Minimum

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is a combination that leans heavily on its processor to deliver playable frame rates in Minimum. The data shows this pairing ranks in the 25th percentile of tested combos, placing it at rank 1297 out of 1733, which signals that while the CPU is a high performer, the GPU becomes the primary constraint in this specific title. The benchmark results indicate that the i7-12700KF, with its 12 cores and 20 threads, provides ample headroom, but the RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB of VRAM and Turing architecture dictate the overall experience, especially at higher resolutions and settings.

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

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a desktop processor built on the Alder Lake architecture, featuring 12 cores and 20 threads. Its base clock of 3.60 GHz can boost up to 5.00 GHz, which is a significant factor in single-threaded performance that many third-person shooters rely on for game logic and physics. The processor's benchmark scores support this: it achieves a single-thread score of 1043 in 3DMark and 4091 in Cinebench R23, placing it in the 89th percentile among all CPUs. This high single-core capability ensures that the game's main thread is rarely a bottleneck.

However, the game's measured FPS data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor in most scenarios. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo produces 168.8 FPS, which is a very high frame rate, but the CPU could theoretically push even higher if the GPU allowed. The processor's multi-threaded performance is equally robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28979 and a 3DMark max-thread score of 9983. These scores are nearly identical to its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14400 (deltaPct of 0.1) and the Intel Core i9-12900HX (deltaPct of 0.2), indicating that the i7-12700KF is not a performance outlier but rather a consistent, top-tier chip that will not hold back the RTX 2060 SUPER in this game.

The data suggests that the CPU's role here is to provide a stable foundation. With a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, the processor can handle the game's peak demands without dropping frames, but the actual FPS ceilings are set by the graphics card. For instance, moving from 1080p Low to 1080p Ultra drops the average FPS from 168.8 to 81.9, a reduction of over 50%, which is a GPU-driven change rather than a CPU limitation.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured rows show a clear trade-off between visual quality and frame rate, and the data points to Medium settings as the optimal balance for this combo. At 1080p Medium, the combo delivers 128 FPS, which is a 24% improvement over High settings (108.3 FPS) while still offering better visuals than Low (168.8 FPS). The jump from Medium to Ultra at 1080p is steep, with FPS dropping to 81.9, which is a 36% penalty for the extra graphical fidelity.

At 1440p, the recommendation shifts slightly. Medium settings produce 82.8 FPS, which is still smooth, but High settings at 68.2 FPS are also playable. For players prioritizing frame rate, Low at 1440p yields 108.1 FPS, which is nearly identical to the 1080p High result, suggesting that the GPU has enough headroom to handle the resolution increase at lower settings. The data indicates that Ultra should be avoided at all resolutions, as it drops to 52.1 FPS at 1440p and 29.6 FPS at 4K, which falls below the threshold for a responsive third-person shooter experience.

The best experience, based strictly on the measured data, is 1080p Medium. It offers a high frame rate of 128 FPS with moderate visual improvements over Low, and it avoids the significant performance hit seen at High and Ultra. For 1440p users, Medium at 82.8 FPS is the recommended preset, as it maintains a frame rate that is competitive with the 1080p High setting while providing a sharper image.

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

The FPS scaling across resolutions is a textbook example of a GPU-bound scenario. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 108.3 at 1080p to 68.2 at 1440p, a 37% decrease, and then to 41 at 4K, a further 40% drop from 1440p. This steep curve is consistent with the RTX 2060 SUPER being the primary constraint, as the CPU's performance is sufficient to feed the GPU at lower resolutions but cannot compensate for the increased pixel count.

The data shows that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. At Low settings, the FPS at 1080p is 168.8, which is exceptionally high, but it still drops to 108.1 at 1440p and 57.1 at 4K. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively flat across resolutions, but the observed drops of 36% (1080p to 1440p) and 47% (1440p to 4K) at Low settings indicate that the GPU's rendering pipeline is saturated. The RTX 2060 SUPER's 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 448.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth are simply not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K, regardless of the CPU's capabilities.

This scaling behavior also highlights that the i7-12700KF is not a limiting factor in Minimum. Even at 4K Ultra, where the combo produces just 29.6 FPS, the CPU is likely idling, waiting for the GPU to finish rendering frames. The processor's 89th percentile ranking among all CPUs reinforces this, as it has far more headroom than the GPU can utilize in this title.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combo's rank of 1297 out of 1733 tested combinations places it in the bottom 25% of all systems tested in Minimum. This ranking is surprising given the individual component strengths, but it is a direct result of the GPU's age and tier. The RTX 2060 SUPER sits in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, which is moderate, but its performance is overshadowed by newer and more powerful graphics cards that are likely paired with similar CPUs in the benchmark database.

