Fortnite

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 built on the Alder Lake architecture, using a hybrid design that pairs performance and efficiency cores. Its base clock runs at 3.70 GHz, with a boost clock reaching 4.90 GHz, and it draws a 125 W TDP. The chip sits on the Intel Socket 1700 platform and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, though the benchmark data does not specify which memory type was used for these Fortnite runs.

In synthetic testing, the i5-12600KF posts a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23391 and a single-core score of 3302. Its Geekbench results are 12137 multicore and 2157 single-core. The 3DMark suite shows a max-threads score of 7952 and a single-thread score of 1016. These numbers place the CPU in the 79th percentile among all tested processors, with an average benchmark score of 27799.

Relative to its nearest rivals, the i5-12600KF is effectively tied with several other chips. It sits 0.3% behind the Intel Core i9-10900K (average score 27872), 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 6800U (27887), and 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (27896). It is 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE (27712). These sub-1% deltas indicate that, in aggregate CPU performance, the i5-12600KF occupies a densely packed competitive tier.

For Fortnite specifically, the CPU's single-thread strength matters more than raw multicore throughput, as the game's engine tends to favor a few heavily loaded threads. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1995 and 4-thread score of 3806 suggest the processor can deliver strong performance when only a handful of cores are active. The 16-thread score of 7956 is nearly identical to the max-threads score of 7952, indicating that scaling plateaus after roughly 16 threads — a pattern consistent with a game that does not fully utilize all available core resources.

The boost clock of 4.90 GHz is the key figure for Fortnite's frame pacing. Higher single-thread clocks directly translate to faster draw call processing and physics updates. The measured FPS data shows that at 1080p Low settings, the combo reaches 361 FPS average, which is a scenario where the CPU is likely the primary limiter. At this setting, the GPU has relatively little work to do, so the frame rate ceiling is dictated by how quickly the CPU can feed the render pipeline.

The i5-12600KF's L3 cache is 20 MB shared, with 1.25 MB L2 per core and 80 KB L1 per core. Fortnite's map streaming and asset loading benefit from cache locality, though the benchmark results do not isolate cache effects. The processor's 10 nm process node and 215 mm² die size are listed in the fact pack, but these physical attributes have no direct bearing on the measured FPS values.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, using the GB205 chip fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It packs 31,100 million transistors onto a 263 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 118.3M per mm². The GPU carries 12 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock is 2325 MHz with a boost clock of 2512 MHz, and memory runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective).

The RTX 5070 features 6144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 80 raster operation units. It also includes 48 ray tracing cores and 192 tensor cores. Pixel rate is 201.0 GPixel/s, texture rate is 482.3 GTexel/s, and FP32 throughput is 30.87 TFLOPS. The card draws 250 W TDP and requires a 600 W suggested PSU, connected via a single 16-pin power connector. It occupies a dual-slot form factor measuring 245 mm in length, 115 mm in height, and 40 mm in width.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5070 scores 5077 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 172660 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 178923 in Geekbench Vulkan. The PassMark suite shows a G3D score of 29137 and a GPU compute score of 15787. These results place the GPU in the 82nd percentile among all tested graphics cards, with an average benchmark score of 40377.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 5070 is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40318) and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40063). It trails the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 by 1.2% (40870) and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile by 2% (39568). The deltaPct values are all within a narrow band, meaning the RTX 5070's aggregate compute performance is competitive with those workstation-class parts, though the gaming scenario in Fortnite may diverge from these synthetic averages.

Fortnite's performance at various settings reveals the GPU's role in determining frame rates. At 4K Ultra, the combo manages only 44 FPS average, which is a clear sign that the GPU is fully saturated at the highest settings. The 12 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for Fortnite's texture requirements at 4K, but the rendering load from Ultra settings — which likely include high-resolution shadows, reflections, and post-processing effects — pushes the GPU to its limit.

The RTX 5070's memory bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s becomes increasingly important at higher resolutions. At 4K, the GPU must move more texture data per frame, and the GDDR7 memory provides ample headroom. However, the measured FPS drop from 121 FPS at 4K Low to 44 FPS at 4K Ultra (a 63.6% reduction) indicates that the GPU's shader and raster throughput, rather than bandwidth, is the binding constraint.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a predictable pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 361 FPS at 1080p to 229 FPS at 1440p (a 36.6% drop), and then to 121 FPS at 4K (a 47.2% drop from 1440p). This steep decline suggests that even at Low settings, the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor at higher resolutions, though the 1080p result of 361 FPS is likely constrained by the CPU.

At High settings, the scaling is similar but with lower absolute values. The combo delivers 197 FPS at 1080p, 125 FPS at 1440p (a 36.5% drop), and 66 FPS at 4K (a 47.2% drop from 1440p). The proportional drops are nearly identical to Low settings, indicating that the resolution scaling penalty is consistent regardless of graphics quality.

Medium settings show the same trend with mid-range values. The average FPS is 254 at 1080p, 162 at 1440p (a 36.2% drop), and 85 at 4K (a 47.5% drop from 1440p). The min and max FPS at Medium settings are 216/292 at 1080p, 137/186 at 1440p, and 73/98 at 4K. These ranges show that frame pacing remains stable across resolutions, with the spread between min and max staying roughly proportional to the average.

