Fortnite

# Fortnite with Intel Core i5-12400 + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER delivers a Fortnite experience that is fundamentally GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet surprisingly CPU-limited at 1080p Low settings. The data shows a combo that ranks in the 83rd percentile of all tested configurations (262nd out of 1,564 combos), with performance ranging from a playable 42.6 FPS at 4K Ultra to an exceptional 374.5 FPS at 1080p Low. This is a pairing that prioritizes high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p, where it maintains over 84 FPS even at Ultra settings, while 4K Ultra remains the only configuration that dips below the 60 FPS threshold.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear pattern of GPU dominance across all settings presets. At Low settings, the average frame rate drops from 374.5 FPS at 1920x1080 to 126.8 FPS at 3840x2160, representing a 66% reduction in performance. This steep decline indicates that the RTX 4070 SUPER's rendering pipeline becomes the limiting factor as pixel count quadruples, with the i5-12400's 6 cores and 12 threads providing ample headroom even at the lower resolution.

The scaling behavior differs notably by preset. At High settings, the drop from 205 FPS at 1080p to 132.7 FPS at 1440p is a moderate 35% decrease, but the subsequent drop to 69.1 FPS at 4K is another 48% reduction. This progressive degradation suggests that higher quality settings amplify the GPU's workload disproportionately, making the 4070 SUPER's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth increasingly critical as resolution climbs.

Ultra settings show the most dramatic scaling, with 133.7 FPS at 1080p falling to 84.1 FPS at 1440p (37% drop) and then to 42.6 FPS at 4K (49% drop from 1440p). The 4K Ultra result of 42.6 FPS is the only configuration where the combo fails to maintain playable frame rates, indicating that this pairing is not designed for maximum fidelity at 2160p. Medium settings follow a similar trajectory, with 267.9 FPS at 1080p, 170.9 FPS at 1440p, and 86.6 FPS at 4K.

How This Combo Ranks

With a rank of 262 out of 1,564 tested combos, this configuration sits comfortably in the top 17% of all CPU-GPU pairings tested in Fortnite. This position reflects the balanced nature of the i5-12400 and RTX 4070 SUPER combination, which avoids significant bottlenecking at most settings while still delivering competitive frame rates. The combo's percentile ranking of 77 for the CPU and 84 for the GPU suggests that the graphics card is the slightly stronger component, which aligns with the observed GPU-bound behavior at higher resolutions.

The rank placement is particularly impressive given that the i5-12400's average benchmark score of 19,850 places it within 0.4% of the Intel Core i5-11600K and just 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-9700. This tight clustering indicates that the CPU's 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a 4.40 GHz boost clock provides consistent performance that does not hold back the RTX 4070 SUPER in most scenarios. The GPU's average benchmark score of 42,576 places it within 0.3% of the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE, showing that this is a mid-to-high-tier graphics solution that performs admirably in a competitive game like Fortnite.

GPU Role

The RTX 4070 SUPER's 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus delivers 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which proves sufficient for Fortnite's art style across all tested settings. The memory clock of 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) combined with the 1980 MHz base and 2475 MHz boost clocks allows the GPU to maintain high utilization even when frame rates exceed 300 FPS at 1080p Low. The 35.48 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 554.4 GTexel/s texture rate are clearly leveraged by Fortnite's rendering engine, particularly at Medium and High settings where the game's visual complexity increases.

The GPU's 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 42,576, places it just 0.2% behind the NVIDIA RTX A6000 and 0.3% behind the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE. This competitive positioning explains why the combo can achieve 237.2 FPS at 1440p Low and 205 FPS at 1080p High — the 4070 SUPER has sufficient compute headroom to drive high refresh rates when the CPU keeps up. However, the 4K Ultra result of 42.6 FPS suggests that the GPU's 80 ROPs and 224 TMUs become saturated when rendering at 2160p with maximum quality, making this resolution a less suitable target for this configuration.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers outstanding performance across all presets. Low settings produce an average of 374.5 FPS, Medium reaches 267.9 FPS, High achieves 205 FPS, and Ultra maintains 133.7 FPS. These results indicate that 1080p gaming is entirely GPU-limited at Low and Medium, with the i5-12400's single-thread performance of 910 in 3DMark and 2,249 in Cinebench R23 providing adequate support for high frame rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain highly playable. Low settings average 237.2 FPS, Medium reaches 170.9 FPS, High delivers 132.7 FPS, and Ultra drops to 84.1 FPS. The 1440p results show a more balanced workload between CPU and GPU, with the gap between Low and Ultra settings narrowing compared to 1080p. This resolution represents the sweet spot for this combo, offering high visual quality without sacrificing the high refresh rates that competitive Fortnite players desire.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings average 126.8 FPS, Medium reaches 86.6 FPS, High delivers 69.1 FPS, and Ultra falls to 42.6 FPS. The 4K results demonstrate that while the RTX 4070 SUPER can handle 4K at lower settings, the 12 GB memory buffer and 192-bit bus limit performance at higher quality presets. The 69.1 FPS at 4K High is still playable, but the 42.6 FPS at 4K Ultra falls below the 60 FPS threshold typically considered minimum for smooth gameplay.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Fortnite at 4K with high settings?

