Overpower

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake generation, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its thermal design power is 65 W, and it pairs with the Intel Socket 1700 platform. In this setup, it sits well within the 73rd percentile of all CPUs tested on this benchmark database, indicating a solid mid-range performer that rarely becomes the primary constraint in this game. The processor’s 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 cache per core help with the game's data streaming, and its support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory gives builders flexibility, though the measured results do not show a memory bandwidth bottleneck.

The data suggests the i5-12400F is well matched to the RTX 5060 for this game. The CPU’s benchmark scores are strong in multi-threaded tests, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and a Geekbench multicore score of 9472. More importantly for gaming, the single-thread performance is respectable, as shown by a 3DMark single-thread score of 909 and a Passmark single-thread score of 3481. These figures indicate that the processor can feed the GPU effectively, and the measured frame rates reveal that the CPU is not the limiting factor at lower resolutions—at 1080p Low, the system achieves 164 FPS, which is a high enough number to suggest the CPU has headroom left on the table.

The i5-12400F’s nearest rival in the database, the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, posts a nearly identical average benchmark score of 19047, with a delta of 0% compared to this CPU’s score of 19039. The Intel Core 3 201E is also close, at 19056, which is 0.1% higher. This means the 12400F is effectively in the same performance tier as those chips for general compute, but the 12400F’s architecture is specifically designed for desktop use, with a higher boost clock than those mobile or lower-tier parts. The data shows the CPU’s 3DMark 16-thread score of 5895 and max-thread score of 5912 are nearly identical, meaning the extra threads beyond 16 provide little benefit in the game's workload, which is typical for a title that scales well up to six physical cores but not much beyond that.

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

The 6-core, 12-thread configuration of the i5-12400F is the sweet spot for this game. The measured FPS data shows that when the resolution is set to 1080p Low, the system produces 164 FPS, which is the highest number in the entire measured set. This indicates that the CPU is capable of high frame generation when the GPU is not under heavy load. The 2.50 GHz base clock is low, but the 4.40 GHz boost clock is what the processor will typically maintain under gaming loads, and the single-thread performance scores confirm that this boost is effective.

Benchmark results show the processor’s 3DMark 2-thread score of 1699 and 4-thread score of 3067 are proportionate, but the 8-thread score of 4779 and 16-thread score of 5895 show diminishing returns as more threads are utilized. This pattern suggests the game is likely optimized for fewer cores, but the 12 threads provide enough headroom to avoid stutter when background tasks are running. The Passmark physics score of 1202 is moderate, but it does not appear to be a bottleneck because the frame rates remain high across all tested settings.

The data indicates that the CPU is rarely the limiting component in this pairing. At 4K Ultra, the system drops to 60 FPS, but that is clearly a GPU constraint. The CPU’s percentile ranking of 73rd out of all CPUs means it outperforms the majority of processors, and its average benchmark score of 19039 places it in the same league as the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, which scores 19047. The 0% delta between these two chips means they are functionally identical in overall compute, yet the 12400F has a higher boost clock, which can matter in single-threaded game logic.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, featuring 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The memory clock runs at 1750 MHz with 28 Gbps effective speed, and the GPU has a base clock of 2280 MHz and a boost clock of 2497 MHz. These specifications position the card in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs tested, which is a strong showing for a mainstream card, but the 8 GB VRAM capacity is a notable limitation at higher resolutions.

The measured FPS data directly reflects the GPU’s role. At 1080p Low, the system hits 164 FPS, but at 1080p Ultra, it drops to 79 FPS. This 51% reduction from Low to Ultra at the same resolution shows the GPU is working harder as settings increase. The more telling data is at 4K: at 4K Low, the system achieves 124 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it falls to 60 FPS. This drop is significant and suggests the 8 GB VRAM buffer is being saturated at 4K Ultra, as the memory bandwidth and capacity become the limiting factors.

The RTX 5060’s nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon 860M, which scores 26401 (a 0.3% higher average benchmark score), and the NVIDIA GeForce MX550, which scores 26421 (0.3% higher). The AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT scores 26011, which is 1.2% lower. This data shows the RTX 5060 is competitive with those cards in synthetic benchmarks, but the measured game FPS tells a more specific story. The GPU’s 30 RT cores and 120 tensor cores support the game’s effects, but the 48 ROPs and 120 TMUs are modest, which is why the pixel rate of 119.9 GPixel/s and texture rate of 299.6 GTexel/s are not exceptionally high for the 4K resolution.

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

The measured data shows a clear trade-off between visual quality and frame rate. At 1080p, the Medium preset provides 102 FPS with a minimum of 87 FPS and a maximum of 118 FPS. This is a smooth experience for most displays, and the data suggests that Medium is the best balance for a 1080p monitor. The High preset at 1080p yields 95 FPS, which is only 7 FPS lower than Medium, but the Ultra preset drops to 79 FPS, which is a 23% reduction from Medium. Given that Medium offers a minimum frame rate of 87 FPS, it is the safest choice to avoid drops below 60 FPS.

