Undisputed

The benchmark results for Undisputed with the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 show an extreme pairing where a modern flagship GPU is held back by an older, mid-range processor. The data reveals a system capable of high frame rates, but the scaling patterns expose a significant CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions. This analysis walks through the measured FPS, the combo's standing among other tested configurations, and the specific role the processor plays in shaping the final output.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K tells a clear story about where the performance limit lies. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo produces 213.1 FPS, but moving to 1440p drops this to 151.3 FPS, and at 4K it falls further to 99.3 FPS. This is a steep decline of 28.9% when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and another 34.4% when moving from 1440p to 4K. Such a pattern indicates that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor as resolution increases, which is expected.

However, the scaling at Low settings tells a different story. At 1080p Low, the system hits 325.6 FPS, which is remarkably close to the 292.1 FPS seen at 1440p Low. The difference here is only 33.5 FPS, or about 10.3%. If the GPU were the sole constraint, the 1440p result should be significantly lower relative to 1080p, given the 78% increase in pixel count. The fact that the drop is so small suggests that at 1080p Low, the processor is hitting its ceiling and cannot feed the GPU enough frames. The RTX 5090 is powerful enough to render far more frames, but the Core i5-9400 simply cannot keep up. This is the classic signature of a CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions and lower settings.

The gap between resolutions narrows as settings increase. At Ultra, the 4K score of 99.3 FPS is about 46.6% of the 1080p score. At Low, the 4K score of 250.7 FPS is about 77.0% of the 1080p score. This confirms that at lower settings, the CPU limitation is more pronounced because the GPU has less work to do per frame, making the processor the primary constraint. At higher settings like Ultra, the GPU's workload increases, which shifts the bottleneck back toward the graphics card. The data shows a system where the CPU dominates performance at 1080p and Low settings, while the GPU becomes more relevant as resolution and graphical load increase.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 ranks 130th out of 1580 tested combos in Undisputed. This places it in the top 8.2% of all configurations tested for this game. Given that the RTX 5090 is an exceptionally powerful GPU, this ranking might seem lower than expected. The reason is that the CPU drags down the overall performance, preventing the combo from reaching the top tiers.

The CPU itself sits at the 50th percentile when compared to all CPUs in the database. This means it is squarely in the middle of the pack, neither a high-end performer nor a low-end part. The GPU, on the other hand, ranks at the 94th percentile among all GPUs, placing it near the very top. This massive disparity between the two components explains why the combo ranks at 130th rather than much higher. The ranking reflects the combined performance, and the weaker component—the CPU—has a disproportionate impact on the final score. The data suggests that many other combos with more balanced pairings, even with slower GPUs, achieve better overall results in this specific title because they do not suffer from the same bottleneck.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor from the Coffee Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. In terms of compute performance, its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 7969, and its single-core score is 1125. These are modest numbers for a modern processor, especially when paired with a top-tier GPU. The lack of hyper-threading means it has 6 threads, which is sufficient for many games but can be a limitation in titles that scale well with more threads.

In Undisputed, the CPU's role is to prepare frames for the GPU. The benchmark results show that this processor is the limiting factor at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 325.6 FPS, but this is likely the maximum the CPU can push. The GPU is capable of much more, as evidenced by its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14411, but it is starved of data. The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals is worth noting. It scores an average benchmark score of 2305, which is virtually identical to the Intel Core i3-10305 at 2300 (a 0.2% difference) and the Intel Core i3-1125G4 at 2299 (also a 0.2% difference). It is slightly behind the Intel Core i7-8809G, which scores 2319, a -0.6% delta. This puts the i5-9400 in a competitive position against other mid-range parts, but it is still far below the requirements to feed an RTX 5090 effectively.

