Outriders

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread desktop processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. In this Outriders benchmark pairing, the CPU's role is to feed frames to the GPU, and its performance profile is notable for its strong single-thread showing. The data indicates a 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1681, which are solid figures for a quad-core part. However, its multi-threaded capabilities are more modest, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11912 and a Passmark multithread score of 14015.

The CPU's percentile rank versus all CPUs is 72, placing it above most processors in the database. Its nearest rivals in overall average benchmark score include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, which is 0.1% behind, and the Intel Core i7-1250U, which is 0.4% ahead. The fact that a 4-core chip trades blows with a Threadripper PRO in average score underscores how strong its per-core efficiency is, but in a game like Outriders, the thread count can matter. Benchmark results show that the 3DMark 16-thread score is 4051, which is nearly identical to the 8-thread score of 4026 and the max-thread score of 4023. This indicates that the CPU is completely saturated at 8 threads, and adding more work does not improve throughput. For Outriders, this means the i3-12100F will likely be the limiting factor in scenarios demanding heavy multi-threading, but its high single-core speed ensures it can handle the primary game logic and physics without holding back lower-resolution frames. The CPU has a TDP of 58 W and a launch MSRP of $97.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F's 4 cores and 8 threads define its ceiling in Outriders. The benchmark data for this specific game shows that at 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 210.3 FPS, which is a very high frame rate that suggests the CPU can push frames well beyond typical display refresh rates. However, the CPU's multi-threaded scores, such as the Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 11912, are not exceptional. The 3DMark 4-thread score of 2859 is significantly lower than the 8-thread score of 4026, showing that scaling beyond 4 threads is limited but present. In Outriders, which is a looter shooter with numerous enemies and particle effects, the CPU is responsible for game state updates and AI. The data suggests that the i3-12100F is sufficient for 60 FPS gaming at higher resolutions, but the gap between its 1080p Low score of 210.3 FPS and its 4K High score of 45.1 FPS is more about the GPU, which will be discussed later. Relative to its rivals, the i3-12100F is 1.8% ahead of the Intel Core i7-7700K in average score, which is a 4-core/8-thread part from a much older generation. This shows that the i3's architecture and clock speed are competitive, but it does not have the headroom of higher-core-count processors. For Outriders, the data implies that the CPU will not be the primary bottleneck at 4K, but at 1080p with Low settings, the high FPS numbers are evidence of its capable single-thread performance.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is the dominant component in this pairing, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture using a 5 nm process from TSMC. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s. The GPU's base clock is 1830 MHz with a boost clock of 2460 MHz, and it features 3072 shading units. Its performance percentile is 66, and its average benchmark score is 23181, with nearest rivals including the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (0.6% behind) and the Intel Arc B580 (0.7% ahead). In Outriders, the GPU's role is clear from the measured FPS data. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combo achieves 94.1 FPS, which is a playable frame rate. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 272.0 GB/s is a limiting factor at higher resolutions. The data shows that at 4K with Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 31.6, which is not smooth. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K, the texture demands increase. The RTX 4060's boost clock of 2460 MHz is high, and its FP32 compute of 15.11 TFLOPS provides solid rasterization power. However, the GPU's performance in Outriders is heavily dependent on the settings preset. The difference between 1080p Low (210.3 FPS) and 1080p Ultra (94.1 FPS) is a 55.3% drop, which is substantial. This indicates that the GPU is well-utilized at lower settings, but the Ultra preset introduces effects that the GPU struggles to maintain at high resolutions. The data suggests that the RTX 4060 is a capable 1080p card and a good 1440p card for Outriders, but 4K is beyond its comfort zone.