Undisputed

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D delivers a dominant performance in Undisputed, securing the top rank among 2,813 tested hardware combinations. This pairing produces exceptionally high frame rates across all resolutions, but the scaling patterns reveal a system that is heavily CPU-bound at lower resolutions, with the GPU only becoming the primary limiter at 4K Ultra settings.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic CPU-bound scenario at lower resolutions, with the GPU taking over as the bottleneck only at the highest settings. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 578 FPS at 1920x1080 to 418 FPS at 2560x1440, a 27.7% reduction, and then to 264 FPS at 3840x2160, a further 36.8% reduction from the 1440p figure. This steep decline indicates that even at 1080p Low, the system is nowhere near GPU saturation, as the CPU’s single-thread performance is the limiting factor.

Moving to High settings, the scaling is similar but slightly less severe. The average FPS at 1080p is 344, dropping to 249 at 1440p (a 27.6% reduction) and then to 157 at 4K (a 36.9% reduction from 1440p). The consistency of these percentage drops across Low and High settings underscores that the workload characteristics remain similar; the GPU is still not fully utilized until the pixel count becomes very high.

The Medium preset shows a more moderate scaling curve. At 1080p, the average is 416 FPS, at 1440p it is 301 FPS, and at 4K it is 190 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 27.6%, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 36.9%, mirroring the pattern seen at other settings. However, at 4K Medium, the frame rate of 190 FPS suggests the GPU is beginning to become a more significant factor, though the CPU still contributes to the overall throughput.

The Ultra preset tells a different story. At 1080p, the average is 222 FPS, dropping to 160 FPS at 1440p (a 27.9% reduction) and then to 101 FPS at 4K (a 36.9% reduction from 1440p). The 4K Ultra result is the only configuration where the GPU’s limitations are clearly evident, as the frame rate falls below the 1440p High result of 249 FPS. This suggests that at 4K Ultra, the RTX 5090 D’s raw compute and memory bandwidth are being taxed heavily, whereas at all other settings, the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus’s boost clock of 5.50 GHz is the primary driver of performance.

The data indicates that for most of the tested settings, the CPU is the bottleneck, as the frame rates at 1080p are extraordinarily high, often exceeding 300 FPS. The RTX 5090 D only becomes the limiting component at 4K Ultra, where the pixel throughput demands exceed what the CPU can feed. This is a hallmark of a high-end CPU paired with a top-tier GPU in a game that is not particularly demanding on the graphics card.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combination?

A: The highest average frame rate is 578 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 101 FPS, which is the lowest recorded result in the dataset.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the primary bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the primary bottleneck at 1080p, as the frame rates are extremely high (344 FPS at High, 578 FPS at Low), indicating the GPU is not fully utilized.

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

A: At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 301 FPS, while the High preset averages 249 FPS, a difference of 52 FPS in favor of Medium.

Q: Does the system maintain playable frame rates at 4K across all settings?

A: Yes, the lowest average at 4K is 101 FPS on Ultra, which is still well above standard display refresh rates. The High setting yields 157 FPS, Medium 190 FPS, and Low 264 FPS.

Q: How significant is the performance gap between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: The gap is substantial. At 1080p, the Low preset averages 578 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 222 FPS, representing a 61.6% reduction in average frame rate when moving from Low to Ultra.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D’s role in Undisputed is primarily to provide headroom, rather than to be a limiting factor, except in the most demanding configurations. The GPU features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. This memory configuration is more than sufficient for the game’s needs at any resolution, as the average frame rates at 4K High (157 FPS) and 4K Medium (190 FPS) demonstrate that the GPU can handle high pixel counts without memory-related stutter.

The core clocks of the RTX 5090 D are a base of 2017 MHz and a boost of 2407 MHz. These clocks, combined with 21,760 shading units, allow the GPU to process geometry and textures efficiently. However, the benchmark results indicate that these resources are not fully taxed until 4K Ultra. At 1080p Low, the system pushes 578 FPS, which is far beyond what the GPU’s pixel rate of 423.6 GPixel/s would suggest as a limit, confirming that the CPU is the bottleneck in that scenario.

The GPU’s FP32 performance of 104.8 TFLOPS and texture rate of 1,636.8 GTexel/s are substantial, but in Undisputed, the game’s relatively simple graphics workload means these capabilities are underutilized. The 4K Ultra result of 101 FPS is the only data point where the GPU’s compute limits are approached, and even then, the frame rate remains highly playable.

The presence of 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores does not appear to significantly impact the measured results, as Undisputed is a sports title that likely does not heavily utilize ray tracing or DLSS. The GPU’s average benchmark score of 77,712 and its 92nd percentile ranking among all GPUs indicate strong general performance, but in this specific game, the RTX 5090 D’s role is to ensure that the CPU can always operate at its maximum potential without being held back by graphics processing.

The measured FPS data shows that the GPU’s memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s is never a limiting factor, as even the lowest average frame rate of 101 FPS at 4K Ultra is far above what would be considered a smooth experience. The GPU’s 32 GB of VRAM is also overkill for this title, ensuring that texture loading and asset streaming do not cause frame drops.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers extraordinary performance across all settings. The Low preset achieves an average of 578 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. The Medium preset averages 416 FPS, with a minimum of 354 FPS and a maximum of 478 FPS, showing a tight frame time distribution. The High preset averages 344 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 222 FPS. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is the primary driver, with the GPU having ample headroom.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain exceptionally high. The Low preset averages 418 FPS, a significant drop from 1080p but still far above any display’s refresh rate. The Medium preset averages 301 FPS, with a minimum of 256 FPS and a maximum of 346 FPS. The High preset averages 249 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 160 FPS. The 1440p results show a similar pattern to 1080p, with the CPU still being the main bottleneck, though the GPU’s workload is increasing.