The 65W TDP and 9 MB of shared L3 cache are also factors, but the core issue is raw throughput. The CPU's 6 threads are simply not enough to keep a GPU with 21760 shading units and a 1.79 TB/s memory bandwidth busy. The data indicates that the processor is a bottleneck that prevents the GPU from reaching its full potential, particularly at lower resolutions where the CPU's frame generation limit is hit.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across resolutions and settings. At 1080p, the system delivers high frame rates across the board. The Low setting produces 325.6 FPS, Medium 286.5 FPS, High 269.8 FPS, and Ultra 213.1 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 112.5 FPS, or about 34.6%, showing that graphical settings have a significant impact even at this resolution.

At 1440p, the frame rates remain high but begin to show more variation. The Low setting yields 292.1 FPS, Medium 257.6 FPS, High 239.2 FPS, and Ultra 151.3 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra is 140.8 FPS, or about 48.2%. This is a larger percentage drop than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is starting to feel the load as resolution increases. The Ultra setting at 1440p shows a substantial performance cost compared to High, with a difference of 87.9 FPS.

At 4K, the performance scales down considerably. The Low setting still produces a very playable 250.7 FPS, but Medium drops to 183.6 FPS, High to 151.6 FPS, and Ultra to 99.3 FPS. The Ultra setting is the only one below 100 FPS in this entire dataset. The gap between Medium and High at 4K is 32.0 FPS, while the gap between High and Ultra is 52.3 FPS. This suggests that the Ultra preset introduces a particularly heavy load, likely due to advanced effects that tax the GPU significantly.

The data shows a consistent pattern: Low settings always produce the highest frame rates, and Ultra always produces the lowest. The relative performance drop from Low to Ultra is 34.6% at 1080p, 48.2% at 1440p, and 60.4% at 4K. This increasing percentage gap with resolution reinforces the idea that the GPU becomes more of a bottleneck at higher resolutions, while the CPU limits performance at lower ones.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo in Undisputed?*

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 325.6, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo drop below 100 FPS?

A: The combo drops below 100 FPS only at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, where it averages 99.3 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2305. It is 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i3-10305 and Intel Core i3-1125G4, and 0.6% behind the Intel Core i7-8809G.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between High and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, High settings produce 239.2 FPS, while Ultra settings produce 151.3 FPS, a difference of 87.9 FPS.

Q: How does the 4K Ultra performance compare to 1080p Ultra performance?

A: At 4K Ultra, the combo achieves 99.3 FPS, while at 1080p Ultra it achieves 213.1 FPS. The 4K result is 113.8 FPS lower, representing a reduction of about 53.4%.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combinations in this game?

A: The combo ranks 130th out of 1580 tested combinations, placing it in the top 8.2% of all tested combos.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data provides clear guidance on which settings preset offers the best experience, depending on the user's display and priorities. For a 1080p display, the High preset at 269.8 FPS is an excellent choice. It offers a smooth experience well above the refresh rate of most monitors, and the 56.7 FPS drop from Low to High is a reasonable trade-off for significantly better visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 213.1 FPS is still very playable and will be preferred by those who want maximum image quality, but the jump from High to Ultra costs 56.7 FPS for what is likely a marginal visual improvement.

For 1440p, the Medium preset at 257.6 FPS is the sweet spot. It provides a high frame rate that is more than adequate for competitive play. The High preset at 239.2 FPS is also excellent, and the difference between Medium and High is only 18.4 FPS, making High a very viable option for most users. The Ultra preset at 151.3 FPS is still smooth, but the 87.9 FPS drop from High to Ultra is substantial, and users may prefer to stay on High to maintain higher frame rates.

For 4K, the situation is different. The Low preset at 250.7 FPS is the only option that fully utilizes high refresh rate displays. The Medium preset at 183.6 FPS is a good balance for standard 60Hz or 120Hz displays, offering a significant visual upgrade over Low with a relatively manageable 67.1 FPS cost. The High preset at 151.6 FPS is also a strong choice for 4K, providing a good balance of quality and speed. The Ultra preset at 99.3 FPS is best reserved for users with 60Hz displays who prioritize visual fidelity above all else, as it is the only preset that struggles to maintain a high frame rate. The data suggests that for most 4K users, the Medium or High preset offers the best experience, as they provide high frame rates while still delivering a detailed image.