The Long Drive

The benchmark data for The Long Drive, captured with an Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, reveals a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions but transitions into a CPU-limited state at 1080p. The most striking finding is the severe performance penalty imposed by the Ultra preset, which cuts frame rates by more than half compared to High settings across all resolutions. For users prioritizing smooth gameplay, the High preset represents the optimal balance, while the Ultra preset appears to introduce an unsustainable load on the hardware combination.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 demonstrates classic behavior for a high-end GPU paired with a mid-range processor. At 1080p with Low settings, the system delivers 317.8 FPS, but this drops to 259.2 FPS at 1440p and further to 147.9 FPS at 4K. This progression indicates that at 1080p, the Intel Core i5-12400F’s 6 cores and 12 threads are the limiting factor, as the RTX 4090 is capable of far higher output. The percentage drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings is 18.4%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 42.9%, showing that the GPU begins to take over as the primary bottleneck at higher pixel counts.

With High settings, the scaling is more linear: 205.5 FPS at 1080p, 135.9 FPS at 1440p, and 76.6 FPS at 4K. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p is 33.9%, and from 1440p to 4K is 43.6%. This pattern suggests that the High preset increases the GPU workload sufficiently to mask the CPU limitations seen at Low settings. The Ultra preset tells a different story entirely: 140.6 FPS at 1080p, 91.4 FPS at 1440p, and 50.1 FPS at 4K. The massive drop from High to Ultra at the same resolution (31.6% at 1080p, 32.8% at 1440p, and 34.6% at 4K) indicates that the Ultra preset likely enables effects that are disproportionately expensive on this architecture.

The data clearly shows that the RTX 4090, with its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, is not the limiting factor until 4K resolution. At 4K with Ultra settings, the 50.1 FPS result suggests that even this flagship GPU struggles with the game’s most demanding configuration, but the more moderate presets keep frame rates well above playable thresholds.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide a clear hierarchy of performance, and the optimal choice depends on the user’s display resolution. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 300.2 FPS, which is only 5.5% lower than the Low preset’s 317.8 FPS. Given that Medium likely provides substantially better visual quality, it is the recommended choice for competitive or high-refresh-rate displays, as the difference between 300 and 318 FPS is imperceptible on most monitors.

At 1440p, the High preset’s 135.9 FPS is a strong recommendation for users with 144 Hz displays, as it is within 5.5% of the Medium preset’s 215.3 FPS. However, the drop from Medium to High is 36.9%, which is significant. For users with 240 Hz displays, the Medium preset at 215.3 FPS is the better fit, while High at 135.9 FPS still provides a smooth experience for most gamers.

At 4K, the High preset’s 76.6 FPS is the clear winner for visual fidelity, as it is 36.3% faster than the Ultra preset’s 50.1 FPS. The Low preset at 147.9 FPS is available for users who prioritize frame rate over everything, but the High preset offers the best balance of image quality and performance. The Ultra preset should be avoided entirely, as the 50.1 FPS result is below the 60 FPS threshold that most users consider the minimum for smooth gameplay.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this combination, and its specifications explain the observed results. With 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, the GPU has immense raw compute power, evidenced by its 82.58 TFLOPS FP32 performance. The 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores provide advanced features that may be utilized by the game’s rendering pipeline, particularly at higher settings.

The GPU’s memory configuration is also critical: 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus delivers 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. This is more than sufficient for The Long Drive’s asset streaming, even at 4K resolution. The boost clock of 2520 MHz ensures that the GPU can sustain high frame rates when not limited by the CPU. The benchmark data shows that the GPU’s percentile rank of 91 versus all GPUs places it in the top tier, though its nearest rivals include workstation cards like the Tesla T4 and Quadro P6000, which have different performance profiles.

The GPU’s role becomes apparent when comparing Low and High settings. At 1080p, the difference between Low (317.8 FPS) and High (205.5 FPS) is 35.4%, indicating that the GPU is being pushed harder by the High preset. However, the fact that the 1080p Low result is only 18.4% higher than the 1440p Low result suggests that the CPU is limiting performance in the former case. The RTX 4090 is clearly capable of exceeding 317.8 FPS in this game, but the i5-12400F cannot feed it fast enough at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for The Long Drive, this specific pairing of Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 57th out of 1,734 combos. This places it in the top 3.3% of all tested systems, which is an excellent result given the CPU’s mid-range positioning. The high rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU’s performance, as the RTX 4090’s average benchmark score of 66,473 is dramatically higher than the CPU’s 19,221.