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS rows provide clear guidance on the best settings preset for this combo. At 1080p, the Medium preset delivers 176.6 FPS, which is an excellent experience for fast-paced gameplay. The High preset at 1080p drops to 131.2 FPS, which is still very smooth. However, the Ultra preset at 1080p yields 94.1 FPS, which is above 60 FPS but represents a significant performance cost. For competitive play, the Low preset at 1080p produces 210.3 FPS, but the visual quality is reduced. The sweet spot for this combo at 1080p is the Medium preset, as it provides a high frame rate while maintaining reasonable visual fidelity. At 1440p, the Medium preset delivers 113.9 FPS, which is excellent, and the High preset provides 84.1 FPS, which is also very good. The Ultra preset at 1440p drops to 59.5 FPS, which is just above the 60 FPS threshold but not ideal for a smooth experience. The data indicates that the Medium preset at 1440p offers the best balance of performance and quality. At 4K, the Medium preset achieves 61.6 FPS, which is playable, but the High preset drops to 45.1 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 31.6 FPS. For 4K, the Medium preset is the only viable option for a stable frame rate above 60 FPS. Overall, the best experience per the measured rows is the Medium preset at 1080p or 1440p, as it provides frame rates well above 100 FPS while the Ultra preset only offers marginal visual improvements at a steep performance penalty.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 910th out of 1693 tested combos in Outriders, placing it in the 46th percentile of all tested systems. This indicates that the combo is slightly below average in overall performance for this specific game. The data shows that this ranking is influenced by the CPU's limitations at lower resolutions where the GPU is not fully stressed. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 210.3 FPS, which is a high absolute number, but many other combos with stronger CPUs can achieve even higher frame rates. The rank of 910 suggests that while the RTX 4060 is a capable GPU, the i3-12100F holds back the system in CPU-bound scenarios. For example, the CPU's 3DMark 2-thread score of 1659 and single-thread score of 893 are good, but not exceptional. The combo's performance in Outriders is likely GPU-bound at higher resolutions, which helps its ranking, but at 1080p, the CPU is the bottleneck. The nearest rival CPUs, such as the Intel Core i7-7700K, have similar average scores, but the i3-12100F's lower thread count may cause frame pacing issues in heavy combat. The ranking of 910 out of 1693 is a mid-pack result, indicating that this combo is adequate for Outriders but not a top-tier configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear trend as resolution increases from 1080p to 4K. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves 131.2 FPS. At 1440p with High settings, the FPS drops to 84.1, which is a 35.9% reduction. At 4K with High settings, the FPS falls to 45.1, which is a 65.6% reduction from 1080p. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU is capable of delivering high frame rates at 1080p, but as the resolution increases, the GPU's workload becomes more demanding. The RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus are limiting factors at 4K. The drop from 1440p to 4K is more severe than the drop from 1080p to 1440p, indicating that the GPU is struggling to maintain performance at the highest resolution. On the Low preset, the scaling is different. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 210.3 FPS, but at 1440p Low, it drops to 152 FPS (a 27.7% reduction), and at 4K Low, it drops to 78.3 FPS (a 62.8% reduction from 1080p). This shows that even at Low settings, the GPU is the limiting factor at 4K. The fact that the FPS drop from 1440p to 4K is roughly 50% across all settings indicates that the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions. The CPU's role is more visible at 1080p Low, where the 210.3 FPS figure suggests the CPU can handle the game logic, but the GPU is still able to keep up. Overall, the resolution scaling data shows that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K being achievable only at lower settings.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows that at 1080p Medium, the combo achieves 176.6 FPS, and at 1440p Medium, it achieves 113.9 FPS. Both are excellent, but 1440p provides a higher pixel density with a frame rate well above 60 FPS. 4K Medium is playable at 61.6 FPS, but the margin is thinner.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 210.3 FPS, which is a high number. The CPU's multi-threaded performance is modest, but its single-thread score of 893 in 3DMark is strong. The data suggests the GPU is still the main limiter at 1080p Ultra (94.1 FPS), but at lower settings, the CPU's 4-core limit may become apparent in heavy scenes.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rivals in this game?

A: The RTX 4060's average benchmark score is 23181, which is 0.6% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6600M and 0.7% lower than the Intel Arc B580. In Outriders, this means performance is similar to these cards, but the RTX 4060's 8 GB VRAM may be a factor at 4K.

Q: Can this combo handle Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: The measured FPS for 1440p Ultra is 59.5 FPS. This is just below the 60 FPS threshold, so while it is playable, it may not be consistently smooth. The Medium preset at 1440p offers 113.9 FPS, which is a better experience for competitive play.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the CPU in this combo?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has a launch MSRP of $97. This is a separate fact from its performance and does not factor into the benchmark analysis.

Q: Is the CPU's performance close to the Intel Core i7-7700K?

A: The data shows the i3-12100F is 1.8% ahead of the Intel Core i7-7700K in average benchmark score. In Outriders, this suggests similar frame rates, but the i3's newer architecture may handle newer instructions better, while the i7 has the same core/thread count.