Undisputed

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a highly capable 1080p and 1440p experience in Undisputed, with the data showing that 4K Ultra remains the only configuration that strains the combination. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, contextualizes the component roles, and compares the combo against the broader benchmark database.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, with the most significant performance drops occurring when moving from 1440p to 4K. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 271 FPS at 1920x1080 to 196 FPS at 2560x1440, a 27.7% reduction, and then further to 124 FPS at 3840x2160, a 36.7% drop from 1440p. This steep decline at 4K indicates that the GPU is becoming the primary limiting factor, as the pixel count nearly doubles from 1440p to 4K. The RTX 4060’s 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for lower presets, but the sheer pixel throughput required at 3840x2160 begins to saturate the GPU’s capabilities.

The scaling pattern shifts notably at higher settings. At Medium, the average FPS drops from 195 at 1080p to 141 at 1440p (a 27.7% decrease), and then to 89 at 4K (a 36.9% decrease from 1440p). The High preset shows a similar trend: 162 FPS at 1080p, 117 FPS at 1440p (a 27.8% drop), and 74 FPS at 4K (a 36.8% drop). These consistent percentage reductions across presets suggest that the game’s rendering pipeline scales linearly with resolution, but the absolute frame rates at 4K High (74 FPS) and 4K Medium (89 FPS) remain playable, indicating that the CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU adequately.

The Ultra preset, however, exposes the combo’s weakest point. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 104; at 1440p Ultra, it falls to 75 (a 27.9% drop); and at 4K Ultra, it plummets to 48 FPS (a 36.0% drop from 1440p). The 4K Ultra result, which dips below the 60 FPS threshold, strongly suggests that the RTX 4060’s 3072 shading units and 48 ROPs are overwhelmed by the combination of high resolution and maximum graphical features. The data indicates that at 4K, the GPU is the limiting component across all presets, while at 1080p, the CPU’s 24 cores and 5.80 GHz boost clock are sufficient to push frame rates well beyond what most displays can show.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides clear guidance for optimizing the experience in Undisputed. For players targeting 1080p, the Low preset delivers an astonishing 271 FPS average, while Medium offers 195 FPS and High provides 162 FPS. The High preset at 1080p is arguably the sweet spot, as it delivers a frame rate that far exceeds the refresh rate of most monitors while offering better visual fidelity than lower presets. The Ultra preset at 1080p (104 FPS) is also viable, but the 62.5% drop from Low to Ultra suggests diminishing returns in visual quality for the performance cost.

At 1440p, the High preset (117 FPS) provides a smooth experience for high-refresh-rate displays, while Medium (141 FPS) offers even more headroom. The Low preset at 1440p (196 FPS) is overkill for most users, but it demonstrates the CPU’s ability to drive high frame rates. The Ultra preset at 1440p (75 FPS) is borderline for competitive play but perfectly acceptable for casual matches. The data indicates that Medium or High at 1440p offers the best balance between visual quality and performance, with the Medium preset’s minimum FPS of 120 ensuring consistent frame pacing.

For 4K gaming, the recommendations shift dramatically. The Ultra preset (48 FPS) is not recommended, as the average falls below playable thresholds for a sports title. The High preset (74 FPS) is the best choice for 4K, providing a smooth experience without the performance penalty of Ultra. The Medium preset (89 FPS) is also excellent, and its minimum FPS of 76 ensures no major hitches. The Low preset at 4K (124 FPS) is viable for players who prioritize frame rate above all else, but the visual compromise may not be worth it on a 4K display. Overall, the data suggests that High at 4K is the optimal setting, delivering 74 FPS average with no major dips.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Undisputed at 4K with maximum settings?

A: No. The measured data shows 48 FPS average at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, which falls below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The High preset at 4K is the recommended maximum for playable performance.

Q: What is the best setting for 1080p gaming?

A: The High preset at 1920x1080 delivers 162 FPS average, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The Medium preset (195 FPS) is also excellent, but High offers better visual quality with only a 16.9% performance penalty.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 handle 1440p in this game?

A: The RTX 4060 performs well at 2560x1440, with the High preset delivering 117 FPS average and the Medium preset achieving 141 FPS. The Ultra preset (75 FPS) is playable but not ideal for competitive play.

Q: Is the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus a bottleneck for the RTX 4060?

A: The data suggests the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 271 FPS, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor. The CPU’s 24 cores and 5.80 GHz boost clock provide ample headroom for this game.

Q: What is the minimum FPS for the Medium preset?

A: The Medium preset has recorded minimum FPS values of 166 at 1080p, 120 at 1440p, and 76 at 4K. These minimums ensure consistent frame pacing without major stutters.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo ranks 1503 out of 2813 tested combinations, placing it in the 53rd percentile of all tested combos. This indicates it is a mid-tier performer overall, though the data shows it excels specifically in this game at 1080p and 1440p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results. The Low preset achieves an average of 271 FPS, which is the highest measured across all resolutions and settings. The Medium preset averages 195 FPS with a minimum of 166 and maximum of 225, providing a wide performance envelope. The High preset averages 162 FPS, which is still remarkably smooth for most displays. The Ultra preset averages 104 FPS, representing a 61.6% reduction from Low, but it remains playable for casual users. The data shows a clear progression: each step up in settings costs roughly 30-40% of the previous preset’s frame rate at 1080p.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down proportionally. The Low preset averages 196 FPS, which is still excellent for high-refresh-rate gaming. The Medium preset averages 141 FPS with a minimum of 120 and maximum of 162, ensuring smooth gameplay even during intense boxing matches. The High preset averages 117 FPS, a 27.8% reduction from the 1080p High result. The Ultra preset averages 75 FPS, which is noticeably lower but still above the 60 FPS threshold. The data indicates that 1440p is the sweet spot for this combo, as it balances visual fidelity with high frame rates across all presets.

