Outriders

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 570 produces a combination in Outriders that is heavily constrained by the graphics card. The data indicates a system where the CPU has ample headroom, but the GPU's 4 GB VRAM and GCN 4.0 architecture consistently limit frame rates, especially at higher resolutions and settings. The measured results show a stark drop from 1080p to 4K, confirming that this is a GPU-bound scenario for most of the tested configurations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a classic GPU-limited scaling curve. At 1080p with High settings, the combo delivers 52.3 FPS, which drops to 33.3 FPS at 1440p and falls to a nearly unplayable 16.9 FPS at 4K. This represents a 68% performance loss from 1080p to 4K, indicating that the rendering resolution is the primary factor in performance degradation.

The scaling pattern becomes more telling when examining the Low preset. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 98.5 FPS, which is a strong result. However, at 1440p Low, that figure drops to 65.5 FPS (a 33% reduction), and at 4K Low it collapses to 33.2 FPS. The fact that even the lowest settings cannot maintain playable frame rates at 4K suggests the GPU's memory bandwidth and compute resources are simply overwhelmed by the pixel count, rather than any CPU bottleneck.

The gap between Low and High settings at the same resolution shows the impact of graphical load. At 1080p, the difference between Low (98.5 FPS) and High (52.3 FPS) is 46.2 FPS, a substantial margin. At 1440p, the same comparison shows a 32.2 FPS gap, and at 4K it narrows to 16.3 FPS. This narrowing gap at higher resolutions is a hallmark of a GPU that is already saturated; the additional settings overhead becomes less impactful when the pixel throughput is already the limiting factor. The data suggests that users targeting 4K will encounter a hard wall regardless of settings, with all presets falling below 35 FPS.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. In synthetic benchmarks, it scores 28,979 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4,091 in single-core, placing it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs. This is a high-end desktop part that should not be the bottleneck in a game like Outriders.

The benchmark data reflects this. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (98.5 FPS) shows the CPU can feed the GPU well beyond what the RX 570 can render at higher settings. Even at 1080p High (52.3 FPS), the frame rate is likely limited by the GPU's shading units and TMUs, not the CPU's thread scheduling. The 3DMark scores for the CPU—9,283 for 16 threads and 9,983 for max threads—indicate strong multi-threaded performance that is more than adequate for a looter shooter's typical workload.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the i7-12700KF is essentially tied with the Intel Core i5-14400 (0.1% delta), the Intel Core i7-13800H (-0.2%), and the Intel Core i9-12900HX (0.2%). This means that in CPU-bound scenarios, swapping to any of these processors would yield near-identical results. However, because the RX 570 is the limiting factor in almost every measured configuration, the CPU's performance headroom is largely untapped. The data shows that the 12 cores and 20 threads are sufficient to avoid any frame pacing issues, as there are no anomalous drops that would indicate a CPU stall.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 570 is the clear performance limiter in this pairing. It features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth, and its GCN 4.0 architecture provides 2,048 shading units. The boost clock is 1,244 MHz, and the FP32 throughput is 5.095 TFLOPS. This is an end-of-life product that launched in 2017, and its age is evident in the Outriders results.

The 4 GB VRAM is a critical constraint. At 4K Ultra, the combo produces just 16 FPS, and at 1440p Ultra it only reaches 24.3 FPS. The Ultra preset likely exceeds the VRAM capacity, causing texture swapping and significant performance degradation. Even at High settings, which are less demanding, the 4K result is only 16.9 FPS, indicating that the GPU cannot handle the pixel fill rate required at that resolution.

At 1080p, the GPU shows its capabilities. The Low preset achieves 98.5 FPS, which is a solid result for a 1080p gaming session. The Medium preset (72.5 FPS) and High preset (52.3 FPS) are playable, but the Ultra preset (36.5 FPS) shows the GPU struggling with the highest graphical loads. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 880 and the Geekbench Vulkan score of 42,752 place the GPU in the 74th percentile of all GPUs, but its nearest rivals in the database—such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (0.2% delta) and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (0.2%)—are modern parts that would outperform it in real-world gaming due to architectural improvements, despite similar synthetic averages.

