Undisputed

The Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT combination in Undisputed shows a clear pattern: this is a pairing where the GPU’s raw strength is consistently held back by a six-core, six-thread CPU that lacks modern headroom. The measured frames tell a story of a system that can deliver high refresh rates at 1080p but begins to show its structural limits as resolution climbs and settings tighten.

Resolution Scaling

The data reveals a steep and predictable FPS drop as resolution increases, but the shape of that drop is telling. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo hits 272.6 FPS. At 1440p Low, it falls to 201.6 FPS – a 26% reduction. Moving to 4K Low, it drops further to 123.5 FPS, which is 39% below the 1440p figure. This scaling pattern is typical of a system where the GPU is still the primary driver at lower settings, but the CPU is already working hard to feed it.

The more interesting data comes from the High and Ultra presets. At 1080p High, the system produces 162.3 FPS. At 1440p High, it drops to 118.9 FPS (a 27% reduction), and at 4K High, it falls to 73.8 FPS – a 38% drop from 1440p. The Ultra preset shows a similar trajectory: 103.7 FPS at 1080p, 77.3 FPS at 1440p, and 48.6 FPS at 4K. The consistent ~26-39% drops across settings suggest that resolution scaling is behaving as expected, but the absolute numbers reveal a bottleneck.

At 4K Ultra, the system produces just 48.6 FPS – below the 60 FPS threshold many builders consider the floor for a smooth experience. Yet at 4K Low, it generates 123.5 FPS. This wide gap between Low and Ultra at the same resolution (a 154% difference in FPS) indicates that the GPU is doing the heavy lifting when settings are high, but the CPU becomes a limiting factor at lower settings where the GPU could otherwise run much faster. The limiting component is clearly the i5-9400: its six threads are saturated by the game’s logic at high frame rates, preventing the RX 6700 XT from stretching its legs.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor from the Coffee Lake generation, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. It has 9 MB of shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 7969 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1125 in single-core, placing it at the 50th percentile among all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-10305 (0.2% faster) and the Intel Core i7-8809G (0.6% slower), showing that it sits in a crowded mid-range tier.

For Undisputed, the CPU’s role is critical. The game’s physics and AI logic run on the CPU, and the i5-9400’s lack of hyper-threading means it has only six threads to handle all background tasks. The benchmark results show that this becomes a wall at high frame rates. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 272.6 FPS, which is an enormous load for a six-thread CPU to feed. When the resolution drops the GPU load, the CPU must work harder to maintain those frames, and the data suggests it cannot keep up beyond a certain point.

The gap between Low and Medium settings at 1080p is also revealing: 272.6 FPS to 197.4 FPS – a 28% drop. This is a larger relative drop than the one from Medium to High (197.4 to 162.3 FPS, an 18% reduction), which indicates that the CPU is the primary constraint at Low settings, but the GPU begins to take over as the bottleneck as settings increase. The i5-9400’s 4.10 GHz boost clock is decent for its era, but its six threads are simply not enough to push the RX 6700 XT to its limits in a game that scales well with CPU headroom.

FAQ

*Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 a bottleneck for the RX 6700 XT in Undisputed?*

A: Yes, the data strongly suggests this. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 272.6 FPS, but the CPU’s six threads limit how much further the GPU can go. The 4K Low result of 123.5 FPS – which is higher than the 4K High result of 73.8 FPS – shows that when GPU load is high, the CPU is less of a factor, but at lower settings, the CPU holds back performance.

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Undisputed?*

A: Based on the measured frames, 1440p is the sweet spot. At 1440p High, the system produces 118.9 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth play. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 77.3 FPS, which is still playable but less comfortable. 4K is only viable at Low (123.5 FPS) or Medium (92.9 FPS) settings.

Q: How does the RX 6700 XT compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RX 6700 XT scores 33721 in average benchmark score, placing it at the 77th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6800, scores 33493, which is 0.7% slower. The NVIDIA RTX A5000 scores 33294, coming in 1.3% slower. The gap between these cards is minimal in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the CPU’s single-core performance like?

