CPU_VS_GPU / 2026-09-11
Intel Core i5-14400vsNVIDIA RTX 4090
Complete bottleneck analysis at 1080p, 1440p, Ultrawide (UWQHD/SUWQHD), and 4K with estimated FPS for popular games.
16%
ESTIMATED CPU BOTTLENECK
Your CPU (Core i5-14400) partially limits the RTX 4090 at 2560x1440. In CPU-heavy scenes you will lose frames. Consider a CPU upgrade or a higher target resolution.
Load estimated by the model, not measured on your PC.
- PROCESSORIntel Core i5-14400
- GRAPHICSNVIDIA RTX 4090
- MEMORY16GB DDR4/DDR5
- RESOLUTION2560x1440
Average across the demanding titles at 2560x1440.
Average across the competitive titles, where the processor leads.
What the build draws (665 W) plus headroom.
DEEP-DIVE ANALYSIS
GENERATED BY THE ENGINEAre the Intel Core i5-14400 and the NVIDIA RTX 4090 a good match? To find out we modelled the pair from 1080p up to 4K, cross-referencing the model's gaming scores for the CPU (73/100) and the GPU (82/100), calibrated against measured benchmarks rather than synthetic scores, with the demand profile of each game.
Bottom line: this pair carries 4K
At 1080p the Core i5-14400 becomes the limiting part (~28% CPU bottleneck), whereas at 4K the RTX 4090 is the limiting part (~13% GPU bottleneck). Of the common 16:9 sizes, the highest this pair holds above 60 FPS in AAA titles is 4K, where it averages 75 FPS — that is the resolution worth buying a monitor for. Across every resolution tested, ultrawides included, the system runs at 84% average efficiency.
Resolution reshuffles the priorities. At 1080p the Core i5-14400's single-thread speed calls the shots; at 4K it's the raw muscle of the RTX 4090 that matters. That shift shows up in the numbers: 72% efficiency at 1080p versus 87% at 4K.
Down to real numbers: In esports titles like Valorant this pair flies — around 618 FPS at 1080p, plenty for a high-refresh monitor. At the other end, a demanding AAA like Alan Wake 2 drops to ~52 FPS at 4K, which is where the RTX 4090's ceiling really shows. Overall, expect about 120 FPS average in AAA games at 1080p and around 75 FPS at 4K.
[CPU] Core i5-14400
The Core i5-14400 (73/100 on the model's gaming scale) brings 10 cores and 16 threads and determines how many frames per second the system can prepare.
[GPU] RTX 4090
The RTX 4090 scores 82/100 on this model's gaming scale. Its 24 GB of GDDR6X set how far it can go on resolution and texture quality before video memory runs short. It draws every pixel, so its weight grows the higher you push the resolution.
On the chemistry of the pair: Both parts come from nearby generations, which usually means a natural pairing with no platform surprises. You're combining an Intel platform with an NVIDIA GPU — a perfectly valid mix that imposes no penalty.
WHAT TO CHANGE, AND WHAT IT COSTS
At 1440p the Core i5-14400 sets the frame rate and leaves part of the RTX 4090 idle. The cheapest processor in our catalogue that keeps the card fully fed and clears our bar (at least 10% more frames) is the Intel Core i5-14600KF: about 18% more in this model, with this card and 16 GB.
The gain is the model's estimate at 2560x1440 with 16 GB, not a measurement of your PC, and prices change: check them at the retailer before deciding.
PRICE OF THIS PAGE'S PAIRING
Affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no cost to you. Full disclosure
SPECIFICATIONS
CATALOGUE DATA[CPU] Intel Core i5-14400
- Cores10C / 16T
- Clock2.5 – 4.7 GHz
- TDP65 W
- SocketLGA1700
- Single-thread3,855
- Multi-thread26,044
- L3 cache20 MB
[GPU] NVIDIA RTX 4090
- VRAM24 GB GDDR6X
- Memory bus384-bit
- TDP450 W
- G3D Mark39,604
- Memory bandwidth1008 GB/s
BOTTLENECK BY RESOLUTION
SYNERGY · AVERAGE FPSYour CPU (Core i5-14400) partially limits the RTX 4090 at 1920x1080. In CPU-heavy scenes you will lose frames. Consider a CPU upgrade or a higher target resolution.