How This Combo Ranks

In the benchmark database, this specific combination of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and AMD Radeon RX 570 ranks 1,619 out of 1,693 tested combos for Outriders. This places it in the bottom 4.4% of all tested configurations, which is a poor ranking. The CPU is in the 89th percentile, but the GPU is in the 74th, and the pairing results in a low overall rank because the GPU holds the system back.

The rank indicates that most other CPU-GPU pairings tested in this game deliver higher average frame rates. The data suggests that the i7-12700KF is overkill for the RX 570; a weaker CPU paired with a stronger GPU would likely rank higher, as the GPU would be the primary driver of performance. The combo's low rank is not a reflection of the CPU's capabilities, but rather a mismatch where a high-end processor is paired with a low-end graphics card, creating a significant imbalance in the system's overall gaming performance.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture across resolutions and settings:

1080p:

• Low: 98.5 FPS
• Medium: 72.5 FPS
• High: 52.3 FPS
• Ultra: 36.5 FPS

1440p:

• Low: 65.5 FPS
• Medium: 45.6 FPS
• High: 33.3 FPS
• Ultra: 24.3 FPS

4K (2160p):

• Low: 33.2 FPS
• Medium: 26 FPS
• High: 16.9 FPS
• Ultra: 16 FPS

The 1080p results show a clear degradation as settings increase. The jump from Low to Medium costs 26 FPS, while the jump from Medium to High costs 20.2 FPS, and the jump from High to Ultra costs 15.8 FPS. This suggests diminishing returns on settings at 1080p, but all presets except Ultra are playable.

At 1440p, only the Low preset (65.5 FPS) provides a smooth experience. The Medium preset (45.6 FPS) is borderline, while High (33.3 FPS) and Ultra (24.3 FPS) are not suitable for fast-paced action. The 4K results are uniformly poor, with the best case being Low at 33.2 FPS and the worst being Ultra at 16 FPS.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal experience for this combo is at 1080p with Low settings, which delivers 98.5 FPS. This is the only configuration that approaches the 100 FPS mark, providing a smooth and responsive gameplay experience. For users seeking higher visual fidelity, the 1080p Medium preset at 72.5 FPS is a strong alternative, offering a good balance between frame rate and graphical quality.

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only viable option, achieving 65.5 FPS. Users with 1440p monitors should accept the visual trade-offs to maintain a playable frame rate. The 4K resolution is not recommended for this combo, as even the Low preset (33.2 FPS) falls below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The data clearly shows that the RX 570 cannot handle 4K in Outriders under any settings, and users should target 1080p for the best experience.

FAQ

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

A: The data shows 1080p with Low settings yields the highest average FPS at 98.5, making it the best configuration for performance. For better visuals, 1080p Medium at 72.5 FPS is the recommended compromise.

*Q: Can this system run Outriders at 4K?*

A: No. The highest average FPS at 4K is 33.2 on Low settings, and Ultra drops to 16 FPS. All 4K presets are below playable thresholds.

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF the bottleneck in this system?

A: No. The CPU scores in the 89th percentile, and its nearest rivals show deltas of less than 0.3%. The GPU's 4 GB VRAM and 5.095 TFLOPS FP32 throughput are the limiting factors.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: It ranks 1,619 out of 1,693 combos for Outriders, placing it in the bottom 4.4% of all tested pairings.

Q: What is the difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The average FPS drops from 98.5 on Low to 36.5 on Ultra, a difference of 62 FPS. This indicates a significant performance cost for the Ultra preset.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon RX 570 comparable to modern GPUs?

A: In synthetic benchmarks, its average score is 30,158, which is within 0.2% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, but the RX 570's 4 GB VRAM limits its real-world gaming performance in Outriders.