Road 96

Road 96 presents an interesting case for the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination. The benchmark data reveals a configuration that is heavily GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while the immense processing power of the CPU only becomes apparent when the graphical load is reduced. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the tested matrix of settings and resolutions paint a clear picture of where this combo excels and where its performance curve begins to plateau.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 has a profound impact on the average frame rate, but the magnitude of that impact is directly tied to the graphics preset. At the Low setting, the performance drop is dramatic, with average FPS falling from 308 at 1080p to 197.2 at 1440p, and finally to 105.1 at 4K. This represents a 65.9% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K, indicating that even at low settings, the pixel throughput demand at 4K becomes a significant burden for the RTX 4070 SUPER. The data suggests that at 1080p Low, the Intel Core i9-14900K is able to feed frames at a rate that the GPU can only just process, making the CPU a more significant factor in that specific scenario.

As the settings are increased, the scaling pattern shifts. At the High preset, the average FPS drops from 180.7 at 1080p to 118.8 at 1440p, and then to 63 at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is 65.1%, but the absolute numbers are lower, showing that the GPU is already working harder at the lower resolution. The Medium preset shows a similar trend, with FPS falling from 224.9 at 1080p to 141.8 at 1440p and 75.1 at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, sees the steepest absolute decline, moving from 144.8 at 1080p to 88.7 at 1440p and finally to 45.3 at 4K. The consistency of the relative drop across presets points to a component that is hitting its limits based on resolution, not just graphical complexity.

The data indicates that the limiting component changes with resolution. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high, suggesting that the processor is capable of far more than the GPU can render, even at Ultra settings. However, as resolution climbs, the rendering load on the GPU increases exponentially, and the bottleneck shifts almost entirely to the RTX 4070 SUPER. The fact that the 4K Ultra score of 45.3 FPS is the only result below the 60 FPS threshold shows that this combo is best suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being a viable option only at lower presets.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER plays the decisive role in determining the playable experience in Road 96, particularly at higher resolutions. Its 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus is a key factor, as the game’s asset demands at 4K Ultra likely push against this capacity, contributing to the significant frame rate drop. The GPU’s boost clock of 2475 MHz is a solid foundation, but the data shows that raw clock speed alone does not prevent the performance cliff seen at 4K Ultra. The benchmark results indicate that the graphics card is the primary driver of performance differences between presets, with the CPU’s role diminishing as the resolution increases.

The GPU’s performance in this game is best understood by looking at the increments between settings at a fixed resolution. At 1440p, moving from Low to Medium yields a 28.1% decrease in FPS (from 197.2 to 141.8), and from Medium to High a further 16.2% decrease (to 118.8). The jump to Ultra incurs the largest penalty, a 25.3% drop from High. This pattern is consistent across all resolutions, showing that the Ultra preset is disproportionately more demanding on the GPU’s shading units and memory subsystem than the other presets. The GPU's 35.48 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is sufficient for high refresh rates at 1080p, but the 4K Ultra result confirms that this is beyond its comfortable operating range for this title.

The relationship between the GPU and CPU is also evident in the 1080p results. The jump from Low to Ultra at 1080p (308 to 144.8 FPS) shows that the GPU is still the limiting factor, but the high absolute numbers suggest the CPU is keeping pace without becoming a bottleneck. The i9-14900K’s high single-thread performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 7040, ensures that frame times remain low enough to support the GPU’s output. However, the data clearly shows that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the component that dictates the visual ceiling for this combination.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of tested hardware combinations for Road 96, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i9-14900K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER holds a rank of 324 out of 1684 total combos. This places it in the top 19.2% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing for a high-end consumer setup. The rank of 324 is a composite score that weighs performance across the various tested resolutions and settings, and it reflects that while the combo is powerful, it is not at the absolute top tier, where more expensive GPUs with higher memory bandwidth would likely dominate.

The ranking suggests that the CPU’s power is not the differentiator in this game. The i9-14900K’s nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i9-14900KF and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF, have average scores that are within 0.9% of this chip, meaning the choice of CPU is unlikely to cause a significant shift in the combo’s rank. Instead, the rank is more heavily influenced by the GPU’s standing. The RTX 4070 SUPER’s nearest rivals, like the NVIDIA RTX A6000 and the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE, are also very close in average score, with deltas of -0.2% and -0.3%, respectively. This indicates that the performance bracket for this combo is tightly contested.

The rank of 324 also implies that there are many combinations that perform worse, but also a meaningful number that perform better. The data suggests that the bottleneck in this combo is the GPU, and systems pairing this CPU with a higher-tier graphics card would likely see a significantly better rank. Conversely, pairing this GPU with a slower CPU would likely not hurt the rank much in this game, given its reliance on GPU performance at higher resolutions. The combined rank confirms the balanced nature of the system, but it clearly shows that the GPU is the component holding it back from a higher position.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this hardware combination depend on the user’s target resolution and refresh rate. For 1920x1080, the Ultra preset is the clear choice, as it delivers an average of 144.8 FPS. This is well above the 144 Hz threshold for high-refresh-rate monitors and provides the best visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset at 180.7 FPS is also viable for those seeking maximum frame rates, but the visual upgrade at Ultra is generally worth the 36 FPS cost.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering an average of 118.8 FPS. This is perfectly playable on a 120 Hz monitor and offers a good balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset is faster at 141.8 FPS, but the reduction in visual detail is noticeable for a relatively small gain. The Ultra preset at 88.7 FPS is still playable on a 60 Hz or 90 Hz display, but the frame rate is approaching a level where the game might not feel as responsive for some users. Dropping to Low at 197.2 FPS is unnecessary unless the user has a 240 Hz display and prioritizes competitive performance over visuals.

For 3840x2160, the situation is more constrained. The High preset yields an average of 63 FPS, which is just at the edge of the 60 FPS standard. This is the recommended starting point for a 4K experience, as it provides the best quality while maintaining a playable frame rate. The Medium preset at 75.1 FPS offers a more comfortable margin above 60 FPS and is a safer choice for ensuring consistent performance in more demanding scenes. The Ultra preset at 45.3 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 60 FPS target and will likely result in a stuttery experience. The Low preset at 105.1 FPS is an option for those who want high refresh rates at 4K, but it requires a significant sacrifice in visual fidelity.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset for the Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER in Road 96 is as follows:

1920x1080:

• Low: 308.0 FPS
• Medium: 224.9 FPS
• High: 180.7 FPS
• Ultra: 144.8 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 197.2 FPS
• Medium: 141.8 FPS
• High: 118.8 FPS
• Ultra: 88.7 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 105.1 FPS
• Medium: 75.1 FPS
• High: 63.0 FPS
• Ultra: 45.3 FPS

The data shows a clear and consistent hierarchy: performance decreases as resolution and settings increase. The most significant performance drop occurs when moving from 1440p to 4K, particularly at the Ultra setting, where the frame rate is cut nearly in half from 88.7 to 45.3 FPS. At 1080p, the Low setting achieves an exceptionally high 308 FPS, highlighting the CPU’s ability to maintain high frame times, while the Ultra setting still provides a very smooth 144.8 FPS. The 1440p results are the most balanced, with High offering a good mix of quality and speed at 118.8 FPS. The 4K results are the most demanding, with only the Low and Medium presets exceeding 75 FPS, and Ultra falling to an unplayable 45.3 FPS. These numbers confirm that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary limiting factor in this configuration, with the i9-14900K providing ample headroom in all scenarios.