The Long Drive

The Long Drive, a driving simulation that released on September 2, 2019, presents an interesting testbed for high-end hardware due to its open-ended environments and physics-based interactions. This analysis examines the Intel Core i5-14600K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, using the measured FPS data to assess performance across various resolutions and settings. The data indicates this combination delivers exceptionally high frame rates, making it suitable for high-refresh-rate displays in most scenarios.

FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows a substantial gap. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 392 FPS, while the Ultra preset drops to 140.5 FPS. This represents a performance reduction of approximately 64% when moving from the lowest to the highest quality settings.

Q: How does the CPU's benchmark score compare to its closest rival?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600K has an average benchmark score of 49,166. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, scores 49,062, making the Intel processor 0.2% faster. It also trails the Intel Core i5-14600KF by 0.4%, which scores 49,367.

Q: Is the RTX 4090's performance percentile high relative to other GPUs?

A: Yes, the RTX 4090 ranks in the 91st percentile among all GPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 66,473, placing it ahead of the NVIDIA Tesla P40, which has an average score of 66,127 and is 0.5% slower.

Q: What is the best preset to use for a 1440p display?

A: For a 2560x1440 resolution, the High preset provides an average of 132.5 FPS, which is well above standard 60Hz refresh rates. The Medium preset offers 213.4 FPS, while the Ultra preset still delivers a playable 92 FPS.

Q: How does this specific CPU+GPU combo rank among all tested combinations in this game?

A: The Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 26th out of 1,734 tested combos for The Long Drive. This places it in the top 1.5% of all configurations in the database.

Q: What is the maximum measured average frame rate for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 392 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset. This is more than double the next highest recorded frame rate at that resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600K serves as the central processing unit in this combo, featuring 14 cores and 20 threads. Its architecture is Raptor Lake, built on a 10 nm process node. The processor has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, which are critical for maintaining high frame rates in a physics-heavy driving simulation. The 24 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce latency for frequently accessed data.

Benchmark results show the CPU's strong single-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,642. This is essential for The Long Drive, where the simulation logic and game world updates often rely on a few primary threads. The multi-core performance is also robust, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32,881, allowing the CPU to handle background tasks and the simulation's object interactions without becoming a bottleneck.

The CPU's benchmark percentile of 93 indicates it outperforms the vast majority of processors in the database. Its average benchmark score of 49,166 places it in close competition with the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, which scores 49,062 (a 0.2% difference). However, in the measured FPS data for The Long Drive, the CPU's capabilities are largely sufficient; the performance scaling from Low to Ultra settings at 1080p shows a drop from 392 FPS to 140.5 FPS, which is more likely attributable to the GPU's workload than to CPU limitations. The processor's 125W TDP and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory make it a flexible foundation for this high-end configuration.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the primary driver of frame rates in this configuration. This GPU is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It boasts 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. This large memory pool and high bandwidth are particularly beneficial for high-resolution textures and complex scenes in the simulation.

With a boost clock of 2520 MHz, the GPU is capable of immense throughput, reflected in its 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The GPU has 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, which directly influence its ability to render geometry and apply effects. In the measured data, the GPU's dominance is clear; at 1080p with Low settings, the combination achieves 392 FPS, but the RTX 4090 remains the limiting factor when settings are increased.

The GPU's percentile ranking is 91st, with an average benchmark score of 66,473. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla T4, has a score of 66,733, which is 0.4% higher. Despite this, the RTX 4090's performance in The Long Drive is exceptional. The scaling from Medium to Ultra at 1440p shows a reduction from 213.4 FPS to 92 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset's demands on the GPU are significant. The GPU's 450W TDP and triple-slot cooler suggest it is designed for sustained, high-performance workloads, which aligns with the frame rates observed in this data.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured average FPS, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user's display refresh rate and resolution preference. At 1920x1080, even the Ultra preset yields a very high average of 140.5 FPS, making it a viable option for 144Hz monitors. However, for maximum fluidity on a 240Hz or higher display, the High preset at 201.5 FPS or the Medium preset at 327.6 FPS would be more appropriate choices.

For 2560x1440 resolution, the High preset provides an excellent balance with an average of 132.5 FPS, suitable for high-refresh-rate gaming. The Ultra preset drops to 92 FPS, which is still smooth for 60Hz displays but may not fully utilize a 120Hz+ panel. The Medium preset at 213.4 FPS is an option for competitive play where frame rate is prioritized over visual fidelity.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is demanding, averaging only 53 FPS. This is just below the threshold for smooth 60Hz gameplay. The High preset at 75.1 FPS is the recommended choice for 4K displays, as it provides a playable experience with good visual quality. The Medium preset offers a significant boost to 118.1 FPS, which would be preferable for users with 120Hz 4K monitors. The Low preset at 145.8 FPS is available for those seeking the highest possible frame rates at this resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database for The Long Drive, the Intel Core i5-14600K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination is ranked 26th out of 1,734 tested combos. This top-tier ranking places the configuration in the 98.5th percentile of all tested systems. The ranking reflects the aggregate performance across all measured resolutions and settings.

This high rank is consistent with the individual component performance. The CPU's 93rd percentile and the GPU's 91st percentile both indicate top-tier hardware. The combination's rank of 26 suggests that only a handful of other configurations, likely featuring even more powerful CPUs or specialized setups, outperform it in this specific game. The data shows that this combo is exceptionally well-suited for The Long Drive, delivering frame rates that are among the highest recorded in the database.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of performance scaling across resolutions and settings.

At 1920x1080, the frame rates are extremely high. The Low preset averages 392 FPS, the Medium preset averages 327.6 FPS, and the High preset averages 201.5 FPS. The Ultra preset still manages a strong 140.5 FPS average.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains impressive. The Low preset averages 263.5 FPS, the Medium preset averages 213.4 FPS, and the High preset averages 132.5 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to an average of 92 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the demands on the GPU become more apparent. The Low preset averages 145.8 FPS, the Medium preset averages 118.1 FPS, and the High preset averages 75.1 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 53 FPS.

The data shows a consistent pattern: as resolution increases, the frame rate decreases proportionally. The difference between Low and Ultra settings is most pronounced at 1080p, where the frame rate drops by 251.5 FPS. At 4K, the same settings difference results in a 92.8 FPS drop. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the CPU is more able to feed frames to the GPU, while at higher resolutions, the GPU's rendering workload becomes the primary constraint.