Road 96

Road 96, an adventure title from 2021, places distinct demands on the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination. The measured data shows a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions, yet the CPU proves sufficient to drive high frame rates at 1080p. The benchmark results indicate a clear hierarchy: the RX 570 is the limiting factor as resolution scales, while the i5-9400 provides a stable foundation that rarely bottlenecks this particular game.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 produces a dramatic and predictable collapse in performance, confirming the RX 570 as the primary bottleneck. At the Low preset, the average frame rate drops from 82 FPS at 1080p to 52 FPS at 1440p, representing a 37% reduction, and then falls further to 27 FPS at 4K, which is a 67% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is typical for a GPU with a 256-bit memory bus and 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth, as the pixel throughput requirement quadruples from 1080p to 4K.

The Medium preset tells a similar story. The average FPS at 1080p is 60, dropping to 38 at 1440p (a 37% decrease) and then to 20 at 4K (a 67% decrease from 1080p). Notably, the Medium preset at 4K is the only configuration in the data set with recorded minimum and maximum values, showing a range of 17 to 23 FPS. This narrow band indicates that the frame times are relatively consistent, but the absolute performance is far below playable thresholds.

For the High preset, the scaling is slightly less steep in percentage terms but still severe. The average at 1080p is 48 FPS, which falls to 31 at 1440p (a 35% drop) and then to 16 at 4K (a 67% drop). The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, shows averages of 38 FPS at 1080p, 24 at 1440p, and just 13 at 4K. Across all presets, the 1080p to 1440p transition loses roughly 35-37% of performance, while the 1440p to 4K transition loses between 46% and 48% of the remaining frames.

This data suggests that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The CPU, with its 6 cores and 6 threads running at a base clock of 2.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.10 GHz, shows no signs of capping the frame rate, even at the 82 FPS achieved at 1080p Low. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see diminishing returns when lowering the resolution or graphical settings, but the FPS scales almost linearly with the pixel count, which is a hallmark of GPU-bound rendering. The takeaway is clear: at 1080p, the system is balanced; at 1440p, it struggles; at 4K, it fails to deliver a smooth experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 plays a supporting role in Road 96, providing ample processing power without becoming the constraining factor. The CPU's benchmark scores place it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, scores 2259, representing a negligible 0.2% difference, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 trails by a mere 0.4% with a score of 2246. This puts the i5-9400 squarely in the mid-range tier for processing power, which is more than adequate for an adventure game that does not rely on complex physics or large-scale simulation.

The processor's 6 cores and 6 threads are a legacy configuration from the Coffee Lake architecture, and while modern titles may leverage more threads, Road 96 does not appear to require them. The L3 cache of 9 MB (shared) and dual-channel DDR4 memory support with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth are standard for the era. The Cinebench R23 scores, with 6629 multi-core and 935 single-core, indicate a balanced chip that can handle both lightly-threaded game logic and background tasks without issue. The Geekbench scores of 5141 multi-core and 1389 single-core reinforce this assessment.

When examining the measured FPS data, the CPU's role becomes apparent in the consistency of results. At 1080p Low, the system hits 82 FPS average, which is a relatively high frame rate for this hardware tier. If the CPU were weak, we would expect to see frame drops or instability at this level, but the data shows no such issues. The fact that the 1080p Medium preset maintains a 60 FPS average with a minimum of 51 FPS further suggests that the CPU has headroom to spare. The bottleneck shifts entirely to the GPU as resolution increases, which is the expected behavior for a system where the processor significantly outperforms the graphics card in relative terms. In essence, the i5-9400 is not a weak link; it is a capable foundation that allows the RX 570 to be the sole determinant of performance.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is the decisive factor in this system's Road 96 performance, and the data shows its limits clearly. The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 74th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 28766. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, which scores 28874, a 0.4% difference, while the AMD Radeon R9 M295X trails by 0.7% with a score of 28580. This percentile ranking suggests the RX 570 is a mid-to-upper tier graphics card, but the 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth is a limiting factor for higher resolutions.

The GPU's architecture, GCN 4.0 on the Polaris 20 chip, provides 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The pixel rate of 39.81 GPixel/s and texture rate of 159.2 GTexel/s are modest by modern standards, but they are relevant when interpreting the 4K results. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 13, which is unplayable, and even at 4K Low, the average is just 27 FPS. The memory bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s is insufficient to feed the GPU at 4K resolutions, leading to the severe performance degradation observed.

