Red Dead Redemption 2FPS onCore i5-9400F&GeForce RTX 4090

Red Dead Redemption 2

A masterpiece of the RAGE engine, heavily taxing the GPU with volumetric lighting and water physics. Interestingly, it has relatively low CPU utilization compared to its graphical demands. Be prepared for a massive 150GB install size.

Red Dead Redemption 2 - FPS Estimates by Resolution

Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors

1080P
low73 FPS
medium62 FPS
high49 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1440P
low60 FPS
medium49 FPS
high40 FPS
ultra32 FPS
4K
low33 FPS
medium25 FPS
high17 FPS
ultra14 FPS

Performance Report

Red Dead Redemption 2

GeForce RTX 4090 + Core i5-9400F
🎮Visual Experience

At 1080p, frame rates range from 38 to 73 FPS depending on quality settings. At 1440p, frame rates range from 32 to 60 FPS. At 4K, frame rates range from 14 to 33 FPS.

Official Requirements

The GeForce RTX 4090 is 279% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 1060) for Red Dead Redemption 2. The Core i5-9400F is 4% above the recommended CPU (Core i7-4770K).

⚙️Bottleneck Analysis

The Core i5-9400F determines the performance ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the GPU has headroom.

💰Value Analysis

Approximated average price on current market:

GeForce RTX 4090:$1649(updated 2/6/2026)
Official Launch Price: $1599
Core i5-9400F:$80(updated 2/6/2026)
Official Launch Price: $182

Combo price: $1729. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 38 FPS, equivalent to 0.02 FPS per dollar.

ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p0.042 fps/$0.036 fps/$0.028 fps/$0.022 fps/$
1440p0.035 fps/$0.028 fps/$0.023 fps/$0.019 fps/$
4k0.019 fps/$0.014 fps/$0.010 fps/$0.008 fps/$

* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)

Performance Limiter Analysis

Core i5-9400F|GeForce RTX 4090
📈Analysis

At 4k ultra, the Core i5-9400F sets the ceiling at about 14 FPS, while the GeForce RTX 4090 could reach 72 FPS. In this scenario, the CPU limits the GPU potential by 81% (FPS gap: 58 FPS). Overall distribution: CPU limits 12/12 cells, GPU limits 0/12, balanced 0/12.

Verdict

CPU Limits GPU

Your Core i5-9400F is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the GeForce RTX 4090 rendering potential remains unused in those settings.

🧩Detailed Breakdown
1080p (Full HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 71%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 71%
HighCPU Limits GPU 73%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 74%
1440p (2K QHD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 65%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 68%
HighCPU Limits GPU 72%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 73%
4K (Ultra HD)
LowCPU Limits GPU 71%
MediumCPU Limits GPU 75%
HighCPU Limits GPU 80%
UltraCPU Limits GPU 81%
Percentages show how much potential FPS of the stronger component is lost because the other component has a lower FPS ceiling.
🧠Methodology

We estimate the maximum FPS the processor can sustain and the maximum FPS the graphics card can sustain in each setting, then compare those limits directly.

Limit Factor formula: (stronger - weaker) / stronger. Example: if CPU ceiling is 200 FPS and GPU ceiling is 140 FPS, then GPU limits CPU by 30%.

CPU Limits GPU means the processor ceiling is lower. GPU Limits CPU means the graphics ceiling is lower. Balanced means the FPS ceilings are close enough that the gap is negligible.

The displayed percentages are derived from FPS ceilings, not generic utilization heuristics.

Red Dead Redemption 2 Requirements Comparison

See how your processor and graphics card compare against the game official minimum and recommended system specs. The placement of your hardware is calculated using relative synthetic performance scores to help you gauge overall playability.

CPU - Core i5-9400F
cpu icon
9,462
Your Score
MinimumCore i5-2500K
RecommendedCore i7-4770K
GPU - GeForce RTX 4090
gpu icon
38,112
Your Score
MinimumGeForce GTX 770
RecommendedGeForce GTX 1060

Your CPU is 4% above and your GPU is 279% above the recommended specs. High/Ultra at 1080p. Lower settings for higher resolutions.

CPU

+4%vsrecommended

GPU

+279%vsrecommended

CPU

+128%vsminimum

GPU

+539%vsminimum

Minimum Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTX 770
Processor: Core i5-2500K
Memory: 8 GB
Disk Space: 150 GB
System: Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTX 1060
Processor: Core i7-4770K
Memory: 12 GB
Disk Space: 150 GB
System: Windows 10 64-bit

Frequently Asked Questions

1Can the Core i5-9400F and GeForce RTX 4090 run Red Dead Redemption 2 well?

The Core i5-9400F and GeForce RTX 4090 will struggle to run Red Dead Redemption 2 at smooth framerates. At 1080p Ultra, you can expect around 38 FPS which is classified as "playable". Consider lowering settings or upgrading your hardware.

2Is there a more cost-effective setup to run Red Dead Redemption 2?

This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $1729 ($80 CPU (Rank #133 Value) + $1649 GPU (Rank #77 Value)). Since the CPU is the main limiting factor, investing in a stronger processor will improve your framerates and overall value. For example, the Ryzen 9 9950X is a great upgrade option for around $649 (Rank #5 for value).

3Which component should I upgrade first to improve Red Dead Redemption 2 performance?

For Red Dead Redemption 2, upgrading the CPU would have the biggest impact on performance. The Core i5-9400F is currently the limiting factor — the GeForce RTX 4090 has extra headroom that a faster processor could take advantage of. This is especially noticeable at 1080p where CPU performance matters more. CPU-limited at: 1080p low, 1080p medium, 1080p high, 1080p ultra, 1440p low, 1440p medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.

4Does this setup support Frame Generation for Red Dead Redemption 2?

Red Dead Redemption 2 does not currently support Frame Generation technologies like DLSS 3 or FSR 3. Your performance is based entirely on native rendering. If the game adds support in a future update, newer GPUs will benefit the most.

5What are the minimum and recommended specs for Red Dead Redemption 2?

Red Dead Redemption 2 requires at minimum a Core i5-2500K (CPU) and GeForce GTX 770 (GPU) with 8 GB RAM and 150 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i7-4770K and GeForce GTX 1060 with 12 GB RAM. Your Core i5-9400F and GeForce RTX 4090 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.

6How accurate are these Red Dead Redemption 2 FPS estimates for the Core i5-9400F and GeForce RTX 4090?

These Red Dead Redemption 2 FPS results are not arbitrary numbers. They come from calculations informed by thousands of real gaming benchmarks, and the typical accuracy range is around 10% to 15%. That makes them far more useful than generic FPS calculators that simply invent values without a benchmark foundation. Actual in-game performance can still vary with drivers, updates, RAM configuration, cooling, and the exact scene being rendered.

Performance estimates are based on synthetic benchmarks and hardware capabilities.

Results may vary based on drivers, OS, and background processes.