Undisputed

The pairing of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 in Undisputed presents a striking case of component imbalance. The RTX 4090, a 91st-percentile GPU, is paired with a 79th-percentile CPU, creating a scenario where the data reveals the limits of the processor at lower resolutions. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS across resolutions and settings to show exactly where the bottleneck lies and how the components interact.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a dramatic shift in performance scaling from 1080p to 4K, which clearly indicates the limiting component at each resolution. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 475.6 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 386.3 FPS, a reduction of 18.8%. At 4K Low, the average falls to 246 FPS, which is 48.3% lower than the 1080p result. This steep decline as resolution increases suggests that at lower resolutions, the system is heavily CPU-bound; the Ryzen 5 5500 cannot feed frames fast enough to fully saturate the RTX 4090's immense processing power.

However, the picture changes significantly at Ultra settings. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 203. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 148.7 FPS (a 26.7% decrease), and at 4K Ultra, it falls to 93.8 FPS (a 53.8% decrease from 1080p). This steeper percentage drop at Ultra settings indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary constraint as the graphical load increases. The data implies that at 4K Ultra, the RTX 4090 is finally being pushed to its limits, while at 1080p Low, the CPU is the definitive bottleneck, leaving GPU performance on the table.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings at each resolution further confirms this. At 1080p, the difference between Low (475.6 FPS) and Ultra (203 FPS) is 272.6 FPS. At 4K, the same settings gap shrinks to 152.2 FPS (246 vs. 93.8). This compression of the performance window at higher resolutions is a classic sign of the bottleneck shifting from the CPU to the GPU, as the rendering workload becomes more demanding and the processor has more time to prepare frames.

Settings Recommendations

For players seeking the highest refresh rate experience, the data suggests that the Low preset at 1440p offers a compelling balance, delivering 386.3 FPS. This is a massive frame rate that would be wasted on most displays, but it shows the headroom in this combo. At 4K, the Low preset still yields 246 FPS, which is exceptionally high for that resolution and indicates that even the most demanding visual settings are not a problem for the GPU in this title.

The High preset appears to be the sweet spot for visual fidelity versus performance. At 1440p, it delivers 228.8 FPS, which is still far beyond the refresh rate of typical high-refresh-rate monitors. At 4K, the High preset produces 143.5 FPS, a very playable and smooth experience that maintains high visual quality. The Medium preset sits between these, with 274.9 FPS at 1440p and 176.7 FPS at 4K.

Ultra settings, while offering the maximum visual quality, cause the most significant performance hit. The 93.8 FPS at 4K Ultra is the only measured result below the 100 FPS mark. While still playable, it represents a 34.6% drop from the High preset's 143.5 FPS at the same resolution. Given the data, the High preset is recommended for the best overall experience, as it provides a substantial visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining frame rates well above 140 FPS even at 4K.

FAQ

*Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 bottlenecking the RTX 4090 in Undisputed?*

A: Yes, at lower resolutions and settings. The data shows a 48.3% FPS drop from 1080p Low (475.6 FPS) to 4K Low (246 FPS), which is less severe than the drop at Ultra settings (53.8% drop). This indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is limiting performance, preventing the GPU from working to its full potential.

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this combo?

A: The data suggests that 1440p is the optimal resolution. It offers a significant resolution upgrade over 1080p while still delivering extremely high frame rates: 386.3 FPS on Low, 274.9 FPS on Medium, and 228.8 FPS on High. Even at Ultra, it maintains 148.7 FPS.

*Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Undisputed?*

A: Absolutely. The RTX 4090 ensures high performance at 4K across all settings. The measured results show 246 FPS on Low, 176.7 FPS on Medium, 143.5 FPS on High, and 93.8 FPS on Ultra. All settings are playable, with High providing a particularly smooth experience.

Q: How much of a performance drop is there between High and Ultra settings?