The GPU also has a TDP of 150 W and requires a 450 W suggested PSU, which are important system-level considerations, but the performance data is what matters most here. The measured 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 880 and Vulkan score of 42752 provide a reference point, but the in-game results are more telling. At 1080p, the RX 570 delivers playable frame rates across all presets, from 38 FPS on Ultra to 82 FPS on Low. However, the transition to 1440p reveals the GPU's limitations, with High settings producing 31 FPS and Ultra dropping to 24 FPS. The GPU is clearly the bottleneck in this system, and users seeking higher resolutions would need a more powerful GPU to achieve smooth gameplay.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the target resolution and the user's frame rate preferences. At 1920x1080, the Medium preset is the best choice for a balanced experience, delivering a 60 FPS average with a minimum of 51 FPS and a maximum of 69 FPS. This provides a smooth, consistent frame rate that is ideal for an adventure game where responsiveness is important but not as critical as in competitive shooters. The High preset at 1080p drops to 48 FPS average, which is still playable but less fluid, while the Ultra preset at 38 FPS may feel stuttery to some users.

For users who prioritize frame rate over visual fidelity, the Low preset at 1080p offers 82 FPS, which is excellent, but the visual downgrade may not be worth it for a story-driven adventure. The Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot, offering a 60 FPS average that aligns with standard display refresh rates while maintaining better visual quality than Low. The measured frame range of 51-69 FPS at Medium suggests good frame pacing, with no severe dips that would cause noticeable hitches.

At 2560x1440, the data recommends the Low preset, which achieves 52 FPS average, as the only playable option. Medium at 1440p drops to 38 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but the 32 FPS minimum is concerning. High and Ultra at 1440p produce 31 FPS and 24 FPS respectively, which are below the threshold for comfortable gameplay. At 3840x2160, none of the presets are playable, with the best option being Low at 27 FPS, which is borderline at best. The data strongly suggests that 1080p Medium is the intended use case for this hardware combination, offering the best trade-off between visual quality and performance.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where all presets are playable, with the Medium preset delivering a 60 FPS average. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset achieves above 50 FPS, while 3840x2160 results in sub-30 FPS across all settings.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, which is 0.2% lower than the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (2259) and 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2246). This places it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs, indicating mid-range performance.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 570 a strong GPU for this game?

A: The RX 570 ranks in the 74th percentile of all GPUs with an average score of 28766. It delivers 82 FPS at 1080p Low and 60 FPS at 1080p Medium, making it a capable GPU for 1080p gaming, but it struggles at higher resolutions.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p with High settings?

A: The measured data shows a 31 FPS average at 2560x1440 with High settings. This is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay)Skip to content

Q: Why does performance drop so significantly at 4K?

A: The RX 570 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory with a 256-bit bus and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth. At 3840x2160, the pixel count quadruples from 1080p, overwhelming the GPU's memory bandwidth and resulting in average FPS between 13 and 27 depending on the preset.

Q: Should I use the Ultra preset at 1080p?

A: The Ultra preset at 1080p delivers a 38 FPS average, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset offers a 60 FPS average, providing a much smoother experience, so for most users, Medium is the recommended choice.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across all combinations of resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves the highest average at 82 FPS, followed by Medium at 60 FPS with a minimum of 51 and maximum of 69, High at 48 FPS, and Ultra at 38 FPS. This resolution is the only one where all presets exceed 30 FPS, making it the viable choice for this hardware.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset remains the top performer with 52 FPS, but the Medium preset drops to 38 FPS with a range of 32 to 44. The High preset produces 31 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 24 FPS. The step from 1080p to 1440p incurs a significant penalty, with the Medium preset losing 22 FPS and the Low preset losing 30 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the results are uniformly poor. The Low preset averages 27 FPS, Medium averages 20 FPS with a range of 17 to 23, High averages 16 FPS, and Ultra averages 13 FPS. None of these configurations provide a smooth experience, and the data indicates that 4K is not a feasible resolution for this combination. The pattern across all resolutions is consistent: lower settings yield higher frame rates, but the GPU's limitations become increasingly apparent as resolution increases.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 570 combination ranks 3539 out of 3713 tested combos in Road 96, placing it in the bottom 5% of all configurations. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions, as the data shows that the system excels only at 1080p. The RX 570's 74th percentile ranking among GPUs might suggest a better overall position, but the game's demanding nature at 4K and the prevalence of more powerful GPUs in the benchmark database drags the combo down.

The ranking of 3539 out of 3713 indicates that this is a below-average configuration for Road 96, but the context matters. The combo is not the worst, and it remains functional at 1080p, where it can deliver a solid 60 FPS experience on Medium settings. The CPU's 47th percentile ranking is a non-factor in the overall score, as it does not bottleneck the GPU at any resolution. The primary takeaway from the ranking is that users with this hardware should stick to 1080p to get acceptable performance, and they should not expect to push the game to higher resolutions without significant compromises.