Undisputed

The Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti pairing delivers a highly capable Undisputed experience, ranking in the 48th percentile of all tested combos and proving that this older six-core processor does not bottleneck the GPU at most settings. The benchmark data shows a system that is clearly GPU-limited at higher resolutions and quality presets, with the CPU providing a stable foundation that allows the graphics card to stretch its legs. While the processor's age is evident in its compute benchmarks, the measured frame rates in this boxing title suggest that the combination is well-balanced for the vast majority of gaming scenarios.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, running on the Intel Socket 1151 platform. Its base clock is 2.90 GHz, which can boost up to 4.10 GHz, and it has a 65 W TDP. This configuration is a solid baseline for modern gaming, though its lack of hyper-threading is a notable limitation. In synthetic benchmarks, the chip scores 7969 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 1125 points in single-core, placing it at the 50th percentile of all CPUs. This mid-pack standing is confirmed by its nearest rivals, where it trades blows with the Intel Core i3-10305 and Intel Core i3-1125G4, both scoring within 0.2% of the i5-9400's average benchmark score of 2305.

In the context of Undisputed, the CPU's role appears to be that of a capable but not dominant partner. The data indicates that at 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 280.4 FPS. This very high frame rate at the lowest quality settings suggests that the CPU is not the primary limiter in this scenario, as the GPU is able to render frames very quickly. However, the processor's 9 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel DDR4 memory support are sufficient for the game's demands. The benchmark results imply that while the i5-9400 can feed the RTX 3060 Ti adequately at most settings, the system's performance ceiling is more often dictated by the graphics card, especially as resolution and graphical fidelity increase.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the star of this pairing, built on the Ampere architecture with an 8 nm process. It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's boost clock is 1665 MHz, and it houses 4864 shading units. Its performance ranking is solid, sitting at the 69th percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 25120. The data shows it is closely matched with the AMD Radeon RX 6700M and RX 6600, with the RTX 3060 Ti trailing them by a mere 0.2% to 0.5% in average score.

The GPU's influence on Undisputed's performance is profound. The measured FPS data shows that the graphics card is the primary driver of frame rates, scaling performance significantly with resolution and settings. For instance, at 1440p High, the system delivers 120.4 FPS, but dropping the resolution to 1080p High increases this to 169.4 FPS. This scaling indicates that the GPU is being pushed harder as resolution increases. The 8 GB VRAM buffer and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are also critical, as they prevent memory bottlenecks at higher resolutions and detail levels, allowing the RTX 3060 Ti to maintain its performance lead over the CPU in most scenarios.

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-9400 compare to its closest rivals in raw processing power?

A: The i5-9400's average benchmark score of 2305 is nearly identical to its nearest competitors. It is 0.2% faster than the Intel Core i3-10305 and the Intel Core i3-1125G4, and 0.4% faster than the Intel Xeon E-2134. Conversely, it trails the Intel Core i7-8809G by 0.6%.

Q: What is the performance class of the RTX 3060 Ti relative to other GPUs?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti sits in the 69th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 25120 puts it just behind the AMD Radeon RX 6700M, which scores 25180, and the AMD Radeon RX 6600, which scores 25235.

Q: What is the best performance the i5-9400 and RTX 3060 Ti combo can achieve in Undisputed?

A: The highest average FPS recorded in the data is 280.4 FPS, achieved at 1080p with Low settings. This is the only configuration tested that crossed the 280 FPS mark.

Q: Is this CPU and GPU combination more limited by the processor or the graphics card in Undisputed?

A: The evidence points to GPU limitation. At 1080p Low, the system hits 280.4 FPS, suggesting the CPU can handle a high frame rate. However, when settings are increased to Ultra at the same resolution, the FPS drops to 107.9, showing the GPU's workload is the determining factor.

Q: How does the combo's ranking in Undisputed compare to other tested systems?

A: The combo ranks 827th out of 1580 tested combinations. This places it just above the middle of the pack, indicating a solid, mid-range performance tier for this specific game.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the database of over 1580 tested hardware combinations for Undisputed, the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti pairing secures a rank of 827. This rank places the combo in the 48th percentile of all systems, signifying that it outperforms slightly less than half of the tested configurations. This is a respectable position, indicating that this older CPU and mid-range GPU can deliver a better experience than a majority of systems, though it is not at the top tier of performance.

The ranking is a direct result of the balance between the two components. While the RTX 3060 Ti is a potent graphics card, the i5-9400's processing power is not the absolute highest available, which caps the overall potential of the system in CPU-bound scenarios. However, in a game like Undisputed, where the measured data shows high frame rates across all settings, this rank of 827 reflects a system that can comfortably deliver smooth gameplay, especially when compared to the long tail of older or lower-end hardware in the database. The performance is consistent and predictable, which is a strong indicator of a well-matched pair.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed look at the combo's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1080p, the system is exceptionally fast. With Low settings, it achieves an average of 280.4 FPS. Moving to Medium drops the average to 204.1 FPS, while High settings yield 169.4 FPS. The most demanding preset, Ultra, still produces a highly playable average of 107.9 FPS.

At 1440p, the performance remains strong but shows the expected decline. The Low preset averages 204.5 FPS, which is a significant jump over the 1080p High result. Medium settings deliver 147.5 FPS, and High settings manage 120.4 FPS. At this resolution, the Ultra preset drops to an average of 76.1 FPS, which is still smooth for most displays but shows the GPU is being pushed harder.

The 4K results illustrate the GPU's limitations at the highest resolution. At 4K with Low settings, the system still manages a very respectable 128.7 FPS. However, the gap between settings narrows as the resolution increases. Medium settings average 93.1 FPS, and High settings drop to 79.3 FPS. The Ultra preset at 4K is the most demanding configuration tested, yielding an average of just 47.4 FPS, which is the only result below the 60 FPS threshold.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting the highest refresh rates on a 1080p or 1440p monitor, the High preset is the most balanced choice. At 1080p, it provides a massive 169.4 FPS average, and at 1440p it still delivers a very fast 120.4 FPS. This setting offers a significant visual upgrade over Medium while maintaining frame rates well above the standard 60 FPS target, making it ideal for competitive or fast-paced play.

For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the recommended sweet spot. It produces an average of 93.1 FPS, which is a substantial improvement over High's 79.3 FPS and far more playable than Ultra's 47.4 FPS. The data suggests that the jump from Medium to High at 4K exacts a heavy performance cost, while the visual difference may not be as impactful as the 13.8 FPS loss suggests. Choosing Medium at 4K ensures a smooth experience without sacrificing too much graphical fidelity. The Ultra preset is generally not recommended, as it is the only setting that consistently fails to reach 60 FPS at 1440p and 4K.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases. From 1080p to 1440p, the average frame rate drops by approximately 28-29% across all settings. For example, the High preset falls from 169.4 FPS to 120.4 FPS, and the Low preset falls from 280.4 FPS to 204.5 FPS. This indicates a consistent load increase on the GPU.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is even more aggressive. The High preset drops from 120.4 FPS to 79.3 FPS, a 34% decrease. The Ultra preset sees the most significant relative drop, falling from 76.1 FPS to 47.4 FPS, a 38% reduction. This steep decline is a clear indicator that the system is heavily GPU-limited at 4K resolutions. The CPU's performance is not the bottleneck here, as the frame rate is directly tied to the GPU's ability to render the increased pixel count. The 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth of the RTX 3060 Ti are sufficient, but the raw processing power of the GPU is the primary constraint. This behavior confirms that the i5-9400 is capable of keeping up with the RTX 3060 Ti, as the performance drop is almost entirely attributable to the graphics card's workload.