Red Dead Redemption 2

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

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor from the Alder Lake generation, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its L3 cache is 12 MB shared, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. In synthetic benchmarks, this chip posts a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11912 and a single-core score of 1681, with a Geekbench multi-core score of 7413 and single-core 2224. The CPU sits at the 72nd percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 13516.

Against its nearest rivals, the i3-12100F is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX (deltaPct -0.1%) and the Intel Core i7-1250U (deltaPct 0.4%). It edges out the Intel Core i3-10105 by 0.6% and the Intel Core i7-7700K by 1.8% in average score. This means the 4-core design is not a bottleneck in the traditional sense — its single-thread strength carries most of the workload in Red Dead Redemption 2, which is known for being sensitive to per-core performance rather than raw core counts.

The measured FPS data suggests that CPU limits appear most clearly at 1080p Low settings, where the frame rate reaches 95.2 FPS. At that point, the GPU is not under heavy load, so the i3-12100F's 4 cores are driving the scene. The fact that dropping from 1080p High to 1080p Low only improves FPS from 58.9 to 95.2 — a 61.6% jump — indicates that the CPU can feed frames faster when the GPU has less work, but the ceiling is around 95 FPS at this resolution. This is consistent with a processor that has strong single-thread performance (PassMark single-thread score of 3444) but only 4 physical cores.

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

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 is built on the Navi 33 chip with RDNA 3.0 architecture, fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC. It carries 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The GPU has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with 32 ray-tracing cores. Its boost clock is 2655 MHz, with a game clock of 2250 MHz. The card supports PCIe 4.0 x8 and DirectX 12 Ultimate.

In synthetic tests, the RX 7600 scores 16634 in PassMark G3D and 90825 in Geekbench Vulkan, placing it at the 63rd percentile among all GPUs with an average score of 20258. Its nearest rival is the RX 7600 XT, which is only 0.6% faster — a marginal difference. The RX 460 is 0.8% behind, while the RTX 3070 Mobile is 1.3% ahead and the Intel Arc B570 is 1.5% ahead. These are all close calls, meaning the RX 7600 sits in a tight performance cluster.

The GPU's role in Red Dead Redemption 2 becomes clear when frame rates collapse at 4K Ultra. At 3840x2160 Ultra, the average FPS drops to 20.4, while at 4K Low it climbs to 49.1. The 8 GB VRAM is likely a limiting factor at 4K with high texture settings, as the game is known for heavy memory usage. The 128-bit memory bus and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth are modest for 4K workloads, which explains why the card struggles to maintain playable rates beyond 1440p Medium.

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 combo scales across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system averages 95.2 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, that drops to 67.3 FPS (a 29.3% reduction). At 4K Low, it falls to 49.1 FPS — a 48.4% drop from 1080p Low. This scaling pattern is typical of a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, where the RX 7600's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus become the primary constraints.

At Medium settings, the pattern is similar: 1080p Medium runs at 69.9 FPS, 1440p Medium at 55 FPS, and 4K Medium at 31.5 FPS. The jump from 1440p to 4K at Medium is a 42.7% loss, which is steeper than the 1080p-to-1440p loss of 21.3%. This suggests that the GPU is hitting a bandwidth or VRAM wall as resolution increases, not a CPU limitation. The i3-12100F's performance is relatively constant across resolutions, so the FPS drop is almost entirely attributable to the GPU.

At High settings, the numbers are 58.9 FPS (1080p), 43.9 FPS (1440p), and 31.2 FPS (4K). The 4K-to-1080p ratio is about 0.53, meaning 4K delivers just over half the frame rate of 1080p. At Ultra, the drop is even more severe: 39.4 FPS at 1080p falls to 20.4 FPS at 4K — a 48.2% reduction. This indicates that the RX 7600 is the limiting component at 4K, while the CPU can still push acceptable rates at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

This particular pairing of the Intel Core i3-12100F and AMD Radeon RX 7600 ranks 1174 out of 1687 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2. That places it in the bottom 30% of all combinations, which might surprise given the individual component scores. The CPU is at the 72nd percentile and the GPU at the 63rd, yet the combo lands lower than either component's percentile would suggest.

