Undisputed

Undisputed is a sports title that scales heavily with both resolution and graphical settings, and the pairing of the Intel Core i5-9400 with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 produces a wide spread of frame rates across the tested configurations. The data indicates that this combo is capable of delivering high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p, while 4K results depend heavily on the chosen preset. The RTX 3080 is the dominant component in this system, and its performance headroom is clearly visible when the CPU is not the limiting factor.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and predictable pattern as resolution increases, with the most significant drops occurring when moving from 1440p to 4K. At Ultra settings, the average frame rate falls from 137 FPS at 1920x1080 to 99 FPS at 2560x1440, representing a 27.7% decrease. The further jump to 3840x2160 yields 63 FPS, which is a 36.4% decrease from the 1440p result and a 54% drop from the 1080p figure. This scaling pattern indicates that at Ultra settings, the GPU is the primary bottleneck, with the pixel count demanding more from the RTX 3080's 10 GB of GDDR6X memory and 8704 shading units.

The scaling behavior changes notably when examining the High preset. At 1080p, the combo achieves 214 FPS, and this only drops to 154 FPS at 1440p, a 28% reduction. The move to 4K High results in 98 FPS, which is a 36.4% decrease from the 1440p score. Interestingly, the percentage drop from 1080p to 4K at High settings is 54.2%, which is nearly identical to the Ultra preset's drop of 54%. This consistency suggests that the RTX 3080 is scaling predictably with pixel count, and the CPU is not introducing significant frame pacing issues.

The Medium preset offers the most complete data, with minimum and maximum frame rates recorded. At 1080p Medium, the average is 258 FPS with a minimum of 219 FPS and a maximum of 297 FPS. Moving to 1440p Medium, the average drops to 187 FPS, with a minimum of 159 FPS and a maximum of 215 FPS. The 4K Medium result shows an average of 118 FPS, with a minimum of 100 FPS and a maximum of 136 FPS. The scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows a 27.5% reduction, and from 1440p to 4K, a 36.9% reduction. These figures align closely with the High preset's scaling, confirming that the GPU workload is increasing proportionally with resolution.

Low settings produce the highest frame rates, but also reveal the CPU's limitations. At 1080p Low, the system delivers 324 FPS, which drops to 259 FPS at 1440p and 164 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 20.1% from 1080p to 1440p and 36.7% from 1440p to 4K. The smaller drop between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings suggests that the Core i5-9400's six cores and six threads are starting to become a limiting factor at these very high frame rates, as the GPU has less work to do and the CPU must feed frames faster.

The data shows that the RTX 3080 is the clear performance ceiling at higher resolutions and settings, but the Core i5-9400 with its 2.90 GHz base clock and 4.10 GHz boost clock can keep pace up to roughly 250 FPS. Beyond that point, the CPU's performance in the 47th percentile versus all CPUs becomes more relevant, as the scaling between 1080p and 1440p at Low settings is shallower than at other presets.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this specific pairing of the Core i5-9400 and RTX 3080 ranks 1149 out of 3718 combos for Undisputed. This places it in roughly the 69th percentile of all tested systems, which is a strong showing for a CPU that launched in 2018 and is now end-of-life. The GPU's percentile rank of 68 versus all GPUs aligns closely with this overall combo ranking, suggesting that the RTX 3080 is the component driving the system's classification.

The CPU's individual benchmark scores provide context for this ranking. The Core i5-9400 achieves a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 6629 and a single-core score of 935. Its Geekbench scores are 5141 multicore and 1389 single-core. These figures place the CPU in the 47th percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254. The nearest rivals in the database are remarkably close: the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 2259 (0.2% higher), the Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248 (0.3% lower), and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246 (0.4% lower). This clustering indicates that the i5-9400's compute performance is mid-pack for modern CPUs, but it does not significantly hamper the RTX 3080 in this particular game.

The GPU's benchmark scores are far more impressive. The RTX 3080 posts a Passmark G3D score of 25086 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 4407. Its average benchmark score is 23172, placing it in the 68th percentile. The nearest GPU rivals are the NVIDIA P106-100 (0.3% higher), AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (0.3% higher), AMD Radeon RX 6600M (0.4% higher), and AMD Radeon R9 M290X (0.4% higher). These deltas are all within a fraction of a percent, which is unusual and suggests the database has tight clustering around this performance tier.

The gap between the CPU's 47th percentile and GPU's 68th percentile explains the combo's overall rank. The RTX 3080 is doing the heavy lifting in Undisputed, which is typical for a sports title that relies more on GPU rendering than complex CPU simulations. The 1149 rank out of 3718 means that roughly 31% of tested combos outperform this setup, but many of those will feature newer, higher-end CPUs paired with similar or better GPUs. For a system built around a Coffee Lake refresh CPU, this is a respectable position.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Undisputed?

A: Yes, but only at lower settings. The measured data shows 98 FPS at 4K High and 164 FPS at 4K Low. At 4K Medium, the average is 118 FPS with a minimum of 100 FPS. However, 4K Ultra drops to 63 FPS, which may feel less smooth on high refresh rate displays.

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU pairing?

A: The 2560x1440 resolution offers the best balance. At High settings, the combo delivers 154 FPS, and at Medium, it achieves 187 FPS with a minimum of 159 FPS. This provides a smooth experience while still taking advantage of the RTX 3080's capabilities.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-9400 holding back the RTX 3080?

