The Long Drive

The Long Drive pairs the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, a combination that sits in the 56th percentile of tested combos for this title, ranking 755 out of 1734. The benchmark data reveals a system that behaves predictably across resolutions, with the RTX 3070’s 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth becoming the primary constraint as pixel count rises. This is a driving simulation where frame pacing matters more than absolute visual fidelity, so the measured results offer clear guidance on where to set expectations.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and tells a clear story about the limiting component. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 233.4 FPS, which falls to 152.7 FPS at 1440p and then to 81.9 FPS at 4K. That is a 65% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings, indicating the GPU is being pushed harder as resolution increases. The CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads are not the bottleneck here; the Ryzen 5 8400F’s single-thread score of 951 in 3dmark and 3684 in Passmark single-thread suggests it can feed frames well above what the RTX 3070 can render at higher resolutions.

At Ultra settings, the scaling is even more punishing. The system drops from 83.1 FPS at 1080p to 57.9 FPS at 1440p, then plummets to 28.6 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is below playable thresholds for most users, and the 1440p Ultra figure is borderline. The pattern across all settings shows that 1080p is where this combo is most comfortable, with 1440p representing a viable middle ground, and 4K reserved for Low or Medium presets if you want smooth gameplay.

The data suggests the RTX 3070, with its 5888 shading units and 96 ROPs, is the performance ceiling. Moving from Low to Ultra at 1080p costs roughly 150 FPS (233.4 to 83.1), which is a GPU-side hit. At 4K, the same settings change costs about 53 FPS (81.9 to 28.6). This is a GPU-bound scenario, and the CPU’s boost clock of 4.70 GHz is sufficient to keep up even at the highest frame rates measured.

How This Combo Ranks

Out of 1734 tested combinations, this pairing ranks 755th, placing it in the upper-middle portion of the field. The percentileVsAllCpus for the Ryzen 5 8400F is 82, and the percentileVsAllGpus for the RTX 3070 is 72, so both components are above average individually. The combo rank of 755 suggests that while neither part is top-tier, they work well together for this game’s demands.

The CPU’s nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X, which scores 25057 on average (a delta of 0%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F at 24993 (0.3% higher for the 8400F). The 8400F’s avgBenchmarkScore of 25064 puts it essentially on par with the Ryzen 7 2700X, despite the 2700X having more cores. This indicates the Zen 4 architecture’s efficiency offsets the core count disadvantage. The GPU’s closest competitor is the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, which scores 27985 versus the RTX 3070’s 28238, a 0.9% lead for the NVIDIA card.

Within The Long Drive specifically, the 755th rank out of 1734 means there are 979 combos that perform better. That may sound mediocre, but the measured FPS figures show it is still capable of high refresh rates at 1080p. The ranking likely accounts for combos with much newer or more expensive hardware, so this pairing should be viewed as a solid mid-range option rather than a top contender.

Settings Recommendations

For a 60 FPS target, the data shows clear choices. At 4K, only Low settings (81.9 FPS) and Medium (70.4 FPS) clear that bar; High drops to 44.8 FPS and Ultra to 28.6 FPS. If you own a 4K display, Medium is the sweet spot for visual quality without sacrificing smoothness, as it delivers 70.4 FPS — 18% higher than High’s 44.8.

At 1440p, the options expand. Medium (122.5 FPS) and High (80.6 FPS) both exceed 60 FPS comfortably, while Ultra (57.9 FPS) falls just short. For a 1440p monitor with a 120 Hz refresh rate, Medium is the recommended preset, as it provides enough headroom above the refresh ceiling. Low (152.7 FPS) is excessive for most displays and sacrifices too much visual detail.

For 1080p users, the story is about maximizing refresh rate. Low (233.4 FPS) and Medium (190.5 FPS) are both excellent for 144 Hz or 165 Hz panels. High (120.5 FPS) is still above 60 FPS and offers better image quality. Ultra (83.1 FPS) is the only preset that dips below 100 FPS, making it less ideal for competitive play but still playable. The recommendation is to start at Medium for 1080p and adjust upward if your monitor supports lower refresh rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers a wide range of performance. Low settings produce 233.4 FPS, Medium drops to 190.5 FPS, High falls to 120.5 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 83.1 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 150.3 FPS, showing that settings have a massive impact at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the numbers compress. Low yields 152.7 FPS, Medium gives 122.5 FPS, High provides 80.6 FPS, and Ultra manages 57.9 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra is 94.8 FPS, narrower than at 1080p but still substantial. Notably, High at 1440p (80.6 FPS) is very close to Ultra at 1080p (83.1 FPS), suggesting similar GPU load.

At 3840x2160, the performance ceiling is clear. Low runs at 81.9 FPS, Medium at 70.4 FPS, High at 44.8 FPS, and Ultra at 28.6 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 53.3 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 28.6 FPS is the only measured figure below 30 FPS, indicating the RTX 3070 is overwhelmed at that combination. The 4K High figure of 44.8 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced driving.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in The Long Drive?

A: Yes, but only at Low (81.9 FPS) or Medium (70.4 FPS) settings. High (44.8 FPS) and Ultra (28.6 FPS) fall below the 60 FPS threshold, making them less suitable for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the best resolution for this pairing?

A: The data suggests 1440p is the sweet spot. Medium settings deliver 122.5 FPS, and High provides 80.6 FPS, both above 60 FPS. 1080p offers higher frame rates (up to 233.4 FPS at Low), but 1440p gives a better balance of visual clarity and performance.

Q: How does the Ryzen 5 8400F compare to its nearest CPU rival?

A: The 8400F scores 25064 on average, which is 0% different from the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (25057) and 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F (24993). It performs essentially on par with these alternatives.

Q: Is the RTX 3070 the limiting factor in this system?

A: Yes, the benchmark results indicate GPU-bound behavior. The FPS drops sharply with increased resolution and settings, while the CPU’s single-thread performance (951 in 3dmark single-thread) is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking at even the highest measured frame rates.

Q: What FPS can I expect at 1080p with High settings?

A: The measured average is 120.5 FPS. This is well above 60 FPS and suitable for 120 Hz monitors, though Medium (190.5 FPS) and Low (233.4 FPS) offer more headroom for higher refresh displays.

Q: Does the combo rank indicate poor performance?

A: The combo ranks 755th out of 1734, placing it in the upper-middle range. This is not poor performance; it reflects that many tested combos use more powerful or newer hardware. The measured FPS figures show this pairing is still capable of excellent results at 1080p and 1440p.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on Zen 4 architecture, built on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The 16 MB shared L3 cache and 83.2 GB/s memory bandwidth (DDR5 dual-channel) provide solid data throughput for a driving simulation that may not heavily multithread.

In The Long Drive, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The 3dmark scores show strong scaling: 1874 for 2 threads, 3563 for 4 threads, 5275 for 8 threads, and 6091 for 16 threads. This indicates the processor can handle moderate thread counts effectively, though the game likely does not utilize all 12 threads to their fullest. The single-thread score of 951 in 3dmark and 2943 in Cinebench R23 single-core are respectable, ensuring the CPU does not bottleneck the RTX 3070 at lower resolutions where FPS is highest.

The data supports the interpretation that the CPU is not the limiting component here. At 1080p Low, where the GPU load is lowest, the system still hits 233.4 FPS, which is a demanding target for any processor. The 8400F’s boost clock of 4.70 GHz and 12 threads are adequate for this task. Even at 1440p and 4K, the FPS drops align with GPU rendering load rather than CPU limitations. The Ryzen 5 8400F performs its role admirably, leaving the RTX 3070 as the primary determinant of performance across the tested settings.