Road 96

Road 96 is not a demanding title, and the benchmark data for the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti combination reflects that, showing performance that is heavily bottlenecked by the CPU at lower resolutions. The data indicates that this combo sits in the top quarter of all tested configurations, with a rank of 981 out of 3713 combos, placing it in the 73.6th percentile. The GPU’s massive headroom is wasted at 1080p, but the pairing becomes more balanced as resolution increases, though it never fully utilizes the RTX 3080 Ti's potential.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic CPU-bound scenario at lower resolutions. At 1080p with High settings, the combo produces 163 FPS. Moving to 1440p High drops this to 104 FPS, a 36% reduction. Pushing to 4K High yields 55 FPS, which is a 66% drop from 1080p. This scaling pattern is far steeper than what the GPU alone would dictate, indicating that the i5-11400F is the limiting factor at 1080p, where the CPU cannot feed frames fast enough to keep the RTX 3080 Ti fully occupied.

The trend holds across all settings presets. With Low settings, the combo hits 276 FPS at 1080p, 175 FPS at 1440p (a 37% drop), and 93 FPS at 4K (a 66% drop from 1080p). The near-identical percentage drops between High and Low settings at each resolution step strongly suggest a CPU bottleneck at 1080p; if the GPU were the limit, the less demanding Low preset would show a smaller relative drop when moving to higher resolutions. The fact that the drop is consistent indicates the CPU is maxed out even at Low settings, 1080p, leaving the GPU idle.

At 4K, the scaling becomes more GPU-bound, but the RTX 3080 Ti is still not fully stressed. The difference between 1080p High (163 FPS) and 4K Ultra (43 FPS) is a 74% reduction, showing that the GPU is finally being pushed. However, the absolute 4K numbers—55 FPS at High and 43 FPS at Ultra—are underwhelming for a flagship GPU in a game like Road 96. This suggests that even at 4K, the CPU is still holding back the GPU somewhat, preventing it from reaching the 60+ FPS threshold that the GPU’s raw compute should easily deliver in this title.

The Medium preset data, which includes min and max FPS values, provides further insight. At 1080p Medium, the combo averages 202 FPS with a minimum of 172 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the average is 129 FPS with a minimum of 109 FPS. At 4K Medium, the average is 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 FPS. The min FPS at 4K Medium (58 FPS) being below 60 suggests occasional stutters, but the frame time consistency is generally good. The scaling from 1080p to 4K at Medium is a 66% drop, again matching the pattern seen in other presets, reinforcing the CPU-bound nature of this pairing.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested hardware combinations for Road 96, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti achieves a rank of 981 out of 3713 total combos. This places it in the 73.6th percentile of all systems tested, meaning it outperforms roughly three-quarters of all other configurations. While this is a strong showing, it is not a top-tier result, which is notable given the high-end nature of the RTX 3080 Ti. The rank indicates that many other combos, likely featuring more powerful CPUs, achieve higher frame rates, particularly at lower resolutions.

The ranking is likely dragged down by the CPU’s inability to keep up with the GPU at 1080p and 1440p. The i5-11400F’s 71st percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17177, is respectable but not exceptional. The RTX 3080 Ti, on the other hand, sits in the 83rd percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 41187. The gap between these two percentiles suggests a mismatch: the GPU is significantly more capable than the CPU, and in a game like Road 96, the CPU becomes the bottleneck, preventing the combo from reaching the higher ranks that the GPU alone could achieve.

The combo’s rank of 981 is further contextualized by the CPU’s nearest rivals. The AMD EPYC 7H12 has an average score of 17120, a 0.3% difference from the i5-11400F’s 17177. The Intel Core i5-12450H scores 17239, a -0.4% difference. These rivals are all within 1% of the i5-11400F’s performance, showing that the CPU is in a very tight performance cluster. This means that swapping the CPU for any of these alternatives would result in nearly identical frame rates in Road 96, as the CPU’s performance is the limiting factor. The GPU’s nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, has a 2% higher average score, but this difference is irrelevant when the CPU is the bottleneck.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 14 nm process. It has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache. In Road 96, an adventure game that does not heavily utilize multiple cores, the single-threaded performance is more critical than the multi-threaded capabilities. The CPU’s single-thread score in 3DMark is 868, and its Cinebench R23 single-core score is 2024, which are solid figures but not class-leading.

The benchmark data shows that the i5-11400F’s multi-threaded performance, while adequate, is not the differentiator here. Its 3DMark max-thread score is 5652, and its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 14340. These numbers place it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs, but for Road 96, the game’s engine likely relies on a few primary threads. The CPU’s boost clock of 4.40 GHz is sufficient to drive high frame rates, but the data suggests it hits a ceiling around 276 FPS at 1080p Low, which is where the CPU’s single-thread limit is reached.

