Undisputed

# Undisputed with Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus + AMD Radeon RX 9060

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 produces a highly capable gaming system for Undisputed, a sports title that places distinct demands on both processor and graphics hardware. This combo ranks 1633rd out of 2813 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems. The data reveals a configuration that excels at high refresh rates at 1080p and 1440p but shows clear signs of GPU limitation as resolution climbs to 4K. The 24-core, 24-thread Arrow Lake Refresh processor with its 5.80 GHz boost clock provides substantial headroom, while the Radeon RX 9060 with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory becomes the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and Ultra settings.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus brings formidable computational resources to Undisputed, with 24 cores and 24 threads operating from a 3.70 GHz base clock up to a 5.80 GHz boost clock. This Arrow Lake Refresh processor, built on TSMC's 3 nm process node, carries 36 MB of shared L3 cache alongside 192 KB of L1 cache per core and 3 MB of L2 cache per core. The processor's 96th percentile ranking among all CPUs reflects its position near the top of the performance hierarchy, though its average benchmark score of 84003 sits just 0.2% above the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K's 83807 and 1.1% above the AMD EPYC 4584PX's 83090.

For a sports game like Undisputed, the CPU's role is primarily about maintaining consistent frame pacing and handling game logic, physics, and AI calculations. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 51731 and single-core score of 7303 indicate substantial processing power in both heavily threaded and lightly threaded workloads. The PassMark single-thread score of 4823 confirms strong per-core performance, which matters for games that rely on a few primary threads. The processor's data compression score of 698346 and integer math score of 166194 in PassMark tests suggest the kind of rapid arithmetic throughput that keeps simulation-heavy sports titles running smoothly.

The CPU's 125 W TDP and dual-channel DDR5 memory support with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth provide adequate memory throughput for game data streaming. The processor's L3 cache configuration of 36 MB shared across all cores helps reduce memory latency for frequently accessed game assets. While the CPU certainly contributes to overall system performance, the measured FPS data across different resolutions indicates that the processor is rarely the limiting factor in Undisputed, as frame rates scale predictably with resolution changes and graphics settings adjustments.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This particular CPU-GPU pairing achieves a rank of 1633 out of 2813 tested combinations in Undisputed, positioning it in the 58th percentile of all tested systems. This mid-tier ranking is somewhat surprising given the individual performance of both components — the CPU ranks in the 96th percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks in the 59th percentile among all graphics cards. The discrepancy suggests that the GPU's performance ceiling constrains the overall combo ranking more than the CPU's substantial capabilities would indicate.

The Radeon RX 9060's average benchmark score of 16014 places it just 0.7% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti's 16129, and 1% above both the AMD Radeon R9 370X and AMD Radeon RX 7700 at 15862 and 15852 respectively. This positioning in the GPU hierarchy means the combo's overall rank reflects a balanced pairing of a top-tier CPU with a mid-range GPU, rather than a matched set of high-end components. The 2813 total tested combos include systems with far more powerful GPUs, which naturally pushes this pairing's rank down despite the CPU's excellence.

The gap between the CPU's 96th percentile ranking and the combo's 58th percentile ranking highlights how GPU-limited this system becomes in gaming workloads. For Undisputed specifically, the game's visual demands at higher settings and resolutions shift the bottleneck decisively toward the graphics card. The combo ranking suggests that while this system handles the game competently, it does not deliver the kind of top-tier performance that would place it among the leading tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU limitation as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the system delivers 252 FPS, which drops to 182 FPS at 1440p and 115 FPS at 4K — a 54.4% reduction from 1080p to 4K. This scaling pattern indicates that the GPU is increasingly stressed at higher pixel counts, while the CPU remains capable of feeding frames at all tested resolutions. The 1080p Low result of 252 FPS demonstrates that the CPU can drive extremely high frame rates when the GPU load is light.

The transition from 1080p to 1440p shows a 27.8% performance drop at Low settings (252 to 182 FPS), while the 1440p to 4K transition brings another 36.8% reduction (182 to 115 FPS). These diminishing returns at higher resolutions are classic signs of GPU-bound performance, where the Radeon RX 9060's 8 GB of VRAM and 288.0 GB/s memory bandwidth become limiting factors. At High settings, the pattern continues: 150 FPS at 1080p drops to 108 FPS at 1440p (28% reduction) and further to 69 FPS at 4K (36.1% reduction from 1440p).

The Ultra settings results tell a similar story with even more pronounced GPU limitation. At 1080p Ultra, the system produces 97 FPS, which falls to 70 FPS at 1440p (27.8% drop) and 44 FPS at 4K (37.1% drop from 1440p). The consistent percentage drops across all settings levels strongly suggest that the GPU is the primary bottleneck throughout the resolution range, with the CPU maintaining sufficient headroom even at 4K Ultra where the frame rate drops to 44 FPS. The 4K Ultra result of 44 FPS is particularly telling — it represents the system's worst-case scenario and demonstrates that the GPU cannot sustain playable frame rates at maximum settings in 4K.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

