Counter-Strike 2

# Counter-Strike 2: Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 lands at rank 936 out of 1632 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2, placing it in the upper-middle tier of the database. This combination delivers playable frame rates at every tested resolution, though the gap between low and ultra settings widens dramatically as resolution drops. The CPU, a 6-core/12-thread Alder Lake-S part with an 18 MB shared L3 cache, posts a 77th percentile score against all CPUs, while the GPU, built on TSMC's 5 nm process with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, sits at the 66th percentile among all GPUs. Together, they produce a system that excels at high-refresh 1080p gaming but shows clear GPU limitations at 4K ultra.

How This Combo Ranks

At rank 936 of 1632 tested combinations, this pairing sits just past the 57th percentile of all CPU-GPU combos tested in Counter-Strike 2. The ranking reflects a balanced but not exceptional pairing: the i5-12400's average benchmark score of 19850 places it virtually neck-and-neck with the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831, +0.1%) and the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894, -0.2%), while trailing the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX (19928, -0.4%) by a negligible margin. The RTX 4060's average benchmark score of 23181 similarly aligns with the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23321, -0.6%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (23338, -0.7%), while edging out the Intel Arc B580 (23021, +0.7%) and AMD Radeon 760M (22999, +0.8%).

The combo's mid-pack ranking stems from the CPU's strong single-thread performance—evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2249—which matters greatly in a competitive FPS like Counter-Strike 2. However, the GPU's 66th percentile standing limits ultra-setting performance at higher resolutions. The data indicates this is a 1080p-centric setup that can stretch to 1440p with settings adjustments, but the 4K ultra result of 69.7 FPS shows the GPU becoming the primary constraint.

FAQ

Q: How does this combo compare to the nearest CPU rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-12400's average score of 19850 is effectively tied with the i7-9700 (19831, +0.1%) and i7-8700 (19894, -0.2%), and trails the Threadripper PRO 5995WX (19928, -0.4%) by just 0.4%. This indicates the CPU is not a differentiator in this combo's ranking.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking and what does it imply?

A: The RTX 4060 sits at the 66th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 23181. This places it slightly below the RX 6600M (23321, -0.6%) and GTX 780 Ti (23338, -0.7%), but above the Arc B580 (23021, +0.7%) and Radeon 760M (22999, +0.8%).

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming in Counter-Strike 2?

A: Yes, but with caveats. At 4K low settings, it averages 142 FPS, while 4K medium drops to 114.7 FPS, 4K high to 89.5 FPS, and 4K ultra to 69.7 FPS. The 4K ultra result is playable but not competitive-grade.

Q: What is the best resolution for high-refresh-rate monitors?

A: At 1080p, all settings exceed 185 FPS, with low settings reaching 379.6 FPS and medium hitting 314.3 FPS. At 1440p, low (252.5 FPS) and medium (209.1 FPS) stay above 200 FPS, making either resolution viable for 240Hz displays.

Q: How does the CPU's memory support affect performance?

A: The i5-12400 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration. The benchmark data does not distinguish between memory types, but the CPU's 3DMark 16-thread score of 5873 and max-thread score of 5890 suggest robust multi-threaded capability for game logic.

Q: Is the GPU considered end-of-life?

A: Yes, the production status is listed as "End-of-life," with the GeForce 50 series as its successor. Despite this, the data shows it remains competitive with current mid-range options like the Intel Arc B580.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a predictable pattern of GPU-bound performance. At low settings, the drop from 379.6 FPS at 1080p to 252.5 FPS at 1440p represents a 33.5% reduction, and further to 142 FPS at 4K—a 62.6% decrease from 1080p. This steep decline indicates the RTX 4060's 8 GB memory buffer and 128-bit bus become limiting factors as pixel count quadruples.

At medium settings, the scaling is similar: 314.3 FPS at 1080p falls to 209.1 FPS at 1440p (-33.5%) and 114.7 FPS at 4K (-63.5%). High settings show 239.2 FPS at 1080p, 157.3 FPS at 1440p (-34.2%), and 89.5 FPS at 4K (-62.6%). Ultra settings produce 185 FPS at 1080p, 120.2 FPS at 1440p (-35.0%), and 69.7 FPS at 4K (-62.3%).

The consistent ~33-35% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~62-63% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings strongly suggests the GPU is the limiting component at higher resolutions. The CPU, with its strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core: 2249), maintains adequate frame pacing even at 1080p ultra where 185 FPS is achieved. The data indicates that for competitive play, 1080p or 1440p with medium-to-high settings offers the best balance, while 4K is only viable at low or medium settings for casual play.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data supports different optimal settings depending on the target resolution and use case. For competitive play at 1080p, low settings deliver 379.6 FPS, which exceeds the refresh rate of virtually all gaming monitors, while medium settings at 314.3 FPS still provide a massive headroom for 240Hz displays. High settings at 239.2 FPS remain above 200 FPS, making them a reasonable compromise for players who want better visuals without sacrificing responsiveness.

At 1440p, low settings (252.5 FPS) and medium settings (209.1 FPS) both clear the 200 FPS threshold, suitable for high-refresh monitors. High settings at 157.3 FPS remain playable for 144Hz displays, while ultra at 120.2 FPS is borderline for competitive play but acceptable for casual sessions. The data suggests avoiding ultra at 1440p if frame rate consistency is a priority.

For 4K, the recommendation shifts dramatically. Low settings at 142 FPS provide the only truly competitive option, while medium (114.7 FPS) and high (89.5 FPS) are playable for casual play. Ultra at 69.7 FPS is technically playable but falls below the 72 FPS threshold often cited for smooth motion, making it the least recommended configuration. The overall pattern indicates that medium settings offer the best balance of visual fidelity and performance across all resolutions, with the 1440p medium result of 209.1 FPS standing out as the sweet spot for this combo.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080: Low settings produce the highest average at 379.6 FPS, followed by medium at 314.3 FPS, high at 239.2 FPS, and ultra at 185 FPS. The spread from low to ultra is 194.6 FPS, representing a 51.3% performance penalty for maximum visual quality.

2560x1440: Low settings average 252.5 FPS, medium delivers 209.1 FPS, high reaches 157.3 FPS, and ultra bottoms out at 120.2 FPS. The delta between low and ultra is 132.3 FPS, a 52.4% reduction, showing similar relative scaling to 1080p.

3840x2160: Low settings yield 142 FPS, medium produces 114.7 FPS, high manages 89.5 FPS, and ultra drops to 69.7 FPS. The gap from low to ultra is 72.3 FPS, a 50.9% decrease, indicating that the GPU's limitations become more pronounced as resolution increases.

The data confirms that this combo delivers its best competitive performance at 1080p low or medium, where frame rates exceed 300 FPS. At 1440p, medium settings provide the most balanced experience, while 4K is best reserved for low settings to maintain playable frame rates. The RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 272.0 GB/s bandwidth appear sufficient for Counter-Strike 2's engine at all tested configurations, but the GPU's compute capabilities (15.11 TFLOPS FP32) limit ultra-setting performance at higher resolutions.