, and its performance ceiling is reached at 4K, making the CPU's high-end capabilities somewhat underutilized at that resolution.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p with Medium settings for this combo?

A: The average FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 93 FPS, with a minimum of 79 FPS and a maximum of 107 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 4464P?

A: The AMD EPYC 4464P has an average benchmark score of 64823, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 has a score of 64640. This makes the EPYC 4464P 0.3% faster than the Core Ultra 7 265.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The combo ranks 1206 out of 2902 tested combinations, placing it in the 58.4th percentile of all tested systems.

Q: Is the system CPU-bound or GPU-bound at 4K?

A: The system is GPU-bound at 4K. The average FPS drops significantly from 1080p to 4K (e.g., from 125 to 61 FPS on Low settings), indicating that the RTX 3070 is the limiting component.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 125, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070?

A: The RTX 3070 has a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, provided by 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus.

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

The following table details the exact measured FPS data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 in Red Dead Redemption 2.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

| :--------- | :------- | :---------- | :------ | :------ |

| 3840x2160 | High | 38 | N/A | N/A |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 61 | N/A | N/A |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 46 | 39 | 53 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 28 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | High | 58 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 93 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 70 | 59 | 80 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 42 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | High | 78 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 125 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 93 | 79 | 107 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 56 | N/A | N/A |

At 1080p, the frame rates are generally high, with the Low preset hitting 125 FPS and the Medium preset at 93 FPS. The High preset at 78 FPS is still smooth, and Ultra at 56 FPS is playable but falls short of high-refresh-rate targets. Moving to 1440p, the Low preset delivers 93 FPS, while Medium drops to 70 FPS with a 59 FPS minimum. High and Ultra presets at 1440p deliver 58 and 42 FPS respectively, which are below the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K, the Low preset is the only one that averages above 60 FPS, hitting 61 FPS. The Medium preset averages 46 FPS, High averages 38 FPS, and Ultra averages 28 FPS, making 4K a challenging resolution for this combo. The minimum FPS data, where recorded, shows that the Medium preset at both 1080p and 1440p maintains a stable frame rate without severe dips, making it the most reliable choice for consistent gameplay.