Road 96

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, delivers a robust 1080p and 1440p experience in Road 96, but the data shows a clear shift in bottleneck behavior as resolution climbs. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates, settings scaling, and how this specific combo positions itself among the thousands of tested configurations.

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

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It operates with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, backed by a 36 MB shared L3 cache and 3 MB of L2 cache per core. For a title like Road 96, which is an adventure game rather than a heavily threaded simulation, the sheer core count is less critical than the high boost clock and single-thread performance.

Benchmark data for the CPU reinforces this. In Cinebench R23, the chip scores 51,731 in multi-core and 7,303 in single-core tests. The single-core result is particularly relevant here, as adventure games often rely on a few primary threads for game logic, physics, and streaming. The Passmark single-thread score of 4,823 and floating-point math score of 214,760 further indicate that this processor can handle complex per-frame calculations without becoming a limiting factor at lower resolutions.

The CPU’s overall standing is strong, sitting at the 96th percentile among all tested CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84,003. When compared to its nearest rivals, the data shows a tightly packed field: the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K scores 83,807 (a 0.2% delta), the AMD EPYC 4584PX scores 83,090 (1.1% slower), and the AMD EPYC 9135 scores 82,980 (1.2% slower). Notably, the AMD EPYC 7F72 scores 85,072, which is 1.3% higher than the 290K Plus. These deltas are minimal, suggesting that within this performance tier, the CPU choice has negligible impact on Road 96's frame rates.

The measured FPS data supports this interpretation. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 277 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that likely outpaces the game’s engine demands. The fact that 1080p Low hits 277 FPS while 1080p Ultra drops to 128 FPS indicates that the GPU is the primary scaling factor, not the CPU. The CPU’s 24 threads and high boost clock ensure that even at lower resolutions where the GPU has more headroom, there is no apparent CPU-induced frame rate ceiling. The processor’s 125 W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth provide ample memory throughput for the game’s asset streaming, though the exact impact of memory bandwidth is not directly measurable in the provided FPS data.

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

Examining the measured FPS across all resolutions, the Medium preset consistently offers the most balanced experience, providing a substantial frame rate improvement over High and Ultra while maintaining playable minimums. The data shows that at 1080p, Medium averages 203 FPS with a minimum of 172 FPS, which is a very smooth experience. Moving up to High at 1080p drops the average to 164 FPS, a 19% reduction, while Ultra drops further to 128 FPS, a 37% reduction from Medium. The Low preset at 1080p reaches 277 FPS, but this comes at the cost of visual fidelity, which is often more important in an adventure game focused on atmosphere and narrative.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts slightly. Medium averages 129 FPS with a minimum of 110 FPS, which is still excellent for a high-refresh-rate monitor. High at 1440p averages 104 FPS, which is also playable but leaves less headroom for demanding scenes. Ultra at 1440p drops to 82 FPS, which is still technically playable but begins to approach the threshold where frame pacing can become noticeable. Low at 1440p hits 176 FPS, but again, this sacrifices the visual presentation that defines the game’s stylized road-trip aesthetic.

At 4K, Medium is the only preset that maintains a consistently playable frame rate. The 4K Medium average is 68 FPS with a minimum of 58 FPS, which is adequate for a smooth experience. High at 4K drops to 55 FPS, which is borderline, while Ultra at 4K falls to 43 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target. Low at 4K reaches 93 FPS, but the visual downgrade is significant. Therefore, the data suggests that Medium is the optimal preset for this combo, as it provides the best balance between visual quality and frame rate stability across all three tested resolutions.

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

The FPS scaling across resolutions reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. Starting with the Medium preset, the average frame rate drops from 203 FPS at 1080p to 129 FPS at 1440p, a 36% reduction, and then to 68 FPS at 4K, a further 47% reduction from 1440p. This steep decline with increasing pixel count indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is the limiting component at higher resolutions.

The RTX 4070 has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus with a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s. While this is sufficient for Road 96 at all tested settings, the GPU’s compute throughput—29.15 TFLOPS FP32—becomes the bottleneck as the rendering resolution increases. The 4K Medium result of 68 FPS, with a minimum of 58 FPS, shows that the GPU is working hard to fill those pixels. The transition from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings results in a 66% drop in average FPS, which is a substantial reduction that clearly points to the GPU as the primary performance limiter.