At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to assert itself. The Low preset averages 264 FPS, which is still extremely high. The Medium preset averages 190 FPS, with a minimum of 162 FPS and a maximum of 219 FPS. The High preset averages 157 FPS. The Ultra preset produces an average of 101 FPS, which is the lowest score in the dataset. This 4K Ultra result is the only configuration where the RTX 5090 D’s performance limits are clearly reached, as the frame rate drops below the 1440p High result.

The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values across all resolutions. At 1080p, the range is 354 to 478 FPS; at 1440p, it is 256 to 346 FPS; and at 4K, it is 162 to 219 FPS. These ranges indicate that the Medium preset has a consistent frame pacing, with the spread between minimum and maximum averaging around 25-30% of the average FPS.

The data reveals that the system is capable of maintaining over 100 FPS at 4K Ultra, which is a strong result for a sports title. The scaling from Medium to High at 4K is a 17.4% reduction in average FPS (190 to 157), while the scaling from High to Ultra is a 35.7% reduction (157 to 101). This suggests that the Ultra preset imposes a significant additional load on the GPU, likely through increased shadow quality and post-processing effects.

Settings Recommendations

For players aiming for the highest possible frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p delivers an average of 578 FPS, which is far beyond any display’s capabilities. However, this preset likely compromises visual fidelity. The Medium preset offers a better balance, with an average of 416 FPS at 1080p, 301 FPS at 1440p, and 190 FPS at 4K. The Medium preset’s frame time consistency, as evidenced by the recorded minimum and maximum values, makes it the most stable option for competitive play.

The High preset provides a significant visual upgrade over Medium while still maintaining remarkably high frame rates. At 1080p, the average is 344 FPS, at 1440p it is 249 FPS, and at 4K it is 157 FPS. This preset is recommended for players with 144Hz or 165Hz monitors, as the frame rates comfortably exceed these refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p, and remain above 144Hz at 4K.

The Ultra preset, while offering the best visual quality, introduces a substantial performance cost. At 1080p, the average drops to 222 FPS, at 1440p to 160 FPS, and at 4K to 101 FPS. For players with 4K 120Hz displays, the Ultra preset at 4K will not fully saturate the display’s refresh rate, but the 101 FPS average is still smooth. For 1440p 144Hz displays, the Ultra preset’s 160 FPS average is sufficient.

The data suggests that the Medium preset is the best overall choice for most users, as it offers a 44.6% performance increase over High at 4K (190 FPS vs 157 FPS) while likely providing a similar visual experience. The Medium preset’s minimum frame rates of 162 FPS at 4K and 256 FPS at 1440p ensure that there are no noticeable stutters, making it the most consistent option.

For players with high-refresh-rate monitors (240Hz or higher), the High preset at 1080p or 1440p is the recommended choice, as it delivers 344 FPS and 249 FPS respectively. These frame rates will take full advantage of the display’s capabilities. The Low preset is only advisable for esports-level competitive play where maximum frame rate is paramount, but given the High preset’s already excessive frame rates, the visual trade-off is not worth it.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus plays a dominant role in Undisputed, as the game’s frame rates are largely CPU-bound at most settings. The processor features 24 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz. This high boost clock is likely the primary factor driving the extraordinary frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, as the game appears to be sensitive to single-thread performance.

The CPU’s cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. This large cache configuration helps reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for a game that may have significant CPU-side physics or AI calculations. The memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR5 interface is ample for this workload, as the game does not appear to be memory-bandwidth limited.

Benchmark results for the CPU show a single-thread score of 2,439 in Cinebench R23 and 5,068 in Passmark, which place it in the 96th percentile among all CPUs. The multi-thread score of 44,253 in Cinebench R23 indicates that the processor has substantial parallel processing capability, though Undisputed likely does not fully utilize all 24 cores. The boost clock of 5.50 GHz is the more critical specification for this game, as the frame rates at low resolutions are exceptionally high.

The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system achieves 578 FPS, which is likely near the CPU’s maximum frame-generation capability. The fact that the frame rate does not scale linearly with resolution at Low settings (578 to 418 to 264 FPS) suggests that the CPU is still the bottleneck even at 4K Low. The GPU only becomes the limiting factor at 4K Ultra, where the frame rate drops to 101 FPS.

The CPU’s nearest rivals, including the Intel Xeon 6520P and AMD EPYC processors, have similar average benchmark scores, but the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus’s high boost clock gives it an advantage in this game. The processor’s 24 threads are more than sufficient for Undisputed, and the game’s performance is likely limited by the CPU’s front-end and execution units rather than its core count.

In practical terms, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with enough frames to keep it busy, which it does admirably at all settings except 4K Ultra. The result is a system that can deliver over 300 FPS at 1080p Medium and over 150 FPS at 4K High, making it an excellent choice for players with high-refresh-rate displays. The CPU’s 125W TDP and 3 nm process node from TSMC indicate efficient power delivery, allowing the boost clock to be sustained under load.