A: The i5-9400 scores 1125 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 472 in Cinebench R20 single-core. These scores are consistent with its 4.10 GHz boost clock and place it at the 50th percentile overall. For a game like Undisputed, single-core performance matters, but the lack of threads is a larger issue.

*Q: Can this combo hit 4K 60 FPS in Undisputed?*

A: Yes, but only with the right settings. At 4K Medium, the system produces 92.9 FPS, which is comfortably above 60. At 4K High, it drops to 73.8 FPS, still above the threshold. However, 4K Ultra produces just 48.6 FPS, which falls short of 60 FPS. Builders targeting 4K should stick to High or Medium.

Q: How does the i5-9400 compare to the i3-10305 in multi-core performance?

A: The i5-9400 scores 7969 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the i3-10305 scores 2300 in average benchmark score, which is 0.2% faster than the i5-9400’s average of 2305. The difference is negligible in practice, but the i5-9400’s six cores are better than the i3’s four cores for sustained loads.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its highest frames. Low settings produce 272.6 FPS, Medium drops to 197.4 FPS, High comes in at 162.3 FPS, and Ultra falls to 103.7 FPS. All of these are above the 100 FPS mark, making 1080p a smooth experience at any preset.

At 2560x1440, the numbers are still strong. Low settings yield 201.6 FPS, Medium produces 143.4 FPS, High reaches 118.9 FPS, and Ultra drops to 77.3 FPS. The jump from High to Ultra is a 35% reduction, which is significant but not prohibitive for most users.

At 3840x2160, the system starts to struggle at the top end. Low settings produce 123.5 FPS, Medium delivers 92.9 FPS, High drops to 73.8 FPS, and Ultra falls to 48.6 FPS. The Ultra result is the only one below 60 FPS across all resolutions and settings, making it the only configuration that is not ideal for a high-refresh display.

How This Combo Ranks

In Undisputed, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT ranks 884th out of 1580 tested combos. This places it in the bottom half of all combinations, which is surprising given the GPU’s strong synthetic scores. The RX 6700 XT sits at the 77th percentile among all GPUs, while the i5-9400 sits at the 50th percentile among all CPUs. The combination’s rank suggests that the CPU is dragging down the overall performance, preventing the GPU from achieving a higher placement.

The rank of 884 out of 1580 means that roughly 56% of tested combos perform better in this game. This is a sobering statistic for builders who might expect a mid-range GPU to carry a six-core CPU. The data indicates that Undisputed is sensitive to CPU thread count, and the i5-9400’s six threads are a clear liability. Builders considering this CPU should look for a game that is less CPU-bound, or they should accept that they will not get the full potential of the RX 6700 XT.

Settings Recommendations

For 1080p gaming, every preset is playable, but High is the optimal choice. It produces 162.3 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate that many competitive monitors offer. Ultra drops to 103.7 FPS, which is still smooth but sacrifices 36% of the frame rate for visual gains that are often subtle in a sports title. Low and Medium are unnecessary at this resolution, as the GPU has plenty of headroom.

For 1440p, High is the recommended preset. It delivers 118.9 FPS, which is ideal for a 120 Hz or 144 Hz monitor. Ultra drops to 77.3 FPS, which is still playable but not ideal for high-refresh displays. Medium produces 143.4 FPS, but the visual quality difference between Medium and High is usually worth the 17% frame rate reduction.

For 4K, the choice is more constrained. Medium is the best balance, producing 92.9 FPS – comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. High is also viable at 73.8 FPS, but it pushes closer to the edge. Ultra should be avoided, as 48.6 FPS is below 60 and will result in noticeable stutter on most displays. Low is unnecessary at 4K, as the visual quality suffers too much for the 123.5 FPS it provides.

In summary, this combo is best suited for 1440p High gaming, where it delivers a strong 118.9 FPS. At 1080p, it is overpowered for most presets, and at 4K, it requires careful settings management to stay above 60 FPS. The CPU’s six threads are the primary limiting factor, and builders should be aware that this pairing will not reach the GPU’s full potential in CPU-bound scenarios.