At 3840x2160, the GPU’s limitations become apparent. The Low preset averages 124 FPS, which is impressive but represents a 36.7% drop from 1440p. The Medium preset averages 89 FPS with a minimum of 76 and maximum of 103, providing a stable experience. The High preset averages 74 FPS, which is playable but requires a G-Sync or FreeSync display to avoid tearing. The Ultra preset averages 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and not recommended for competitive play. The minimum FPS data at 4K Medium (76 FPS) suggests that the GPU can maintain consistent performance even under load, but the Ultra preset likely suffers from memory bandwidth constraints with its 272.0 GB/s limit.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1503 out of 2813 tested combos for Undisputed. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all tested configurations, at roughly the 53rd percentile. The ranking reflects the RTX 4060’s mid-range positioning, as the GPU’s 61st percentile versus all GPUs and the CPU’s 96th percentile versus all CPUs create an imbalance that limits the overall combo ranking. The data suggests that the CPU is capable of far higher performance, but the GPU constrains the system in this game.

Comparing the individual components to their nearest rivals provides context. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has an average benchmark score of 84003, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (83807) and 1.1% higher than the AMD EPYC 4584PX (83090). It trails the AMD EPYC 7F72 (85072) by 1.3%. This indicates the CPU is competitive with the best desktop processors, though its 24 cores and 24 threads are more than sufficient for a sports title like Undisputed. The RTX 4060, with an average benchmark score of 17639, is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (17666, 0.2% difference) and AMD Radeon 780M (17588, 0.3% difference), showing that it sits right at the boundary between entry-level and mid-range GPUs.

The combo’s ranking is likely held back by the GPU’s performance ceiling. While the CPU can drive frame rates well above 200 FPS at 1080p Low, the GPU’s 15.11 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 8 GB VRAM limit the system at higher resolutions and settings. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo falls to 48 FPS, which is below the average for the top 1500 combos. However, at 1080p and 1440p, this combo outperforms many higher-ranked combinations that may have more powerful GPUs but weaker CPUs, as the game appears to be well-optimized for high-frequency single-threaded performance.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on TSMC’s 3 nm process node. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.80 GHz, with 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU’s 96th percentile ranking versus all CPUs indicates it is one of the fastest processors available, and its average benchmark score of 84003 places it just ahead of the Core Ultra 9 285K and the EPYC 4584PX. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 51731 and single-core score of 7303 demonstrate strong performance in both threaded and single-threaded workloads.

In Undisputed, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with rendered frames, and the data suggests it does so effectively. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 271 FPS, which is likely near the CPU’s limit for this game. The CPU’s high boost clock of 5.80 GHz is crucial for maintaining high frame rates in a sports title where physics and AI calculations are often single-threaded. The 24 cores and 24 threads provide ample parallel processing capability, though the game may not fully utilize all cores. The PassMark multithread score of 60860 and single-thread score of 4823 indicate that the CPU excels in both metrics, which explains why frame rates remain high even at lower resolutions where the CPU becomes the bottleneck.

The CPU’s memory support for DDR5 with dual-channel configuration and 115.2 GB/s bandwidth ensures that data can be fed to the GPU without delays. The 36 MB L3 cache is also beneficial for gaming, as it reduces memory latency for frequently accessed data. The data shows that the CPU is not a limiting factor in this game, as the frame rates at 1080p are exceptionally high, and the performance drop from 1080p to 1440p (27.7% on average) is consistent with GPU-bound scenarios. The CPU’s 125 W TDP and Intel Socket 1851 compatibility make it a powerful but power-hungry choice, though the game’s performance suggests it handles the workload efficiently.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is based on the Ada Lovelace architecture and the AD107 chip, manufactured on TSMC’s 5 nm process. It features 3072 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs, along with 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 1830 MHz with a boost clock of 2460 MHz, and it delivers 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The GPU’s 61st percentile ranking versus all GPUs places it in the mid-range tier, with an average benchmark score of 17639 that is nearly identical to the Radeon HD 7790 and Radeon 780M.

In Undisputed, the GPU’s role becomes increasingly important as resolution and settings increase. At 1080p Low, the GPU is not heavily utilized, as the CPU drives the frame rate to 271 FPS. However, at 4K Ultra, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, with the frame rate dropping to 48 FPS. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for this game, as the highest settings at 4K do not appear to exceed the memory capacity, but the 128-bit memory bus and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth may limit performance at high resolutions with demanding textures. The GPU’s 48 ROPs are also a potential bottleneck at 4K, as pixel fill rate (118.1 GPixel/s) may not be sufficient for maximum settings.

The GPU’s boost clock of 2460 MHz is relatively high for a mid-range card, which helps at lower resolutions where the GPU can maintain high clocks. The 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores are underutilized in this game, as Undisputed is a sports title with limited ray tracing or DLSS requirements. The data shows that the GPU performs best at 1080p and 1440p, where its 15.11 TFLOPS of compute power is sufficient to maintain high frame rates. At 4K, the GPU’s limitations become apparent, with the Ultra preset falling below 60 FPS and the High preset barely maintaining 74 FPS. The GPU’s 115 W TDP and dual-slot design make it a power-efficient choice, but its performance ceiling in this game is clearly defined by the 4K Ultra result.