At 1920x1080, the system shows strong performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 252 FPS, representing the highest measured frame rate for this combo. Medium settings deliver 181 FPS with a minimum of 154 FPS and maximum of 208 FPS, providing consistent frame delivery for competitive play. High settings achieve 150 FPS, while Ultra settings still maintain a solid 97 FPS. The 1080p results indicate that this system can comfortably drive high refresh rate monitors at all settings levels, with even the most demanding Ultra preset staying well above 60 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance remains respectable but shows the GPU beginning to work harder. Low settings produce 182 FPS, which is still excellent for high refresh rate gaming. Medium settings average 131 FPS with a range of 111 to 151 FPS, maintaining smooth gameplay throughout. High settings reach 108 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 70 FPS. The 1440p results demonstrate that this combination handles the resolution well for most settings, though Ultra settings no longer maintain the comfortable margins seen at 1080p.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's limitations become more apparent. Low settings still deliver 115 FPS, which is playable but represents a significant drop from the 252 FPS seen at 1080p. Medium settings average 83 FPS with a range of 70 to 95 FPS, providing acceptable performance for most players. High settings produce 69 FPS, which is right at the edge of smooth playability. Ultra settings drop to 44 FPS, which falls below the threshold for comfortable gaming. The 4K results clearly show that while the system can run the game at all settings, Ultra quality at 4K is not a viable option for smooth gameplay.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 serves as the graphics powerhouse in this configuration, built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture with the Navi 44 chip. This GPU operates with a base clock of 1700 MHz, a game clock of 2400 MHz, and a boost clock of 2990 MHz, demonstrating substantial clock headroom that helps extract performance from the 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 render output units. The GPU's 21.43 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 21.43 TFLOPS of FP16 performance (at a 1:1 ratio) provide substantial compute capabilities for modern game rendering techniques.

The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth represents a potential limitation for Undisputed at higher resolutions and Ultra settings. The 4K Ultra result of 44 FPS suggests that memory bandwidth and capacity constraints may be contributing to the performance drop, as the game's texture and geometry demands increase with resolution. The GPU's 59th percentile ranking among all graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 16014, places it in the mid-range tier, comparable to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti which scores 16129 (0.7% higher) and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 which scores 15852 (1% lower).

The GPU's DirectX 12 Ultimate support with its 12_2 feature level, along with Vulkan 1.4 and OpenGL 4.6 API support, ensures compatibility with modern game engines. The 191.4 GPixel/s pixel rate and 334.9 GTexel/s texture rate provide adequate fill rates for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the 4K results indicate that these rates are insufficient for maintaining high frame rates at maximum settings. The Radeon RX 9060's TDP of 132 W with a suggested PSU of 300 W shows that this GPU is power-efficient for its performance class, though this efficiency does not overcome its fundamental performance limits at 4K Ultra settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Undisputed?

A: The 2560x1440 resolution at High settings provides an excellent balance, delivering 108 FPS average while maintaining visual quality. For maximum frame rates, 1080p Low settings produce 252 FPS, while 1080p Ultra still achieves 97 FPS.

Q: How does this combo compare to similarly performing systems?

A: The system ranks 1633rd out of 2813 tested combos in Undisputed. The CPU scores 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and 1.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4584PX, while the GPU scores 0.7% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and 1% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 7700.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The data clearly shows the GPU as the limiting factor. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 252 FPS, but this drops to 115 FPS at 4K Low, a 54.4% reduction. The CPU's 96th percentile ranking versus the GPU's 59th percentile ranking further confirms the GPU as the primary constraint.

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

A: Yes, but with limitations. At 4K Low settings, the system delivers 115 FPS, and at 4K Medium it achieves 83 FPS with a range of 70 to 95 FPS. However, 4K Ultra drops to 44 FPS, which may not provide a smooth experience.

Q: What are the minimum frame rates for the settings with available data?

A: The measured minimum frame rates are 154 FPS at 1080p Medium, 111 FPS at 1440p Medium, and 70 FPS at 4K Medium. The maximum frame rates for these same settings are 208 FPS at 1080p, 151 FPS at 1440p, and 95 FPS at 4K.

Q: How does the GPU's memory configuration affect performance?

A: The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth appears sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming at all settings, but the 4K Ultra result of 44 FPS suggests memory bandwidth limitations contribute to the significant performance drop at maximum settings in 4K.

Settings Recommendations

For the best overall experience in Undisputed, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 provides an optimal balance of visual quality and performance, delivering 131 FPS average with a minimum of 111 FPS and maximum of 151 FPS. This configuration maintains smooth gameplay while offering better visual fidelity than Low settings, and the minimum frame rate of 111 FPS ensures consistent performance during intense gameplay moments.

Players with high refresh rate monitors should consider High settings at 1920x1080, which produces 150 FPS average and takes advantage of the system's CPU headroom. For those prioritizing maximum visual quality, Ultra settings at 1920x1080 deliver 97 FPS, which remains playable while offering the best graphical experience the game has to offer. At 4K, the Medium preset at 83 FPS average with a range of 70 to 95 FPS represents the highest quality setting that maintains playable performance, while High settings at 69 FPS may be acceptable for players who prioritize visuals over frame rate consistency.

The Low preset is not recommended for most players, as the visual quality reduction is significant while the performance gains are only necessary for competitive play at 1080p with extreme refresh rates. The Ultra preset at 1440p (70 FPS) or 4K (44 FPS) should be avoided due to frame rates that fall below smooth gameplay thresholds. The data suggests that the system's optimal performance envelope lies between Medium and High settings across 1080p and 1440p resolutions, with 1440p Medium providing the best combination of visual fidelity and performance consistency.