Fortnite

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

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread Raptor Lake-S desktop processor built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The chip carries a 125 W TDP and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel memory bus. Its cache layout includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU also integrates UHD Graphics 770, though Fortnite benchmark results are driven by the discrete GPU in this combo.

In multi-threaded workloads, the i7-13700K posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39000 and a single-core score of 5505. Its Geekbench multi-core score is 17731, with a single-core score of 2850. The processor's 3DMark scores scale from 1136 in single-thread tests to 12412 at max threads. PassMark multi-thread performance hits 45887, while single-thread reaches 4333. These results place the CPU in the 93rd percentile among all processors, indicating strong headroom for game logic and physics.

For Fortnite, the CPU's role is less about raw core count and more about maintaining high frame pacing. The game's Battle Royale mode relies on consistent single-thread throughput for actor updates and building mechanics. The i7-13700K's single-core Cinebench R20 score of 2312 and PassMark single-thread score of 4333 suggest it can keep up with the RTX 2060 SUPER's output at lower resolutions. The CPU's 16 cores also handle background tasks and streaming without contention, which matters in a live-service title with frequent asset loads.

Compared to its nearest rivals, the i7-13700K sits within a tight margin. It trails the Intel Core i7-13700KF by 0.1% in average benchmark score, with the KF scoring 47334 versus 47282. It edges out the AMD EPYC 4364P by 0.3% (47131) and the Intel Core i9-12900F by 0.4% (47081). The AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 leads by 0.5% with a score of 47527. These deltas are negligible, meaning the i7-13700K's gaming performance is essentially on par with its closest alternatives.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER ranks 1095 out of 1564 tested combos in Fortnite. This places the pairing in the lower-middle tier of the database, which is notable given the CPU's high percentile. The RTX 2060 SUPER is the limiting factor here, as the GPU sits in the 63rd percentile among all graphics cards. The combo's rank reflects that the CPU is not the bottleneck; instead, the GPU's mid-range position drags the overall standing.

The RTX 2060 SUPER's average benchmark score is 19774, with a PassMark G3D score of 16462 and a DirectX 12 score of 61. Its Geekbench Vulkan score reaches 83503, while OpenCL hits 87670. The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (19706, 0.3% behind), the RTX 2070 (19680, 0.5% behind), the Quadro K5200 (19623, 0.8% behind), and the Tesla K40m (19519, 1.3% behind). This clustering means the 2060 SUPER is competitive within its class, but it does not have the headroom to push high-refresh 1080p or smooth 4K in Fortnite.

The combo rank of 1095/1564 suggests that most faster pairings use higher-tier GPUs. The i7-13700K is capable of feeding much stronger graphics cards, but with the 2060 SUPER, the system is balanced toward 1080p and 1440p play rather than 4K. Benchmark data confirms this: at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 206.9 FPS, which is above the 144 Hz threshold for many monitors. At 1440p Low, it still hits 128.8 FPS, making it viable for competitive settings. The rank implies that users upgrading the GPU would see a disproportionate FPS gain without changing the CPU.

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

Resolution scaling in Fortnite reveals a clear GPU-bound pattern. At 1080p Low, the combo delivers 206.9 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low drops that to 128.8 FPS, a reduction of 78.1 FPS or roughly 38%. At 4K Low, the average falls to 69.3 FPS, which is about 46% lower than 1440p Low and 66% lower than 1080p Low. These steep drops indicate the RTX 2060 SUPER is the primary constraint, as the i7-13700K has ample headroom to process frames at higher resolutions.

The same trend appears at Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the combo hits 143.4 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it falls to 91.8 FPS, a 36% reduction. At 4K Medium, the average drops to 47.9 FPS, which is 67% below the 1080p result. This scaling pattern is consistent with a GPU that has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. The memory bandwidth becomes a limiting factor as pixel count grows, especially with higher texture quality settings.

High settings show a similar curve: 115.2 FPS at 1080p, 74.2 FPS at 1440p, and 35.9 FPS at 4K. The 4K High result is below 60 FPS, making it unsuitable for smooth play. Ultra settings are more punishing, with 76.5 FPS at 1080p, 47 FPS at 1440p, and 28 FPS at 4K. The fact that 1080p Ultra still holds above 60 FPS while 1440p Ultra dips below 50 FPS confirms that the GPU is the limiting component. The i7-13700K's compute scores, such as Cinebench R20 multi-core of 16380, are far above what Fortnite requires at any resolution.

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

At 1920x1080, the combo produces its highest frame rates. Low settings average 206.9 FPS, Medium averages 143.4 FPS, High averages 115.2 FPS, and Ultra averages 76.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 130.4 FPS, showing that settings have a large impact on the GPU's workload. Even at Ultra, the system stays above 60 FPS, but competitive players will prefer Low for the highest refresh.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 128.8 FPS, Medium averages 91.8 FPS, High averages 74.2 FPS, and Ultra averages 47 FPS. The 1440p Ultra result falls below the 60 FPS threshold, meaning users must dial back settings to maintain smooth gameplay. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 81.8 FPS, which is narrower than at 1080p due to the GPU being more heavily loaded.

At 3840x2160, the RTX 2060 SUPER struggles. Low settings average 69.3 FPS, Medium averages 47.9 FPS, High averages 35.9 FPS, and Ultra averages 28 FPS. The 4K Low result is the only one above 60 FPS, and it barely clears it. The 4K Ultra result of 28 FPS is unplayable for most users, indicating that this combo is not designed for 4K gaming in Fortnite. The data shows a consistent pattern: each doubling of resolution roughly halves the frame rate, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-13700K the bottleneck in this Fortnite combo?

A: No. The CPU ranks in the 93rd percentile among all processors, with a PassMark multi-thread score of 45887. The GPU ranks in the 63rd percentile, and resolution scaling shows steep FPS drops from 1080p to 4K, indicating the RTX 2060 SUPER is the limiting component.

Q: Can this combo run Fortnite at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Only at Low settings, where it averages 69.3 FPS. At Medium it drops to 47.9 FPS, at High to 35.9 FPS, and at Ultra to 28 FPS. For 60 FPS at 4K, users would need a stronger GPU.

Q: What is the best settings preset for competitive play at 1080p?

A: Low settings deliver the highest average at 206.9 FPS, which exceeds 144 Hz refresh rates. Medium settings still produce 143.4 FPS, while High drops to 115.2 FPS and Ultra to 76.5 FPS.

Q: How does the i7-13700K compare to its nearest rival, the i7-13700KF?

A: The i7-13700K has an average benchmark score of 47282, which is 0.1% lower than the i7-13700KF's 47334. The performance difference is negligible in real-world gaming.

Q: Does the RTX 2060 SUPER outperform the RTX 2070 in the benchmark database?

A: No. The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average score of 19774, while the RTX 2070 scores 19680. The 2060 SUPER is 0.5% ahead of the 2070, not behind.

Q: What memory bandwidth does the RTX 2060 SUPER have, and does it affect 4K performance?

A: The GPU has 448.0 GB/s bandwidth via 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus. The 4K FPS drops (69.3 at Low, 28 at Ultra) suggest bandwidth and shader throughput are insufficient for high-resolution Fortnite.