Conversely, the CPU’s role diminishes as resolution increases. The fact that 1080p Low yields 277 FPS while 4K Low yields 93 FPS highlights that the CPU can feed the GPU at high rates, but the GPU cannot keep up with the pixel workload at higher resolutions. This is a typical pattern for a balanced mid-to-high-end combo, where the GPU becomes the dominant constraint at 4K. The data does not indicate any CPU-induced stutter or frame rate ceiling, as the minimum FPS values are only recorded for the Medium preset and remain relatively close to the averages (e.g., 172 min vs 203 avg at 1080p).

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested configurations, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 ranks 666th out of 2,903 total combos for Road 96. This places it in the top 23% of all tested systems, which is a solid position given that the list includes both more powerful and less powerful hardware pairings.

The combo rank of 666 reflects the balance between the CPU and GPU. The CPU ranks at the 96th percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU ranks at the 81st percentile among all GPUs. The fact that the combo ranks lower than the CPU’s percentile suggests that the GPU is holding back the overall score in this specific title. If the system had a higher-end GPU, the combo rank would likely improve, as the CPU’s high single-thread performance would not be the limiting factor.

Compared to the GPU’s nearest rivals, the RTX 4070 is closely matched with the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (0.1% delta), AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (0.4% delta), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (1.3% delta). These small deltas in average benchmark scores indicate that the RTX 4070 is in a highly competitive performance tier. In Road 96, the measured FPS results show that this tier is sufficient for high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p, but only medium settings at 4K. The combo’s rank of 666 out of 2,903 is therefore a strong showing, indicating that it outperforms the majority of tested systems, particularly those with less capable GPUs or older CPUs.

FAQ

Q: What average frame rate can I expect at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 164 FPS at 1920x1080 with High settings.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates the GPU is the primary limiter at 4K, as the average FPS drops from 203 at 1080p Medium to 68 at 4K Medium, a 66% reduction, while the CPU maintains a high performance percentile.

Q: How does the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus compare to its nearest rival, the 285K?

A: The 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84,003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K’s score of 83,807.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the 1440p Medium preset?

A: The minimum FPS for 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 110 FPS, with an average of 129 FPS and a maximum of 149 FPS.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is at the 81st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 37,648.

Q: Does the combo achieve a playable frame rate at 4K Ultra settings?

A: The data shows an average of 43 FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which is below the 60 FPS threshold typically considered ideal for smooth gameplay.

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

The following table summarizes all measured FPS data for this combo.

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: Average 277 FPS.
• Medium: Average 203 FPS, minimum 172 FPS, maximum 233 FPS.
• High: Average 164 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 128 FPS.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: Average 176 FPS.
• Medium: Average 129 FPS, minimum 110 FPS, maximum 149 FPS.
• High: Average 104 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 82 FPS.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: Average 93 FPS.
• Medium: Average 68 FPS, minimum 58 FPS, maximum 79 FPS.
• High: Average 55 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 43 FPS.

The data shows a consistent scaling pattern: Low settings provide the highest frame rates, followed by Medium, High, and Ultra, respectively. The minimum and maximum values are only provided for the Medium preset, which shows a reasonable variance that does not indicate severe frame pacing issues.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 5,888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units, with 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). It has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth.

For Road 96, the GPU’s 12 GB VRAM is more than sufficient, as the game is not VRAM-intensive. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU’s raw compute power is the deciding factor in performance. The 29.15 TFLOPS FP32 performance allows for high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but the 4K results show a clear drop-off. The 4K High average of 55 FPS and 4K Ultra average of 43 FPS indicate that the GPU is saturated at these settings.

The GPU’s overall benchmark standing is at the 81st percentile, with an average score of 37,648. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (37,628), AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 (37,507), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (38,135). The RTX 4070’s performance in Road 96 aligns with its general benchmark position, providing strong performance at lower resolutions but requiring settings adjustments at 4K to maintain playable frame rates. The GPU’s 200 W TDP and dual-slot design are typical for this class of card, and the data confirms that it is a capable partner for the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus in this title, particularly at 1080p and 1440p where it delivers well over 100 FPS on Medium settings.