Road 96

Road 96 is an adventure title that, on the surface, does not demand the absolute highest-end hardware, but the benchmark data for the Intel Core i5-13400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 reveals a combo that is substantially overqualified for the task, delivering high refresh rates even at demanding resolutions. The measured frame rates show that this pairing is capable of turning a narrative-driven road trip into a visually fluid experience, with the limiting factor shifting from the CPU to the GPU as resolution increases. This analysis breaks down how each component contributes to the game's performance and what settings provide the smoothest journey.

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

The Intel Core i5-13400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. Its 20 MB of shared L3 cache and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory make it a versatile modern desktop chip. In the context of Road 96, which is not typically a multi-threaded stress test, the CPU's performance is more than sufficient to feed the GPU at all tested settings. The processor's strong single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3dmark_single_thread score of 960 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3634, ensures that the game's logic and physics calculations are handled without becoming a bottleneck, particularly at 1080p where frame rates are extremely high.

Benchmark results place this CPU in the 82nd percentile of all processors, with an average benchmark score of 25236. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13620H, which is only 0.1% slower, and the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D, which is 0.5% faster. This places the i5-13400F in a very tight performance band, meaning that for a game like Road 96, the CPU is unlikely to be the deciding factor between playable and unplayable. The data shows that even at 1080p with Low settings, where the CPU has the most relative influence, the combo achieves 275.8 FPS, indicating that the i5-13400F is far from being a limiting factor. The processor's 10 cores and 16 threads provide ample headroom for background tasks, but the game's performance is dictated more by the graphics card's ability to render frames quickly.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the primary driver of performance in this combo. With 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, it offers a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. Its boost clock of 2475 MHz and 5888 shading units allow it to handle the visual load of Road 96 with ease. The GPU's 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores are present, but for this title, the standard rasterization performance is what matters most. The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 26927 and its 81st percentile ranking among all GPUs indicate a high level of capability. Its nearest rivals show a mixed bag: the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is 0.6% faster, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A is 1.9% faster and the RTX 4080 Mobile is 2.2% faster; however, the AMD Radeon RX 5300M is 2.5% slower.

This performance headroom is evident in the measured FPS. At 1440p Ultra, the combo still manages 80.3 FPS, showing that the RTX 4070 is not being pushed to its absolute limit until 4K Ultra, where it drops to 45.4 FPS. The 12 GB of VRAM is ample for Road 96's textures, even at 4K, so memory capacity is not a concern. The data suggests that the RTX 4070 is the star of this pairing, providing a significant performance buffer that allows for high settings at 1440p and even playable 4K performance, though the gap between Low and Ultra settings at 4K highlights where the GPU's limits lie.

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

The scaling of frame rates across resolutions clearly illustrates the shift in bottleneck from CPU to GPU. At 1080p, the combo is heavily CPU-bound, as evidenced by the massive frame rates: 275.8 FPS on Low, 202.3 FPS on Medium, 160.4 FPS on High, and 125.8 FPS on Ultra. These numbers are so high that the CPU's processing speed is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU has ample headroom to render more frames than the CPU can request. Moving to 1440p, the frame rates drop by roughly 35-40% across all settings, indicating that the GPU is starting to take on more of the workload. The RTX 4070 is still performing admirably, with 173.4 FPS on Low and 104.1 FPS on High, showing that it can handle the increased pixel count with relative ease.

The jump to 4K reveals a more significant performance penalty, particularly at higher settings. From 1440p to 4K, the frame rate drops from 80.3 FPS to 45.4 FPS on Ultra, a 43% reduction. This shows that at 4K, the GPU is now the definitive limiting component. The difference between Low (91.9 FPS) and Ultra (45.4 FPS) at 4K is a 51% performance swing, which is much larger than the 33% difference at 1080p. This indicates that the GPU's raw shading power and memory bandwidth are being taxed heavily at 4K, and the CPU's role has diminished to a background support function. The data confirms that for this combo, 4K gaming is possible but requires careful settings management, while 1080p and 1440p are comfortably within the GPU's high-refresh-rate sweet spot.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance at each resolution and settings preset. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves 275.8 FPS on Low, 202.3 FPS on Medium, 160.4 FPS on High, and 125.8 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is capable of driving very high refresh rate monitors, even with Ultra settings, which remain well above the 60 FPS threshold. For 2560x1440, the results are 173.4 FPS on Low, 129.8 FPS on Medium, 104.1 FPS on High, and 80.3 FPS on Ultra. This shows a more balanced load, with Ultra settings still providing a smooth experience on standard 60Hz displays and High settings being suitable for 120Hz+ panels.

At 3840x2160, the performance becomes more demanding. The system delivers 91.9 FPS on Low, 70.5 FPS on Medium, 56.6 FPS on High, and 45.4 FPS on Ultra. This is the only resolution where the combo dips below the 60 FPS mark, and only at the Ultra preset. The data shows that 4K is playable, but requires a compromise in visual fidelity to maintain a locked 60 FPS. The gap between Medium (70.5 FPS) and High (56.6 FPS) at 4K is notable, suggesting that the jump to High settings has a significant performance cost. These numbers serve as a practical guide for users, showing the exact trade-offs between visual quality and frame rate at each resolution.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested combinations for Road 96, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-13400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 holds a rank of 493 out of 1684 total combos. This places it in the top 29% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing given the game's moderate requirements. This rank is influenced by the substantial performance of the RTX 4070, which is a high-end card that excels in this title. The CPU's contribution is less impactful, as the game does not scale heavily with multi-core performance, but the i5-13400F's strong single-thread results ensure it doesn't hold the GPU back.

The rank of 493 is not at the very top of the list, which is likely populated by more powerful GPUs like the RTX 4080 or 4090, but it is a very respectable position. It indicates that this combo will provide a better experience than the majority of systems tested, making it a solid choice for users who want to play Road 96 at high settings with high frame rates. The data shows that while this combo is not among the absolute elite, it is firmly in the upper echelon, offering a level of performance that will satisfy most players, particularly those with 1080p or 1440p monitors. The rank reflects a balance of components that are well-matched for this game's demands.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the ideal settings preset depends on the user's display resolution and refresh rate preference. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear recommendation, as it delivers 125.8 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target and smooth enough for 120Hz displays. There is no reason to drop to High (160.4 FPS) or Medium (202.3 FPS) unless the user is seeking to maximize frame rates on a very high refresh rate monitor, as the visual gains from Ultra are worth the performance trade-off. At 2560x1440, the High preset offers the best balance, providing 104.1 FPS, which is ideal for 100Hz+ monitors. The Ultra preset at 80.3 FPS is also perfectly playable, but High offers a significant FPS boost with minimal visual difference in a game like this.

For 3840x2160, the recommendation is the Medium preset, which achieves 70.5 FPS. This provides a smooth experience on 60Hz displays while maintaining a good level of visual quality. The High preset at 56.6 FPS is borderline, and users who prefer visual fidelity over frame rate might choose it, but it risks noticeable stuttering on some displays. The Low preset at 91.9 FPS is unnecessary, as it sacrifices too much visual quality for a frame rate that is not needed at 4K. The data clearly indicates that for the best overall experience, users with 4K displays should use Medium settings, while those with 1440p or 1080p displays can comfortably use High or Ultra, respectively.