Counter-Strike 2

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a high-end combination that produces exceptional frame rates in Counter-Strike 2, a game known for favoring strong single-core CPU performance. The data indicates that this pairing is heavily CPU-limited at lower resolutions, while the GPU becomes more relevant only at 4K with higher settings. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, scaling behavior, and optimal settings for this specific configuration.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance ranking of this CPU and GPU combo in Counter-Strike 2?

A: The combo ranks 112th out of 1632 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7% of all systems tested for this game.

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

A: The i5-12400's average benchmark score of 19850 is effectively tied with the Intel Core i7-9700, which scores 19831 (a 0.1% difference). It is also within 0.4% of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX (19928) and 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894).

Q: How does the GPU stack up against its nearest competitors?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER's average score of 53610 puts it 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT (53489) and 2.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti (52086). It also leads the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M by 0.4% (53414).

Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable at 1080p with this setup?

A: The highest recorded average frame rate is 672.5 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: What is the minimum average FPS recorded across all tested settings and resolutions?

A: The lowest average frame rate is 116.7 FPS, which occurs at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: Does the GPU or CPU act as the primary bottleneck in this game?

A: Based on the scaling patterns, the CPU is the primary limiter at 1080p and 1440p, as frame rates remain extremely high. The GPU only becomes a significant factor at 4K resolution with higher graphics settings, where frame rates drop below the CPU's output ceiling.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is a formidable piece of hardware, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using a 5nm process. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Its boost clock reaches 2550 MHz, and it has 10240 shading units. These specifications position it in the 88th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 53610.

In Counter-Strike 2, the GPU's role is unusual because the game is notoriously CPU-bound. At 1080p, the RTX 4080 SUPER is largely idle, as the CPU limits the frame rate. The data shows that at 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system produces 672.5 FPS, but this number is constrained by the i5-12400's processing speed, not the GPU's capability. The GPU's VRAM and bandwidth are not stressed at this resolution.

The GPU's impact becomes clearer at 4K. At 3840x2160, the rendering load increases significantly, and the GPU begins to influence performance. The difference between Low and High settings at 4K is substantial: 249.6 FPS versus 152.2 FPS. This gap indicates that the RTX 4080 SUPER is working harder to render more detailed frames, but it still maintains excellent playability. The GPU's high pixel rate of 285.6 GPixel/s and texture rate of 816.0 GTexel/s help it handle the increased workload at higher resolutions without collapsing.

The 16 GB VRAM capacity is more than sufficient for Counter-Strike 2 at any setting, and the memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s ensures that texture streaming is not a bottleneck. However, the data suggests that the GPU is never fully utilized until the resolution reaches 4K and settings are pushed to High or Ultra. At lower resolutions, the GPU's power is essentially wasted, as the CPU cannot feed it enough frames.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling across resolutions reveals a classic CPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 672.5 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops this to 443.3 FPS, a reduction of about 34%. At 4K Low, the frame rate falls further to 249.6 FPS, a 63% drop from 1080p. This steep decline shows that even at Low settings, the GPU is becoming more involved as pixel count increases.

The pattern changes with higher settings. At High settings, the frame rates are 416.5 FPS at 1080p, 277.2 FPS at 1440p, and 152.2 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 33%, and from 1440p to 4K is 45%. This steeper decline at 4K indicates that the GPU is now the limiting factor, as the CPU alone cannot explain such a large performance hit.

For Medium settings, the scaling is similar: 558.6 FPS at 1080p, 366.2 FPS at 1440p, and 203.6 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 34% and 44%, respectively. Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling: 320.6 FPS at 1080p, 214.9 FPS at 1440p, and 116.7 FPS at 4K. Here, the 1080p to 1440p drop is 33%, but the 1440p to 4K drop is 46%, confirming that the GPU is heavily taxed at 4K Ultra.

The data shows that the CPU is the bottleneck at 1080p and 1440p across all settings, as the frame rates are high enough that the GPU is not fully engaged. The transition to 4K shifts the balance, and the GPU's workload becomes the primary constraint. The fact that 4K Low (249.6 FPS) is still nearly double the frame rate of 1080p Ultra (320.6 FPS) underscores how much the graphics settings affect the GPU load.

