Undisputed

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 delivers a playable experience in Undisputed at 4K, but the data reveals a clear performance ceiling. At 1080p, the combo is overwhelmingly CPU-bound, producing frame rates as high as 252 FPS on Low settings, yet these numbers plummet by over 80% at 4K Ultra, indicating that the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck as resolution increases. This is a combo that excels at high-refresh 1080p and 1440p gaming, but demands settings adjustments to maintain smooth gameplay at 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The performance trajectory from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings presets, highlighting a classic GPU-limited scenario at higher resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves an average of 252 FPS, which drops to 182 FPS at 1440p Low and further to 115 FPS at 4K Low. This scaling pattern shows that even at the lowest graphical fidelity, the RX 9060 struggles to maintain the same frame rate as resolution increases, though it remains highly playable at 4K Low.

The gap between 1440p and 4K is particularly telling. At High settings, moving from 1440p (108 FPS) to 4K (69 FPS) results in a 36% performance loss. This same resolution jump at Ultra settings sees a more severe drop, from 70 FPS at 1440p to 44 FPS at 4K, a 37% reduction. These consistent percentage losses across different presets indicate that the frame rate scaling is primarily governed by pixel count, not by the complexity of the graphical features being toggled.

At 1080p, the data suggests a strong CPU influence. The jump from Medium (181 FPS) to Low (252 FPS) is a massive 39% increase, which is far larger than the gains seen at higher resolutions. For example, at 4K, the same settings change only yields a 39% improvement (83 to 115 FPS), but the absolute numbers are much lower. This suggests that at 1080p, the Core i5-14600KF has enough headroom to push the GPU to its limits, but as resolution climbs, the GPU's rendering workload becomes the sole limiting factor.

The most extreme example of this scaling is the 4K Ultra result, which averages just 44 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS threshold typically considered smooth for most players. The data shows that the combo is not suited for maximum fidelity at 4K in Undisputed, as the GPU's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are likely saturated by the Ultra preset's demands. Conversely, the 1080p Ultra result of 97 FPS proves the combo can handle high settings at lower resolutions, but the scaling curve makes it clear that users targeting 4K must compromise on quality.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-14600KF and AMD Radeon RX 9060 combination ranks 1633 out of 2813 tested combos in Undisputed, placing it in the 42nd percentile of all possible pairings. This mid-pack ranking is somewhat surprising given the individual component scores, but it reflects the specific demands of this sports title, which appears to favor raw GPU throughput over the CPU's strong multi-core capabilities.

The CPU itself is a top-tier performer, scoring in the 90th percentile against all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, scores 49228, which is only 0.3% behind the i5-14600KF's average benchmark score of 49394. This places the i5-14600KF in elite company, and its 14 cores and 20 threads provide ample processing power for any game. However, in Undisputed, this CPU strength does not translate to a high combo ranking, suggesting the game is not heavily threaded or CPU-bound at typical settings.

The GPU, conversely, is a mid-range part, scoring in the 59th percentile against all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 16014 places it just 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129. This near-parity with a previous-generation mid-range card explains the combo's overall ranking. The RX 9060's 1792 shading units and 64 ROPs are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but they are not enough to push the combo into the upper echelons of the ranking chart at 4K.

The delta between the CPU's strong performance and the GPU's modest one creates an imbalance. The data shows that the combo's ranking in Undisputed is dragged down by the GPU, as evidenced by the 4K Ultra result of 44 FPS. If the game were more CPU-bound, the combo might rank higher, but the measured FPS data consistently shows GPU-limited scaling. This makes the 1633rd position a fair representation of the combo's capabilities: good for high-refresh 1080p, adequate for 1440p, but below average for 4K enthusiasts.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the defining component in this combo for Undisputed, and its specifications explain the performance ceiling observed at 4K. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. In a game like Undisputed, which renders detailed fighter models and arenas, this memory configuration is likely the primary constraint at higher resolutions and settings, as the 4K Ultra result of 44 FPS suggests significant memory pressure.

Clock speeds are robust, with a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz. The high boost clock helps the GPU achieve strong performance at 1080p, where the 252 FPS Low result indicates the core is running at high utilization. However, the 4 nm process node and RDNA 4.0 architecture cannot overcome the fundamental limitation of the 8 GB frame buffer when rendering at 4K with High or Ultra presets, leading to the observed frame rate drops.

The GPU's compute capabilities, rated at 21.43 TFLOPS FP32, are sufficient for 1440p gaming, as seen in the 131 FPS Medium result. However, the texture rate of 334.9 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s are modest by modern standards. These figures align with the GPU's 59th percentile ranking, confirming it is a mid-range part. The 28 ray tracing cores are present, but Undisputed does not appear to utilize them heavily, as the performance scaling is more consistent with traditional rasterization loads.

