Undisputed

Undisputed is a sports title that scales heavily with resolution, and the Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination produces a clear pattern: the GPU dominates at 4K, while the CPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution drops. The measured data shows a 530 FPS average at 1080p Low, which is an extreme outlier compared to the 4K results, indicating that the i5-12400 is the bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 93 FPS, a massive reduction that highlights the RTX 4090's workload at higher graphical settings. The delta between 1080p Low and 4K Ultra is 437 FPS, a figure that demonstrates how the game's engine shifts from CPU-bound to GPU-bound as pixel count increases.

Resolution Scaling

The resolution scaling behavior here is textbook for a high-end GPU paired with a mid-range CPU. At 1080p Low, the system produces 530 FPS, which is an absurdly high number that no display can fully utilize, but it confirms that the CPU is the primary driver of performance at this setting. Moving to 1440p Low, the average drops to 383 FPS, a decline of 147 FPS (about 28%), which is still firmly in CPU-bound territory. At 4K Low, the average is 242 FPS, showing that even at the lowest settings, the GPU begins to take on more work, but the CPU still has headroom. The scaling from 1080p Low to 4K Low is a 288 FPS drop, which is steep but not as dramatic as the settings-based drops within the same resolution.

When you switch to High settings, the pattern shifts. At 1080p High, the average is 315 FPS, which is still high but significantly lower than the 530 FPS at Low. The 1440p High result is 228 FPS, and 4K High is 144 FPS. The drop from 1080p High to 4K High is 171 FPS, which is less severe than the Low settings drop, suggesting that the GPU is becoming more of a factor as settings increase. At Medium settings, the data shows 381 FPS at 1080p, 275 FPS at 1440p, and 174 FPS at 4K, with the 4K result having a min FPS of 148 and a max of 200. This medium preset provides a more balanced load, but the CPU still appears to be the limiter at 1080p.

The Ultra preset tells the most revealing story. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 203 FPS, which is still high, but at 1440p Ultra it drops to 147 FPS, and at 4K Ultra it falls to 93 FPS. The scaling from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra is a 110 FPS drop, which is the smallest absolute delta across all settings, indicating that the GPU is the dominant constraint at Ultra settings. The data suggests that at 4K Ultra, the RTX 4090 is working near its limits, while the i5-12400 is still providing adequate frame pacing. The limiting component shifts decisively: at 1080p Low, the CPU is the bottleneck; at 4K Ultra, the GPU is the bottleneck; at 1440p High, the system is relatively balanced.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. This is an Alder Lake-S architecture part on the Intel Socket 1700 platform, with 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The benchmarks show a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15989 and a single-core score of 2257, which places it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. The 3DMark results are telling: a single-thread score of 910, a 2-thread score of 1692, and a max-thread score of 5890. The scaling from 2 threads to max threads is about 3.5x, which is reasonable for a 6-core/12-thread part, but it shows that the CPU's multi-threading capabilities are not exceptional.

In Undisputed, the CPU role is most evident at 1080p Low, where the 530 FPS average is well above what the GPU can render at higher settings. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 5873 is nearly identical to the max-thread score of 5890, which suggests that the game is not using all available threads effectively. The Cinebench R20 multicore score of 6715 and Geekbench multicore score of 8564 are moderate, but the single-thread performance is what matters most for this game's physics and AI calculations. The 3DMark single-thread score of 910 is the weakest link in the CPU's profile, and this is likely why the 1080p Low result is so high but not unlimited.

The data shows that the i5-12400 has enough single-thread performance to push high frame rates, but it caps out around 530 FPS at 1080p Low. The nearest rival comparisons show the AMD EPYC 7643 with a delta of -0.1%, which is essentially identical in average benchmark score, but the EPYC is a server part with different characteristics. The Intel Core i3-14100F is 0.9% faster in average score, which is within margin of error. The practical takeaway is that the i5-12400 is a capable gaming CPU for this title, but it will not fully saturate the RTX 4090 at lower resolutions. At 4K, the CPU's limitations are masked by the GPU's workload, so the combo performs better at higher resolutions relative to the CPU's capabilities.

FAQ

Q: Why is the 1080p Low FPS so much higher than the 4K Ultra FPS?

A: The 1080p Low average is 530 FPS, while 4K Ultra is 93 FPS. The difference of 437 FPS is due to the GPU becoming the bottleneck at higher resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the CPU (i5-12400) is the limiting factor, but at 4K Ultra, the RTX 4090's rendering workload dominates.

Q: Does the RTX 4090 perform better at 1440p or 4K in this game?

A: The data shows higher frame rates at 1440p across all settings. For example, at High settings, 1440p achieves 228 FPS compared to 144 FPS at 4K. The RTX 4090 is capable of 144 FPS at 4K High, but the lower resolution provides more headroom.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400 a bottleneck for the RTX 4090 in Undisputed?

A: Yes, at lower resolutions and settings. The 1080p Low result of 530 FPS is capped by the CPU's single-thread performance, as indicated by the 3DMark single-thread score of 910. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is the primary limiter, so the CPU bottleneck is less apparent.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to avoid CPU limitations?

A: At 4K, the CPU is less of a factor. The 4K Medium result of 174 FPS with a min of 148 and max of 200 shows that the GPU is doing most of the work. At 1080p, the CPU limits performance, so 4K is the resolution where the RTX 4090 is most fully utilized.

Q: How does the i5-12400 compare to its nearest rivals in CPU benchmarks?

