The Long Drive

The Intel Core i5-11400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER combination ranks 158th out of 1,734 tested combos in The Long Drive, placing it in the top 9% of all systems. This is a strong result that reflects a high-performing GPU paired with a capable mid-range CPU, though the data shows the pairing is not perfectly balanced at every resolution. The combination’s ranking is driven primarily by the GPU’s exceptional throughput, while the CPU’s performance becomes a more significant factor at lower resolutions where frame rates are extremely high.

How This Combo Ranks

With a combo rank of 158 out of 1,734, this system sits comfortably in the upper echelon of tested configurations for The Long Drive. The ranking indicates that this pairing delivers a consistently smooth experience across the board, but it is not at the absolute top, which is reserved for combinations with the most powerful CPUs and GPUs. The RTX 4080 SUPER’s strong average benchmark score of 53,610, which places it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, is the primary driver of this high rank. The CPU’s average benchmark score of 17,181, placing it in the 75th percentile, provides a solid foundation without bottlenecking the GPU in most scenarios. The data suggests that while the GPU is clearly the star, the CPU is more than adequate to support it, preventing the system from falling into lower performance tiers.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications bear this out. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a massive memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s. This is complemented by a high boost clock of 2550 MHz and 10,240 shading units. In The Long Drive, this translates to a GPU that can easily handle the game's demands, even at the highest settings. The GPU’s 88th percentile ranking against all GPUs and its average benchmark score of 53,610, which is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, show that it is a top-tier performer. This is evident in the measured FPS, where the GPU is the clear limiting factor only at 4K Ultra, where the frame rate drops to 48 FPS, indicating the immense graphical load is finally exceeding the GPU’s capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic pattern of GPU-bound performance. At 1080p High, the system achieves 181.9 FPS, but this drops to 117.4 FPS at 1440p and further to 65.6 FPS at 4K. This steep decline, a roughly 64% reduction from 1080p to 4K at High settings, shows that the game becomes increasingly demanding on the GPU as resolution increases. The CPU’s role becomes more apparent at 1080p, where frame rates are exceptionally high. For instance, at 1080p Low, the system hits 269.4 FPS, which is likely constrained by the CPU’s single-thread performance of 868 in 3DMark and its 2,029 score in Cinebench R23 single-core. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU can struggle to feed the GPU fast enough, while at 4K, the GPU is the definitive bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed picture of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. With Low settings, it averages 269.4 FPS. Increasing to Medium yields 252.9 FPS, and High settings still deliver a very playable 181.9 FPS. Pushing to Ultra at 1080p brings the average down to 126.9 FPS, which is still smooth but shows a significant performance cost from the highest preset.

At 2560x1440, performance remains high. Low settings produce an average of 232.3 FPS, while Medium settings achieve 195.0 FPS. High settings are still very strong at 117.4 FPS, but the jump to Ultra causes a more substantial drop to 82.1 FPS. This makes High the preferred setting for a high-refresh-rate 1440p experience, as it is nearly 43% faster than Ultra.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is clearly taxed. Low settings deliver 133.1 FPS, and Medium settings provide a solid 106.1 FPS. High settings are still playable at 65.6 FPS, but Ultra settings drop the average to 48.0 FPS, which is below the threshold for a consistently smooth experience on many displays. This shows that 4K Ultra is the only configuration that truly challenges the RTX 4080 SUPER in this game.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-11400F a good match for the RTX 4080 SUPER in this game?

A: Yes, for most settings. The combo ranks 158th out of 1,734. At 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is sufficient, but at 1080p Low (269.4 FPS), the CPU is likely the limiting factor. At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck.

Q: What is the best resolution to play this game with this hardware?

A: For the highest frame rates, 1920x1080 is best, with an average of 269.4 FPS on Low settings. For a balance of visual quality and performance, 2560x1440 on High settings at 117.4 FPS is an excellent choice.

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

A: Yes, but not at all settings. At 4K High, it averages 65.6 FPS, which is playable. However, at 4K Ultra, performance drops to 48.0 FPS, which may be undesirable for some users.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The CPU's average benchmark score of 17,181 is essentially tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, which has a score of 17,189 and a deltaPct of 0. It is also within 0.2% of the Intel Core i7-1260P and Intel Core Ultra 7 164U.

Q: How much VRAM does the GPU have, and is it sufficient for this game?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory. This is more than enough for The Long Drive, as the game's performance is more limited by raw processing power than by memory capacity at any tested resolution.

Q: What is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings average 117.4 FPS, while Ultra settings average 82.1 FPS. This is a 30% performance drop when moving from High to Ultra, making High a much better choice for high-refresh-rate displays.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Rocket Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In The Long Drive, the CPU’s role is to maintain high frame rates, especially when the GPU is not the limiting factor. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system only manages 269.4 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's limit. Its single-thread performance, as seen in a 3DMark single-thread score of 868 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,029, is solid but not exceptional. However, its multi-threaded score of 14,372 in Cinebench R23 and 5,652 in 3DMark max threads ensure that it does not bottleneck the GPU at higher resolutions where the GPU is more heavily loaded. The CPU’s 75th percentile ranking and its average benchmark score of 17,181, which is effectively tied with its nearest rivals, confirm that it is a reliable, mid-range performer that pairs well with a high-end GPU.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for the best experience. For users with a 1080p high-refresh-rate monitor, the High preset is recommended, as it delivers 181.9 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz threshold and a 43% improvement over Ultra’s 126.9 FPS. For 1440p, the High preset is the clear winner, offering 117.4 FPS compared to Ultra’s 82.1 FPS, making it the best choice for a smooth, visually appealing experience. At 4K, the High preset offers the best balance, with 65.6 FPS being playable, while Medium also provides a very good 106.1 FPS for those who prefer higher frame rates over maximum visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 4K is not recommended, as 48.0 FPS is too low for a consistently smooth experience. In all cases, the data shows that High is the optimal preset, providing a significant performance boost over Ultra with a minimal visual penalty, while the Low preset is only useful for achieving the absolute highest frame rates possible.