Road 96

Road 96 is an adventure game that does not demand extreme hardware, yet the measured results for this Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination reveal a distinct performance hierarchy. The data shows that the CPU and GPU interact in a way where the graphics card becomes the primary driver of frame rates at higher resolutions, while the processor's capabilities set the ceiling at lower settings. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and presets, places the combo within the broader database, and explains the role each component plays in this specific title.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake-S architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU achieves a 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and a multi-thread score of 5890, while Cinebench R23 results show 2257 points single-core and 15989 points multi-core. These numbers indicate a strong mainstream processor, but in Road 96, the game's engine appears to rely more on single-thread performance than on high core counts.

The data supports this interpretation when examining frame rates at 1080p. At Low settings, the combo produces 428 FPS, which is exceptionally high. However, this figure is likely constrained by the CPU's single-thread capabilities, as the RTX 5090 D is far more powerful than what this game requires. The CPU's PassMark single-thread score of 3456 and 3DMark single-thread score of 910 suggest it can handle the game's logic and draw calls efficiently, but it cannot push beyond that 428 FPS ceiling. At Medium settings, the FPS drops to 313, and at High it is 253, showing that as the GPU takes on more work, the frame rate scales down but remains CPU-bound at these lower resolutions.

The processor's 12 threads are not heavily utilized in this adventure title, as evidenced by the fact that the CPU's multi-thread benchmarks (like Cinebench R23 multicore at 15989) are not reflected in proportional FPS gains. Instead, the game appears to favor the boost clock of 4.40 GHz, which helps maintain high frame rates when the GPU is not the bottleneck. The CPU's 65 W TDP and dual-channel memory support (DDR4/DDR5) are adequate for this workload, but the data shows that the processor is not the limiting factor at 4K, where GPU load dominates.

In summary, the i5-12400's role in Road 96 is to provide sufficient single-thread throughput and enough core count to avoid stutters, but it does not become a bottleneck until frame rates exceed 400 FPS at 1080p Low. The benchmark results indicate that for most users running high or ultra settings at higher resolutions, the CPU has ample headroom.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves a combo rank of 6 out of 3713 tested combinations in Road 96. This places it in the top 0.16% of all combos in the database, which is an exceptional position. The rank reflects the raw performance of the RTX 5090 D, which dominates the frame rate charts, even when paired with a mid-range CPU like the i5-12400.

To contextualize this rank, the GPU alone has a percentile of 92 versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 77712. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (score 76904, delta 1.1%), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (score 78940, delta -1.6%), and NVIDIA Tesla P100 variants (scores 79396 and 79605, deltas -2.1% and -2.4%). The RTX 5090 D sits slightly below the RX 6850M XT in raw average score, but its actual in-game performance at 4K Ultra (67 FPS) is strong enough to secure the 6th place overall.

The CPU's percentile is 72 versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 18683. Its nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7643 (delta -0.1%), Intel Core i7-1355U (delta -0.3%), AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 (delta -0.7%), and Intel Core i3-14100F (delta 0.9%). These deltas are all within 1%, indicating that the i5-12400's CPU performance is essentially on par with these other processors. However, the combo's rank is driven almost entirely by the GPU, as the CPU does not differentiate the system from many others.

The fact that this combo ranks 6th despite the CPU being a mid-range part demonstrates that Road 96 is heavily GPU-limited in its most demanding settings (4K Ultra) and that the RTX 5090 D can carry the system to elite status. If the CPU were a bottleneck, we would expect the rank to be lower, but the data shows that the GPU's raw power (104.8 TFLOPS FP32, 32 GB GDDR7 memory) is the deciding factor.

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

The measured FPS data across three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160) reveals a clear scaling pattern that identifies the GPU as the primary limiting component at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 428 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the FPS drops to 272, a reduction of 36%. At 4K Low, the FPS falls to 144, which is 66% lower than the 1080p figure. This steep drop indicates that the GPU is being pushed harder as pixel count increases, while the CPU remains constant.

For Medium settings, the scaling is similar: 313 FPS at 1080p, 200 FPS at 1440p (36% drop), and 106 FPS at 4K (66% drop from 1080p). The consistent percentage drops across Low and Medium suggest that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the CPU's workload does not change significantly with resolution. At High settings, the 1080p result is 253 FPS, dropping to 161 FPS at 1440p (36% drop) and 85 FPS at 4K (66% drop from 1080p). This pattern holds for Ultra as well: 198 FPS at 1080p, 126 FPS at 1440p (36% drop), and 67 FPS at 4K (66% drop from 1080p).

The ratio between 1080p and 4K is nearly identical across all settings (roughly 4x the pixel count leads to roughly 3x lower FPS, not 4x lower), which indicates that the GPU is not fully saturated until 4K. The fact that 4K Low (144 FPS) is still higher than 1080p Ultra (198 FPS) shows that the game's graphical settings have a greater impact on performance than resolution alone. This suggests that the RTX 5090 D has enough bandwidth (1.79 TB/s) and memory (32 GB GDDR7) to handle 4K without hitting a hard limit, but the rendering load at 4K Ultra (67 FPS) is where the GPU finally becomes fully utilized.

If the CPU were the limiting factor, we would expect the FPS to remain flat or drop only slightly when moving from 1080p to 4K, but the data shows a consistent 66% reduction, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario. The i5-12400's single-thread performance is sufficient to feed frames up to 428 FPS at 1080p, but beyond that, the GPU takes over as the bottleneck.

