Undisputed

# Undisputed with Intel Core Ultra 5 235 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 produces an unusual performance profile in Undisputed, a sports title that scales dramatically across resolutions and settings. This combo ranks 123rd out of 2,813 tested combinations, placing it in the top 4.4% of all tested systems. The data reveals a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at lower resolutions, with the RTX 4090's immense throughput creating frame rates that far exceed typical display refresh rates, while the CPU's 14 cores and 14 threads become a more significant factor only at 4K Ultra settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows how this combo responds to resolution changes, and the pattern is revealing. At 1080p Low, the system produces 530 FPS average, which drops to 383 FPS at 1440p Low, and further to 242 FPS at 4K Low. That represents a 54% reduction from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. The scaling is steeper at Ultra settings: 203 FPS at 1080p, 147 FPS at 1440p, and 93 FPS at 4K — a 54% drop from 1080p to 4K as well, though the absolute values are much lower.

The resolution scaling pattern indicates that the RTX 4090 is the primary limiting component at lower settings. The GPU's 24 GB of GDDR6X memory and 1.01 TB/s bandwidth are more than sufficient for any resolution tested, so the frame rate drops are driven by the GPU's compute load rather than memory capacity. The fact that 1080p Low hits 530 FPS suggests the rendering pipeline is barely stressed, and the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at very high rates.

At Medium settings, the pattern continues with 381 FPS at 1080p, 275 FPS at 1440p, and 174 FPS at 4K. The min FPS values at Medium settings — 324 at 1080p, 234 at 1440p, and 148 at 4K — show that even the worst-case frame times remain above 148 FPS, which is well above standard 60 Hz or 144 Hz displays. The 4K Ultra setting produces 93 FPS average, which is the only measured configuration that approaches the refresh rate limits of common high-end monitors.

The data suggests that this game is not particularly demanding on the GPU at lower settings, as evidenced by the 530 FPS at 1080p Low. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is roughly linear in terms of pixel count, but the frame rates do not drop proportionally — the RTX 4090's 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 1,290.2 GTexel/s texture rate handle the increased pixel load efficiently. The bottleneck shifts progressively toward the CPU as resolution increases, since the CPU's 5.00 GHz boost clock and 24 MB shared L3 cache become more relevant when the GPU is fully occupied.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications explain the extreme frame rates observed. With 16,384 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, the GPU has an enormous amount of raw processing power. The 128 RT cores and 512 tensor cores are present but less relevant for a sports title like Undisputed, which does not heavily utilize ray tracing or DLSS features. The GPU's base clock of 2235 MHz and boost clock of 2520 MHz, combined with the 443.5 GPixel/s pixel rate, allow it to rasterize frames at extraordinary speed.

The 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. In Undisputed, this memory configuration is never stressed — even at 4K Ultra, the game's texture and geometry data fit comfortably within the memory capacity, and the bandwidth is more than sufficient for the data throughput required. The GPU's 82.58 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is the key metric for this game, as the rendering workload in a sports title is primarily traditional rasterization rather than compute-heavy effects.

The RTX 4090's performance relative to other GPUs in the database is notable. Its average benchmark score of 60,347 places it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs tested. The nearest rivals in the database are the Intel Arc Pro A60 with an average score of 60,326 (0% delta), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 at 60,140 (0.3% delta), and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M at 61,896 (-2.5% delta). These comparisons are based on synthetic benchmarks, not game-specific performance, but they indicate that the RTX 4090's overall compute capability is in a specific performance tier.

In Undisputed specifically, the GPU's role is to deliver frame rates that are almost always above 144 FPS except at 4K Ultra. The 4K Ultra result of 93 FPS shows that the most demanding configuration does push the GPU to a level where it cannot maintain triple-digit frame rates. The difference between 4K Low at 242 FPS and 4K Ultra at 93 FPS — a 62% reduction — demonstrates that the Ultra preset significantly increases the rendering workload, likely through higher resolution textures, more detailed shadows, and additional post-processing effects.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 provides 14 cores and 14 threads, meaning each core handles exactly one thread — no simultaneous multithreading. This is a design choice that affects performance in games that benefit from high thread counts. The CPU's base clock of 3.40 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz give it strong single-thread performance, which is critical for game logic and physics. The 24 MB shared L3 cache and 3 MB L2 cache per core provide ample room for game data.

The CPU's benchmark scores show its position in the market. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14,769 and single-core score of 2,085 indicate solid all-around performance. In PassMark testing, the multi-thread score of 37,816 and single-thread score of 4,516 (listed twice as passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread) suggest the CPU handles both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded workloads competently. The 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs tested, with an average benchmark score of 46,062, places it in a competitive position.

The CPU's nearest rivals in the database are close in average score: the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 at 46,030 (0.1% ahead of the Core Ultra 5 235), the Intel Core i9-13900HX at 46,098 (0.1% behind), the AMD EPYC 4364P at 45,970 (0.2% ahead), and the AMD EPYC 7303 at 45,960 (0.2% ahead). These deltas are minimal, indicating that the Core Ultra 5 235 performs in a tight performance band around 46,000 average benchmark score.