The data indicates that the RX 9060 is best suited for 1080p and 1440p in this title. At 1440p High, the combo produces 108 FPS, which is smooth for competitive play. At 4K, the GPU's limitations become apparent, with only the Low preset (115 FPS) and Medium preset (83 FPS) delivering playable results. The GPU's 2990 MHz boost clock does provide a significant boost over the base clock, but this cannot compensate for the memory bandwidth deficit at 4K Ultra, where the 44 FPS result falls below playable thresholds.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution, but the Medium preset offers the best balance of visual quality and performance across all three resolutions. At 1080p, Medium delivers 181 FPS, which is only 28% lower than Low (252 FPS) but provides significantly better visuals than the Low preset. This is the sweet spot for high-refresh monitors, as the 181 FPS average exceeds the refresh rate of most displays.

For 1440p, the Medium preset remains the best choice, producing 131 FPS with a minimum of 111 FPS and a maximum of 151 FPS. This is a highly playable result that maintains smooth motion during gameplay. The High preset at 1440p (108 FPS) is also viable, but the 23 FPS drop from Medium to High may not be worth the marginal visual improvement in a fast-paced sports game. The Ultra preset at 1440p (70 FPS) is playable but may feel less responsive on high-refresh monitors.

At 4K, the recommendation changes. The Low preset (115 FPS) is the only setting that guarantees a high frame rate, but it sacrifices visual fidelity. The Medium preset (83 FPS) is the best compromise, offering a playable experience with acceptable visuals. The High preset (69 FPS) is borderline, and the Ultra preset (44 FPS) should be avoided, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. For 4K users, the data suggests prioritizing Medium settings to maintain a consistent frame rate.

The measured minimum and maximum FPS data for the Medium preset across all resolutions provides additional insight. At 1080p, the range is 154 to 208 FPS, at 1440p it is 111 to 151 FPS, and at 4K it is 70 to 95 FPS. These ranges indicate that the Medium preset offers stable performance without significant frame time spikes. This consistency makes Medium the recommended setting for users who prioritize smoothness, as the Low and High presets lack measured minimum and maximum data, suggesting less predictable performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all settings and resolutions. At 1080p, the results are exceptional: Low averages 252 FPS, Medium averages 181 FPS with a minimum of 154 and maximum of 208, High averages 150 FPS, and Ultra averages 97 FPS. This shows that the combo is fully capable of driving high-refresh 1080p displays even at Ultra settings, though the 97 FPS result at Ultra is the first sign of the GPU's limitations.

At 1440p, the performance remains strong but begins to show the GPU's mid-range nature. Low averages 182 FPS, Medium averages 131 FPS with a minimum of 111 and maximum of 151, High averages 108 FPS, and Ultra averages 70 FPS. The 70 FPS Ultra result is still playable, but it represents a 52% drop from the Low preset, highlighting the significant cost of enabling Ultra features at this resolution.

The 4K results reveal the combo's weaknesses. Low averages 115 FPS, Medium averages 83 FPS with a minimum of 70 and maximum of 95, High averages 69 FPS, and Ultra averages 44 FPS. The 44 FPS Ultra result is below the playable threshold for most users, and even the High preset at 69 FPS may experience noticeable stuttering during intense gameplay moments. The data clearly shows that 4K gaming with this combo requires the Medium preset or lower to maintain a smooth experience.

The delta between 1080p and 4K at each setting is substantial. At Low, the drop is from 252 to 115 FPS, a 54% reduction. At Medium, the drop is from 181 to 83 FPS, a 54% reduction. At High, the drop is from 150 to 69 FPS, a 54% reduction. At Ultra, the drop is from 97 to 44 FPS, a 55% reduction. This consistent ~54% performance loss across all settings confirms that resolution scaling is the dominant factor, and the GPU's 8 GB VRAM is the likely culprit at 4K.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo can achieve in Undisputed?*

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 252 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only setting that exceeds 250 FPS, and it demonstrates the combo's capability at lower resolutions and minimal graphical demands.

*Q: Is this combo capable of 4K gaming in Undisputed?*

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. The 4K Low preset averages 115 FPS, and the 4K Medium preset averages 83 FPS. However, the 4K Ultra preset drops to 44 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rival in terms of benchmark scores?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, which is 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which scores 16129. This makes the RX 9060 a direct competitor to the RTX 3060 Ti in overall performance.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The Medium preset at 2560x1440 delivers 131 FPS with a minimum of 111 FPS and a maximum of 151 FPS. This provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, as the High preset drops to 108 FPS and the Ultra preset drops to 70 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more limiting in this combo?

A: The GPU is more limiting at resolutions above 1080p. At 1080p, the CPU's strong performance allows the GPU to reach 252 FPS at Low settings, but as resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the frame rate drops consistently by ~54%, indicating the GPU's rendering capabilities are the bottleneck.

Q: What is the combo's overall ranking among tested configurations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 1633 out of 2813 tested combos in Undisputed. This places it in the middle of the pack, reflecting the GPU's mid-range performance despite the CPU's top-tier status.