The CPU’s nearest rivals provide context for its role in this ranking. The Intel Core i7-8700K has an average score of 19,210, which is 0.1% higher than the i5-12400F’s 19,221. The AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS scores 19,364, which is 0.7% higher, and the AMD EPYC 7773X scores 18,979, which is 1.3% lower. These small deltas indicate that the i5-12400F performs similarly to several other processors, and swapping to any of these would likely not change the combo’s rank significantly.

The GPU’s nearest rivals highlight its position: the Tesla T4 scores 66,733 (0.4% higher), the Tesla P40 scores 66,127 (0.5% lower), and the Radeon Pro Vega 56 scores 67,097 (0.9% higher). These are all workstation or professional cards, which suggests that the RTX 4090’s performance is in a class of its own for consumer gaming. The 57th rank out of 1,734 combos is a strong showing, and the data indicates that the bottleneck is the CPU, not the GPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is the weaker link in this pairing, and its specifications reveal why. With 6 cores and 12 threads, the CPU has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache provide adequate capacity for gaming workloads, but the 10 nm process node and 65 W TDP suggest that this is a power-efficient part, not a high-end enthusiast chip.

The CPU’s benchmark scores confirm its mid-range positioning. In Cinebench R23, it scores 16,518 in multi-core and 2,332 in single-core. The PassMark multi-thread score of 19,433 and single-thread score of 3,481 indicate that the CPU is capable but not exceptional. Its percentile rank of 77 versus all CPUs puts it above the majority of processors, but below the top-tier parts that would typically be paired with an RTX 4090.

The game’s results show the CPU’s impact most clearly at 1080p with Low settings, where the 317.8 FPS result is likely near the CPU’s maximum frame output. The fact that increasing resolution to 1440p only drops the frame rate to 259.2 FPS (a 18.4% reduction) suggests that the CPU is still the limiting factor at 1440p with Low settings. However, at 4K with Low settings, the drop to 147.9 FPS (a 42.9% reduction from 1440p) indicates that the GPU has finally become the bottleneck. This transition point is typical for a 6-core/12-thread CPU paired with a flagship GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset shows the following frame rates for each resolution and settings combination:

At 1920x1080: Low settings deliver 317.8 FPS, Medium delivers 300.2 FPS, High delivers 205.5 FPS, and Ultra delivers 140.6 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 55.8%, illustrating the dramatic cost of the highest preset.

At 2560x1440: Low settings deliver 259.2 FPS, Medium delivers 215.3 FPS, High delivers 135.9 FPS, and Ultra delivers 91.4 FPS. The drop from Medium to High is 36.9%, and from High to Ultra is 32.8%.

At 3840x2160: Low settings deliver 147.9 FPS, Medium delivers 120.2 FPS, High delivers 76.6 FPS, and Ultra delivers 50.1 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the only configuration that falls below 60 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth gameplay.

The scaling from 1080p to 4K at each preset shows consistent behavior: Low settings see a 53.5% reduction, Medium sees a 60.0% reduction, High sees a 62.7% reduction, and Ultra sees a 64.4% reduction. This pattern demonstrates that the GPU workload increases more steeply with resolution at higher presets, which is expected given the additional pixel and shading work.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming with this combo?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 delivers 135.9 FPS, which is suitable for most high-refresh-rate displays. The Medium preset provides 215.3 FPS for users with 240 Hz monitors, while the Ultra preset at 91.4 FPS is playable but not recommended due to the significant frame rate loss.

Q: Why is the Ultra preset so much slower than High?

A: The Ultra preset reduces performance by 31.6% at 1080p, 32.8% at 1440p, and 34.6% at 4K compared to High. This indicates that Ultra enables rendering features that place a disproportionate load on the GPU, likely including advanced shadows, reflections, or post-processing effects.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the CPU is the limiting factor, as the frame rate of 317.8 FPS is below what the RTX 4090 can theoretically produce. At 4K with any preset, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, as evidenced by the larger frame rate drops between resolutions.

Q: How does this combo rank compared to other tested systems?

A: This combination ranks 57th out of 1,734 tested combos for The Long Drive, placing it in the top 3.3% of all systems. The high rank is primarily due to the RTX 4090, which ranks in the 91st percentile among all GPUs.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 4K with High settings?

A: The measured average is 76.6 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. This is the recommended 4K preset, as the Ultra preset drops to 50.1 FPS and the Medium preset provides 120.2 FPS but with lower visual quality.

Q: Does the RTX 4090’s 24 GB of VRAM matter for this game?

A: The 24 GB of GDDR6X memory with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth is more than sufficient for The Long Drive at any resolution or preset. The data does not indicate any VRAM-related limitations, as even the 4K Ultra preset is not constrained by memory capacity.