Road 96

Road 96 is an adventure title from 2021, and the benchmark data for the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 reveals a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics card at higher resolutions. The measured frames per second (FPS) shows a clear and predictable pattern: as resolution increases, performance drops significantly, indicating that the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 178 FPS, but this falls to 60 FPS at 3840x2160 with Low settings, a reduction of 118 FPS or roughly 66%. This scaling pattern is typical for a system where the CPU has ample headroom, and the GPU is working progressively harder to fill the additional pixels.

The data indicates that the RTX 5050 is the limiting factor in this configuration for Road 96. The journey from 1080p to 4K is not linear but steep, with the most dramatic drop occurring between 2560x1440 and 3840x2160. At High settings, the average FPS falls from 105 at 1920x1080 to 67 at 2560x1440, and then to 35 at 3840x2160. This represents a 38 FPS loss from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 32 FPS loss from 1440p to 4K. The Ultra preset tells a similar story, with 82 FPS at 1080p, 53 FPS at 1440p, and 28 FPS at 4K. The GPU’s memory configuration and clock speeds are directly relevant here. The RTX 5050 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The base clock is 2317 MHz, with a boost clock of 2572 MHz. These specifications, while adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, are insufficient to maintain high frame rates at 4K, particularly with demanding settings like Ultra.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling data for Road 96 with this hardware combination shows a consistent and expected degradation in performance as the pixel count increases. The most telling comparison is at Low settings, where the average FPS drops from 178 at 1920x1080 to 114 at 2560x1440, and then to 60 at 3840x2160. This is a 118 FPS difference between 1080p and 4K, which is a 66% reduction in performance. The drop from 1440p to 4K is particularly sharp, with a 54 FPS loss, indicating that the GPU is struggling to manage the 4K resolution’s workload. At Medium settings, the pattern is similar but with lower absolute numbers: 131 FPS at 1080p, 83 FPS at 1440p, and 44 FPS at 4K. The minimum FPS at Medium settings also highlights this strain, with a low of 111 FPS at 1080p, 71 FPS at 1440p, and 37 FPS at 4K. These minimums suggest that even at settings that are not maxed out, the frame pacing can suffer at higher resolutions.

The High preset, which is often a sweet spot for many games, shows 105 FPS at 1080p, 67 FPS at 1440p, and 35 FPS at 4K. This is a 70 FPS drop from 1080p to 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with 82 FPS at 1080p, 53 FPS at 1440p, and a low 28 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is barely playable, and the data suggests that this setting is not viable for a smooth experience on this hardware. The scaling from High to Ultra at 4K is a 7 FPS drop, while at 1080p it is a 23 FPS drop. This indicates that at 4K, the GPU is so saturated that increasing settings has a smaller absolute impact, but the frame rates are already too low for practical use. The overall picture is clear: 1080p is the native resolution for this combo in Road 96, 1440p is playable with adjustments, and 4K is only suitable for Low settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a 20-core, 20-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. It has 30 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, offering 102.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. In the context of Road 96, an adventure game that is not typically CPU-intensive, this processor provides substantial headroom. The benchmark results for the CPU support its capability: it scores 42216 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 5960 in single-core. Its Passmark single-thread score is 4689, and its multithread score is 49682. These scores place it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, indicating strong performance.

The CPU’s role in this combo is to ensure that it is not a bottleneck, especially at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 178 FPS, which is a high frame rate that a less capable CPU might struggle to feed. The fact that the CPU has 20 cores and a high boost clock means that even with the game’s background tasks and system overhead, there is plenty of processing power available. The CPU’s nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 4464P and the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, have average benchmark scores that are within 0.3% of the 265, indicating that this processor is performing as expected for its class. In a game like Road 96, which relies more on narrative and exploration than complex simulations, the CPU is unlikely to be the cause of any frame rate issues. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, as evidenced by the resolution scaling data. The CPU’s 20 threads are more than sufficient for the game’s demands, and its high single-core performance ensures that the game’s logic and physics, if any, are handled efficiently.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 is the decisive component in this system’s Road 96 performance. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 2317 MHz and a boost clock of 2572 MHz. Its memory operates at 2500 MHz, which translates to 20 Gbps effective. The GPU is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and has 2560 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The benchmark data shows that the RTX 5050 sits in the 66th percentile of all GPUs, with a Passmark G3D score of 17326. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M, which have similar average scores, with deltas of -0.6% and -1% respectively.