The reason is likely the game's engine, which favors high-end CPUs with more cores for certain scenes. The i3-12100F's 4 cores, despite strong single-thread performance, may struggle in densely populated areas or during complex physics calculations. The nearest CPU rivals — the Threadripper PRO 3975WX and Core i7-1250U — have more cores or different architectures, which could explain why the combo rank is lower than expected. The GPU, while competent at 1080p, cannot compensate for CPU stalls in this title.

In practical terms, this combo is best suited for 1080p gaming at Medium to High settings, where it delivers between 58.9 and 69.9 FPS. At 1440p, it remains playable at Low (67.3 FPS) and Medium (55 FPS), but High drops to 43.9 FPS. At 4K, only Low settings (49.1 FPS) approach smoothness, and even that is marginal for a game like Red Dead Redemption 2.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

1080p (1920x1080):

• Low: 95.2 FPS — the fastest setting tested, indicating the CPU can drive this frame rate when the GPU is not stressed.
• Medium: 69.9 FPS — a 26.6% drop from Low, showing how GPU load affects the frame rate.
• High: 58.9 FPS — a further 15.7% reduction, still playable but noticeably less smooth.
• Ultra: 39.4 FPS — a 58.6% drop from Low, making Ultra a poor choice for this combo at 1080p.

1440p (2560x1440):

• Low: 67.3 FPS — the only 1440p setting that stays above 60 FPS.
• Medium: 55 FPS — a 18.3% drop from Low, still borderline playable.
• High: 43.9 FPS — a 34.8% drop from Low, requiring a compromise on visual quality.
• Ultra: 32.5 FPS — a 51.7% drop from Low, not recommended for smooth gameplay.

4K (3840x2160):

• Low: 49.1 FPS — the only 4K setting that approaches playability, though it's below the 60 FPS target.
• Medium: 31.5 FPS — a 35.8% drop from Low, making it difficult to enjoy.
• High: 31.2 FPS — nearly identical to Medium, suggesting a VRAM or bandwidth limit.
• Ultra: 20.4 FPS — a 58.5% drop from Low, effectively unplayable for most users.

FAQ

Q: Is this combo better for 1080p or 1440p gaming?

A: The data shows 1080p is the sweet spot. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 95.2 FPS, and at High it still manages 58.9 FPS. At 1440p, only Low (67.3 FPS) and Medium (55 FPS) are viable, while High drops to 43.9 FPS.

Q: Can this system handle 4K in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: Only at Low settings, where it averages 49.1 FPS. Medium (31.5 FPS), High (31.2 FPS), and Ultra (20.4 FPS) all fall below 32 FPS, making them poor choices for smooth play.

Q: Which component is the bottleneck at 4K?

A: The GPU. The RX 7600's 8 GB VRAM and 128-bit bus (288.0 GB/s bandwidth) limit performance at 4K, as evidenced by the steep FPS drop from 1440p to 4K. The CPU's frame rate ceiling is not the issue at these resolutions.

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

A: The i3-12100F is within 0.6% of the Threadripper PRO 3975WX and Core i7-1250U, and 0.6% faster than the Core i3-10105. It is 1.8% faster than the Core i7-7700K in average benchmark score.

Q: What is the best setting for a balance of quality and performance?

A: At 1080p, Medium (69.9 FPS) offers a good balance. At 1440p, Low (67.3 FPS) is the only setting above 60 FPS. At 4K, Low (49.1 FPS) is the only playable option.

Q: Is the GPU competitive with similar cards?

A: The RX 7600 is 0.6% slower than the RX 7600 XT, 0.8% faster than the RX 460, 1.3% slower than the RTX 3070 Mobile, and 1.5% slower than the Intel Arc B570 in average benchmark score. It sits at the 63rd percentile among all GPUs.