The CPU’s memory support for DDR4 with dual-channel bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s is another potential factor. While not a direct bottleneck in this game, the memory bandwidth could limit how quickly the CPU can process game data, especially at higher frame rates. The CPU’s 65 W TDP and 20 PCIe Gen 4 lanes are also relevant, but the game’s performance is more closely tied to the CPU’s core clocks. The i5-11400F’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G with a 0.6% lower scoreaine, show that the CPU is performing at the expected level for its class, but it is simply not fast enough to fully utilize the RTX 3080 Ti in this title.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the combo delivers extremely high frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 276 FPS, Medium yields 202 FPS, High drops to 163 FPS, and Ultra averages 127 FPS. These numbers are all well above the refresh rate of most monitors, making the experience exceptionally smooth. The Medium preset shows a minimum of 172 FPS and a maximum of 232 FPS, indicating tight frame pacing. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a 54% reduction in FPS, which is a typical scaling curve for this game.

At 1440p, the performance remains strong but begins to show the CPU’s limitations. Low settings average 175 FPS, Medium averages 129 FPS, High averages 104 FPS, and Ultra averages 81 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum of 109 FPS and a maximum of 148 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is consistent across all settings, around 37%, which is a clear sign that the CPU is still the primary constraint. Even at Ultra, the 81 FPS average is more than playable, but it is far below what the RTX 3080 Ti is capable of delivering.

At 4K, the frame rates finally drop to levels where the GPU is more involved. Low settings average 93 FPS, Medium averages 68 FPS, High averages 55 FPS, and Ultra averages 43 FPS. The Medium preset has a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPSeb. The 4K Low result of 93 FPS is notable, as it shows the GPU can still push high frame rates when the CPU is less stressed. However, the 4K High and Ultra results are below 60 FPS, which is a disappointment for a GPU with an 83rd percentile ranking. This indicates that even at 4K, the CPU is likely still causing some frame rate drops, preventing the GPU from reaching its full potential.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti is a high-end GPU based on the Ampere architecture, featuring 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus with a bandwidth of 912.4 GB/s. It has 10,240 shading units and a boost clock of 1665 MHz. In terms of raw compute, it delivers 34.10 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 41187 places it in the 83rd percentile of all GPUs, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 5077heb. These figures confirm that the GPU is a top-tier performer.

Despite this, the measured FPS data shows that the RTX 3080 Ti is not being fully utilized in Road 96. At 1080p Low, the GPU is likely idling, as the CPU is the limiting factor at 276 FPS. The GPU’s performance only becomes relevant at higher resolutions and settings. At 4K Ultra, the 43 FPS average is a clear sign that the GPU is being pushed, but the result is still underwhelming. The GPU’s nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 with a 2% higher score, would likely perform similarly due to the CPU bottleneck.

The GPU’s 12 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for Road 96, as the game is not VRAM-intensive. The 912.4 GB/s memory bandwidth is also overkill for this title, but it ensures that there are no memory-related bottlenecks. The GPU’s 350 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for this class, but the power draw is not a factor in the benchmark results. The data suggests that the RTX 3080 Ti is a capable GPU that is being held back by the i5-11400F in this specific game. To get the most out of this GPU, a more powerful CPU would be required, but for Road 96, the current pairing still delivers playable frame rates at all resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Road 96 with this combo?

A: The data shows that 1440p High provides a 104 FPS average, which is a good balance. 1080p High offers 163 FPS, but the CPU bottleneck is evident. 4K High drops to 55 FPS, which is below 60 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this pairing?

A: The data indicates the CPU is the bottleneck. The frame rate drops from 1080p to 1440p are consistent (around 37%) regardless of settings, which is a sign of CPU limitation. The GPU’s high 83rd percentile ranking versus the CPU’s 71st percentile supports this.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to others in Road 96?

A: The combo ranks 981 out of 3713 tested configurations, placing it in the 73.6th percentile. This is a strong result, but not top-tier, due to the CPU limiting the GPU’s potential.

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the combo averages 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS and a maximum of 78 FPS.

Q: Does the RTX 3080 Ti’s 12 GB VRAM cause any issues?

A: No. The game is not VRAM-intensive, and the 12 GB GDDR6X memory with 912.4 GB/s bandwidth is more than sufficient. The measured FPS data shows no VRAM-related stutters or frame drops.

Q: Would a different CPU significantly improve performance?

A: The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 7H12 (0.3% difference) and Intel Core i5-12450H (-0.4% difference), have nearly identical scores. Swapping to these would not change performance. A significantly faster CPU would be needed to reduce the bottleneck, but the data does not include such a comparison.