In Undisputed, the CPU's role becomes apparent at 1080p Low, where the 530 FPS average suggests the CPU is the limiting factor — the GPU could likely render even more frames if the CPU could feed it faster. The CPU's 14 threads are sufficient for this game's engine, which does not appear to be heavily multithreaded based on the performance scaling. The boost clock of 5.00 GHz provides the single-thread performance needed for game logic, while the 65 W TDP indicates the CPU operates within a modest power envelope.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 123 out of 2,813 tested combinations places this system in the top 4.4% of all tested hardware pairings in Undisputed. This rank reflects the combined performance of the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, and the data shows that the GPU is doing most of the heavy lifting. The CPU's 14 cores and 14 threads are adequate for the game, but the RTX 4090's extreme frame rates at lower resolutions are the primary driver of the high ranking.

The rank of 123 means there are 122 other combinations that perform better in this game, presumably with faster CPUs or more optimal pairings. The GPU's 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs and the CPU's 89th percentile among all CPUs suggest that both components are individually strong, but the combination does not reach the top 100. This is likely because the game is not CPU-intensive enough to benefit from the absolute fastest processors, and the RTX 4090's performance is already near the top of the GPU hierarchy.

The measured FPS data at 4K Ultra — 93 FPS average — is the most demanding scenario and likely determines the combo's ranking position. Systems with faster CPUs might achieve slightly higher frame rates at this setting, but the difference would be marginal given the GPU-bound nature of the workload at 4K. The fact that this combo ranks 123rd out of 2,813 indicates that it is in the top 4.4% of systems, which is an excellent result for most users.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Undisputed?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 530, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The next highest is 381 FPS at 1080p Medium, followed by 315 FPS at 1080p High.

Q: Can this system maintain 144 FPS at 4K?

A: At 4K Medium settings, the average FPS is 174, which exceeds 144 FPS. However, at 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 93, which is below 144 FPS. At 4K High settings, the average is 144 FPS exactly.

Q: How does the CPU's threading configuration affect performance?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 has 14 cores and 14 threads, meaning no hyperthreading is available. This configuration provides 14 independent threads, which is sufficient for Undisputed based on the measured frame rates. The CPU's 5.00 GHz boost clock provides strong single-thread performance.

Q: What is the lowest measured FPS for this combo?

A: The lowest average FPS is 93, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings. The lowest minimum FPS recorded is 148 FPS, which occurs at 4K Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS is 324, and at 1440p Medium, the minimum is 234.

Q: How does the RTX 4090's memory configuration influence results?

A: The RTX 4090 features 24 GB of GDDR6X memory with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth on a 384-bit bus. This configuration is more than sufficient for Undisputed at any resolution or settings level, as the game does not appear to stress memory capacity or bandwidth based on the consistent scaling patterns.

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

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 383 FPS average, while Ultra settings produce 147 FPS average. This represents a 62% reduction in frame rate from Low to Ultra, showing the significant rendering workload increase with higher settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings levels.

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers 530 FPS average, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo. Medium settings reduce this to 381 FPS average with a minimum of 324 FPS and maximum of 438 FPS. High settings produce 315 FPS average, and Ultra settings deliver 203 FPS average. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 62% reduction in frame rate, from 530 FPS to 203 FPS.

At 2560x1440, Low settings achieve 383 FPS average. Medium settings produce 275 FPS average with a minimum of 234 FPS and maximum of 317 FPS. High settings deliver 228 FPS average, and Ultra settings reach 147 FPS average. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p is similar to 1080p, with a 62% reduction from 383 FPS to 147 FPS.

At 3840x2160, Low settings yield 242 FPS average. Medium settings produce 174 FPS average with a minimum of 148 FPS and maximum of 200 FPS. High settings deliver 144 FPS average, and Ultra settings achieve 93 FPS average. This represents a 62% reduction from Low to Ultra at 4K, consistent with the other resolutions.

The minimum FPS values are only recorded for Medium settings at each resolution. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 324 FPS; at 1440p Medium, the minimum is 234 FPS; and at 4K Medium, the minimum is 148 FPS. These minimum values indicate that even the worst-case frame times remain well above 60 FPS, and only at 4K Medium does the minimum approach 144 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the display's refresh rate and resolution. For 1080p displays, all settings presets deliver frame rates well above 144 FPS — even Ultra settings produce 203 FPS average. This means users with 1080p monitors can select the Ultra preset without any frame rate concerns, as the 203 FPS average exceeds all common refresh rates.

For 1440p displays, the results are similar in character. Ultra settings produce 147 FPS average, which is just above 144 Hz refresh rates. High settings deliver 228 FPS average, providing a comfortable margin for 240 Hz displays. Medium settings at 275 FPS average are suitable for 240 Hz or even 360 Hz displays, though the visual quality trade-off may not be worth the additional frame rate for most users.

For 4K displays, the recommendation is more nuanced. Ultra settings produce 93 FPS average, which is suitable for 60 Hz displays but falls short of 120 Hz or 144 Hz refresh rates. High settings deliver 144 FPS average, which exactly matches 144 Hz displays. Medium settings at 174 FPS average provide a margin for 144 Hz displays and also work for 165 Hz or 180 Hz monitors. Low settings at 242 FPS average would be excessive for most 4K displays, which typically max out at 144 Hz or 160 Hz.

The data indicates that the High preset at 4K offers the best balance for most users with 4K displays, providing 144 FPS average which matches the most common high-refresh 4K monitors. For users with 60 Hz 4K displays, Ultra settings at 93 FPS would be acceptable, though High settings provide a more consistent experience. At 1440p, the Ultra preset at 147 FPS is the recommended choice for 144 Hz displays, while High settings at 228 FPS would benefit users with higher refresh rate monitors. At 1080p, the Ultra preset at 203 FPS is the clear recommendation, as it provides the best visual quality while still exceeding all common refresh rates.