Revolution Idle

Revolution Idle is a browser-based idle game that presents an unusual benchmark scenario: its rendering load is minimal, yet the measured frame rates across this Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 combination show significant variance, indicating that the data captures more than just static menu rendering. The combination ranks 938 out of 1774 tested combos, placing it near the middle of the database, which aligns with a system where the CPU is a legacy six-core part and the GPU is a current-generation midrange card. The benchmark results reveal a system that is fully capable of smooth gameplay at mainstream resolutions, but which shows clear performance stratification as resolution and settings increase.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 provides six physical cores and six threads, operating at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. This Coffee Lake architecture part, built on a 14 nm process, has a 9 MB shared L3 cache. Its benchmark scores—7969 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 1125 in single-core—place it at the 50th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it sits exactly at the median of the database. The nearest rivals are closely matched: the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2300, a mere 0.2% difference, and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 scores 2299, also 0.2% away. The Intel Xeon E-2134 is 0.4% behind at 2295, while the Intel Core i7-8809G is 0.6% ahead at 2319.

For an idle game like Revolution Idle, the CPU's role is primarily to run the game's logic, update timers, and manage the background simulation that continues even when the tab is not focused. The data shows that this processor is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates range from 112.9 FPS on Low settings to 65.9 FPS on Ultra, a spread that is more attributable to GPU load than CPU limits. The 4.10 GHz boost clock is sufficient to handle single-threaded game logic, as evidenced by the fact that even the most demanding 4K Ultra setting still yields 23.8 FPS, which is a playable floor for a genre that does not require twitch reflexes.

The six-thread configuration is adequate for this workload. Unlike modern CPUs with higher thread counts, the i5-9400 does not have surplus processing power for complex background calculations, but the measured results suggest that Revolution Idle does not heavily tax it. The 50th percentile ranking indicates that half of all tested CPUs are faster, yet the system still delivers 98.5 FPS at 1080p High. This suggests that the game's computational demands are modest, and the CPU's performance is sufficient to feed the GPU without causing frame drops. The close rivalry with the i3-10305, which has the same 0.2% delta, confirms that the chip's performance is consistent with its class.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is the primary driver of visual performance in this configuration. It features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU has 3840 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output pipelines, with a boost clock of 2497 MHz. Its pixel rate is 119.9 GPixel/s and texture rate is 299.6 GTexel/s, with FP32 compute rated at 19.18 TFLOPS. The GPU's average benchmark score is 30109, placing it at the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, which is notably higher than the CPU's median standing.

The nearest GPU rivals show a tightly packed field. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT scores 30097, a 0% delta, while the AMD Radeon RX 570 scores 30158, which is 0.2% higher. The NVIDIA Tesla M60 is 0.5% behind at 29969, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Mobile is 0.6% behind at 29928. This means the RTX 5060 is effectively performance-equivalent to the RX 7700 XT in aggregate benchmarks, though the measured frame rates in this game will show how that translates to real-world play.

The GPU's memory configuration is the most critical factor for Revolution Idle's higher settings. At 1080p, the GPU handles all settings comfortably, with the drop from Low (112.9 FPS) to Ultra (65.9 FPS) representing a 41.6% reduction. However, at 4K, the performance collapses: Ultra drops to 23.8 FPS, and even Low only achieves 47.4 FPS. This indicates that the 8 GB VRAM buffer and 128-bit memory bus become limiting factors at higher resolutions. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1440p, where High settings still deliver 64.4 FPS, but the data shows a clear wall at 4K where the GPU cannot maintain fluid rates. The GPU's 73rd percentile ranking confirms it is a strong midrange part, but its memory subsystem is not designed for 4K gaming at high fidelity in this title.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy of presets across all three resolutions. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 103.3 FPS, which is only 8.5% lower than Low's 112.9 FPS but provides substantially better visual quality. High settings at 98.5 FPS are still well above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a viable choice for users with 60 Hz displays. Ultra at 65.9 FPS is playable but introduces a significant 33.1% performance penalty over Medium, which may not be justified for an idle game where visual fidelity is secondary to background progression.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts. Medium delivers 68.1 FPS, which is smooth, while High drops to 64.4 FPS, still acceptable. Low settings hit 90 FPS, but the visual compromise is substantial. Ultra at 41.3 FPS falls below the 60 FPS target, making it unsuitable for fluid gameplay. The optimal choice at 1440p is Medium, as it balances the 68.1 FPS result with a reasonable visual package, and it maintains a 65.4% higher frame rate than Ultra.