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

The following is the exact measured FPS data for the Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combo in Road 96.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 428 FPS average
• Medium: 313 FPS average, with a minimum of 266 FPS and maximum of 360 FPS
• High: 253 FPS average
• Ultra: 198 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 272 FPS average
• Medium: 200 FPS average, with a minimum of 170 FPS and maximum of 229 FPS
• High: 161 FPS average
• Ultra: 126 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 144 FPS average
• Medium: 106 FPS average, with a minimum of 90 FPS and maximum of 121 FPS
• High: 85 FPS average
• Ultra: 67 FPS average

These numbers show a consistent hierarchy: Low is always the fastest, followed by Medium, then High, and finally Ultra. The gap between Low and Ultra is substantial at every resolution. At 1080p, the difference is 230 FPS (428 vs 198). At 1440p, it narrows to 146 FPS (272 vs 126). At 4K, the gap is 77 FPS (144 vs 67). This narrowing gap indicates that as resolution increases, the GPU's workload becomes more uniform across settings, but Ultra still imposes a significant penalty.

The Medium settings include min/max data, which provides insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the range is 266-360 FPS, which is a 94 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the range is 170-229 FPS (59 FPS spread). At 4K Medium, the range is 90-121 FPS (31 FPS spread). The tighter range at higher resolutions suggests more consistent frame times, likely because the GPU is more consistently utilized and less likely to hit CPU-related spikes.

For users targeting a smooth experience, 4K High at 85 FPS average is above the 60 FPS threshold, while 4K Ultra at 67 FPS is still playable but closer to the edge. At 1440p, even Ultra delivers 126 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors. At 1080p, all settings exceed 198 FPS, making the CPU the only potential limit for very high refresh rates (above 240 Hz).

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Road 96?

A: The data shows that 1440p High provides 161 FPS average, which balances visual quality and speed. 4K High at 85 FPS is also viable, but 1440p Ultra at 126 FPS offers a higher refresh rate with minimal visual compromise.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck at 4K Ultra?

A: At 4K Ultra, the combo achieves 67 FPS, which is significantly lower than 1080p Ultra (198 FPS). This 66% drop indicates the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU's workload does not scale with resolution.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 6th out of 3713 tested combinations in Road 96. The rank is driven by the RTX 5090 D's performance (92nd percentile among GPUs) rather than the i5-12400 (72nd percentile among CPUs).

Q: Can this system maintain 60 FPS at 4K with maximum settings?

A: Yes, the measured 4K Ultra average is 67 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold. However, it is not a large margin, so users may see occasional dips below 60 FPS in busy scenes.

Q: What is the frame time consistency like at 1440p Medium?

A: The 1440p Medium result shows a minimum of 170 FPS and a maximum of 229 FPS, with an average of 200 FPS. This 59 FPS range indicates consistent performance without severe stutters.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 D's 32 GB VRAM matter for this game?

A: The measured data does not indicate any VRAM limitations, as the game runs at 4K Ultra without performance anomalies. The 32 GB VRAM is far more than Road 96 requires, but it does not hurt performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 4K displays, the High preset at 85 FPS average provides a smooth experience with good visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 67 FPS is still playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes, and the Medium preset at 106 FPS offers a better balance for those who prioritize frame rate over maximum detail. The Low preset at 144 FPS is only recommended for competitive play or very high refresh rate 4K monitors, as it sacrifices visual quality for speed.

For 1440p, the Ultra preset at 126 FPS average is the best choice for most users, as it delivers high detail while maintaining a frame rate that exceeds 120 FPS, suitable for 144Hz monitors. The High preset at 161 FPS is ideal for 165Hz or 240Hz displays, and the Medium preset at 200 FPS is excellent for maximizing refresh rate without significant visual loss. The Low preset at 272 FPS is unnecessary unless the monitor supports above 240Hz.

For 1080p, the Ultra preset at 198 FPS is the recommended starting point, as it provides the best visual quality while still exceeding 144Hz refresh rates. The High preset at 253 FPS is better for 240Hz monitors, and the Medium preset at 313 FPS can push beyond 300Hz displays. The Low preset at 428 FPS is only relevant for extreme high-refresh-rate setups (360Hz+) and should be avoided otherwise due to reduced visual quality.

In summary, the best experience per the measured rows is 1440p Ultra for a balance of quality and speed, or 4K High for maximum resolution with solid frame rates. The data shows that dropping from Ultra to High at any resolution yields a roughly 20-25% FPS increase with minimal visual impact, making High a strong recommendation for those who want extra headroom.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is a Blackwell 2.0 architecture GPU with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 2017 MHz with a boost clock of 2407 MHz, and memory runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). The GPU has 21760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, along with 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores. This hardware configuration delivers 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s.

In Road 96, the GPU's role is decisive at resolutions above 1080p. The measured FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a 66% reduction, which is directly tied to the GPU's rendering load. The 32 GB VRAM is never a limitation in this game, as the highest measured setting (4K Ultra) does not show any signs of texture swapping or memory-related stutters, based on the consistent average FPS. The memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s is more than sufficient for this adventure title, which likely uses moderate texture sizes.

The GPU's boost clock of 2407 MHz is high, but the game does not appear to be clock-sensitive, as the frame rates are more influenced by resolution and settings than by clock variations. The RTX 5090 D's percentile of 92 and average benchmark score of 77712 confirm its elite status, and its nearest rivals in the database (RX 6650M XT, RX 6850M XT, Tesla P100) all have similar average scores, yet this GPU still manages to rank 6th in this game due to its real-world performance.

The GPU's TDP of 575 W and suggested PSU of 950 W are not reflected in the FPS data, but they indicate that the card has substantial power headroom to maintain boost clocks under load. The measured results show that at 4K Ultra, the GPU is fully utilized, producing 67 FPS, while at 1080p Low, it is barely taxed, producing 428 FPS. This demonstrates that the RTX 5090 D is the primary performance driver in Road 96, and its capabilities far exceed the game's requirements, making the CPU the only potential bottleneck at very low resolutions and settings.