Minimum

The Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT combination delivers a highly capable experience in Minimum, but the data reveals a clear performance hierarchy driven by resolution and settings. This pairing is firmly a 1440p powerhouse, capable of high refresh rates at 1080p, but it cedes ground to the GPU's limits at 4K Ultra. The benchmark results indicate that the RX 7700 XT is the primary bottleneck at higher settings, while the i5-12400 provides ample headroom to push frame rates at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly illustrates the shifting workload balance between the CPU and GPU. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 234 FPS. This high frame rate, contrasted with the 1435 MHz base and 2544 MHz boost clocks of the GPU, suggests the rendering pipeline is heavily reliant on the processor's ability to feed the graphics card. The i5-12400's 6 cores and 12 threads, boosting up to 4.40 GHz, are sufficient to drive this output, indicating a CPU-bound scenario at this resolution and settings level.

Moving to 2560x1440 on Low settings, the average FPS drops to 151. This represents a significant 35.5% reduction from the 1080p figure, demonstrating that the increased pixel count begins to place a more substantial load on the GPU. However, the frame rate remains exceptionally high, suggesting that the RX 7700 XT still has considerable headroom. The transition from 1440p to 4K at Low settings shows a further drop to 81 FPS, a 46.4% decrease. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is now the limiting factor, as the sheer number of pixels at 3840x2160 begins to saturate the Radeon RX 7700 XT's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth.

The scaling pattern becomes more pronounced with higher graphical presets. At High settings, the frame rates are 151, 97, and 52 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K respectively. The 1440p to 4K drop is 46.4%, nearly identical to the Low setting drop, reinforcing that pixel throughput is the dominant constraint at 4K. The most demanding scenario, 4K Ultra, yields an average of just 40 FPS. This low figure, combined with the 4K High result of 52 FPS, solidifies the conclusion that the RX 7700 XT is the definitive limiting component at this resolution, unable to maintain fluid frame rates regardless of the CPU's capability.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT is the central figure in this combo's gaming performance. Its specifications, including a boost clock of 2544 MHz and a game clock of 2171 MHz, are key drivers of the observed results. The GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a substantial 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which proves sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming but is challenged at 4K. The measured frame rates show that at 1080p Low, the GPU is not the bottleneck, achieving 234 FPS. However, its performance ceiling becomes apparent as resolution and settings increase.

The GPU's raw compute capabilities, measured at 35.17 TFLOPS for FP32, are substantial. Yet, the data shows a clear performance curve. At 1440p Medium, the combo produces 116 FPS, but at 1440p Ultra, it drops to 74 FPS. This 36.2% performance penalty for switching from Medium to Ultra highlights the GPU's limitations with higher-fidelity effects. The 4K results are even more telling. The RX 7700 XT manages 81 FPS at Low settings but only 40 FPS at Ultra. This 50.6% reduction in performance from Low to Ultra at the same resolution demonstrates that the visual complexity of the Ultra preset, likely involving increased shading and texture work, quickly overwhelms the GPU's 96 ROPs and 216 TMUs.

The GPU's percentile ranking of 67 among all GPUs and its average benchmark score of 22549 place it as a solid mid-to-high tier performer. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile, has an average score of 22435, a delta of 0.5%, indicating near-identical overall compute potential. However, in this specific title, the RX 7700 XT's desktop-class performance is evident in the high frame rates at 1080p and 1440p. The 4K Ultra result of 40 FPS, while playable, is not ideal for a fast-paced third-person shooter, suggesting that gamers targeting 4K should consider lowering settings to the High or Medium preset to achieve a more consistent experience.

Settings Recommendations

The benchmark data points to the High preset as the optimal balance between visual fidelity and performance for this hardware combination. At 1440p, the High preset delivers an average of 97 FPS, which is smooth and responsive for a shooter. This is a 23.9% improvement over the Ultra preset's 74 FPS, while still offering a significant visual upgrade over the Medium preset's 116 FPS. The High preset at 1440p is the sweet spot, providing a high refresh rate experience without sacrificing the graphical quality that modern games offer.

For gamers prioritizing maximum frame rates, the Low preset is the clear choice. At 1080p, it achieves 234 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any high-refresh-rate monitor. Even at 1440p, the Low preset maintains 151 FPS, offering a competitive edge. The Medium preset also presents a compelling option, particularly at 1440p where it delivers 116 FPS with a minimum of 98 FPS, ensuring a stable experience. The Ultra preset is best reserved for 1080p, where it achieves a respectable 115 FPS, though the performance drop to 74 FPS at 1440p makes it a less viable option for high-refresh-rate gaming at that resolution.

