Minimum

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER delivers a performance profile in Minimum that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, with the CPU’s four cores proving sufficient to push very high frame rates at 1080p. Benchmark data shows this combo ranks 449th out of 3712 tested combinations, placing it in the top 12.1% of all systems, which is a strong result given the modest processor. The RTX 4070 Ti SUPER’s raw throughput is the dominant factor at 4K, where frame rates scale directly with graphical load, while the i3-12100F’s single-thread strength keeps 1080p performance exceptionally high.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent across all settings, revealing that the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the primary limiting component at high pixel counts. At Low settings, the combo produces 329 FPS at 1920x1080, which falls to 212 FPS at 2560x1440 (a 35.6% reduction) and then to 114 FPS at 3840x2160 (a further 46.2% reduction from 1440p). This pattern shows that the GPU’s shading and memory bandwidth are being saturated as resolution increases, with the 672.3 GB/s memory bandwidth and 44.10 TFLOPS FP32 throughput struggling to maintain the same fill rate at 4K.

At High settings, the scaling curve is similar but with lower absolute numbers: 211 FPS at 1080p, 136 FPS at 1440p, and 73 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 35.5% from 1080p to 1440p and 46.3% from 1440p to 4K, nearly identical to the Low preset’s proportional losses. This consistency suggests that resolution, rather than settings complexity, is the dominant factor in frame rate degradation. The Medium preset shows the same trend, going from 252 FPS at 1080p to 162 FPS at 1440p and 87 FPS at 4K, with the 4K result including a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 101 FPS, indicating some frame time variance under load.

Ultra settings amplify the resolution penalty. The combo delivers 161 FPS at 1080p, 104 FPS at 1440p, and just 56 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is barely playable, representing a 65.2% drop from the 1080p Ultra figure. This steep decline points to the GPU being overwhelmed by the combination of high pixel count and maximum graphical features; the i3-12100F’s four cores and 4.30 GHz boost clock are not the bottleneck here, since even at 1080p Ultra the frame rate is high enough to suggest the CPU has headroom. The data indicates that for smooth 4K gameplay, users must lower settings to Medium or Low, while 1440p and 1080p offer much more flexibility.

Settings Recommendations

For the best balance of visual fidelity and frame rate, the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is the standout choice, delivering 162 FPS with a minimum of 138 FPS and a maximum of 187 FPS. This result keeps the experience well above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on gaming monitors, and the minimum frame rate indicates no severe stutters. At 1080p, Medium pushes to 252 FPS (minimum 214 FPS), which is excellent for high-refresh displays, but the visual jump from Medium to High at 1080p costs 41 FPS (from 252 to 211), a 16.3% penalty that may not be worth the graphical upgrade for competitive play.

At 4K, the choice is more constrained. High settings produce 73 FPS, which is playable on a 60 Hz display but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes; Medium at 4K yields 87 FPS with a tighter minimum of 74 FPS, making it the better option for consistency. Low at 4K hits 114 FPS, but the visual quality drop is significant. For users prioritizing frame rate over eye candy, Low at 1440p (212 FPS) or 1080p (329 FPS) are the top choices, with the latter being exceptionally high. Ultra settings are only recommended at 1080p, where 161 FPS is still smooth, while Ultra at 1440p (104 FPS) and 4K (56 FPS) fall below the threshold for high-refresh gaming.

The data suggests that the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is powerful enough to run Minimum at high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p, but the i3-12100F’s four cores do not hold back performance in this title. The Medium preset offers the most balanced experience across all resolutions, providing a 74.5% improvement over Ultra at 4K (87 FPS vs 56 FPS) while maintaining higher visual quality than Low.

How This Combo Ranks

With a combo rank of 449 out of 3712 tested systems, this pairing sits in the 87.9th percentile, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of combinations in the database. This is a notable achievement for a CPU that costs $97 at launch, as the i3-12100F’s performance is bolstered by the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER’s high-end capabilities. The GPU alone ranks in the 76th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 31087, placing it slightly above the NVIDIA Quadro M5000 (31206, -0.4%) and just below the NVIDIA RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell (31532, -1.4%). The CPU ranks in the 68th percentile among all CPUs, with an average score of 13494, nearly matching the Intel Core 3 N355 (13492, 0% delta) and edging out the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452, +0.3%).

The gap between the 449th rank and the top of the leaderboard is driven by more powerful CPUs, but in Minimum, the measured FPS shows that the combo’s weakness is primarily at 4K Ultra. The data indicates that the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER’s 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 96 ROPs are sufficient for high resolutions, yet the 56 FPS at 4K Ultra suggests that the GPU’s 44.10 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is the limiting factor, not the CPU’s 4 cores. In contrast, the 1080p results (161-329 FPS) show that the i3-12100F can feed the GPU effectively, with the 329 FPS Low figure indicating that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions.

