The Long Drive

The Long Drive, a driving simulation with a 2019 release date, presents a unique performance profile for the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination. The benchmark data reveals a system that is massively overqualified for the task, delivering exceptional frame rates that are primarily limited by the CPU at lower resolutions and by the GPU's raw throughput only when settings are maxed out. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data to show exactly where the bottlenecks lie and what settings provide the optimal experience.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a classic pattern of performance scaling across resolutions, but with a twist that highlights the game's CPU-bound nature. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves a massive 340.1 FPS average. Moving to 1440p drops this to 260.1 FPS, a 23.5% reduction, and 4K further reduces it to 144.5 FPS, a 57.5% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This steep decline as resolution increases indicates that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor at higher pixel counts, but the sheer magnitude of the numbers means the CPU is still the primary constraint at 1080p.

The scaling pattern shifts when looking at Ultra settings. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 145.8. At 1440p Ultra, it falls to 94.6 FPS, a 35.1% drop, and at 4K Ultra, it plummets to 54.9 FPS, a 62.3% reduction from the 1080p result. This more aggressive scaling at Ultra settings is a clear indicator that the RTX 4090's graphical workload is now the dominant factor. The game's engine, being a driving simulation, likely has relatively simple geometry, but the Ultra preset introduces effects that heavily tax the GPU's fill rate and shading units.

The most telling data point is the difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p. The gap between 340.1 FPS and 145.8 FPS is a 194.3 FPS difference. This enormous delta shows that at lower resolutions, the i5-14400F is holding the RTX 4090 back from its full potential. The CPU's 10 cores and 16 threads are sufficient to feed the GPU at moderate settings, but the game's engine is not optimized to push beyond a certain frame rate ceiling. The results indicate that for players with high refresh rate monitors, the CPU will be the limiting component at 1080p, regardless of the GPU's immense power.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a behemoth, with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus providing a staggering 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. Its 16,384 shading units and 128 RT cores are more than enough for any modern title, and The Long Drive is no exception. The GPU's clock speeds are high, with a boost clock of 2520 MHz, and its 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power is overkill for this driving simulation.

In the benchmark results, the GPU's role becomes clear when examining the 4K Ultra score of 54.9 FPS. This is the only configuration where the GPU is truly stressed, as the combination of high resolution and maximum settings creates a workload that can engage the RTX 4090's full capabilities. The fact that 4K High (76.2 FPS) is significantly faster than 4K Ultra (54.9 FPS) suggests that the Ultra preset includes effects that are disproportionately expensive, likely related to draw distances or shadow quality, which are common in open-world driving games.

The VRAM capacity is not a concern in any of the tested scenarios. With 24 GB of GDDR6X, the card has ample headroom. The memory clock of 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) ensures that texture streaming and asset loading are never bottlenecks, even at 4K. The data shows that the RTX 4090 is so powerful that it is only meaningfully engaged at 4K with Ultra settings; at 1080p and 1440p, the frame rates are so high that they are almost certainly constrained by the CPU's ability to issue draw calls and process game logic.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F a bottleneck for the RTX 4090 in this game?

A: Yes, at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 340.1 FPS, but this is likely a CPU limit, not a GPU limit. The i5-14400F's 10 cores and 16 threads can only issue so many frames per second, and the RTX 4090 is far more capable than what the data shows at 1080p.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a high refresh rate?

A: 1440p is the sweet spot. At 1440p High, the combo achieves 136.3 FPS, which is well above 120 FPS. At 1080p High, it hits 203.2 FPS, but the CPU bottleneck means you are not getting the full benefit of the RTX 4090.

Q: How does the Ultra preset compare to High at 4K?

A: The drop is significant. 4K Ultra averages 54.9 FPS, while 4K High averages 76.2 FPS. That is a 21.3 FPS difference, indicating that the Ultra preset includes settings that are very taxing on the GPU's shading and fill rate capabilities.

Q: Is the RTX 4090's 24 GB VRAM necessary for this game?

A: The data does not show any VRAM limitations. The benchmark results show consistent performance scaling, and with 24 GB of GDDR6X memory, there is no scenario in the measured data where VRAM capacity would be a limiting factor, even at 4K Ultra.

Q: Can this combo maintain 60 FPS at 4K with High settings?

