The Long Drive

The Long Drive pairs the Intel Core i5-11400F with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, and the measured frame rates reveal a system that is clearly capable of smooth driving simulation at mainstream resolutions, but one that hits a hard wall when pushed to 4K with maximum quality settings. The data shows a combo that behaves predictably: it scales well with lowered settings and resolution, but the GPU becomes the primary constraint at higher loads. This analysis breaks down exactly where this pairing stands, how it performs, and what settings make the most sense for playable frame rates.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, indicating a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 201.7 FPS at 1920x1080 to 136.1 FPS at 2560x1440, then drops sharply to 74.4 FPS at 3840x2160. That is a 63% reduction in frame rate from 1080p to 4K on Low settings, which shows that even at the least demanding preset, the RTX 4060 is working progressively harder as pixel count increases.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced at Ultra settings. The average FPS at 1080p Ultra is 76.0, which drops to 46.8 at 1440p and then to 29.4 at 4K. This represents a 61% drop from 1080p to 4K, but the absolute numbers are far lower, making 4K Ultra effectively unplayable. The gap between High and Ultra settings also widens with resolution: at 1080p, the difference between High (101.6 FPS) and Ultra (76.0 FPS) is 25.6 FPS, but at 4K, the difference shrinks to just 6.2 FPS (35.6 vs 29.4). This suggests that at 4K, the GPU is so saturated that the extra visual fidelity of Ultra over High yields diminishing returns in performance cost.

The limiting component changes depending on the resolution. At 1080p Low, the system produces 201.7 FPS, which is high enough that the CPU (with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz and 6 cores / 12 threads) may be starting to influence the ceiling. However, as resolution increases, the GPU's 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128-bit bus become the clear bottleneck. The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can maintain high frame rates, while 4K should be reserved for Low or Medium settings if playability is the goal.

How This Combo Ranks

In The Long Drive, this specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 993 out of 1734 tested combos. That places it in the lower-middle portion of the database, which is a reasonable expectation for a mid-range pairing. The rank reflects the fact that while the RTX 4060 is a capable GPU, it is not a high-end card, and the i5-11400F is a solid but aging 11th-gen processor that sits below the 75th percentile in CPU benchmarks.

Looking at the CPU's nearest rivals, the i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17181, which is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (17189, deltaPct 0) and the Intel Core i7-1260P (17212, deltaPct -0.2). This means the processor is performance-neutral when compared to these alternatives, offering no significant advantage or disadvantage in compute tasks. The Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (17215, deltaPct -0.2) and Intel Core i5-1240U (17141, deltaPct 0.2) are also within a fraction of a percent, so the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo's ranking.

The GPU tells a similar story. The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 23181 and ranks in the 66th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23321, deltaPct -0.6) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (23338, deltaPct -0.7), which are effectively tied in performance. The Intel Arc B580 (23021, deltaPct 0.7) and AMD Radeon 760M (22999, deltaPct 0.8) are also close, meaning the GPU choice does not move the needle much relative to these alternatives. The combo rank of 993 out of 1734 is therefore a reflection of the mid-tier nature of both components, not a sign of any specific bottleneck or pairing issue.

GPU Role

The RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. It features 24 ray tracing cores and 96 tensor cores, which are present but not heavily utilized in a driving simulation like The Long Drive. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, with memory running at 2125 MHz (17 Gbps effective) across an 8 GB GDDR6 interface. The memory bus is 128-bit, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s, which is adequate for 1080p and 1440p but becomes a limiting factor at 4K.

The measured FPS data shows that VRAM and bandwidth play a significant role in this game. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 29.4, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The 8 GB VRAM is likely being stressed at this resolution with high-quality textures, and the 128-bit bus cannot feed the GPU fast enough to maintain higher frame rates. In contrast, at 1080p Low, the 201.7 FPS average shows that the GPU has plenty of headroom when memory pressure is low.

The GPU's FP32 performance of 15.11 TFLOPS and texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s are respectable for a mid-range card, and the pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s supports the high frame rates seen at lower resolutions. The RTX 4060 is not a 4K powerhouse, and the data confirms that its role in this combo is to deliver smooth performance at 1080p and 1440p, with 4K reserved for reduced settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers strong performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 201.7 FPS, which is well above any refresh rate concern. Medium settings drop to 166.1 FPS, still excellent, and High settings yield 101.6 FPS, which is smooth for most displays. Ultra settings bring the average down to 76.0 FPS, which is playable but shows a significant cost for the highest quality presets.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain solid but start to show the GPU's limitations. Low settings average 136.1 FPS, Medium averages 108.1 FPS, and High averages 69.5 FPS. The drop from High to Ultra is substantial, with Ultra averaging just 46.8 FPS. This is a playable frame rate for many users, but it is noticeably less smooth than the 1080p results.

At 3840x2160, the story changes dramatically. Low settings average 74.4 FPS, which is acceptable, and Medium averages 62.3 FPS, still usable. High settings drop to 35.6 FPS, which is borderline, and Ultra falls to 29.4 FPS, which is not recommended for a driving simulation where smoothness matters. The data shows a clear trend: 4K is only viable at Low or Medium settings, while 1080p and 1440p can handle higher presets with ease.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Long Drive?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the sweet spot, with all settings yielding playable frame rates (76.0 FPS at Ultra and above). 2560x1440 is also viable, with High settings at 69.5 FPS, but 4K requires Low or Medium settings to stay above 60 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 Ultra is 29.4, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. Even High settings at 4K only reach 35.6 FPS, so users should avoid 4K with high-quality presets.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 23181, which is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23321, deltaPct -0.6) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (23338, deltaPct -0.7). The Intel Arc B580 (23021, deltaPct 0.7) and AMD Radeon 760M (22999, deltaPct 0.8) are also within 1% of performance.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck in this game?

A: At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 201.7, which is high enough that the i5-11400F (boost clock 4.40 GHz, 6 cores) may limit frame rates. However, at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck, so the CPU is not a primary concern for most settings.

Q: What is the difference between Low and Medium settings at 1440p?

A: Low settings average 136.1 FPS, while Medium settings average 108.1 FPS. The 28 FPS difference indicates that Medium offers a noticeable visual upgrade at a modest performance cost, making it a good trade-off.

Q: How does this combo rank overall in the database?

A: It ranks 993 out of 1734 tested combos for The Long Drive, placing it in the lower-middle range. This is consistent with the mid-tier specifications of both the CPU and GPU.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data points to 1920x1080 with High settings as the optimal balance. The average FPS of 101.6 is smooth, and High settings provide a substantial visual improvement over Medium (166.1 FPS) without the steep performance penalty of Ultra (76.0 FPS). If a higher refresh rate monitor is in use, Medium settings at 1080p offer 166.1 FPS, which is ideal for competitive or fast-paced driving.

At 2560x1440, High settings are the recommended choice, with an average of 69.5 FPS that is playable on most displays. Medium at 1440p (108.1 FPS) is also a strong option if extra headroom is desired, while Ultra should be avoided due to the 46.8 FPS average. For 4K users, Low settings (74.4 FPS) are the only preset that provides a consistently smooth experience, with Medium (62.3 FPS) as a fallback if visual fidelity is prioritized over frame rate stability.

The data suggests that Ultra settings are rarely worth the cost in this game. The jump from High to Ultra at 1080p costs 25.6 FPS, and at 1440p it costs 22.7 FPS, with only marginal visual gains expected. Sticking with High or Medium will deliver a better experience for most players, ensuring that the i5-11400F and RTX 4060 combo operates within its optimal performance range.