Road 96

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 delivers a remarkably smooth experience in Road 96, with the data showing that the GPU is the dominant performance driver across all tested configurations. At 1080p, the combo averages over 155 FPS even on High settings, while the 4K Ultra preset remains playable at 41 FPS, indicating a system that scales predictably with graphical load.

FAQ

*Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combination in Road 96?*

A: The combo ranks 527th out of 1684 tested combinations, placing it in the top 31% of all tested systems. This is a strong result, though not top-tier, reflecting the balance between the mid-range CPU and high-end GPU.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17181, which is essentially identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (17189, 0% delta) and the Intel Core i5-1240U (17141, 0.2% delta). It sits slightly behind the Intel Core i7-1260P (17212) and Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (17215), both with a -0.2% delta.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested graphics cards?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 falls in the 80th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35787. This places it comfortably above the median, but its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE, edges it out by 0.9%.

Q: Does the system maintain high frame rates at 4K resolution?

A: Yes, but with significant variation based on settings. At 4K with High settings, the average FPS is 52.1, which is playable. Dropping to Low settings boosts this to 91.2 FPS, while Ultra settings reduce it to 41 FPS.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the GPU, and does it matter for this game?

A: The RTX 3080 features 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. For Road 96, an adventure title, this capacity is more than sufficient to handle the game's assets at all tested resolutions without bottlenecking.

Q: How does the CPU's core and thread count influence performance here?

A: The i5-11400F has 6 cores and 12 threads, which is adequate for the game's demands. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14372 and single-core score of 2029 indicate that it can handle the game's logic and physics without becoming a limiting factor, especially at lower resolutions where the GPU is the primary constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 achieves a rank of 527 out of 1684 tested combos in Road 96. This places it in the upper third of all systems, which is a notable achievement given the CPU's mid-range positioning. The data suggests that the GPU is doing most of the heavy lifting, as the RTX 3080's 80th percentile GPU score is significantly higher than the CPU's 75th percentile ranking among all processors.

In practical terms, this rank means the system is well-suited for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and 1440p, while still being capable of 4K gaming at reduced settings. The gap between this combo and higher-ranked systems is likely due to the CPU's 6-core/12-thread configuration, which, while adequate, does not match the multi-threaded performance of more expensive processors. However, the delta between the i5-11400F and its nearest rivals (all within 0.2% in average benchmark score) shows that the CPU is not a weak link in this pairing.

The combo's position is further validated by the measured FPS data. At 1080p Medium, the system achieves 194.1 FPS, which is well above the threshold for competitive play. The rank of 527 indicates that while many systems outperform it, the vast majority of tested configurations (1157 of them) fall below it, making this a solid mid-to-high-tier performer for Road 96.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound scaling as resolution increases. At 1080p High, the system delivers 155.1 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops this to 102 FPS, a 34.2% reduction. At 4K High, the average FPS falls to 52.1, which is a 66.4% reduction from 1080p. This steep decline is characteristic of a system where the GPU is the limiting component, as the pixel count increases exponentially with resolution.

The scaling becomes even more pronounced at Ultra settings. At 1080p Ultra, the system averages 125.5 FPS, which drops to 77.9 FPS at 1440p and 41 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is the only configuration that falls below 60 FPS, indicating that the RTX 3080's 10 GB of VRAM and 760.3 GB/s bandwidth are being pushed to their limits at that resolution.

Conversely, at Low settings, the system shows impressive headroom. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 265.5, which is nearly double the High setting result. This suggests that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at extremely high frame rates without bottlenecking, as the i5-11400F's 4.40 GHz boost clock and 12 MB of L3 cache provide sufficient single-thread performance. The 1440p Low result of 167.4 FPS further confirms that the CPU is not the primary constraint at any resolution.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the system delivers exceptional performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 265.5 FPS, Medium 194.1 FPS, High 155.1 FPS, and Ultra 125.5 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 52.7% reduction in frame rate, which is consistent with the increased graphical load. All results are well above 60 FPS, making this resolution ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 1440p, the performance remains strong but shows expected scaling. Low settings average 167.4 FPS, Medium 125.7 FPS, High 102 FPS, and Ultra 77.9 FPS. The Ultra setting is the only one that dips below 100 FPS, but it still maintains a smooth experience. The drop from 1080p to 1440p at High settings is 34.2%, which is a manageable trade-off for the increased visual fidelity.