A: The penalty for enabling Ultra is substantial. At 1080p, the FPS drops from 315.1 (High) to 203 (Ultra), a 35.6% decrease. At 1440p, it drops from 228.8 to 148.7, a 35% decrease. At 4K, it drops from 143.5 to 93.8, a 34.6% decrease. The performance cost is consistent across resolutions.

Q: Is the frame rate consistent across different settings at 1080p?

A: No, the variance is large. The spread from Low (475.6 FPS) to Ultra (203 FPS) is 272.6 FPS. This large gap reinforces the idea that the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, as the GPU is capable of rendering many more frames than the CPU can process at lower graphical loads.

Q: What does the combo's rank of 57 out of 1580 indicate?

A: This rank of 57 out of 1580 tested combos places this specific pairing in the top 3.6% of all tested configurations in Undisputed. This high ranking is largely attributable to the RTX 4090's immense power, which drives the high frame rates seen at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system produces its highest frame rates across all settings. The Low preset yields an average of 475.6 FPS. Medium follows at 382.9 FPS, and High is close behind at 315.1 FPS. The Ultra preset, while still fast, drops to 203 FPS. This shows a clear progression where the CPU is the main bottleneck, as the GPU is likely idle waiting for work.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high. Low settings produce 386.3 FPS, Medium delivers 274.9 FPS, and High achieves 228.8 FPS. The Ultra preset drops to 148.7 FPS. The performance at this resolution is more balanced, with the GPU beginning to take on a more significant role in the rendering pipeline, though the CPU still provides a solid foundation.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is fully engaged. The Low preset still manages 246 FPS, evidence of the RTX 4090's power. Medium yields 176.7 FPS, and High delivers 143.5 FPS. The Ultra preset, which stresses the GPU the most, produces 93.8 FPS. This is the only resolution where the Ultra preset falls below 100 FPS, highlighting the significant graphical workload at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 5500 and RTX 4090 ranks 57th out of 1580 tested combos in Undisputed. This places it in the 96.4th percentile of all configurations tested. The rank is impressive, but the data suggests it is held back by the CPU. The GPU's 91st-percentile standing among all GPUs suggests it is a top-tier part, while the CPU's 79th-percentile rank is more modest. This discrepancy is evident in the performance scaling.

The high rank is almost certainly due to the RTX 4090's dominance. In a game like Undisputed, which appears to be heavily GPU-dependent at higher resolutions, the 4090 can carry the combo to a strong position. However, the CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions prevents this combo from achieving a higher rank. If the CPU were more powerful, the 1080p results would likely be much higher, potentially pushing the rank into the top 50 or beyond.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 16429 and a single-core score of 2319, place it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. This is a capable mid-range processor, but it is not designed to keep pace with a flagship GPU in a low-resolution, high-frame-rate scenario.

In Undisputed, the CPU's role becomes clear when examining the 1080p results. The massive frame rates at Low and Medium settings (475.6 and 382.9 FPS) far exceed what most displays can show, but they also reveal the CPU's limits. The processor's 12 threads are likely being fully utilized, and its single-thread performance is what determines the ceiling for these high frame rates. The data implies that a stronger CPU, such as the Intel Core i5-12500 which scores only 0.1% higher on average, would not provide a significant uplift. The bottleneck is more about the absolute performance ceiling of the Ryzen 5 5500.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is an absolute powerhouse. It features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing a massive 1.01 TB/s of memory bandwidth. Its boost clock is 2520 MHz, and it has 16384 shading units. This hardware allows it to achieve a Passmark G3D score of 38194, placing it in the 91st percentile of all GPUs. Its raw compute power is staggering.

In Undisputed, the GPU's role is to handle the graphical rendering, and it does so with ease. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, it can maintain nearly 94 FPS. The performance scaling from 1440p to 4K is where the GPU's workload becomes apparent. The RTX 4090's 24 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for any settings at any resolution in this test, ensuring no texture loading issues. The GPU is the star of this combo, and its performance is what secures the high rank. Its architecture is clearly well-suited for this game, as it delivers playable frame rates even at the most demanding settings.