A: The data suggests some limitation at very high frame rates. At 1080p Low, the system produces 324 FPS, but the scaling to 1440p Low (259 FPS) is only a 20.1% drop, which is shallower than at higher settings. This indicates the CPU's six cores and six threads may be a factor above roughly 250 FPS.

Q: How does this combo compare to others with the same GPU?

A: This specific pairing ranks 1149 out of 3718 combos for Undisputed. The RTX 3080's individual performance is in the 68th percentile, while the CPU sits in the 47th percentile. The combination performs well because the game is more GPU-bound at typical settings.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p with Ultra settings?

A: The measured average is 137 FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings. This is the most demanding preset, and the frame rate is still well above 60 FPS, making it suitable for most displays.

Q: Are the minimum frame rates stable across settings?

A: Only the Medium preset has recorded minimum and maximum values. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 219 FPS, at 1440p Medium, it is 159 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it is 100 FPS. These minimums suggest good frame pacing, with no extreme dips.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the Medium preset is the clear recommendation across all resolutions. This is the only setting tier with complete min/max data, and the numbers show excellent stability. At 1920x1080 Medium, the average of 258 FPS with a minimum of 219 FPS ensures no drops below 200 FPS on typical 144Hz monitors. At 2560x1440 Medium, the 187 FPS average and 159 FPS minimum keep the experience above 144Hz for most of the session. Even at 3840x2160 Medium, the 118 FPS average with a 100 FPS minimum remains playable on 60Hz and 120Hz displays.

The High preset is a strong alternative for those prioritizing visual quality over raw frame rates. At 1440p High, the 154 FPS average is still excellent, and at 4K High, the 98 FPS average is just shy of 100 FPS. The Ultra preset, however, is only advisable at 1080p, where it achieves 137 FPS. At 1440p Ultra, the 99 FPS average is acceptable, but at 4K Ultra, the 63 FPS average falls below the threshold for smooth gameplay on most high refresh rate panels.

Low settings provide the highest frame rates but are unnecessary given the GPU's headroom. At 1080p Low, the 324 FPS average exceeds the refresh rate of virtually all monitors, and at 1440p Low, the 259 FPS average still exceeds 240Hz displays. The 4K Low result of 164 FPS is also competitive, but the visual downgrade is not worth the performance gain when Medium offers 118 FPS at the same resolution. The data strongly favors Medium as the sweet spot, balancing frame rate, stability, and graphical fidelity.

For competitive play, 1080p Medium with its 258 FPS average is the optimal configuration, as the 219 FPS minimum ensures no stutters during fast action. For immersive single-player experiences, 1440p High at 154 FPS provides a significant visual upgrade without sacrificing responsiveness. The 4K Medium configuration is viable for those with a 4K display, as the 100 FPS minimum keeps gameplay fluid.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates. Low settings produce an average of 324 FPS. Medium settings yield 258 FPS average, with a minimum of 219 FPS and a maximum of 297 FPS. High settings achieve 214 FPS average. Ultra settings drop to 137 FPS average. The spread from Low to Ultra is 187 FPS, showing the significant impact of settings at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the results remain strong. Low settings average 259 FPS. Medium settings produce 187 FPS average, with a minimum of 159 FPS and maximum of 215 FPS. High settings deliver 154 FPS average. Ultra settings fall to 99 FPS average. The difference between Low and Ultra is 160 FPS, indicating slightly less settings sensitivity than at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 3080 begins to show its limits. Low settings average 164 FPS. Medium settings produce 118 FPS average, with a minimum of 100 FPS and maximum of 136 FPS. High settings achieve 98 FPS average. Ultra settings drop significantly to 63 FPS average. The gap between Low and Ultra is 101 FPS, and notably, the 4K Ultra result is less than half of the 1080p Ultra result.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data, and the consistency is noteworthy. At 1080p, the minimum of 219 FPS is 84.9% of the average. At 1440p, the minimum of 159 FPS is 85% of the average. At 4K, the minimum of 100 FPS is 84.7% of the average. This consistency indicates that the frame pacing remains stable regardless of resolution, which is a positive sign for gameplay smoothness.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process node. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with 9 MB of shared L3 cache. Its memory bandwidth is rated at 42.7 GB/s via dual-channel DDR4 support. These specifications place it in the 47th percentile versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254.

In Undisputed, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU, but it does influence the upper limits of performance. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 324 FPS, which is likely near the CPU's maximum frame throughput. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 6629 and single-core score of 935 indicate modest compute capability by modern standards. The Geekbench scores of 5141 multicore and 1389 single-core reinforce this position.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database are all within 0.4% of its average score, which is a tight grouping. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 scores 0.2% higher, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 0.4% lower. This clustering means that swapping the i5-9400 for any of these alternatives would have a negligible effect on Undisputed's performance. The CPU is not the bottleneck at typical settings, but at 1080p Low, the 20.1% frame rate drop from 1080p to 1440p, compared to larger drops at higher settings, hints at CPU limitations above 250 FPS.

The Core i5-9400's six threads are sufficient for this sports title, which appears to scale well with the GPU's capabilities. The CPU's 65 W TDP and PCIe Gen 3 interface do not appear to hamper the RTX 3080's PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, as the measured frame rates show no unusual dips. The processor's performance, while not class-leading, is adequate to feed the RTX 3080 at all but the most extreme frame rates, and the combo rank of 1149 out of 3718 reflects a balanced pairing where the GPU dominates.