Settings Recommendations

For players using a 1080p or 1440p monitor, the choice of settings has little impact on playability because all presets deliver frame rates well above 200 FPS. At 1080p, even Ultra settings produce 320.6 FPS, which is far beyond the refresh rate of almost any monitor. The data suggests that players can safely use High settings (416.5 FPS at 1080p, 277.2 FPS at 1440p) for a balanced experience, or Ultra if they want maximum visual fidelity without sacrificing competitive performance.

At 4K, the situation requires more consideration. Ultra settings drop to 116.7 FPS, which is still playable but below the refresh rate of many high-end 4K monitors. High settings at 4K yield 152.2 FPS, which is a more comfortable margin. Medium settings offer 203.6 FPS, providing a significant boost over High while maintaining solid visual quality. For competitive play at 4K, Low settings at 249.6 FPS offer the highest frame rates, but the visual compromise may not be worth it for a game like Counter-Strike 2 where visibility is key.

The best recommendation based on the measured rows is to use High settings at 1080p or 1440p, as this provides a strong balance of visual quality and performance. For 4K, Medium settings (203.6 FPS) are the sweet spot, offering a high frame rate while retaining enough graphical detail for a good experience. Ultra settings at 4K are only advisable if the player prioritizes visuals over frame rate and has a monitor with a 120 Hz refresh rate or lower.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 112 out of 1632 tested systems places it in the top 6.9% of all configurations tested in Counter-Strike 2. This is an impressive standing, but it reflects the CPU's strong single-threaded performance as much as the GPU's power. The i5-12400's single-thread benchmark score of 910 in 3dmark and 2249 in Cinebench R23 indicates that it excels at the kind of work Counter-Strike 2 demands.

The CPU's percentile of 77 against all CPUs means it outperforms 77% of processors in general tasks. Its average benchmark score of 19850 is nearly identical to its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, which trails by only 0.1%. This suggests the i5-12400 is a very capable gaming CPU, even compared to older high-end chips.

The GPU's percentile of 88 against all GPUs is higher than the CPU's, indicating that the RTX 4080 SUPER is a more dominant component in this pairing. Its average score of 53610 is 2.9% ahead of the RTX 5070 Ti, which is its fourth-closest rival. This GPU strength means that in games that are more GPU-bound, this combo would likely rank even higher. However, in Counter-Strike 2, the CPU's limitations cap the overall performance, preventing the combo from reaching the top 100.

The combination of a top-quartile CPU and a top-decile GPU results in a system that is well-balanced for this esports title, but the CPU is the weaker link. The rank of 112 indicates that there are 111 other configurations that deliver higher average frame rates, likely featuring faster CPUs like higher-tier 13th or 14th gen parts.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers exceptional performance across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 672.5 FPS, which is the highest recorded value in the entire dataset. Medium settings yield 558.6 FPS, a 17% reduction from Low. High settings drop to 416.5 FPS, which is 38% below Low. Ultra settings produce 320.6 FPS, a 52% reduction from Low. These numbers show that even at the highest preset, the frame rate is more than sufficient for any competitive scenario.

At 2560x1440, the performance remains outstanding. Low settings average 443.3 FPS, which is 34% lower than the same setting at 1080p. Medium settings deliver 366.2 FPS, a 34% drop from 1080p Medium. High settings produce 277.2 FPS, a 33% decline from 1080p High. Ultra settings average 214.9 FPS, which is 33% lower than 1080p Ultra. The consistent percentage drops across settings at this resolution indicate that the CPU is still the primary limiter.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes more prominent. Low settings average 249.6 FPS, which is 44% lower than 1440p Low. Medium settings produce 203.6 FPS, a 44% reduction from 1440p Medium. High settings drop to 152.2 FPS, a 45% decline from 1440p High. Ultra settings average 116.7 FPS, the lowest in the dataset, representing a 46% drop from 1440p Ultra. The steeper percentage declines at 4K confirm that the GPU is now the bottleneck, as the workload increases disproportionately with resolution.

The data reveals a clear hierarchy: 1080p is CPU-bound, 1440p is also CPU-bound, and 4K is GPU-bound. The RTX 4080 SUPER's power is only fully utilized at 4K, and even then, it maintains frame rates above 116 FPS at all settings. This makes the combo extremely versatile, capable of driving high-refresh-rate monitors at 1080p and 1440p, and still delivering smooth gameplay on 4K displays.