A: The i5-12400 has an average benchmark score of 18683, which is -0.1% compared to the AMD EPYC 7643, -0.3% compared to the Intel Core i7-1355U, and -0.7% compared to the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330. The Intel Core i3-14100F is 0.9% faster.

Q: Can this combo maintain 144 FPS at 4K Ultra?

A: No, the measured 4K Ultra average is 93 FPS. To achieve 144 FPS, you would need to use High settings, which average 144 FPS at 4K, or Medium settings, which average 174 FPS.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 combination ranks 139th out of 3718 tested combos in Undisputed, placing it in the top 3.7% of all configurations. This is a strong result, but the ranking is somewhat surprising given the RTX 4090's position as the top-tier GPU. The GPU itself ranks in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 60347, but the CPU ranks in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. The discrepancy between the GPU's high percentile and the combo's rank suggests that the CPU is holding back the overall performance in this specific game.

The nearest rival comparisons for the GPU show it is virtually tied with the Intel Arc Pro A60 (0% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (0.3% faster), but these are professional cards with different driver optimizations. The CPU's nearest rivals are all within 1% of its average score, indicating that the i5-12400 is a well-balanced mid-range part. The combo rank of 139 out of 3718 means there are 138 configurations that perform better, likely those with higher-end CPUs like the Core i7 or i9 series paired with the RTX 4090. The data indicates that the combo is competitive but not optimal for squeezing every last frame out of Undisputed at lower resolutions.

The ranking is better than the CPU's percentile alone would suggest, which means the RTX 4090 compensates for the i5-12400's limitations at higher resolutions. At 4K, the combo is likely to rank much higher than at 1080p, because the CPU's bottleneck is less pronounced. The overall rank of 139 is driven by the 1080p results, where the CPU caps performance, but the 4K results are where the combo shines relative to other configurations. For a builder, this means the combo is a solid choice for 4K gaming, but if you prioritize 1080p or 1440p esports-style frame rates, a stronger CPU would push the rank higher.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 530 FPS, which is the highest recorded value in the entire dataset. The Medium preset at 1080p averages 381 FPS with a minimum of 324 and a maximum of 438, showing good frame consistency. The High preset at 1080p averages 315 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to 203 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p is a 327 FPS drop, which is the largest relative decline across all resolutions, confirming that the CPU is the limiter at low settings.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 383 FPS, which is still very high. The Medium preset averages 275 FPS with a minimum of 234 and a maximum of 317, indicating a slightly wider variance than at 1080p. The High preset at 1440p averages 228 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 147 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p is 236 FPS, which is less severe than at 1080p, showing that the GPU is starting to take on more workload. The 1440p results are 72% of the 1080p results on average across settings, which is a reasonable scaling factor for a resolution with 1.78x the pixels.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 242 FPS, which is still playable on high-refresh displays. The Medium preset averages 174 FPS with a minimum of 148 and a maximum of 200, providing a smooth experience for most gaming monitors. The High preset at 4K averages 144 FPS, which exactly matches the refresh rate of many high-end displays. The Ultra preset at 4K averages 93 FPS, which is below the 144 FPS threshold but still suitable for 60 Hz or 90 Hz displays. The drop from Low to Ultra at 4K is 149 FPS, the smallest absolute delta across all resolutions, confirming that the GPU is the dominant factor at 4K.

The Medium preset at 4K is particularly notable because it has the only complete min/max data in the dataset, with a min of 148 and a max of 200. This indicates better frame pacing than the other presets, which lack min/max data. The High preset at 4K is the sweet spot for 144 Hz displays, while the Medium preset at 1440p is ideal for 240 Hz displays. The data shows that the combo can handle any resolution below 4K with ease, but 4K Ultra is the only setting where the RTX 4090 is truly challenged.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on your display's refresh rate and your preference for visual fidelity. For 4K displays with a 144 Hz refresh rate, the High preset is the clear choice, as it averages exactly 144 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K averages 174 FPS, which provides extra headroom for frame drops, but the High preset offers better visual quality with the same average FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K averages 93 FPS, which is only suitable for 60 Hz displays or if you prioritize visuals over frame rate.

For 1440p displays with a 240 Hz refresh rate, the Medium preset averages 275 FPS, which is above the 240 Hz threshold, but the High preset at 228 FPS is also viable if you prefer better visuals. The Low preset at 1440p averages 383 FPS, which is excessive for any current display and suggests that you are leaving visual quality on the table. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 147 FPS, which is suitable for 144 Hz displays but not for 240 Hz.

For 1080p displays with a 360 Hz or higher refresh rate, the Low preset at 530 FPS is the only way to take full advantage of such a display, but the Medium preset at 381 FPS is more balanced for visual quality. The High preset at 315 FPS is still above the 240 Hz threshold, and the Ultra preset at 203 FPS is suitable for 200 Hz displays. The data suggests that the Medium preset provides the best balance of frame rate and visual quality across all resolutions, with the 4K Medium result of 174 FPS being particularly strong.

The recommendation is to use the High preset at 4K for the best experience on a 144 Hz display, as it matches the refresh rate exactly. For 1440p, the Medium preset is recommended for 240 Hz displays, while the High preset is fine for 144 Hz. For 1080p, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, but if you have a 360 Hz display, the Low preset is the only option to hit those frame rates. The Ultra preset is only recommended for 4K on 60 Hz displays, as the 93 FPS average is not sufficient for high-refresh gaming. The data shows that the combo is versatile, but the CPU bottleneck at 1080p means you should favor higher resolutions to get the most out of the RTX 4090.