Outriders

Outriders is a looter shooter that scales heavily with GPU load, and the measured results for the Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 show a predictable pattern: frame rates drop dramatically as resolution increases, but the CPU remains a strong anchor throughout. At 1080p, the combo delivers high refresh rate performance, but at 4K, the GPU becomes the definitive bottleneck, pushing the experience below playable thresholds on higher presets.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440 and then to 3840x2160 reveals a steep performance curve. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 188.9 FPS at 1080p to 122.2 FPS at 1440p, a 35.3% reduction, and then to 61.2 FPS at 4K, which is a 67.6% drop from the 1080p baseline. This indicates that even at the lowest graphical load, the RX 6600 is struggling to maintain high frame rates as pixel count increases. The pattern is consistent across all presets: High settings go from 102.8 FPS at 1080p to 65.8 FPS at 1440p (a 36% drop) and then down to 35.4 FPS at 4K (a 65.6% drop from 1080p). Medium settings follow suit, with 134.4 FPS at 1080p, 88.5 FPS at 1440p, and 42.4 FPS at 4K.

The most telling data point is the Ultra preset. At 1080p, the combo manages 73.1 FPS, which is still smooth, but at 1440p this falls to 48 FPS, and at 4K it collapses to 23.3 FPS. The scaling from 1440p to 4K on Ultra shows a 51.5% performance loss, which is nearly identical to the 51.4% loss seen on High settings between those same resolutions. This consistent drop-off across all presets confirms that the limiting component is the GPU’s raw fill rate and memory bandwidth, not the CPU or any software inefficiency. The 1080p results, particularly the 188.9 FPS on Low, suggest that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU far more frames than the GPU can render at higher resolutions, meaning the bottleneck shifts entirely to the graphics card as resolution climbs.

GPU Role

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture with a Navi 23 chip, and its specifications directly explain the observed performance ceiling. The GPU has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. While this is adequate for 1080p and 1440p gaming, the data shows that at 4K, the combination of higher memory pressure and the need to process more pixels overwhelms the card’s capabilities. The boost clock of 2491 MHz and game clock of 2044 MHz are respectable, but the card’s FP32 performance of 8.928 TFLOPS is simply not enough to maintain high frame rates at 4K with demanding settings.

The GPU’s benchmark scores place it in the 69th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25235. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 890M, has a deltaPct of 0, indicating they are statistically tied in aggregate performance. The RX 6600 also sits within 0.5% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti in average score, which is notable because that card typically has higher raw compute power. However, in this game’s measured results, the RX 6600’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory interface become the primary constraints at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS of 23.3 is well below the 30 FPS threshold for playability. The data suggests that the GPU’s memory subsystem, not its core clock speed, is the limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the performance drop from Medium to Ultra at 4K is 45.1% (42.4 to 23.3 FPS), which is larger than the corresponding drop at 1080p (45.6% from 134.4 to 73.1 FPS).

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700KF combined with the AMD Radeon RX 6600 ranks 1365 out of 1693 tested combos in Outriders, placing it in the 19th percentile of all possible pairings. This low ranking is primarily due to the GPU’s limitations, as the CPU is a high-end part that performs far better in synthetic benchmarks. The combo’s rank is a reflection of the fact that Outriders is heavily GPU-bound, especially at higher resolutions, and the RX 6600 is not a high-end graphics card. The data shows that while the CPU can push 188.9 FPS at 1080p Low, the GPU cannot translate that potential into playable 4K frame rates, which drags down the overall combo ranking.

This ranking should be interpreted with context: it does not mean the combo is poor for all scenarios. At 1080p, the combo provides excellent performance, with the High preset achieving 102.8 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS target for most displays. The rank is heavily weighted by 4K performance, where the combo falls short. The CPU’s own benchmark scores, such as a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28979 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2526, place it in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, showing that the processor is not the weak link. The combo rank is a direct consequence of pairing a top-tier CPU with a mid-range GPU, and the measured FPS data confirms that the GPU is the limiting factor in this specific game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers playable to excellent frame rates across all presets. Low settings average 188.9 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors. Medium settings drop to 134.4 FPS, still smooth. High settings provide 102.8 FPS, which is a strong experience for most users. Ultra settings bring the average down to 73.1 FPS, which is still above 60 FPS, making 1080p Ultra a viable option for those who prioritize visual fidelity over maximum frame rate. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 61.3% performance reduction, indicating that the GPU has headroom at this resolution but is not immune to the demands of higher presets.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates begin to dip below the 60 FPS threshold on higher presets. Low settings average 122.2 FPS, which is excellent. Medium settings average 88.5 FPS, still good. High settings average 65.8 FPS, which is playable but close to the edge for competitive play. Ultra settings average 48 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS target and may cause noticeable stutter on standard 60 Hz displays. The data shows a 60.7% performance drop from Low to Ultra at 1440p, similar to the scaling at 1080p, but the absolute numbers are lower, highlighting the GPU’s struggles as pixel count increases.

At 3840x2160, the combo is not suitable for high settings. Low settings average 61.2 FPS, which is barely playable. Medium settings average 42.4 FPS, which is marginal. High settings average 35.4 FPS, which is not smooth. Ultra settings average 23.3 FPS, which is unplayable. The performance drop from Low to Ultra at 4K is 61.9%, consistent with other resolutions, but the starting point is too low. The data indicates that 4K is only viable with Low settings, and even then, the frame rate is just above 60 FPS, leaving no headroom for demanding scenes.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. It has 25 MB of shared L3 cache, which is substantial. The CPU’s benchmark results are strong: it scores 28979 in Cinebench R23 multicore and 4091 in Cinebench R23 single-core. Its Passmark multithread score is 34092, and its Geekbench single-core score is 2526. These numbers place the CPU in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 35355. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-14400 with a deltaPct of 0.1%, meaning the i7-12700KF is essentially tied with that newer chip in aggregate performance.

In Outriders, the CPU’s role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and physics calculations. The data shows that the CPU is not a bottleneck at any resolution. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 188.9 FPS, which is close to the CPU’s likely frame generation limit, but the CPU’s high single-thread performance (Cinebench R15 single-core score of 412) ensures that it can handle the game’s logic without stalling. The minimal difference between the 1080p Low and 1440p Low frame rates (188.9 vs 122.2 FPS) is primarily due to GPU load, not CPU load. The CPU’s 20 threads are more than sufficient for Outriders, which is not a heavily multithreaded game, and the boost clock of 5.00 GHz provides the single-thread speed needed for consistent frame times. The CPU’s 125 W TDP and LGA 1700 socket are standard for a desktop part, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, allowing flexibility in system building.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal preset for this combo depends on the target resolution. For 1920x1080, the High preset is the best balance, offering 102.8 FPS, which is smooth on 60 Hz and 120 Hz displays. Ultra is also viable at 73.1 FPS, but the visual difference may not justify the 29% performance drop from High. For 2560x1440, the Medium preset is recommended, as it provides 88.5 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. High settings at 1440p (65.8 FPS) are acceptable but leave little room for demanding scenes, and Ultra (48 FPS) should be avoided. For 3840x2160, the only playable option is Low, which averages 61.2 FPS. Medium (42.4 FPS) and High (35.4 FPS) are not recommended, and Ultra (23.3 FPS) is unplayable. The data suggests that users with a 4K display should either lower the resolution or accept Low settings, as the GPU does not have the bandwidth or compute power to handle higher presets at that resolution. For the best overall experience, 1080p with High settings is the sweet spot, delivering high frame rates without sacrificing too much visual quality.