Minecraft

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 delivers a formidable Minecraft experience, characterized by extreme frame rates that are often limited by the engine's single-threaded nature rather than the graphics hardware. The data set shows a clear pattern of diminishing returns as resolution increases, with the combo ranking in the 54th percentile of all tested combinations for this title. This analysis breaks down the measured performance across resolutions and settings, interprets the role of each component, and answers common questions based strictly on the provided benchmark figures.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for this combo in Minecraft reveals a distinct scaling pattern from 1080p to 4K. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 461 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at Low settings drops this to 291 FPS, a reduction of 170 FPS. At 3840x2160 with Low settings, the average is 152 FPS, which is 309 FPS lower than the 1080p result. This indicates that even at the lowest graphical preset, the rendering load at 4K is substantial enough to cut performance by roughly two-thirds compared to 1080p.

The scaling pattern shifts notably when examining higher settings. At High settings, the progression is 290 FPS at 1080p, 183 FPS at 1440p, and 96 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 107 FPS, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 87 FPS. This suggests a more linear scaling curve at High settings compared to Low, where the 1440p to 4K transition results in a larger absolute loss. The Ultra preset shows a similar trend, with 181 FPS at 1080p, 114 FPS at 1440p, and 60 FPS at 4K.

The data strongly indicates that at 1080p, particularly with lower settings, the system is heavily CPU-bound. The jump from 365 FPS at Medium to 461 FPS at Low at 1080p demonstrates that reducing graphical load has a massive impact, but the ceiling is still high. At 4K, the GPU becomes the primary limiting factor. The difference between Low (152 FPS) and Ultra (60 FPS) at 4K is 92 FPS, showing that the RTX 4060's workload scales significantly with resolution and settings. The overall pattern suggests that for competitive or high-refresh-rate play, 1080p is where this combo excels, while 4K remains playable but with the Ultra preset dropping to exactly 60 FPS average.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus. The memory clock is listed at 2125 MHz with 17 Gbps effective speed, resulting in a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU has a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz, with 3072 shading units and 48 ROPs. These specifications position the card as a capable 1080p and 1440p performer, which is reflected in the Minecraft results.

In Minecraft, the GPU's role becomes more pronounced as resolution increases. The measured FPS at 4K Ultra is 60, which is exactly the minimum threshold for smooth gameplay, indicating the GPU is fully utilized at this setting. At 4K High, the average climbs to 96 FPS, showing that the card has headroom when the preset is lowered. The VRAM capacity of 8 GB appears sufficient for the tested settings, as no min FPS data is missing for the Medium presets where min/max values are recorded (102 min at 4K Medium, 196 min at 1440p Medium, 311 min at 1080p Medium).

The GPU's performance relative to its peers, based on the nearestRivals data, shows it is closely matched with the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (deltaPct of -0.2), AMD Radeon 780M (deltaPct of 0.3), AMD Radeon Pro 560 (deltaPct of 0.5), and AMD Radeon Pro 460 (deltaPct of 0.7). This near-parity in the average benchmark score, with the RTX 4060 having an avgBenchmarkScore of 17639, suggests that while the card is not a top-tier performer, it is consistent. The pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s and texture rate of 236.2 GTexel/s are adequate for the blocky geometry of Minecraft, which relies more on fill-rate than complex shaders.

The data shows that the GPU is not the bottleneck at 1080p, where even Ultra settings yield 181 FPS. The bottleneck shifts to the GPU at 4K, where the frame rate drops to 60 FPS at Ultra, aligning with the card's 15.11 TFLOPS FP32 compute capability. The boost clock of 2460 MHz is the key factor in maintaining high frequencies during light loads, but under 4K Ultra load, the card sustains performance at the 60 FPS average.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1989 out of 3710 tested combos in Minecraft. This places the combo in the 54th percentile, meaning roughly 54% of all tested systems perform better or equal in this specific title. The rank of 1989 indicates that while this is a mid-pack performer, it is far from the top, which is dominated by high-end CPUs and GPUs that can push even higher frame rates.

The CPU's percentile vs all CPUs is 72, which is relatively strong, while the GPU's percentile vs all GPUs is 61. The discrepancy between the CPU's higher percentile and the GPU's lower percentile suggests that the GPU is the weaker link in this pairing. However, the combo rank of 1989 out of 3710 is influenced by the fact that Minecraft is a game that benefits immensely from high single-thread performance, and the i5-12400's 3dmark_single_thread score of 910 is solid but not exceptional.

The nearestRivals for the CPU include the AMD EPYC 7643 (deltaPct of -0.1), Intel Core i7-1355U (deltaPct of -0.3), AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 (deltaPct of -0.7), and Intel Core i3-14100F (deltaPct of 0.9). These rivals have average benchmark scores within 0.9% of the i5-12400's 18683, indicating that the CPU's processing power is competitive with a range of server and mobile chips. For the GPU, the nearest rivals are all within 0.7% of the RTX 4060's score, showing that its raw compute performance is similar to older and integrated graphics solutions, though its feature set is more modern.

The combo's rank of 1989 out of 3710 means that in a field of over three thousand systems, this pairing sits almost exactly in the middle. For Minecraft specifically, the data suggests that many combos with higher-end GPUs achieve higher frame rates at 4K, where the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus become limiting. At 1080p, however, the combo's rank would likely be higher due to the CPU's strong single-thread performance, but the aggregate rank across all resolutions and settings places it at 1989.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum average FPS this combo achieves in Minecraft?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 461, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo hit exactly 60 FPS on average?

