Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 on this Intel Core i5-12600KF + Intel Arc B570 pairing delivers a playable experience only at 1080p with reduced settings, and even then, the data shows significant frame rate volatility. The benchmark results indicate a system heavily constrained by the graphics card, where CPU headroom is plentiful but cannot compensate for the GPU's limitations at higher resolutions. The measured rows place this combination at rank 2316 out of 2920 tested combos, underscoring that while the hardware is functional, it is positioned for 1080p gaming rather than high-refresh or high-resolution scenarios.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. This hybrid design pairs performance cores with efficiency cores, and the benchmark data confirms it is not the limiting factor in this Cyberpunk 2077 test. The processor's multi-threaded capability is substantial, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 23391 points and a 3DMark max-thread score of 7952. In single-thread workloads, which are often critical for game logic, the chip scores 1016 in 3DMark single-thread and 3302 in Cinebench R23 single-core, indicating strong per-core performance that should handle the game's simulation and AI layers without bottlenecking the frame rate.

The CPU sits at the 79th percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 27799. Its nearest rivals in aggregate performance include the Intel Core i9-10900K (average score 27872, delta -0.3%), the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (average score 27896, delta -0.3%), and the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE (average score 27712, delta +0.3%). These deltas are negligible, meaning the i5-12600KF trades blows with older flagship and newer mid-range parts. In the context of Cyberpunk 2077's measured FPS, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics data; given that the frame rates plummet from 76 FPS at 1080p Low to 20 FPS at 4K High, the bottleneck clearly shifts to the GPU as resolution increases. The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache and dual-channel memory support (DDR4/DDR5) provide adequate bandwidth for the game's open-world streaming, but the data suggests that even at 1080p, the GPU is the primary constraint.

The processor's 125W TDP and unlocked multiplier indicate headroom for overclocking, but the measured results show that pushing the CPU further would yield no tangible FPS gains in this configuration. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7956 versus the max-thread score of 7952 shows that the chip scales almost perfectly with additional threads, meaning all 16 threads are being utilized efficiently. However, in Cyberpunk 2077, the frame pacing at 1080p Medium (56 FPS average, 47 min, 64 max) shows a 17 FPS spread, which is more indicative of GPU load than CPU stalls. The PassMark single-thread score of 3925 further confirms that the i5-12600KF is more than capable of handling the game's single-threaded components, leaving the Arc B570 as the sole arbiter of performance.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B570 is the decisive factor in this benchmark, and its specifications explain the measured performance ceiling. Built on the Xe2-HPG architecture (Battlemage generation) using a 5 nm process from TSMC, the GPU features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, delivering 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective), and the GPU boost clock is fixed at 2500 MHz. These specs are modest for a 2025 release, and the data reflects that: the card scores 14195 in PassMark G3D and 2649 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, placing it at the 65th percentile of all GPUs.

The nearest rivals for the Arc B570 in aggregate benchmarks are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (average score 20534, delta +0.1%), the Intel Arc A750 (average score 20582, delta -0.1%), and the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (average score 20480, delta +0.4%). The delta percentages are within a fraction of a percent, indicating that the B570's raw compute is statistically identical to a mobile RTX 3070 and the previous-generation Arc A750. However, in Cyberpunk 2077, the GPU's 80 ROPs and 144 TMUs are tasked with heavy rasterization, and the 10 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p but becomes a limiting factor at higher resolutions where texture detail and geometry demand more memory.

The GPU's FP32 throughput of 11.52 TFLOPS and 18 ray tracing cores suggest it can handle some RT workloads, but the measured FPS data does not include RT-enabled settings. At 1080p High, the card averages 41 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The 150W TDP and suggested 450W PSU indicate this is a mid-range power draw, but the performance per watt is not exceptional given the frame rates. The GPU's PCIe 4.0 x8 interface could theoretically bottleneck on older platforms, but with the i5-12600KF's Gen 4 support, this is not a factor here. The data shows that the Arc B570's memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s is insufficient to maintain playable frame rates at 1440p or 4K, where the average FPS drops to 31 and 20 respectively at High settings, confirming that the GPU is the sole performance limiter.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS rows, the only preset that delivers a consistently playable experience is 1080p Low, which averages 76 FPS. This is the sole configuration that exceeds the 60 FPS threshold, and it does so with enough headroom to accommodate demanding scenes. The 1080p Medium preset averages 56 FPS, which is playable but with a min FPS of 47 and max of 64, indicating noticeable frame dips during heavy action. For competitive or fast-paced play, 1080p Low is the recommended preset, as it provides the best balance of smoothness and visual clarity.

At 1440p, the data shows that no preset achieves 60 FPS. The 1440p Low preset averages 56 FPS, which is technically playable but with no min/max data provided, the average is too close to the 60 FPS line to guarantee stability. The 1440p Medium preset averages 42 FPS with a min of 35 and max of 48, which is a poor experience for an action RPG that requires precise aiming and reaction times. For 4K, all presets are below 40 FPS, with Ultra averaging 19 FPS and High at 20 FPS, making 4K unplayable regardless of settings.

