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.
Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors
Performance Report
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.
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).
The Core i5-9400F determines the performance ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the GPU has headroom.
Approximated average price on current market:
Combo price: $1729. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 38 FPS, equivalent to 0.02 FPS per dollar.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 0.042 fps/$ | 0.036 fps/$ | 0.028 fps/$ | 0.022 fps/$ |
| 1440p | 0.035 fps/$ | 0.028 fps/$ | 0.023 fps/$ | 0.019 fps/$ |
| 4k | 0.019 fps/$ | 0.014 fps/$ | 0.010 fps/$ | 0.008 fps/$ |
* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)
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.
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.
| Resolution | Low | Medium | High | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p (Full HD) | CPU Limits GPU 71% | CPU Limits GPU 71% | CPU Limits GPU 73% | CPU Limits GPU 74% |
| 1440p (2K QHD) | CPU Limits GPU 65% | CPU Limits GPU 68% | CPU Limits GPU 72% | CPU Limits GPU 73% |
| 4K (Ultra HD) | CPU Limits GPU 71% | CPU Limits GPU 75% | CPU Limits GPU 80% | CPU Limits GPU 81% |
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.
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.
Your CPU is 4% above and your GPU is 279% above the recommended specs. High/Ultra at 1080p. Lower settings for higher resolutions.
+4%vsrecommended
+279%vsrecommended
+128%vsminimum
+539%vsminimum
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