At 1440p, the Medium preset delivers 91 FPS with a minimum of 77 FPS, while High delivers 85 FPS and Ultra drops to 70 FPS. The 1440p Medium setting is the recommended choice for this resolution, as it maintains a minimum above 75 FPS, which is comfortable for most gamers. The Low preset at 1440p hits 146 FPS, but the visual quality loss is substantial, so it is only advised for competitive play where frame rate matters more than visuals.

For 4K gaming, the data shows that Low is the only setting that provides a high frame rate, at 124 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K drops to 77 FPS with a minimum of 66 FPS, which is playable but close to the edge of smoothness. The High preset at 4K is 72 FPS, and Ultra is exactly 60 FPS. The recommendation is to use Medium at 4K if the display supports adaptive sync, as the 66 FPS minimum is acceptable, but for a locked 60 FPS experience, High is the better option because it offers more visual fidelity than Medium while still hitting 72 FPS average.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This specific combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 1643 out of 3713 tested combos in Overpower. This puts it in the top 44% of all tested systems, which is a solid result for a mid-range pairing. The rank reflects the balance between the two components; the CPU is not holding back the GPU, and the GPU is not being bottlenecked by the CPU. The data shows that this combo outperforms a significant portion of the test pool, which includes systems with more expensive CPUs or GPUs that may be mismatched.

The rank of 1643 suggests that there are many combos that score higher, likely those with higher-end GPUs like the RTX 5070 or RX 7800 XT, but this combo sits comfortably above the median. The measured FPS at 1080p High (95 FPS) and 1440p High (85 FPS) are both strong numbers that show the system can handle modern action games with high settings. The fact that this combo ranks in the 44th percentile while using a mainstream CPU and GPU indicates that the balance is good—neither component is severely over- or under-powered for the other.

The combo’s rank also benefits from the CPU’s ability to keep up with the GPU at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the system still manages 60 FPS, which is the bare minimum for smooth gameplay. If the CPU were weaker, that number would likely drop below 60 FPS, but the 12400F’s single-thread performance keeps the frame rate steady. The data indicates that this is a well-rounded system for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with acceptable 4K performance at lower presets.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this system scales across resolutions. At High settings, the system achieves 95 FPS at 1080p, 85 FPS at 1440p, and 72 FPS at 4K. This represents a 10.5% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 15.3% drop from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is relatively linear, which suggests that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect a much smaller drop between 1440p and 4K because the GPU would be less utilized.

At Low settings, the FPS numbers are 164 at 1080p, 146 at 1440p, and 124 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 24.4%, which is less than the drop at High settings (24.2% from 1080p to 4K). This pattern indicates that the GPU is still the limiting factor even at Low settings, but the CPU has more headroom at lower resolutions. The fact that 1080p Low produces 164 FPS shows the CPU can handle the game’s logic, but the GPU’s rendering capability caps the frame rate.

The Medium preset shows a similar trend: 102 FPS at 1080p, 91 FPS at 1440p, and 77 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 4K is 24.5%, which is consistent with the Low preset. This consistency across presets confirms that the GPU is the limiting component throughout the resolution range. The CPU’s performance is sufficient to support these frame rates, as evidenced by the fact that the FPS does not collapse at 4K, which would happen if the CPU were unable to feed the GPU enough draw calls.

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

Q: What is the best resolution and setting combo for a 60 FPS locked experience?

A: At 4K Ultra, the system hits exactly 60 FPS, but this leaves no headroom for stutters. For a safer lock, use 4K High, which averages 72 FPS, or 1440p Ultra at 70 FPS. Both provide a comfortable margin above 60 FPS.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 1080p?

A: No. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 164 FPS, which is a high frame rate that indicates the CPU is feeding the GPU effectively. The CPU’s single-thread performance, shown by a 3DMark single-thread score of 909, is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking the RTX 5060 at this resolution.

Q: How does this combo compare to one with an AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT?

A: The RTX 5060 has an average benchmark score of 26331, while the RX 6750 XT scores 26011, which is 1.2% lower. The RTX 5060 also has a higher percentile ranking at 72 versus the RX 6750 XT’s position as a nearest rival, indicating it is the stronger card in this game.

Q: Why does the FPS drop so much from Low to Ultra at 4K?

A: The drop from 124 FPS at 4K Low to 60 FPS at 4K Ultra is a 51.6% reduction. This is due to the GPU’s 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit memory bus, which are stressed by the Ultra preset’s higher texture and effect demands. The memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s is adequate for Low, but not for Ultra at 4K.

Q: Is the 8 GB VRAM enough for this game at 1440p?

A: Yes. At 1440p Ultra, the system achieves 70 FPS, which is above 60 FPS. The measured data shows no frame rate collapse at 1440p, indicating that the 8 GB capacity is sufficient for this game at that resolution, though it is close to the limit.

Q: What is the rank of this combo among all tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 1643 out of 3713 tested combos in Overpower, placing it in the top 44% of all systems. This is a strong result for a mainstream CPU and GPU pairing, showing it outperforms more than half of the tested configurations.