The optimal compromise is 1080p Medium, which at 56 FPS average offers a significant visual upgrade over Low while staying within a reasonable frame rate range. The 47 FPS minimum is concerning but acceptable for a single-player RPG where frame drops are less disruptive than in multiplayer shooters. The data shows a clear trend: each step up in resolution costs roughly 25-30% of the frame rate, and each step up in settings costs approximately 20-25%. Therefore, for users prioritizing frame rate, 1080p Low is the only choice; for those prioritizing visuals, 1080p Medium is the highest playable preset.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for this hardware in Cyberpunk 2077?

A: The measured data shows that 1080p Low is the only preset averaging above 60 FPS (76 FPS). 1080p Medium averages 56 FPS, which is playable but with dips to 47 FPS. Higher resolutions do not reach playable frame rates.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-12600KF compare to its rivals in CPU benchmarks?

A: The i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27799, which is 0.3% lower than the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (27896) and 0.3% lower than the Intel Core i9-10900K (27872). It is 0.3% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE (27712).

Q: Is the Intel Arc B570 capable of ray tracing in this game?

A: The GPU has 18 ray tracing cores, but the measured FPS data does not include any RT-enabled presets. All measured rows are for standard Low, Medium, High, and Ultra settings without RT, so no conclusion can be drawn about RT performance from this dataset.

Q: Why does the frame rate drop so severely from 1080p to 4K?

A: The frame rate drops from 76 FPS at 1080p Low to 37 FPS at 4K Low, a reduction of 39 FPS. This indicates the GPU is the limiting component, as the CPU has ample headroom with its 10 cores and 16 threads.

Q: What is the GPU's performance percentile compared to all GPUs?

A: The Intel Arc B570 sits at the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20556. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A750, scores 20582 with a delta of -0.1%.

Q: Does the CPU's 20 MB of L3 cache impact gaming performance?

A: The i5-12600KF has 20 MB of shared L3 cache, which is typical for this class. The benchmark results show the CPU is not a bottleneck, as frame rates scale predictably with resolution, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data reveals a stark resolution scaling behavior that confirms the GPU as the sole bottleneck. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 76 at 1080p to 56 at 1440p (a 26.3% reduction) and then to 37 at 4K (a 51.3% reduction from 1080p). This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario, where the CPU can easily supply frames but the GPU's pixel throughput and memory bandwidth are exhausted as resolution increases. The Arc B570's 380.0 GB/s bandwidth and 10 GB VRAM are insufficient for the higher pixel counts, leading to the sharp decline.

At Medium settings, the drop is from 56 FPS at 1080p to 42 FPS at 1440p (a 25% reduction) and then to 27 FPS at 4K (a 51.8% reduction from 1080p). The consistency of these percentage drops across settings indicates that the GPU's fill rate, not texture memory, is the limiting factor. The 4K High preset (20 FPS) and 4K Ultra (19 FPS) are within 1 FPS of each other, suggesting that at 4K, the GPU is completely saturated regardless of the visual fidelity, with both presets hitting a hard performance wall.

The data also shows that the CPU's role diminishes as resolution increases. At 1080p Low, the 76 FPS average is likely still GPU-limited, as the i5-12600KF's single-thread score of 3302 in Cinebench R23 suggests it could push higher frame rates in less demanding titles. The fact that 1080p Ultra (39 FPS) is nearly double the 4K Ultra (19 FPS) further proves that the GPU's rendering capacity, rather than CPU physics or AI, is the dominant constraint. For users seeking higher FPS, the only solution is to reduce resolution, as the CPU offers no headroom to compensate for GPU limitations.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this hardware combination's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 76 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate in the entire dataset. The Medium preset averages 56 FPS with a minimum of 47 and maximum of 64, showing a 17 FPS spread that indicates inconsistent frame pacing. High settings at 1080p average 41 FPS, while Ultra drops to 39 FPS, a mere 2 FPS difference that suggests the Ultra preset's additional effects are not the primary cost at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 56 FPS, which is identical to the 1080p Medium average, highlighting the cost of resolution over settings. Medium at 1440p averages 42 FPS with a minimum of 35 and maximum of 48, a 13 FPS spread that is tighter than at 1080p. High settings at 1440p average 31 FPS, and Ultra averages 29 FPS. The gap between High and Ultra at 1440p is 2 FPS, similar to 1080p, but the absolute numbers are significantly lower, underscoring the GPU's struggle as pixel count increases.

At 3840x2160, the performance collapses. Low settings average 37 FPS, Medium averages 27 FPS with a minimum of 23 and maximum of 32, High averages 20 FPS, and Ultra averages 19 FPS. The 4K Ultra preset's 19 FPS is the lowest measured value, and it is only 1 FPS below the 4K High preset, indicating that at this resolution, the GPU has hit a hard ceiling where settings have almost no impact. The data shows a clear pattern: from 1080p Low to 4K Ultra, the frame rate drops by 57 FPS (from 76 to 19), a 75% reduction. This breakdown confirms that the Intel Arc B570 is a 1080p-oriented card, with 1440p only viable on Low settings and 4K being entirely unsuitable for playable frame rates.