Pc Building Simulator

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is an unusual combination: a quad-core budget CPU (launch MSRP $97) alongside a flagship GPU (launch MSRP 1,999 USD). In Pc Building Simulator, the measured data shows this pairing delivers playable frame rates across all tested settings, but the balance between CPU and GPU shifts dramatically as resolution increases. The combo ranks 56th out of 1,769 tested combinations, placing it in the top 3% of all pairings for this game.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS values reveal how the workload moves from CPU-bound to GPU-bound as resolution climbs. At 1080p Low, the average is 347.9 FPS. At 1440p Low, it drops to 295.0 FPS, and at 4K Low it falls to 177.6 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 52.9 FPS, while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 117.4 FPS — a much steeper decline. This pattern repeats across all settings. For High, 1080p yields 265.1 FPS, 1440p yields 168.3 FPS, and 4K yields 87.1 FPS. The gap between 1440p and 4K (81.2 FPS) is more than double the gap between 1080p and 1440p (96.8 FPS). At Ultra, the numbers are 253.8, 163.5, and 83.8 FPS respectively.

The scaling indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor — the RTX 5090 is capable of far more than 347.9 FPS, but the i3-12100F's four cores and eight threads cap the output. As resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows, and the frame rate becomes more dependent on the RTX 5090's raw throughput. At 4K, even Ultra settings stay above 83 FPS, which is smooth for a simulation title. The fact that Low at 4K still produces 177.6 FPS shows that the GPU has enormous headroom, but the CPU prevents the system from reaching the same heights at lower resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 56 out of 1,769 tested combinations places this pairing in the top 3.2% of all CPU+GPU combos for Pc Building Simulator. This is a strong result, but it is not the absolute top — many higher-end CPUs paired with the RTX 5090 would rank higher. The i3-12100F's average benchmark score is 13,516, which puts it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (avg score 13,534, delta -0.1%), the Intel Core i7-1250U (13,462, +0.4%), the Intel Core i3-10105 (13,430, +0.6%), and the Intel Core i7-7700K (13,280, +1.8%). The i3-12100F essentially matches the Threadripper PRO in average score, despite having only 4 cores versus the Threadripper's many more. This suggests that the i3's single-thread performance is excellent, which is critical for simulation games that often rely on a few heavily loaded threads.

The RTX 5090's average benchmark score is 84,306, placing it in the 94th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the RTX 5090 D (84,241, +0.1%), the RTX 5050 Mobile (84,171, +0.2%), the AMD Radeon PRO W6600 (83,209, +1.3%), and the NVIDIA CMP 40HX (85,637, -1.6%). The RTX 5090 is essentially tied with the 5090 D and 5050 Mobile, and it is 1.3% ahead of the W6600, but 1.6% behind the CMP 40HX. In this game, the GPU's raw power is more than sufficient; the bottleneck is clearly the CPU at lower resolutions.

GPU Role

The RTX 5090 brings 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s. Its base clock is 2017 MHz and boost clock is 2407 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective). These specifications support the high frame rates observed at 4K. The GPU's 21,760 shading units and 176 ROPs handle the rendering workload efficiently. In Pc Building Simulator, the game's graphics are not extremely demanding, but the RTX 5090 still delivers 83.8 FPS at 4K Ultra — a setting that would stress lesser GPUs. The fact that Low at 4K reaches 177.6 FPS shows that the GPU is never the limiting factor at any resolution tested. Even at 1080p, the GPU is likely idle much of the time, waiting for the CPU to feed it data.

The GPU's 94th percentile ranking among all GPUs confirms its top-tier status. Its nearest rival, the RTX 5090 D, is only 0.1% behind in average score, and the RTX 5050 Mobile is 0.2% behind. The RTX 5090's performance in this game is consistent with its overall benchmark standing. The 32 GB VRAM is far more than any current game needs, but it ensures that texture-heavy scenes at 4K will never run out of memory. The 1.79 TB/s bandwidth allows the GPU to stream assets quickly, which is beneficial in simulation games that may load many objects.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 1080p Ultra with this combo?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Ultra settings is 253.8.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested CPU+GPU pairs in Pc Building Simulator?

A: It ranks 56th out of 1,769 combinations, placing it in the top 3.2% of all tested pairs.

Q: What is the RTX 5090's memory size and type?

A: The RTX 5090 has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s.

Q: What is the i3-12100F's single-thread benchmark score?

A: The i3-12100F scores 893 in 3DMark single-thread and 1,681 in Cinebench R23 single-core.

Q: At 4K, which settings preset gives the highest average FPS?

A: At 3840x2160, Low settings give the highest average FPS at 177.6, followed by Medium at 126.7, High at 87.1, and Ultra at 83.8.

Q: How does the i3-12100F compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Core i7-7700K?

A: The i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13,516, which is 1.8% higher than the i7-7700K's 13,280.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. It has 12 MB of shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Its TDP is 58 W, making it a low-power part. In Pc Building Simulator, the CPU's role is critical at lower resolutions. The measured FPS at 1080p Low (347.9) is likely near the CPU's maximum output for this game, as the RTX 5090 is far more capable. The i3's single-thread performance is strong — its 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,681 are high for a quad-core. This helps in simulation games, which often have a single main thread handling game logic.

The CPU's average benchmark score of 13,516 places it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, scores 13,534, a delta of -0.1% — essentially identical. This is remarkable because the Threadripper has many more cores, but the i3's high single-thread performance compensates. The i3-12100F also outperforms the Intel Core i7-7700K by 1.8%, despite the i7 having a higher boost clock (4.50 GHz vs 4.30 GHz) — the i3's newer architecture and better IPC make the difference. In this game, the CPU is the bottleneck at 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K the GPU takes over, and the i3's limitations become less apparent. The data shows that even at 4K Ultra, the combo maintains 83.8 FPS, which is above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay, so the CPU is not a problem at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS values provide clear guidance for choosing settings. At 1080p, all presets deliver well above 250 FPS, with Low at 347.9, Medium at 308.1, High at 265.1, and Ultra at 253.8. Since the CPU is the limiting factor, there is little reason to drop below High or Ultra — the difference between Ultra and Low is only 94.1 FPS, and both are far beyond any display's refresh rate. For 1440p, the same logic applies: Ultra at 163.5 FPS and High at 168.3 FPS are both excellent, while Low at 295.0 FPS is overkill. At 4K, the choice matters more. Ultra at 83.8 FPS is still smooth, but if you prefer higher frame rates, Medium at 126.7 FPS or Low at 177.6 FPS are available. The data suggests that for the best visual quality without sacrificing playability, 4K Ultra is viable, as 83.8 FPS is above the typical 60 FPS target. For competitive or high-refresh-rate play, 4K Low at 177.6 FPS is the best option. Given that the game is a simulation, visual fidelity is often more important than raw FPS, so 4K Ultra or High is recommended. At 1080p and 1440p, Ultra is the obvious choice, as the frame rate remains high enough to avoid any perceptible stutter.