At 4K, the system's limits become apparent. Low settings average 91.2 FPS, which is still highly playable. Medium settings drop to 67.6 FPS, High to 52.1 FPS, and Ultra to 41 FPS. The Ultra result is the only one that falls below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that 4K gaming requires a reduction in settings to maintain smoothness. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 50.2 FPS, showing the significant impact of settings on performance at this resolution.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the primary performance driver in this configuration, as evidenced by the FPS scaling across resolutions. Its 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus provides 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for Road 96's assets. The GPU's 8704 shading units and 68 RT cores contribute to its high benchmark scores, with a PassMark G3D score of 25086 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 167014.

The GPU's clock speeds of 1440 MHz base and 1710 MHz boost are relatively modest for a high-end card, but the Ampere architecture's efficiency compensates for this. The pixel rate of 164.2 GPixel/s and texture rate of 465.1 GTexel/s are more than sufficient for the game's visual demands. The 80th percentile ranking among all GPUs places it ahead of the AMD Radeon 880M (0.4% delta) but behind the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE (-0.9% delta).

In Road 96, the GPU's role is most evident at 4K resolution, where the frame rate drops by 66.4% from 1080p at High settings. This indicates that the GPU is fully utilized at higher resolutions, and the 10 GB VRAM capacity is adequate for the game's textures and effects. The GPU's performance is consistent with its benchmark scores, showing that it delivers the expected level of graphical processing power.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution. At 1080p, even Ultra settings provide 125.5 FPS, so players with high-refresh-rate monitors can safely enable Ultra for the best visual experience without sacrificing smoothness. The 155.1 FPS at High settings is also excellent, making this a viable alternative for those who prefer higher frame rates.

At 1440p, High settings provide 102 FPS, which is ideal for most gaming scenarios. Ultra settings reduce this to 77.9 FPS, which is still playable but may not take full advantage of a 144 Hz monitor. Medium settings offer a middle ground at 125.7 FPS, but High is recommended for the best balance of visual quality and performance.

At 4K, the data suggests that Medium settings (67.6 FPS) provide the best experience, as they maintain a frame rate above 60 FPS while offering better visuals than Low (91.2 FPS). High settings (52.1 FPS) are playable but may exhibit noticeable stuttering on some displays. Ultra settings (41 FPS) are only recommended for players who prioritize visual fidelity over smoothness, as the frame rate drops below the 60 FPS threshold.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, plays a supporting role in this configuration. Its base clock of 2.60 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz provide solid single-thread performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2029 and Geekbench single-core score of 1979. The 12 MB of shared L3 cache helps maintain low latency for game logic and physics calculations.

The CPU's multi-threaded performance is adequate but not exceptional, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14372 and a PassMark multithread score of 16908. This places it in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, with its nearest rivals being the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (17189, 0% delta) and the Intel Core i7-1260P (17212, -0.2% delta). The 65W TDP and 14 nm process node indicate an older architecture, but it remains competitive for gaming workloads.

In Road 96, the CPU's role becomes apparent at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 265.5 FPS, which is close to the CPU's maximum frame delivery capability. The fact that this score is significantly higher than the 4K Low result of 91.2 FPS suggests that the CPU is not the bottleneck at higher resolutions, but it does limit the absolute maximum frame rate at 1080p. The CPU's 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth and dual-channel DDR4 support are sufficient for the game's requirements, ensuring smooth performance across all tested configurations.