Undisputed

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a combination defined by extreme imbalance. In the game Undisputed, this pairing ranks #402 out of 3718 tested combos, placing it in the top 11% of all system configurations. This high rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, which sits in the 88th percentile of all GPUs; however, the CPU rests in the 47th percentile of all CPUs, marking a significant bottleneck that shapes every benchmark result in this dataset. The data shows a system capable of delivering very high frame rates, but one where the processor consistently holds back the graphics card, especially at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The #402 rank out of 3718 combos is a strong result, but it is crucial to understand why. This is not a balanced system performing well; rather, it is a top-tier GPU being dragged down by a mid-range, last-generation CPU. The GPU's average benchmark score of 60,347 is nearly identical to that of the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60,326, a 0% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60,140, a 0.3% delta), which are its nearest rivals in synthetic tests. However, its percentile ranking of 88 shows it outperforms the vast majority of GPUs. In contrast, the CPU's average score of 2,254 is only 0.3% higher than the Intel Core i7-10710U (2,248) and 0.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2,246), showing it is firmly in the mid-pack.

This dynamic is reflected in the game's frame rates. Because the combo ranks highly overall, it suggests that even with a CPU bottleneck, the sheer power of the RTX 4090 is enough to push the system into the top tier for Undisputed. The rank indicates that this configuration outperforms the vast majority of other tested systems, but the bottleneck means it is not achieving the maximum potential of its components. The performance gap between this rank and the top spot is a direct measure of the CPU's limitations. In practical terms, this rank tells a builder that they have a very fast system, but they are leaving significant performance on the table in CPU-bound scenarios.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the undisputed star of this pairing. Its role in Undisputed is to provide an overwhelming amount of graphical horsepower, which is evident in the measured frame rates. The GPU operates with a base clock of 2235 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz, and it is built on TSMC's 5 nm process. This processing power is supported by a massive 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s. The sheer memory capacity and bandwidth ensure that texture streaming and high-resolution rendering are never a limiting factor.

The data shows the GPU's dominance in the game. At 1080p Low settings, the combo achieves 324 FPS, which is likely a frame rate cap or a CPU limit, not a GPU limit. The GPU is capable of far more than the CPU can feed it. The GPU's synthetic benchmark scores reinforce this, with a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 9,223 and a Passmark G3D score of 38,194. These numbers are context for its in-game performance. In Undisputed, the GPU is so powerful that it can handle the most demanding settings at high resolutions, but the CPU prevents it from stretching its legs at lower resolutions. The GPU is not the bottleneck in this system; it is the engine waiting for the CPU to catch up.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 2160p in Undisputed reveals the classic signs of a CPU bottleneck. At Ultra settings, the combo delivers 203 FPS at 1080p, 147 FPS at 1440p, and 93 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 56 FPS (a 27.6% decrease), and the drop from 1440p to 4K is 54 FPS (a 36.7% decrease). This scaling is relatively linear, but the absolute values are telling.

At Low settings, the frame rates are 324 FPS at 1080p, 290 FPS at 1440p, and 242 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1080p and 4K at Low settings is only 82 FPS. Compare this to the Ultra settings gap of 110 FPS between 1080p and 4K. In a GPU-bound scenario, the frame rate should drop more significantly as resolution increases because the GPU has to render more pixels. Here, the drop is moderated, especially at Low settings, because the CPU is the limiting factor. The CPU cannot process game logic and draw calls fast enough to keep the GPU fed at 1080p, so the GPU idles.

As resolution increases, the GPU takes on more work, and the CPU has more time to catch up. This is why the frame rate at 4K Ultra is still a very playable 93 FPS, while at 1080p Low, the 324 FPS is more of a CPU-imposed ceiling than a true measure of GPU capability. The data suggests that this combo is best suited for high-resolution gaming where the GPU's workload is heavy enough to mitigate the CPU bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: Why is the frame rate so high at low settings but not scaling as expected?

A: The frame rate at 1080p Low is 324 FPS, but the increase to 4K Low only drops it to 242 FPS. This moderate drop indicates that the CPU, with its 6 cores and 6 threads, is the limiting factor at lower resolutions. The GPU is powerful enough to render these frames quickly, but the CPU cannot issue draw calls fast enough to push the frame rate higher.