A: Yes, the measured data shows an average of 69.1 FPS at 3840x2160 with High settings, which is playable. However, Ultra settings at 4K drop to 42.6 FPS, making that preset less suitable for competitive play.

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU-GPU pairing?

A: The data indicates 2560x1440 is optimal, with High settings delivering 132.7 FPS and Ultra maintaining 84.1 FPS. This resolution balances visual quality with frame rates well above the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How does the i5-12400 perform compared to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-12400's average benchmark score of 19,850 is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i7-9700 and 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-11600K. It trails the Intel Core i7-8700 by 0.2% and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX by 0.4%.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 SUPER's 12 GB VRAM sufficient for Fortnite?

A: The measured results show no evidence of VRAM limitation, as the combo achieves 126.8 FPS at 4K Low and 86.6 FPS at 4K Medium. The 504.2 GB/s bandwidth appears adequate for this game's requirements.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1080p with competitive settings?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo averages 374.5 FPS. Medium settings yield 267.9 FPS, while High and Ultra deliver 205 FPS and 133.7 FPS respectively, all exceeding the refresh rates of most gaming monitors.

Q: Does this combo bottleneck at any resolution?

A: The data suggests the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck at 4K, where frame rates drop significantly across all settings. At 1080p Low, the CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads appear sufficient to sustain 374.5 FPS without limiting the GPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400's 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz, provide solid single-threaded performance that Fortnite relies on. The CPU's 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,249 demonstrate strong per-core capability, which is essential for a game that typically uses fewer threads at lower settings. The 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 per core help maintain low latency in fast-paced battle scenarios.

The CPU's 77th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19,850, places it in a tight competitive cluster. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-9700, scores 19,831 (0.1% lower), while the Intel Core i5-11600K scores 19,771 (0.4% lower). This positioning indicates that the i5-12400's Alder Lake architecture with its 10 nm process node delivers efficiency and performance that keeps pace with older higher-tier parts, though it does not dominate them.

In Fortnite specifically, the CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions and settings where frame rates exceed 200 FPS. The 374.5 FPS result at 1080p Low suggests the CPU can feed the GPU effectively at high frame rates, but the 205 FPS at 1080p High and 133.7 FPS at 1080p Ultra indicate that the GPU's workload grows faster than the CPU's limitation point. The passmark multithread score of 18,747 and physics score of 1,105 further confirm that the CPU handles the game's physics and logic without creating a significant bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

For players prioritizing competitive performance with maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1920x1080 delivers the highest measured average of 374.5 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors and competitive play. The Medium preset at 1080p, averaging 267.9 FPS, offers a balanced trade-off between visual fidelity and performance, while still providing frame rates well above typical 144 Hz displays.

At 2560x1440, the High preset (132.7 FPS) emerges as the best overall experience, combining strong visual quality with frame rates that comfortably exceed 120 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p (84.1 FPS) remains playable and provides the highest visual fidelity for this resolution, but the 37% performance drop from High to Ultra may not justify the visual improvements for most players. The Medium preset at 1440p (170.9 FPS) is the best choice for players with 144 Hz monitors who want a visual upgrade over Low settings.

For 4K gaming, the Low preset (126.8 FPS) is the only setting that provides a high-refresh-rate experience, while Medium (86.6 FPS) and High (69.1 FPS) offer playable frame rates for cinematic play. The Ultra preset at 4K (42.6 FPS) should be avoided unless players prioritize visual quality over smoothness, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold. Overall, the data recommends 1440p High as the best balance of performance and quality, with 1080p Low serving as the competitive maximum-frames option.