Outriders

# Outriders Combo Analysis: Intel Core i5-12600KF + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER ranks 465th out of 3,710 tested combos in Outriders, placing it in the top 12.5% of all configurations. This is a strong result that reflects the balance between a 10-core Alder Lake processor and an Ada Lovelace GPU with 7,168 shading units. The combo's performance profile shows it can handle the game's demanding environments at high refresh rates, though the data reveals clear scaling patterns across resolutions and settings that indicate where each component's influence dominates.

How This Combo Ranks

At rank 465 of 3,710 combos, this configuration sits comfortably in the upper tier of tested systems for Outriders. The percentile placement of both components reinforces this: the CPU ranks at the 79th percentile among all processors, while the GPU sits at the 83rd percentile among all graphics cards. When combined, their synergy in this looter shooter produces frame rates that are competitive with far more expensive setups.

The CPU's nearest rivals in aggregate benchmark scores include the Intel Core i9-10900K (deltaPct -0.3%), AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (deltaPct -0.3%), and AMD Ryzen 7 6800U (deltaPct -0.3%), all of which score within a fraction of a percent of the i5-12600KF's average benchmark score of 27,799. This tight clustering—with deltas of just 0.3% or less—means the processor is performing at a level nearly identical to those established chips, despite being from a different generation and market segment.

The GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 24 GB (deltaPct -0.1%), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile (deltaPct -0.1%), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile (deltaPct -1.0%). The RTX 4070 SUPER's average benchmark score of 43,223 is essentially tied with these competitors, showing that in raw compute terms, the desktop card holds its own against mobile and workstation parts that are often perceived as more capable.

In the context of Outriders specifically, the rank of 465 suggests that this combo outperforms roughly 87.5% of all tested configurations. That is a meaningful distinction for a game that can stress both CPU and GPU depending on scene complexity and resolution. The data indicates the system is well above the median experience, offering smooth gameplay at most settings without requiring compromises that would diminish visual quality.

GPU Role

The RTX 4070 SUPER is built on the AD104 chip using a 5 nm process from TSMC, with 35,800 million transistors packed into a 294 mm² die. Its memory subsystem consists of 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The base clock runs at 1980 MHz, boosting to 2475 MHz, while memory operates at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). These specifications translate to a pixel rate of 198.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 554.4 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance reaching 35.48 TFLOPS.

In Outriders, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution rises. At 4K, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is stark: 124 FPS average at Low versus 49 FPS at Ultra. This 75 FPS gap (a 153% increase from Ultra to Low) highlights how much headroom the card has at lower settings, but also shows that Ultra settings at 4K push the card near its limits. The 12 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the game's textures at all tested settings, as no VRAM-related stuttering or min FPS outliers appear in the data.

The card's 80 ROPs and 224 TMUs provide ample fill rate for the game's particle effects and environmental details. At 1440p High, the combo achieves 130 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The 504.2 GB/s memory bandwidth proves adequate for feeding the shading units, as evidenced by the consistent scaling from 1080p to 4K without abrupt performance cliffs that would indicate bandwidth saturation.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern: performance scales nearly linearly with resolution, indicating that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions while the CPU can keep pace at 1080p. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 193 at 1080p to 130 at 1440p (a 32.6% decrease) and then to 68 at 4K (a 47.7% decrease from 1440p). This progression is consistent with a GPU-bound scenario where pixel count drives the workload.

At Low settings, the scaling is even more pronounced: 242 FPS at 1080p, 207 FPS at 1440p (a 14.5% drop), and 124 FPS at 4K (a 40.1% drop from 1440p). The smaller drop from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings suggests that the CPU begins to matter more at lower graphical loads—at 1080p Low, the combination of high frame rate and light GPU work means the processor's single-thread performance (3DMark single-thread score of 1,016) becomes more relevant.

The Medium settings data includes min and max FPS values, providing insight into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the range is 183 to 247 FPS (averaging 215), while at 1440p Medium, it is 147 to 199 FPS (averaging 173). At 4K Medium, the range narrows to 77 to 104 FPS (averaging 90). The tighter range at 4K indicates that the GPU is more consistently saturated, whereas at lower resolutions, CPU-driven frame time variations create larger swings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest frame rates across all settings. Low settings produce an average of 242 FPS, Medium yields 215 FPS (min 183, max 247), High achieves 193 FPS, and Ultra manages 148 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 94 FPS, representing a 63.5% performance difference. This resolution is clearly CPU-limited at Low and Medium, as the GPU has ample headroom to render frames faster than the processor can issue them.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 207 FPS at Low, 173 FPS at Medium (min 147, max 199), 130 FPS at High, and 94 FPS at Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is 113 FPS, which is a 120% reduction. This resolution represents the sweet spot for the combo: even at Ultra, the 94 FPS average exceeds the standard 60 FPS threshold, and High settings at 130 FPS are ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 3840x2160, the card begins to show its limits. Low settings still manage 124 FPS, but Medium drops to 90 FPS (min 77, max 104), High falls to 68 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 49 FPS. The 4K Ultra result is below 60 FPS, meaning users targeting 4K will need to use High or Medium settings for a smooth experience. The Medium settings' min of 77 FPS indicates that even during demanding scenes, the combo stays above 60 FPS at this resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF features 10 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration and connects via PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. Its 125 W TDP and unlocked multiplier make it a versatile desktop part, though the data does not indicate overclocking results.