At 4K, the recommendations shift. The Low preset is the only setting that provides a consistently smooth experience, averaging 81 FPS. The Medium preset, with an average of 62 FPS and a minimum of 53 FPS, is borderline playable but may feel less fluid during intense action. The High and Ultra presets, at 52 and 40 FPS respectively, are best avoided for competitive play, as the frame rate dips below the 60 FPS threshold that is generally considered the standard for smooth gameplay. Therefore, for 4K, users should stick to Low or Medium settings to ensure a playable experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across all resolution and settings combinations.

At 1920x1080, the results are as follows:

• Low: 234 FPS average.
• Medium: 179 FPS average, with a minimum of 153 and a maximum of 206 FPS.
• High: 151 FPS average.
• Ultra: 115 FPS average.

These figures show a linear degradation in performance as settings increase, with a 50.9% drop from Low to Ultra. The minimum FPS data for the Medium preset (153 FPS) indicates that the combo maintains high frame rates even in demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected:

• Low: 151 FPS average.
• Medium: 116 FPS average, with a minimum of 98 and a maximum of 133 FPS.
• High: 97 FPS average.
• Ultra: 74 FPS average.

The 1440p results show a similar pattern to 1080p, but with a tighter spread. The gap between Low and Ultra is 51.0%, mirroring the 1080p scaling. The Medium preset's minimum of 98 FPS ensures that frame times remain consistent, which is crucial for a smooth gaming experience.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the primary constraint, and the frame rates drop significantly:

• Low: 81 FPS average.
• Medium: 62 FPS average, with a minimum of 53 and a maximum of 72 FPS.
• High: 52 FPS average.
• Ultra: 40 FPS average.

The 4K results demonstrate a steep performance cliff. The drop from Low to Ultra is 50.6%, but the absolute frame rates are much lower. The Medium preset's minimum of 53 FPS is the lowest recorded value in the entire dataset, indicating that the GPU is struggling to maintain consistent frame pacing at this resolution. The Ultra preset, at 40 FPS, is the only setting that falls below the 60 FPS target, making it unsuitable for a smooth experience.

How This Combo Ranks

In the comprehensive database of tested hardware combinations for Minimum, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT holds a rank of 1392 out of 3712 tested combos. This places it in the top 37.5% of all configurations, signifying a strong performer that exceeds the median. This ranking confirms the balanced nature of the pairing, where neither component severely bottlenecks the other in most scenarios.

The combo's rank is a direct result of the GPU's strong showing. The RX 7700 XT's average benchmark score of 22549, which is 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile and 1.7% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 5700, confirms its competitive position. The CPU also contributes positively, with the i5-12400's average benchmark score of 18683 placing it just 0.1% behind the AMD EPYC 7643 and 0.9% ahead of the Intel Core i3-14100F. This indicates that the CPU is not a weak link in the chain.

The ranking of 1392 is likely pulled down by the 4K performance. While the combo excels at 1080p and 1440p, achieving frame rates that would rank higher, the 4K results are less impressive. Many other combos with more powerful GPUs would achieve higher frame rates at 4K, thus securing a better overall rank. The data suggests that if the ranking were based solely on 1080p or 1440p performance, this combo would likely be placed much higher, perhaps within the top 20-25% of all tested configurations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400 serves as a capable and balanced partner for the RX 7700 XT. With 6 cores and 12 threads, it provides sufficient parallel processing power for modern game engines. Its boost clock of 4.40 GHz, combined with a base clock of 2.50 GHz, ensures strong single-threaded performance, which is critical for the game's main simulation and rendering threads. The CPU's 18 MB of shared L3 cache helps reduce memory latency, further contributing to smooth frame delivery.

The benchmark results show that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck in most tested scenarios. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 234 FPS, a figure that is likely constrained by the GPU's maximum output rather than the CPU's processing limits. The CPU's 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2257 indicate robust single-core performance, which is sufficient to keep up with the GPU's frame generation at lower resolutions.

However, the CPU's role becomes more critical at higher frame rates. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is capable of driving the GPU to its limits, as evidenced by the high frame rates. The CPU's performance in multi-threaded tests, such as a PassMark multithread score of 18747 and a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 15989, ensures that it can handle background tasks and game logic without causing stutters. In this game, the i5-12400 proves to be more than adequate, providing a stable foundation for the GPU to deliver its best performance. The CPU's 65W TDP and Intel Socket 1700 platform also make it an efficient and accessible choice for a gaming build.