Ultra settings exhibit the most dramatic drop. The combo produces 130 FPS at 1080p, 83 FPS at 1440p (a 36.2% drop), and 44 FPS at 4K (a 47.0% drop from 1440p). At 4K Ultra, the frame rate falls below 45 FPS, which is marginal for competitive play but workable for slower-paced modes.

The consistent ~36% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~47% drop from 1440p to 4K across all settings points to the GPU as the dominant scaling factor. If the CPU were the primary limiter, we would expect the 1080p results to be closer to the 1440p results, since the CPU's workload does not change much with resolution. Instead, the frame rate drops roughly in line with the increasing pixel count, indicating that the RTX 5070's fill rate and shading capacity are the binding constraints at higher resolutions.

At 1080p Low, the 361 FPS result suggests the CPU is nearing its limit, as the GPU has relatively little work to do. This is the one scenario in the dataset where the i5-12600KF's single-thread performance likely caps the frame rate. At 4K Ultra, the 44 FPS result shows the GPU is overwhelmed, and the CPU has plenty of headroom. The crossover point where the balance shifts from CPU-bound to GPU-bound appears to occur somewhere between 1080p and 1440p at the higher settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Fortnite?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 361, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is followed by 254 FPS at 1080p Medium and 229 FPS at 1440p Low.

Q: How does the i5-12600KF compare to its nearest CPU rival in aggregate benchmarks?

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

Q: What is the frame rate at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings, the combo achieves an average of 44 FPS. This is the lowest measured result in the dataset, indicating the GPU is fully saturated at this configuration.

Q: Does the RTX 5070 outperform its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5070 has an average benchmark score of 40377. It is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 580 (40318) and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40063), but 1.2% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (40870) and 2% behind the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (39568).

Q: How much FPS is lost when moving from 1080p to 4K at Medium settings?

A: At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 254 at 1080p to 162 at 1440p, then to 85 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 169 FPS, representing a 66.5% reduction in average frame rate.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested configurations for Fortnite?

A: This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 773rd out of 3700 tested combos for Fortnite, placing it in the top 20.9% of all configurations in the database.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12600KF + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 combination ranks 773rd out of 3700 tested combos for Fortnite. This places the pair in the 79.1th percentile of all configurations — meaning it outperforms roughly four out of every five tested setups in the database.

The rank reflects a balance between the CPU's 79th percentile standing among all processors and the GPU's 82nd percentile among all graphics cards. The combo sits slightly higher than either component's individual percentile, suggesting that the pairing is well-matched for Fortnite's workload. The CPU's strong single-thread performance (3302 in Cinebench R23 single-core) and the GPU's high raster throughput (30.87 TFLOPS FP32) complement each other effectively.

Given that the rank is 773 out of 3700, the combo is not at the absolute top tier — those positions are reserved for flagship CPUs paired with flagship GPUs. However, the 1080p Low result of 361 FPS indicates this configuration can drive high-refresh-rate monitors at competitive settings. The 4K Ultra result of 44 FPS shows that the combo is less suited for maxed-out 4K gaming, but it remains playable at lower settings.

The narrow deltaPct values among nearest rivals for both components suggest that small benchmark differences translate to minimal real-world performance deltas. The i5-12600KF's nearest CPU rival, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, is only 0.3% ahead in aggregate score, and the RTX 5070's nearest GPU rival, the Radeon Pro 580, is only 0.1% behind. These margins are within noise for synthetic benchmarks, so the combo's rank is primarily determined by the specific game's scaling characteristics rather than raw component scores.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The dataset provides average FPS measurements for four settings levels (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) across three resolutions, with min/max values available only for Medium settings.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 361 FPS average
• Medium: 254 FPS average, with min 216 and max 292
• High: 197 FPS average
• Ultra: 130 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 229 FPS average
• Medium: 162 FPS average, with min 137 and max 186
• High: 125 FPS average
• Ultra: 83 FPS average

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 121 FPS average
• Medium: 85 FPS average, with min 73 and max 98
• High: 66 FPS average
• Ultra: 44 FPS average

The Medium settings data provides the only min/max information in the dataset. At 1080p Medium, the frame rate ranges from 216 to 292 FPS, a spread of 76 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range narrows to 137-186 FPS (a 49 FPS spread). At 4K Medium, the range tightens further to 73-98 FPS (a 25 FPS spread). This narrowing spread at higher resolutions indicates that frame time variance decreases as the GPU becomes the bottleneck, producing more consistent frame pacing.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings grows with resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low (361 FPS) and Ultra (130 FPS) is 231 FPS. At 1440p, the gap narrows to 146 FPS (229 vs. 83). At 4K, the gap is 77 FPS (121 vs. 44). This pattern shows that the GPU's workload scaling with settings is more pronounced at higher resolutions, where pixel count multiplies the cost of each graphical feature.

The frame rate ratios between settings are consistent across resolutions. At 1080p, Ultra delivers 36.0% of Low's performance (130/361). At 1440p, Ultra delivers 36.2% of Low's performance (83/229). At 4K, Ultra delivers 36.4% of Low's performance (44/121). This consistency suggests that the relative cost of Ultra settings over Low settings is independent of resolution — each setting tier imposes a similar multiplicative penalty regardless of pixel count.