Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 produces a solid, if not spectacular, showing in Red Dead Redemption 2. The combination lands at rank 1544 out of 2902 tested combos, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. This positioning reflects a system that can handle the game’s demanding open world at mainstream resolutions, though it requires settings adjustments to maintain smooth frame rates at higher pixel counts.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1544 out of 2902 places it just past the halfway point of all tested configurations. This is a respectable position, but it clearly indicates that while this pairing is competent, it is not a top-tier performer for Red Dead Redemption 2. The ranking suggests that the system will deliver a playable experience, but users should temper expectations for maximum visual fidelity at high resolutions.

The CPU itself sits in the 93rd percentile among all processors, which is a strong showing for the Core Ultra 7 265. Its average benchmark score of 64640 places it in close competition with several AMD EPYC server chips, including the EPYC 4464P which scores 64823 (a -0.3% delta), and the EPYC 9124 at 65104 (-0.7%). It edges out the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F by a mere 0.3% and the EPYC 7343 by 0.7%. This places the CPU in a performance class that is more than capable of feeding the GPU in most scenarios.

The GPU, conversely, is a more modest performer. The RTX 4060 sits in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17639. Its nearest rivals are surprisingly older or integrated parts: the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (-0.2%), the AMD Radeon 780M (+0.3%), the Radeon Pro 560 (+0.5%), and the Radeon Pro 460 (+0.7%). This data suggests that while the RTX 4060 is a modern part, its raw compute performance places it in a similar tier to much older discrete GPUs, which is a critical factor in understanding its frame rate limitations in a visually intensive game like Red Dead Redemption 2.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the primary bottleneck in this configuration. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. These specifications are modest by modern standards, and the benchmark results reflect this.

The impact of the GPU’s limitations is most evident when examining the frame rate scaling. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 110 FPS, but this drops to 69 FPS at High and 49 FPS at Ultra. The step from High to Ultra represents a significant 29% performance hit, which is characteristic of a GPU struggling with the increased shading and texture workloads. The RTX 4060’s 3072 shading units and 48 ROPs are tasked heavily, and the 24 RT cores provide no benefit in this game’s standard rendering path.

The VRAM capacity of 8 GB is also a factor. The data shows that at 4K with Medium settings, the frame rate is 41 FPS. This is not a collapse, but it is low. The GPU’s pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s are simply not high enough to push Red Dead Redemption 2’s detailed environments at 3840x2160 with any significant quality settings. The GPU’s 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is being fully utilized, and the results indicate that it is insufficient for high-refresh-rate gaming at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear hierarchy of settings for this combo. For a target of 60 FPS, the only viable options are at 1080p and 1440p with lower quality presets. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 110 FPS, which is well above the target. The Medium preset still offers a comfortable 82 FPS, with a minimum of 70 FPS ensuring smooth gameplay. The High preset at 1080p drops to 69 FPS, which is still playable but begins to show the GPU’s strain.

At 1440p, the situation tightens. The Low preset delivers 82 FPS, which is excellent. However, the Medium preset falls to 61 FPS, with a minimum of 52 FPS, which introduces noticeable dips. The High preset at 1440p drops to 51 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. Therefore, the optimal experience for a smooth 60 FPS is the Medium preset at 1440p, or the High preset at 1080p, which yields 69 FPS.

For users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate, the Ultra preset is not recommended. At 1080p, it only achieves 49 FPS, and at 1440p it drops to 37 FPS. These figures indicate the RTX 4060 is not capable of maintaining a fluid experience at the highest settings. The best balance of visual fidelity and performance is found at 1440p with the Medium preset, which offers a playable 61 FPS average with a minimum of 52 FPS.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Red Dead Redemption 2 at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at specific settings and resolutions. The data shows 60 FPS is achievable at 1080p with Low (110 FPS), Medium (82 FPS), or High (69 FPS) settings. At 1440p, only the Low preset (82 FPS) and Medium preset (61 FPS) reach the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K, no preset reaches 60 FPS; the highest is Low at 54 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for this system?