A: The combo achieves an average of 60 FPS at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 780M?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17639, while the AMD Radeon 780M scores 17588, resulting in a deltaPct of 0.3, meaning the RTX 4060 is 0.3% faster.

Q: What is the lowest measured average FPS across all tested settings?

A: The lowest measured average FPS is 60, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings.

Q: Is the i5-12400 or the RTX 4060 the limiting factor at 1080p Low settings?

A: The data shows 461 FPS at 1080p Low, which is exceptionally high, indicating the CPU is likely the limiting factor, as the GPU has more headroom at lower resolutions.

Q: What is the combo's rank out of all tested combinations?

A: The combo ranks 1989 out of 3710 total combos tested in Minecraft.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU's 3dmark_single_thread score is 910, and its passmark_single_thread score is 3456, indicating strong single-core performance that is critical for Minecraft's engine.

The CPU's benchmarks show a clear scaling from single-thread to multi-thread workloads. The 3dmark_16_threads score is 5873, while the 3dmark_max_threads score is 5890, suggesting that the 12 threads are effectively utilized. The cinebench_r23_multicore score of 15989 is robust for a 6-core part, and the geekbench_singlecore score of 1848 is respectable. These figures indicate that the i5-12400 provides ample processing power for the game's logic and world generation, which are typically single-threaded.

In Minecraft, the CPU's role is paramount at lower resolutions. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the system reaches 461 FPS, which is likely near the engine's render limit. The boost clock of 4.40 GHz is crucial for maintaining high frame rates in CPU-bound scenarios, as the game's tick rate and entity updates rely on single-thread performance. The CPU's 72nd percentile ranking vs all CPUs supports its capability, but the nearest rivals like the Intel Core i3-14100F (deltaPct of 0.9) show that similar performance can be had from cheaper parts.

The CPU's memory support for DDR4 and DDR5, along with dual-channel memory bus, ensures that the 18 MB L3 cache is fed efficiently. The lack of ECC memory support and locked multiplier (multiplierUnlocked: false) are minor caveats, but for gaming, the stock performance is sufficient. The passmark_find_prime_numbers score of 68 and passmark_physics score of 1105 are low compared to other benchmarks, but these are not indicative of gaming performance. The data clearly shows that the CPU is the primary driver of the high frame rates seen at 1080p, while the GPU takes over as the bottleneck at 4K.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, the High preset at 290 FPS average is the sweet spot, offering a balance between visual quality and performance. The Medium preset at 365 FPS is also excellent for high-refresh-rate monitors, while Low at 461 FPS is overkill for most displays and sacrifices visual fidelity. The Ultra preset at 181 FPS is still very playable and provides the best visuals at 1080p.

At 1440p, the High preset (183 FPS) is recommended for most users, as it maintains high frame rates above 144 Hz. The Medium preset (231 FPS) is better for 240 Hz monitors, but the visual difference between Medium and High is noticeable. The Ultra preset (114 FPS) is suitable for 120 Hz displays, but it does not reach the 144 FPS threshold. The Low preset (291 FPS) is excessive for 1440p and should only be used for competitive play where maximum frame rates are prioritized.

For 4K gaming, the High preset (96 FPS) is the best choice, as it provides smooth gameplay above 60 FPS while offering good visual quality. The Medium preset (121 FPS) is even smoother and is recommended for 120 Hz 4K displays, although the min FPS of 102 suggests occasional dips. The Ultra preset (60 FPS) is playable but sits exactly at the 60 FPS threshold, which may result in stutter if there are frame time spikes. The Low preset (152 FPS) at 4K is not recommended due to the significant visual downgrade for marginal performance gains over High.

The data shows that the Medium preset consistently provides the highest minimum FPS values (311 at 1080p, 196 at 1440p, 102 at 4K), indicating good frame pacing. For the best overall experience, the High preset at 1080p or 1440p is recommended, as it offers high average frame rates without the extreme settings that can cause drops. At 4K, the High preset is the clear winner, as it more than doubles the Ultra preset's frame rate while providing a visually superior image to Low.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data is organized by resolution and settings, with average frame rates provided for all configurations and min/max values for Medium settings.

At 1920x1080, the system achieves the following average frame rates:

• Low: 461 FPS
• Medium: 365 FPS (min 311, max 420)
• High: 290 FPS
• Ultra: 181 FPS

At 2560x1440, the average frame rates are:

• Low: 291 FPS
• Medium: 231 FPS (min 196, max 265)
• High: 183 FPS
• Ultra: 114 FPS

At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are:

• Low: 152 FPS
• Medium: 121 FPS (min 102, max 139)
• High: 96 FPS
• Ultra: 60 FPS

The Medium settings provide the only min/max data points, offering insight into frame consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range from 311 to 420 FPS indicates a 109 FPS spread, which is relatively wide but still high. At 1440p Medium, the range is 196 to 265 FPS, a 69 FPS spread, showing better consistency. At 4K Medium, the range is 102 to 139 FPS, a 37 FPS spread, which is the tightest of the three, suggesting that the GPU is more consistently loaded at higher resolutions.

The total FPS range across all measured configurations is from 60 FPS (4K Ultra) to 461 FPS (1080p Low). The scaling from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent pattern: at 1080p, the drop from Low to Ultra is 280 FPS (461 to 181); at 1440p, the drop is 177 FPS (291 to 114); and at 4K, the drop is 92 FPS (152 to 60). This diminishing delta as resolution increases confirms that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, while the CPU's performance ceiling is reached at 1080p. The data is measured, as indicated by the dataIsMeasured field, ensuring that these numbers reflect real-world performance for this specific combo in Minecraft.