The Long Drive

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 delivers a highly playable experience in The Long Drive, a driving simulation that is clearly sensitive to both CPU and GPU loads. The data shows a wide range of frame rates depending on resolution and settings, from a very fluid 273.3 FPS at 1080p Low down to a demanding 57 FPS at 4K Ultra. This combination of a six-core Rocket Lake processor with a flagship Blackwell GPU creates a system where the CPU’s multi-threading capabilities and the GPU’s raw throughput are both heavily utilized, leading to distinct performance characteristics at each quality tier.

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

The Intel Core i5-11400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. In The Long Drive, this CPU’s performance is a critical factor at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the limiting factor. The benchmark results show that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 273.3 FPS, which suggests the CPU is capable of feeding the RTX 5090 with enough data to maintain very high frame rates. The processor’s 12 threads are likely well-utilized by the game’s simulation and physics logic, which are common in driving games.

The CPU’s benchmark scores provide context for its gaming performance. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 14372 and single-core score of 2029 indicate a solid balance for a game that may rely on a few heavily-threaded tasks. Furthermore, the processor ranks in the 75th percentile against all CPUs, placing it above average for its generation. Compared to its nearest rivals, the Intel Core i7-1260P (deltaPct -0.2) and the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U (deltaPct 0), the i5-11400F is essentially tied in synthetic average benchmark scores, suggesting that these processors would perform similarly in CPU-bound scenarios. The data indicates that in The Long Drive, the CPU’s headroom is more than sufficient to allow the GPU to stretch its legs, especially when graphical settings are lowered.

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

Choosing the right settings depends on your display and refresh rate. The measured FPS rows provide clear guidance for a smooth experience. For 1080p users, the High preset is a strong choice, delivering 210.4 FPS, which is more than enough for high-refresh-rate monitors. While Low and Medium offer higher numbers (273.3 and 253.6 FPS respectively), the jump to High provides a better visual experience without sacrificing a meaningful amount of performance, as the frame rate remains well above 200 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1080p drops to 147.4 FPS, which is still very fluid, but the performance cost may not be justified when High offers such a high baseline.

At 1440p, the pattern shifts. The Medium preset delivers an excellent 222.7 FPS, while High is close behind at 137.2 FPS. The Ultra preset falls to 95.7 FPS, which is still playable but represents a significant drop. For a competitive or high-refresh experience, Medium seems to be the sweet spot at this resolution, offering nearly double the frame rate of Ultra. For 4K users, the choices are more constrained. The Low preset (153 FPS) is the only option that provides a truly high-refresh experience. The Medium preset (124.5 FPS) is also good, but High (76 FPS) and Ultra (57 FPS) are more suited for 60Hz displays or for those who prioritize maximum visual fidelity over smoothness.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution to play The Long Drive with this CPU/GPU combo?*

A: Based on the measured data, 1440p offers the best balance. The Medium preset achieves 222.7 FPS, and even High maintains a strong 137.2 FPS, providing high frame rates with better visual quality than 1080p.

Q: Is the RTX 5090 bottlenecked by the i5-11400F in this game?

A: The data shows that at lower settings, frame rates scale dramatically. At 1080p Low, the system hits 273.3 FPS, indicating the CPU can handle high throughput. The bottleneck appears to shift to the GPU as settings and resolution increase, with 4K Ultra pulling the average down to 57 FPS.

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

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K, the Low preset provides 153 FPS, and Medium provides 124.5 FPS, which are both excellent. However, the High and Ultra presets drop to 76 and 57 FPS respectively, which are better suited for 60Hz displays.

Q: How does the i5-11400F compare to its closest rivals in terms of CPU performance?

A: The i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17181. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, scores 17189 (deltaPct 0), and the Intel Core i7-1260P scores 17212 (deltaPct -0.2). This shows they are practically identical in overall processing power.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1080p, the Low preset averages 273.3 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 147.4 FPS. This represents a drop of roughly 46% in frame rate when moving to the highest quality settings.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-11400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 holds a rank of 86 out of 1734 tested combos in The Long Drive. This places it in the top 5% of all configurations in the database, which confirms the GPU’s massive performance. While the CPU is not a top-tier part, its ability to maintain high frame rates at lower resolutions ensures the system overall does not fall behind. The ranking suggests that the raw power of the RTX 5090 is the primary driver of this combo's high position, with the i5-11400F providing enough support to avoid being a significant weak link. The high rank is consistent with the measured FPS numbers, which show excellent playability across most settings and resolutions.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is a powerhouse with 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing a massive 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock is 2407 MHz, and it features 21760 shading units. In The Long Drive, the GPU is the primary performance determinant at higher resolutions and quality settings. The data shows a clear trend: as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K, the frame rates for the same settings drop, which is a classic sign of GPU-bound rendering. For instance, at High settings, the average FPS falls from 210.4 at 1080p to 137.2 at 1440p and finally to 76 at 4K.

The GPU’s massive memory and bandwidth are likely beneficial for the driving simulation’s open-world environments, which may require loading large textures and geometry. The RTX 5090’s percentile rank of 94 against all GPUs underscores its top-tier status. Its average benchmark score of 84306 is closely matched only by the RTX 5090 D (84241, deltaPct 0.1), showing it is at the very top of the performance stack. The data suggests that in The Long Drive, the GPU’s capabilities are only fully taxed at 4K Ultra, where the frame rate drops to 57 FPS, indicating that the game’s most demanding settings are pushing even this flagship card to its limits.

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

At 1920x1080, the system performs exceptionally well. The Low preset averages 273.3 FPS, making it the highest recorded in the dataset. Medium follows with 253.6 FPS, and High is close behind at 210.4 FPS. The Ultra preset, while still very fast, drops to 147.4 FPS. These numbers show that at 1080p, the CPU and GPU combo has significant headroom, and even the most demanding preset is playable on high-refresh displays.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains strong but shows a more pronounced gap between settings. The Low preset achieves 236.3 FPS, which is still outstanding. Medium delivers 222.7 FPS, a very small drop from Low. High is a significant step down at 137.2 FPS, while Ultra falls to 95.7 FPS. This pattern indicates that at 1440p, the Ultra preset begins to place a heavy load on the GPU, while Medium and Low remain CPU-bound to a degree.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The Low preset averages 153 FPS, which is impressive for 4K. Medium drops to 124.5 FPS, and High falls to 76 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, averaging only 57 FPS. This data shows that 4K gaming is viable with this combo, but to achieve high refresh rates, players must be willing to lower the visual settings to Low or Medium.