A: The data indicates that 1440p with Medium settings provides the best balance, yielding 61 FPS average with a minimum of 52 FPS. 1080p offers higher frame rates, but 1440p provides a sharper image while still maintaining playable performance. 4K is not recommended, as the highest average FPS recorded is 54 at Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 has an average benchmark score of 64640. It is essentially tied with the AMD EPYC 4464P (64823, -0.3%) and slightly ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F (64438, +0.3%). It also outperforms the AMD EPYC 7343 (64202, +0.7%) and trails the AMD EPYC 9124 (65104, -0.7%).

Q: Is the GPU’s 8 GB of VRAM sufficient for this game?

A: The measured data does not show catastrophic failures due to VRAM limits, but the performance at 4K is low. The 8 GB VRAM may be a limiting factor at higher resolutions and settings, contributing to the low average FPS seen at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings (24 FPS). The GPU’s memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s is a more significant constraint.

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

A: The difference is substantial. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves 110 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves only 49 FPS. This represents a 55.5% decrease in performance when moving from the lowest to the highest quality preset.

Q: How does this combo rank overall?

A: The combo ranks 1544 out of 2902 tested combinations. This places it in the 53rd percentile of tested systems, indicating it performs better than a slight majority of the configurations in the database for Red Dead Redemption 2.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data shows a steep decline as resolution increases, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. Moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 at Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 82 to 61, a 25.6% decrease. This is a significant hit, but the frame rate remains playable. The step from 1440p to 4K (3840x2160) at Medium settings is even more punishing, with the average FPS falling from 61 to 41, a 32.8% decrease.

This pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 69 at 1080p, to 51 at 1440p, to 34 at 4K. The scaling from 1080p to 4K represents a 50.7% drop in performance. This is a clear indication that the RTX 4060 is the limiting component. The CPU’s strong benchmark scores (93rd percentile) suggest it has ample headroom, but the GPU’s rendering capabilities are exhausted as pixel count increases.

The data suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s is a primary constraint at higher resolutions. The 128-bit bus width limits the data transfer rate, which becomes a bottleneck when the GPU needs to access larger textures and frame buffers at 4K. The result is a system that is well-suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but not for 4K, where the frame rates drop to levels that are only suitable for slower-paced gameplay.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a high-end desktop processor that provides a strong foundation for this gaming combo. With 20 cores and 20 threads, it has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. It is built on a 3 nm process and features 30 MB of shared L3 cache. This hardware provides ample processing power for the game’s simulation and AI workloads.

The CPU’s benchmark results support this. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 42216, and its single-core score is 5960. These scores are in the top tier of processors. In the context of Red Dead Redemption 2, which is known for its CPU-intensive open-world simulation, the Core Ultra 7 265 ensures that the processor is not the bottleneck. The data shows that as resolution increases and the GPU becomes more stressed, the frame rate drops consistently, which is expected when the CPU is not the limiting factor.

The CPU’s 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, and its close competition with server-grade EPYC processors, indicates that it has far more performance than the RTX 4060 can utilize in this game. The combo rank of 1544 is thus heavily influenced by the GPU’s performance ceiling, not the CPU’s capabilities. This is a classic case of a balanced system where the GPU is the primary determinant of frame rate in graphically demanding scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings preset.

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 34 | N/A | N/A |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 54 | N/A | N/A |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 41 | 35 | 47 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 24 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | High | 51 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 82 | N/A | N/A |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 61 | 52 | 71 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 37 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | High | 69 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 110 | N/A | N/A |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 82 | 70 | 95 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 49 | N/A | N/A |

The data reveals a clear performance hierarchy. At 1080p, the system is capable of high frame rates, with the Low preset hitting 110 FPS and the Medium preset at 82 FPS. The High preset at 69 FPS is still smooth, but the Ultra preset at 49 FPS shows a significant drop. At 1440p, the frame rates are lower but mostly playable, with Low at 82 FPS and Medium at 61 FPS. The High preset at 51 FPS and Ultra at 37 FPS are less desirable. At 4K, the system struggles, with the best result being 54 FPS at Low settings and the Ultra preset yielding only 24 FPS.

The variance data for Medium settings shows that the minimum FPS is consistently about 10-15% lower than the average, which indicates some stuttering during intense scenes. This is most noticeable at 4K, where the minimum FPS of 35 is well below the 41 average. Overall, these numbers paint a picture of a system that is best used at 1440p or 1080p with moderate settings, and one that should avoid 4K and Ultra presets for a consistently smooth experience.