Compared to other combos in the database, this system offers a unique balance: the CPU’s low core count (4) and 12 MB L3 cache are offset by high single-thread performance (1674 in Cinebench R23 single-core), which is crucial for Minimum’s engine. The combo’s rank is likely higher than many systems with more cores but slower GPUs, as the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER’s 672.3 GB/s memory bandwidth provides a significant advantage in GPU-bound scenarios.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce 329 FPS, Medium hits 252 FPS (with a minimum of 214 FPS and maximum of 290 FPS), High reaches 211 FPS, and Ultra drops to 161 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra is 168 FPS, indicating that the GPU has ample headroom at 1080p and that the i3-12100F’s boost clock of 4.30 GHz is sufficient to keep the pipeline full. The Medium preset’s minimum of 214 FPS ensures smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes, while Ultra’s 161 FPS is still above the 144 Hz threshold.

At 2560x1440, frame rates remain high but show a clear reduction. Low settings yield 212 FPS, Medium produces 162 FPS (minimum 138 FPS, maximum 187 FPS), High drops to 136 FPS, and Ultra falls to 104 FPS. The minimum FPS at Medium (138 FPS) is still above 120 Hz, making this a viable option for high-refresh 1440p monitors. The drop from Low to Ultra is 108 FPS, a smaller absolute difference than at 1080p but a larger percentage loss (49.1% vs 51.1% at 1080p). This suggests that the GPU is becoming more stressed as resolution increases.

At 3840x2160, the combo’s performance is the weakest. Low settings produce 114 FPS, Medium hits 87 FPS (minimum 74 FPS, maximum 101 FPS), High drops to 73 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 56 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 74 FPS is just above the 60 FPS playability threshold, while Ultra’s 56 FPS is below it, indicating a less than ideal experience. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K is a 50.9% reduction, similar to the other resolutions, but the absolute numbers are low enough that only Low and Medium are recommended for smooth play. The data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K requiring significant settings compromises.

FAQ

*Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Minimum?*

A: Based on measured FPS, 2560x1440 is the sweet spot. At Medium settings, it delivers 162 FPS with a minimum of 138 FPS, offering high visual quality and smooth performance. 1920x1080 is even faster (252 FPS at Medium), but 1440p provides a better balance of image clarity and frame rate.

*Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Minimum?*

A: Yes, but with limitations. At High settings, it averages 73 FPS, and at Medium it reaches 87 FPS (minimum 74 FPS). Ultra settings drop to 56 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. For consistent 4K play, Medium or Low settings are recommended.

Q: How does the i3-12100F affect performance in this game?

A: The CPU’s 4 cores and 8 threads are sufficient for Minimum. At 1080p, the combo achieves 329 FPS at Low settings, indicating no CPU bottleneck. The processor’s single-thread score of 1674 in Cinebench R23 helps maintain high frame rates, while its 12 MB L3 cache supports efficient data access.

Q: What is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings produce 212 FPS, while Ultra drops to 104 FPS. This is a 108 FPS difference (49.1% reduction). Medium sits between at 162 FPS, offering a good compromise.

Q: Is the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER overkill for this CPU?

A: The data suggests not. At 4K, frame rates drop to 56-114 FPS depending on settings, indicating the GPU is the limiting factor. The combo ranks 449th out of 3712, showing that the pairing is well-balanced for this title, with the GPU’s 16 GB memory and 672.3 GB/s bandwidth being fully utilized at high resolutions.

Q: What settings should I use for the most consistent frame rate?

A: Medium settings provide the most consistent experience across all resolutions. At 1080p, it has a minimum of 214 FPS; at 1440p, a minimum of 138 FPS; and at 4K, a minimum of 74 FPS. These minimums are higher than the averages for High and Ultra presets.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its 12 MB shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache are modest by modern standards, but the processor’s single-thread performance is strong, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674 and Geekbench single-core score of 1932. In Minimum, this single-thread strength is critical, as the game’s engine appears to scale well with high clock speeds rather than many cores.

The CPU’s multi-thread performance is less impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11860 and a Passmark multithread score of 14015. However, the measured FPS data shows that this does not limit the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER in most scenarios. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 329 FPS, which is near the GPU’s practical limit for this title, indicating that the CPU can feed the GPU adequately. At 4K, the frame rates drop to 56-114 FPS, which is entirely GPU-bound, as the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER’s 44.10 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 250.6 GPixel/s pixel rate are stretched by the 3840x2160 resolution.

The i3-12100F’s 10 nm process and 58 W TDP make it an efficient choice, but its 4 cores are a limitation in multi-threaded workloads. In this game, however, the benchmark results show that the CPU’s boost clock of 4.30 GHz is more important than core count. The 3DMark 4-thread score of 2859 and 8-thread score of 4026 are moderate, but the single-thread score of 893 indicates that the processor can handle the game’s main thread effectively. The combo’s rank of 449 out of 3712 systems further confirms that the CPU is not a significant bottleneck, as the system outperforms many with more powerful processors but slower GPUs. For users seeking higher frame rates at 1080p, the CPU would need to be upgraded, but for 1440p and 4K, the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER is the primary determinant of performance.