For 4K, the data shows that no preset achieves 60 FPS. Medium is the worst performer at 32.9 FPS, which is counterintuitive but reflects the rendering overhead of certain effects. Low settings at 47.4 FPS are the only option near playable territory, and High at 34.1 FPS is marginally better than Medium. The recommendation is to use Low at 4K if the user prioritizes frame rate, or to consider that this system is not suited for 4K gaming in this title. The best experience overall is 1080p Medium, which offers 103.3 FPS, a 56.8% improvement over 1440p Medium, and avoids the steep penalties seen at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: How does this CPU compare to its closest rivals in benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305. This is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i3-10305 (2300) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 (2299), 0.4% higher than the Intel Xeon E-2134 (2295), and 0.6% lower than the Intel Core i7-8809G (2319). The differences are minimal, indicating these processors perform nearly identically in aggregate.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gameplay?

A: The Medium preset at 1440p delivers 68.1 FPS, which is the highest frame rate that maintains a smooth experience above 60 FPS. High settings are close at 64.4 FPS, but Medium provides a better balance of visual quality and performance, as Ultra drops to 41.3 FPS and is not recommended.

Q: Why does the 4K Medium preset perform worse than 4K High?

A: The measured data shows 4K Medium at 32.9 FPS, while 4K High achieves 34.1 FPS. This anomaly suggests that the Medium preset may enable certain rendering features that are more demanding on the GPU's memory bandwidth, whereas High might use different optimization paths. The difference is small, but it indicates that preset selection does not always follow a linear performance curve.

Q: Is this system capable of 4K gaming in Revolution Idle?

A: No preset reaches 60 FPS at 4K. The best result is Low at 47.4 FPS, followed by High at 34.1 FPS, Medium at 32.9 FPS, and Ultra at 23.8 FPS. Users seeking 4K gameplay would need to accept Low settings and a frame rate below 50 FPS, which is not an ideal experience.

Q: How does the GPU's performance ranking compare to its nearest rival?

A: The RTX 5060 has an average benchmark score of 30109, which is effectively tied with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT at 30097 (0% delta). It is 0.2% lower than the AMD Radeon RX 570 (30158), and 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA Tesla M60 (29969). This places it in a tightly competitive field.

Q: What frame rate can be expected at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1080p High is 98.5 FPS. This is 14.6% lower than Low settings (112.9 FPS) but 49.5% higher than Ultra (65.9 FPS). This makes High a strong choice for users with 144 Hz monitors who want a balance of quality and speed.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate data from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scaling pattern, but with notable anomalies. From 1080p High (98.5 FPS) to 1440p High (64.4 FPS), there is a 34.6% drop, which is a substantial reduction for a 1.78x increase in pixel count. Moving from 1440p High to 4K High (34.1 FPS) results in a further 47.0% drop, indicating that the GPU is struggling with the 2.25x pixel increase from 1440p to 4K. The total drop from 1080p High to 4K High is 65.4%, which is steep but consistent with the GPU's memory bandwidth limitations.

The Low settings tell a different story. From 1080p Low (112.9 FPS) to 1440p Low (90 FPS), the drop is 20.3%, which is less severe than the High preset's drop. However, from 1440p Low to 4K Low (47.4 FPS), the drop is 47.3%, showing that even Low settings cannot escape the 4K resolution wall. The fact that 4K Low (47.4 FPS) is only 2.8% higher than 1080p Ultra (65.9 FPS) is misleading; it shows that the GPU is being pushed to its limits regardless of preset.

The scaling behavior indicates that the limiting component at 1080p and 1440p is the GPU, not the CPU. The i5-9400, despite its median ranking, can maintain high frame rates at these resolutions, as evidenced by the 112.9 FPS result at 1080p Low. The CPU's 50th percentile ranking does not hinder performance, as the game's logic is not computationally intensive. However, at 4K, the RTX 5060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus become the bottleneck. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is insufficient to feed the pixel throughput required at 3840x2160, leading to the sharp FPS drops. The data shows that this system is optimized for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being a stretch that requires significant setting reductions to remain playable. The GPU's 73rd percentile ranking suggests it is a capable midrange part, but its memory subsystem clearly caps performance at higher resolutions.