The data shows that this combo is not competitive with top-tier systems, but it is also not at the very bottom. The rank of 1297 suggests that there are 436 combos that perform worse, which likely include older CPUs or weaker GPUs. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i5-14400 and the Intel Core i9-12900HX, have nearly identical average benchmark scores (35336 and 35289, respectively), indicating that the i7-12700KF is not a differentiator in this context. The GPU's nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 with a deltaPct of 0.5, show that the RTX 2060 SUPER is marginally weaker than the next tier up, which explains why the combo ranks so low despite the strong CPU.

The implication is that for Minimum, the CPU is overkill, and the GPU is underpowered. This pairing is imbalanced, as the data shows that the FPS is always GPU-limited. A user with a weaker CPU but a stronger GPU would likely achieve a better combo rank, underscoring that the RTX 2060 SUPER is the bottleneck in this system.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture and features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock of 1470 MHz boosts to 1650 MHz, and it has 2176 shading units. These specifications are modest by modern standards, and the benchmark results reflect this. The GPU scores 16462 in Passmark G3D and 6721 in Passmark GPU Compute, placing it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs.

In Minimum, the GPU's role is central to the FPS outcomes. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for the game's textures, but the raw compute power is not enough to handle high settings at 4K. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 29.6 FPS, which is unplayable, while at 4K Low, it still only manages 57.1 FPS. This indicates that the GPU's 7.181 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is the limiting factor, as the game's rendering demands exceed the GPU's capabilities at higher resolutions.

The GPU's memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s is a critical spec for this game, as the FPS drops from 1080p to 1440p suggest that the memory subsystem is being stressed. At 1080p High, the GPU delivers 108.3 FPS, but at 1440p High, it drops to 68.2 FPS, a 37% reduction. This is consistent with the GPU running out of computational or memory bandwidth headroom, rather than a CPU limitation. The RTX 2060 SUPER's performance is closely matched by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (deltaPct of 0.3) and the RTX 2070 (deltaPct of 0.5), confirming that it is a mid-tier GPU that cannot keep up with the i7-12700KF's potential.

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

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average FPS ranges from 168.8 at Low to 81.9 at Ultra. The Medium setting produces 128 FPS, and High produces 108.3 FPS. This shows a clear linear relationship between settings and FPS, with each step up in quality costing roughly 20-30 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the FPS drops significantly. Low settings produce 108.1 FPS, which is nearly identical to the 1080p High result, indicating that the resolution increase at Low settings is compensated by the lower graphical load. Medium produces 82.8 FPS, High produces 68.2 FPS, and Ultra drops to 52.1 FPS. The 1440p results show that the GPU is struggling to maintain high frame rates, as the drop from Low to Ultra is 56 FPS, a 52% reduction.

At 3840x2160, the performance is marginal. Low settings produce 57.1 FPS, Medium produces 48 FPS, High produces 41 FPS, and Ultra drops to 29.6 FPS. The 4K results are consistently below 60 FPS, even at Low settings, which makes 4K gaming impractical for this combo. The data across all resolutions shows that the GPU is the bottleneck, as the FPS scales almost exclusively with resolution and settings, with no evidence of CPU-induced stalls or frame drops.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

*Q: What is the best resolution and setting combination for this CPU and GPU pair in Minimum?*

A: The data shows that 1080p Medium is the best combination, producing 128 FPS. This is the highest FPS at a setting above Low that maintains smooth gameplay, and it avoids the significant drop to 81.9 FPS at Ultra.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF or the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER the bottleneck in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate the GPU is the bottleneck. The FPS drops by 50% or more when moving from 1080p to 4K at the same settings, which is a classic sign of GPU limitation, while the CPU's performance is consistent across all resolutions.

Q: How does this combo's CPU compare to its nearest rivals in terms of raw performance?

A: The i7-12700KF's average benchmark score is 35355, which is nearly identical to the Intel Core i5-14400 (35336, deltaPct of 0.1) and the Intel Core i9-12900HX (35289, deltaPct of 0.2). This means the CPU is not a performance differentiator in this context.

Q: Can this combo achieve 60 FPS at 1440p?

A: Yes, but only at Low or Medium settings. At 1440p Low, the combo produces 108.1 FPS, and at Medium, it produces 82.8 FPS. At High settings, it drops to 68.2 FPS, and at Ultra, it falls to 52.1 FPS, which is below 60 FPS.

Q: What does the combo's rank of 1297 out of 1733 indicate about its overall performance?

A: The rank places this combo in the bottom 25% of all tested systems in Minimum. This is primarily due to the RTX 2060 SUPER's mid-tier performance, as the CPU is in the 89th percentile of all CPUs.

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

A: At 1080p High, the combo produces 108.3 FPS, but at 4K High, it drops to 41 FPS. This is a 62% reduction in FPS, highlighting the GPU's inability to handle the increased pixel count at higher visual fidelity.