A: Yes, comfortably. The measured average at 4K High is 76.2 FPS. This provides a solid margin above the 60 FPS threshold, making it a smooth experience on standard 60 Hz displays.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 4090 compared to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The average benchmark score for the RTX 4090 is 66473. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla T4, has an average score of 66733, which is a delta of -0.4%. The data shows the RTX 4090 is essentially tied with the Tesla T4 and is 0.5% ahead of the Tesla P40.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset provides a clear picture of performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the frame rates are exceptionally high. Low settings produce an average of 340.1 FPS, Medium yields 317.4 FPS, High drops to 203.2 FPS, and Ultra falls to 145.8 FPS. The progression shows a 194.3 FPS difference between Low and Ultra, highlighting the significant cost of the higher presets.

At 2560x1440, the pattern continues. Low settings average 260.1 FPS, Medium hits 217.2 FPS, High achieves 136.3 FPS, and Ultra drops to 94.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 165.5 FPS, which is slightly less than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is starting to take on more work.

At 3840x2160, the numbers become more grounded. Low settings still manage a very playable 144.5 FPS, Medium drops to 121.1 FPS, High reaches 76.2 FPS, and Ultra falls to 54.9 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra is 89.6 FPS, showing that at 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting component, and the CPU's role is diminished. The data shows a consistent and predictable scaling pattern, with no anomalies or unexpected dips.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal configuration for this combo depends on the target display and frame rate. For players with a 144 Hz monitor, the 1440p High preset is the clear choice, delivering 136.3 FPS. This is a 41.7 FPS improvement over 1440p Ultra (94.6 FPS) and provides a much smoother experience without a significant graphical downgrade. The High preset at 1440p appears to be the best balance of visual quality and performance.

For 4K displays, the High preset is recommended over Ultra. The 4K High average of 76.2 FPS is a 21.3 FPS improvement over 4K Ultra's 54.9 FPS, ensuring a consistently smooth experience on a 60 Hz display. The visual difference between High and Ultra is often subtle in driving simulations, and the performance gain is substantial.

For competitive or high-refresh-rate play at 1080p, the Medium preset is the best choice. It delivers 317.4 FPS, which is only 22.7 FPS less than Low (340.1 FPS) but provides a much better visual experience. Ultra at 1080p (145.8 FPS) is still playable, but it is a significant drop from Medium and is likely not worth the graphical upgrade for fast-paced driving. The data strongly suggests that using Ultra settings at any resolution is suboptimal given the RTX 4090's capabilities.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 14th-generation desktop processor with 10 cores and 16 threads. Its base clock is 2.50 GHz, and it boosts to 4.70 GHz. The CPU's L3 cache is 20 MB shared, and it has a 65 W TDP. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 21,914 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3,093 in single-core, placing it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs.

In The Long Drive, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with frames. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the CPU is the limiting factor, as the RTX 4090 cannot reach its full potential. The i5-14400F's single-thread performance, which is strong with a Geekbench single-core score of 2,333, is likely the key metric for this game's engine. The 4.70 GHz boost clock ensures that the game's main thread is handled efficiently.

The CPU's 10 cores are more than sufficient for a driving simulation, which rarely utilizes more than a few threads. The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at 1440p and 4K, as the GPU's workload becomes the dominant factor. The 20 MB L3 cache helps with data locality, reducing latency for game assets. Overall, the i5-14400F is a capable partner for the RTX 4090 in this title, but it does cap the maximum frame rate at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

This particular combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 ranks 36th out of 1,734 tested combos in The Long Drive. This places it in the top 2.1% of all configurations, indicating that it is a very high-performing pairing.

The high rank is primarily driven by the RTX 4090's immense power. The GPU's 91st percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 66,473, is the dominant factor. The CPU, while solid, has a lower average benchmark score of 32,508, which is comparable to its nearest rivals like the Intel Core i7-12800H (32,513) and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 (32,446). The CPU's 88th percentile ranking is slightly lower than the GPU's, but it is still strong.

The rank of 36 suggests that while there are 35 other combos that perform better, this setup is in the top tier. Given that the data shows the CPU is a bottleneck at 1080p, the rank could potentially be higher with a more powerful CPU. However, the overall performance is exceptional, and the combo is well-suited for high-resolution gaming. The RTX 4090's end-of-life production status and the i5-14400F's active production status indicate that this is a pairing of a current-generation mid-range CPU with a top-tier, now-discontinued GPU, which explains its high placement in the rankings.