In Outriders, the CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are evident from benchmark scores like Cinebench R23 multi-core at 23,391 and Geekbench multi-core at 12,137. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 7,956 and max-thread score of 7,952 show nearly linear scaling from 8 to 16 threads, suggesting the game can utilize the processor's resources effectively when needed. However, the single-thread performance—3DMark single-thread at 1,016, Cinebench R23 single-core at 3,302, and Geekbench single-core at 2,157—is what drives the 1080p results.

At 1080p Low, the 242 FPS average is likely near the CPU's practical limit for Outriders' engine. The processor's PassMark single-thread score of 3,925 and its 79th percentile ranking among all CPUs indicate it is well above average for gaming workloads. The nearest rivals include the Core i9-10900K and Ryzen 7 5800X3D, both of which have similar aggregate scores, confirming that the i5-12600KF is not a bottleneck in most scenarios.

The CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache helps with game asset streaming, while the 16 threads allow background processes to run without starving the game. In Outriders, which can spawn numerous enemies and particle effects, the 10-core configuration provides enough parallel throughput to maintain consistent frame pacing, as seen in the Medium settings' min FPS values across all resolutions.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Outriders at 4K smoothly?

A: Yes, but not at Ultra settings. At 4K High, the average FPS is 68, just above the 60 FPS threshold. At 4K Medium, the average is 90 FPS with a minimum of 77 FPS, providing a comfortable margin. Ultra settings at 4K drop to 49 FPS average, which falls below the smooth gameplay threshold.

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

A: The 2560x1440 data shows the strongest balance. Even at Ultra settings, the combo achieves 94 FPS average, while High settings reach 130 FPS. This resolution leverages the GPU's 12 GB VRAM and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth without pushing the card to its limits.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in aggregate performance?

A: The i5-12600KF's average benchmark score of 27,799 is within 0.3% of the Intel Core i9-10900K (27,872), AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D (27,896), and AMD Ryzen 7 6800U (27,887). This places it in a statistical tie with those parts for general compute performance.

Q: Does the GPU bottleneck the CPU at any resolution?

A: At 1080p Low and Medium, the CPU appears to be the limiting factor, as frame rates exceed 200 FPS and the GPU has headroom. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is clearly the bottleneck with 49 FPS average. At 1440p and 4K High, the system is balanced, with scaling patterns indicating GPU-bound workloads.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows an average of 173 FPS, with a minimum of 147 FPS and maximum of 199 FPS. This provides a consistently high-refresh-rate experience, with the minimum still well above 144 Hz thresholds.

Q: Does the 12 GB VRAM cause any issues in Outriders?

A: The data does not show any VRAM-related performance drops. The game runs at all tested settings and resolutions without min FPS outliers that would suggest memory capacity issues. The 12 GB capacity and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the game's requirements.

Settings Recommendations

For 4K displays, the Medium preset offers the best experience among the measured rows. The 90 FPS average with a 77 FPS minimum ensures consistent gameplay above 60 FPS, while High settings at 68 FPS provide a visual upgrade at the cost of some headroom. Ultra at 49 FPS is not recommended for competitive or fast-paced play, as frame times will become noticeable.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the optimal choice. At 130 FPS average, it provides a 44% improvement over Ultra's 94 FPS while still maintaining high visual fidelity. The gap from High to Ultra (36 FPS) suggests diminishing returns for the visual investment. Medium at 173 FPS is an option for players prioritizing maximum refresh rates, but the visual compromise may not be worth the extra 43 FPS.

At 1920x1080, Ultra settings deliver 148 FPS, which is well above the standard 60 FPS target and close to 144 Hz thresholds. This makes Ultra the recommended preset for 1080p, as the GPU has sufficient headroom to handle maximum settings without sacrificing smoothness. Medium at 215 FPS is excessive for most displays, and the jump to Ultra only costs 67 FPS while providing significant visual improvements.

The data indicates that this combo is best utilized at 1440p with High settings for a balanced experience, or at 1080p with Ultra settings for maximum visual quality. The 4K High preset is viable for slower-paced exploration, but 4K Medium is the safer choice for combat-heavy encounters where frame consistency matters most.