The GPU’s role is to render the game’s visuals, and its limitations become apparent at higher resolutions. At 4K, the 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are insufficient to maintain high frame rates. The 320.0 GB/s bandwidth is a constraint when dealing with the large texture data required at 3840x2160. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is only 28, which is not a playable experience. Even at 4K High, the average FPS is 35, which is below the 60 FPS target that most gamers prefer. The GPU’s performance at 1440p is more acceptable, with High settings yielding 67 FPS and Medium yielding 83 FPS. At 1080p, the GPU is able to deliver high frame rates, with 105 FPS at High and 131 FPS at Medium. The GPU’s 13.17 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is adequate for 1080p gaming but is stretched at higher resolutions. The 32 ROPs may also limit fill rate in certain scenes, but the overall trend is that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this configuration for Road 96.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 1760 out of 2903 tested combos in Road 96. This places it in the lower half of all tested systems, which is a reflection of the GPU’s mid-range positioning. The CPU is a high-end part, ranking in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, but the GPU’s 66th percentile ranking drags the overall combo down. The rank of 1760 suggests that while this system can handle the game at 1080p and 1440p with reasonable settings, it is not competitive with higher-end configurations that feature more powerful GPUs. The combo rank is a composite measure that takes into account the performance of both the CPU and GPU in this specific game.

In comparison to other combos, this system’s performance is dictated by the GPU’s capabilities. The CPU’s high benchmark scores do not translate into a high combo rank because the game’s performance is limited by the graphics card. The data shows that the RTX 5050 performs similarly to older cards like the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, which has an average score that is 1.6% higher. This means that in Road 96, the combo would likely perform at a level comparable to systems built around those older GPUs, despite the newer CPU. The rank of 1760 out of 2903 indicates that there are 1143 combos that perform worse, but also 1759 that perform better. This places the system in a position where it can play the game smoothly at lower resolutions, but it will struggle at 4K with high settings. The combo’s performance is adequate for a mid-range gaming PC, but it does not stand out in the benchmark database.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data for Road 96 provides a detailed look at how this system performs across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system achieves an average of 178 FPS on Low settings, 131 FPS on Medium settings, 105 FPS on High settings, and 82 FPS on Ultra settings. The Medium setting has a minimum FPS of 111 and a maximum of 150, indicating a stable frame rate range. These numbers show that 1080p is the sweet spot for this combo, with even Ultra settings providing a playable experience above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The average FPS is 114 on Low, 83 on Medium, 67 on High, and 53 on Ultra. The Medium setting shows a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS. At this resolution, Ultra settings fall below the 60 FPS threshold, making them less desirable for smooth gameplay. High settings remain playable, but just barely, with an average of 67 FPS. Low settings provide a comfortable margin, with 114 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system’s limitations are fully exposed. The average FPS is 60 on Low, 44 on Medium, 35 on High, and 28 on Ultra. The Medium setting has a minimum FPS of 37 and a maximum of 51. At 4K, only Low settings achieve a 60 FPS average, and even that is at the threshold. Medium settings are playable but not ideal, with an average of 44 FPS. High and Ultra settings are not recommended for a smooth experience, as they fall below 40 FPS. The data clearly shows that 4K gaming is only viable on Low settings for this hardware.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the best settings for this combo depend on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset offers 82 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS target and provides the best visual quality without a significant performance hit. For players who prioritize higher frame rates, the High preset at 105 FPS is an excellent choice, offering a balance between visuals and performance. The Medium preset at 131 FPS is also viable for those who want even smoother gameplay, but the visual fidelity is reduced. Low settings at 178 FPS are only necessary for competitive play or if the user has a high refresh rate monitor and wants to maximize frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 67 FPS is the recommended choice, as it provides a good balance of visual quality and performance, staying above the 60 FPS threshold. The Medium preset at 83 FPS offers a more comfortable margin and is a solid alternative if frame rate stability is a concern. The Ultra preset at 53 FPS is playable but may result in occasional stutters, making it less ideal. Low settings at 114 FPS are overkill for most users, but they ensure the highest possible frame rates.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset at 60 FPS is the only setting that achieves a consistent 60 FPS average. This is the recommended setting for 4K gaming, as it provides a playable experience. The Medium preset at 44 FPS is acceptable for users who are willing to trade some smoothness for better visuals, but it is not ideal. High and Ultra settings at 35 FPS and 28 FPS respectively are not recommended, as they fall below the threshold for smooth gameplay. For the best overall experience, running the game at 1440p with High settings is recommended, as it offers a good balance of visual detail and frame rate, avoiding the performance pitfalls of 4K while still providing a sharp image.