Your CPU (Core i5-14400) partially limits the RTX 4090 at 2560x1440. In CPU-heavy scenes you will lose frames. Consider a CPU upgrade or a higher target resolution.
Your CPU (Core i5-14400) and GPU (RTX 4090) are an exceptionally balanced match for gaming at 3440x1440 (Ultrawide 21:9). No realistic component swap would meaningfully improve this build.
Your GPU (RTX 4090) is a slight limiting factor at 5120x1440 (Super Ultrawide 32:9), with limited real-world impact. Most titles will run smoothly.
Your GPU (RTX 4090) is a slight limiting factor at 4K, with limited real-world impact. Most titles will run smoothly.
ESTIMATED FPS BY GAME
1920x1080SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS
POWER · VRAM & PCIe · RAMPOWER ESTIMATION
The Core i5-14400 (65W) and RTX 4090 (450W) add up to roughly 515W under load. Adding 150W for the rest of the system gives 665W, and with a 30% transient margin, 900W is the safe figure.
VIDEO MEMORY AND PCIe
The RTX 4090's memory bus (384-bit) and bandwidth (1008 GB/s) describe its own video memory, meaning how fast the card reads its 24 GB of GDDR6X, not the PCIe link to the processor. The PCIe link depends on the card, the processor and the motherboard slot together; our catalogue does not record PCIe generation or lane count, so the model does not estimate it. It matters most for cards with an eight-lane interface in older PCIe 3.0 boards: check the card's and the board's specifications.
SYSTEM MEMORY
This page assumes 16 GB in dual channel. At 4K, the resolution recommended above, that meets the model's capacity target of 16 GB (enough for three in four of the games it covers), so more capacity would add little or nothing there. Memory speed and a second channel act on the processor's ceiling instead: they matter in the games the CPU limits, by an amount that depends on the game, and the calculator lets you enter your own kit.
HOW THIS PAGE IS CALCULATED
ENGINE v2026.08 · 2026-09-11CALCULATED, NOT WRITTEN
Every figure and every sentence comes from the same deterministic engine, driven by the catalogue specifications. That is what makes it reproducible: with the same engine version (2026.08) and the same catalogue, the same pairing always gives the same result. When either changes, the version and date above change with it, and the changelog says why.
WHERE THE DATA COMES FROM
Specifications come from the official AMD, Intel and NVIDIA datasheets together with PassMark and TechPowerUp. The gaming indices are calibrated against frame rates published by review outlets (TechPowerUp, TechSpot / Hardware Unboxed, Tom's Hardware, Gamers Nexus, Digital Foundry) rather than synthetic scores. That data is compiled, not measured here: this site runs no test bench of its own.
STATED LIMITS
Figures estimate native raster performance at high/ultra quality, with no ray tracing, upscaling or frame generation. We do not yet publish an externally validated error margin — the accuracy page states exactly where that stands.
* Affiliate disclosure: the Amazon links exist to show pricing. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Recommendation order is decided by the engine and does not depend on commission.
TRY WITH YOUR OWN HARDWARE
Customize RAM, resolution, and discover upgrade recommendations.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
5Does the Intel Core i5-14400 bottleneck the NVIDIA RTX 4090?
At 1080p the Core i5-14400 becomes the limiting part (~28% CPU bottleneck), whereas at 4K the RTX 4090 is the limiting part (~13% GPU bottleneck). Overall, the GPU is the limit at high resolution, with 84% average efficiency across the 12 resolutions our model tests. The resolution we would target with this pair is 4K, where AAA games average 75 FPS.
How many FPS do the Core i5-14400 and RTX 4090 get at 1080p?
At 1080p this combination averages about 120 FPS in AAA games and around 376 FPS in esports titles. In Valorant we estimate up to 618 FPS.
Is this pairing good for 4K gaming?
Yes. At 4K this pairing averages about 75 FPS in AAA titles, at or above the 60 FPS we treat as smooth, with the RTX 4090 setting the limit.
What power supply do I need for the Core i5-14400 and RTX 4090?
With an estimated combined draw of 515W across CPU and GPU, we recommend at least a 900W 80+ Gold supply (ideally ATX 3.0) to run with headroom.
Is the RTX 4090's 24 GB of VRAM enough?
In the model, 24 GB covers all 11 games it tracks even at 4K with high textures, so video memory is not the constraint for this pairing.