The Long Drive

The Long Drive, a driving simulation from 2019, presents an interesting test for the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER pairing. The data provided shows a system that is capable of delivering very high frame rates at mainstream resolutions, but which also reveals clear performance boundaries as graphical demands increase. This analysis examines the measured FPS data, the roles of the CPU and GPU, and what the benchmark results suggest about the system's overall behavior in this specific title.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking in this game's benchmark database?

A: The data shows this combination of the Intel Core i7-14700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 622nd out of 3,725 tested combos in The Long Drive.

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this setup?

A: The highest average frame rate is 311 FPS, which was achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

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

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 3840x2160, the system achieves an average of 58 FPS on High settings and 40 FPS on Ultra. For smoother performance at 4K, the Medium preset delivers an average of 94 FPS, while the Low preset reaches 114 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in general benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F has an average benchmark score of 53,620. This is 0.2% lower than the Intel Xeon 6505P, 0.3% higher than the Intel Xeon Phi 7290, and 0.6% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X.

Q: What is the boost clock speed of the CPU in this combination?

A: The Intel Core i7-14700F has a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, alongside a base clock of 2.10 GHz.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER is the primary driver of frame rate, especially as resolution increases. Its specifications point to a high-performance part, featuring 7,168 shading units and a boost clock of 2475 MHz. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory, with a bandwidth of 504.2 GB/s, is more than sufficient for the demands of The Long Drive, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved even at 4K.

The data suggests that the GPU's performance headroom is considerable at lower resolutions. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high, with the Low preset reaching 311 FPS. This indicates that the GPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution and the game is likely limited by other factors, such as CPU performance or engine physics. However, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced as resolution scales up. The transition from 1080p to 4K causes a significant drop in FPS, demonstrating that the GPU's rendering load is increasing substantially. The 4K Ultra preset result of 40 FPS is the clearest indicator of the GPU being pushed to its limits within this title. The data shows a clear performance hierarchy in 4K, with the Ultra preset being the only one that yields an average frame rate below the 60 FPS target, while the Low and Medium presets provide much more comfortable margins.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700F and RTX 4070 SUPER combination is placed 622nd out of 3,725 combos tested in The Long Drive. This places it in the top 17% of all tested systems, which is a strong showing. The ranking suggests that while this is a very capable configuration, there are many other, likely more expensive, combinations that achieve higher frame rates in this specific title.

The ranking should be interpreted in the context of the game's age and the hardware's capabilities. The Long Drive is not a graphically intensive title by modern standards, and the high frame rates achieved by this combo at 1080p and 1440p indicate that the system is far from being a low-end performer. The 622nd position out of 3,725 suggests that the primary limiting factor is the GPU's performance at the highest settings and resolutions, as the CPU is likely not a bottleneck in this title. The data implies that this is a high-mid-range to high-end combination that excels at high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p and is quite capable at 4K with adjusted settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the system's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system is exceptionally fast. The Low preset averages 311 FPS, while Medium and High produce 256 FPS and 160 FPS, respectively. Even the demanding Ultra preset maintains a high average of 111 FPS. The Medium preset also shows a minimum FPS of 218 and a maximum of 295, showing a consistently smooth experience.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down but remains excellent. The Low preset averages 205 FPS, with Medium at 169 FPS and High at 105 FPS. The Ultra preset, while still playable, drops to an average of 73 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 143 and maximum of 194 further illustrate the solid performance at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's workload becomes the defining factor. The Low preset still delivers a very playable 114 FPS average. The Medium preset averages 94 FPS with a minimum of 80 FPS, ensuring a good experience. However, the High preset drops to 58 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 40 FPS, indicating that the highest quality settings are not viable for smooth gameplay at 4K with this hardware.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p, the average frame rate across all settings is exceptionally high. Moving to 1440p, the average FPS drops significantly, but still remains very high. However, the jump to 4K yields a substantial reduction in frame rates, especially on the higher quality presets.

For instance, the High preset averages 160 FPS at 1080p, 105 FPS at 1440p, and 58 FPS at 4K. This represents a 34% drop when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a further 45% drop from 1440p to 4K. The Low preset shows a similar trend, going from 311 FPS at 1080p to 205 FPS at 1440p and finally to 114 FPS at 4K. This pattern indicates that the system's performance is heavily influenced by the number of pixels being rendered. The CPU, with its high core count and boost clock, is able to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but the GPU's rendering capacity becomes the limiting factor as resolution increases. The data clearly shows that the RTX 4070 SUPER is the component that dictates the frame rate ceiling at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700F is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Raptor Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. With an average benchmark score of 53,620, it ranks in the 91st percentile among all CPUs, placing it just slightly below the Intel Xeon 6505P and slightly above the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X and AMD EPYC 7313P in general processing power.

In The Long Drive, the CPU's role appears to be secondary to the GPU, but still important for maintaining high frame rates. The very high FPS figures at 1080p, particularly the 311 FPS on Low settings, suggest that the CPU is capable of preparing frames faster than the GPU can render them at that resolution. The game's physics and simulation logic, which are often CPU-intensive, do not seem to bottleneck this processor. The high boost clock is likely a key factor in this, as it provides strong single-threaded performance, which is often critical for game logic. The data indicates that the i7-14700F provides a solid foundation that allows the RTX 4070 SUPER to perform to its full potential, without the CPU becoming a limiting factor in the tested scenarios.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's resolution and performance targets. For 1080p and 1440p gaming, the Ultra preset is the best choice for visual fidelity, as it still delivers very high average frame rates of 111 FPS and 73 FPS, respectively. The High preset is also an excellent option, providing a significant boost in frame rate over Ultra, with averages of 160 FPS at 1080p and 105 FPS at 1440p, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance. It achieves an average of 94 FPS with a minimum of 80 FPS, ensuring a smooth and responsive experience. The Low preset can be used for the highest possible frame rates, reaching 114 FPS, but this comes with a significant reduction in visual fidelity. The High and Ultra presets at 4K are not recommended for consistent 60 FPS gameplay, as they produce averages of 58 FPS and 40 FPS, respectively. Therefore, for the best overall experience at 4K, the Medium preset is the recommended choice, while High or Ultra can be used at lower resolutions for maximum quality.