Q: Is this a good combo for high-refresh-rate 1080p gaming?

A: The data shows it can exceed the refresh rate of most monitors at 1080p, hitting 268 FPS on High and 203 FPS on Ultra. However, the 324 FPS at Low is likely a CPU bottleneck, meaning you are not fully utilizing the RTX 4090. The system is more balanced and efficient at higher resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 4090's benchmark performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4090 has an average benchmark score of 60,347. This is virtually identical to the Intel Arc Pro A60 (60,326, a 0% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 (60,140, a 0.3% delta). It is slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M (61,896, a -2.5% delta) and the AMD Radeon PRO V710 (58,657, a 2.9% delta).

Q: What is the CPU's performance relative to other processors in its class?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2,254. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, scores 2,259, making the i5-9400 0.2% slower. It is 0.4% faster than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (2,246) and 0.3% faster than the Intel Core i7-10710U (2,248). This places it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Should I use this combo for 4K gaming?

A: Yes, the benchmark results show this is a strong 4K configuration. At 4K Ultra it averages 93 FPS, which is very playable. At 4K High it jumps to 144 FPS, and at 4K Medium it reaches 174 FPS. The higher resolution helps alleviate the CPU bottleneck, making this a more balanced setup for 4K than for 1080p.

Q: Does the GPU's memory capacity matter for this game?

A: The RTX 4090 has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory. While Undisputed may not need all of it, the sheer bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s ensures that texture loads and high-resolution assets are handled without stutter, contributing to the high frame rates seen at all settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080 (1080p)

• Low: 324 FPS average.
• Medium: 286 FPS average, with a minimum of 243 FPS and a maximum of 329 FPS.
• High: 268 FPS average.
• Ultra: 203 FPS average.

2560x1440 (1440p)

• Low: 290 FPS average.
• Medium: 257 FPS average, with a minimum of 218 FPS and a maximum of 296 FPS.
• High: 228 FPS average.
• Ultra: 147 FPS average.

3840x2160 (4K)

• Low: 242 FPS average.
• Medium: 174 FPS average, with a minimum of 148 FPS and a maximum of 200 FPS.
• High: 144 FPS average.
• Ultra: 93 FPS average.

The data reveals a clear pattern. At 1080p, the frame rates are exceptionally high but show a diminishing return as settings increase, indicating a CPU limit. At 4K, the frame rates are still high but drop significantly more between settings, showing the GPU is becoming the primary workload driver. The Medium settings at each resolution are the only entries with min/max data, showing 329 FPS as the highest recorded frame rate at 1080p and 148 FPS as the lowest recorded frame rate at 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor from the Coffee Lake generation, running on the Intel Socket 1151 platform. Its base clock is 2.90 GHz and it boosts to 4.10 GHz. It has a 9 MB shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 6,629 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 935 in single-core. These are modest figures for a modern gaming CPU, and the 47th percentile ranking confirms its mid-range status.

In Undisputed, the CPU's role is to feed the RTX 4090 with game data. The data shows it struggles to do so at lower resolutions. The frame rate cap at 324 FPS on 1080p Low, compared to 242 FPS on 4K Low, shows that the CPU is the bottleneck. It cannot process the game's simulation and physics fast enough to push the frame rate higher, regardless of the GPU's capability. The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals—being 0.2% slower than the Core i7-1068NG7 and 0.4% faster than the Ryzen 5 PRO 1500—shows it is a competent but unremarkable processor.

The result is a system that is heavily CPU-bound at 1080p and 1440p. The GPU's potential is only fully realized at 4K, where the increased rendering load gives the CPU more time to work. For a builder, this means the i5-9400 is a clear weak link. It is not a bad CPU, but it is not in the same class as the RTX 4090. This combo would benefit from a processor with higher single-thread performance and more threads to prevent the CPU from becoming the limiting factor in esports or high-refresh-rate scenarios. The benchmark data suggests that the i5-9400 is holding the RTX 4090 back, and the system's #402 rank reflects the GPU's raw power overcoming this handicap.