Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER occupies the 1033rd position out of 1687 tested combinations for Red Dead Redemption 2. This places the combo in the lower-middle portion of the database, meaning that while it is far from the top performers, it sits ahead of a substantial number of less capable pairings. The ranking reflects a system that can run the game, but the data indicates significant compromises are necessary to achieve smooth gameplay, particularly at higher resolutions.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 1033 out of 1687 places it in the 61st percentile of all tested combinations. This is a mid-pack result, suggesting the pairing is balanced in its mediocrity rather than being held back by a single severe bottleneck. The GPU, which sits at the 65th percentile among all GPUs, is slightly stronger relative to its peers than the CPU, which sits at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs. However, the game’s demands on both components are evident.

In practical terms, this ranking means the system is positioned well below the top 500 combos that would typically deliver high-refresh-rate experiences at maximum settings. The data shows that this rank is achieved through a combination of the CPU’s strong single-thread performance and the GPU’s solid mid-range rasterization capabilities. The measured frames per second (FPS) across the resolution and settings matrix confirms that this is a 1080p-oriented machine, where it can provide a playable experience, rather than a high-resolution powerhouse.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing, and its specifications directly explain the observed frame rates. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This bandwidth is sufficient for Red Dead Redemption 2’s textures at 1080p and 1440p, but the 8 GB capacity becomes a limiting factor at 4K. The base clock of 1605 MHz and boost clock of 1770 MHz are the primary drivers of the GPU’s compute performance, which is rated at 9.062 TFLOPS for FP32 operations.

The benchmark results for the GPU show a Passmark G3D score of 18169, placing it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA RTX A400, which is 0.5% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z, which is 0.9% slower. The data suggests that the RTX 2070 SUPER is a consistent performer, but the game’s Ultra settings place a heavy load on its 2560 shading units. The transition from High to Ultra at any resolution results in a substantial FPS drop, indicating that the Ultra preset pushes the GPU’s pixel rate of 113.3 GPixel/s to its limits.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of performance degradation as resolution increases, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p with High settings, the combo achieves an average of 63 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same settings drops the average to 46.7 FPS, a reduction of approximately 26%. At 4K with High settings, the average falls to 28.5 FPS, which is a further 39% drop from 1440p. This scaling indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting factor at higher resolutions, as the CPU’s performance does not degrade with resolution.

The data also shows that the gap between Low and Ultra settings widens with resolution. At 1080p, the difference between Low (103.4 FPS) and Ultra (47.6 FPS) is 55.8 FPS. At 4K, the difference between Low (51.8 FPS) and Ultra (21.2 FPS) is 30.6 FPS. This narrowing absolute gap at 4K suggests that the GPU is so heavily taxed that even lowering settings cannot fully compensate for the pixel count. The 4K Low setting is the only 4K configuration that breaks the 50 FPS barrier, achieving 51.8 FPS, which is still below the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo to achieve a consistent 60 FPS?

A: Based on the measured data, 1080p is the only resolution where the combo can consistently exceed 60 FPS. At 1080p with Medium settings, the average FPS is 79.5, and at High settings it is 63. At 1440p, the highest average FPS is 78 on Low settings, but High settings drop to 46.7 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 2070 SUPER compare to its nearest rival in the database?

A: The RTX 2070 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 22206. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A400, scores 22307, which makes the RTX 2070 SUPER 0.5% slower. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z scores 22006, making the RTX 2070 SUPER 0.9% faster than that card.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p with Low settings?

A: The data suggests that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 103.4 FPS. The CPU’s single-thread score of 893 in 3DMark and its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1681 are strong, indicating it can handle high frame rates. However, the GPU’s Passmark G3D score of 18169 is the limiting factor, as the frame rate does not scale beyond this point.

Q: What is the impact of the CPU’s core count on this game’s performance?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has 4 cores and 8 threads. Its 3DMark 8-thread score is 4026, and its max-thread score is 4023, indicating that the game does not benefit from additional threads beyond 8. Red Dead Redemption 2 is likely using the 4 cores effectively, but the CPU’s performance is not the primary constraint in most settings.

Q: Can the combo handle 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 21.2, which is below playable thresholds. Even at 4K High, the average is 28.5 FPS. The GPU’s 8 GB memory capacity and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to maintain playable frame rates at this resolution.

Q: How does the CPU’s percentile rank compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The CPU is at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score is 13516. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX scores 13534, making the i3-12100F 0.1% slower. The Intel Core i7-1250U scores 13462, making the i3-12100F 0.4% faster.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its performance in Red Dead Redemption 2 is secondary to the GPU, but it provides the necessary foundation for the frame rates observed. The CPU’s Cinebench R23 multicore score is 11912, and its single-core score is 1681. The single-core performance is particularly relevant for this game, as it relies on a few primary threads for game logic and physics.

The CPU’s 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and 2-thread score of 1659 indicate that its individual cores are capable. However, the 4-thread score of 2859 and 8-thread score of 4026 show a scaling pattern that suggests diminishing returns beyond 4 threads. This is consistent with the game’s behavior, which typically utilizes up to 6-8 threads. The CPU’s 12 MB of shared L3 cache is adequate for the game’s data requirements, but it is not a standout feature. The CPU’s nearest rivals in the database, such as the Intel Core i7-7700K, which is 1.8% faster in average score, show that the i3-12100F is competitive with older high-end parts.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy of playable settings based on resolution. For a target of 60 FPS, the combo must be configured carefully. At 1080p, the High preset achieves 63 FPS, which is the most demanding setting that still meets this target. The Medium preset at 1080p delivers 79.5 FPS, offering a comfortable margin above 60 FPS for more consistent frame pacing. For players who prioritize smoothness over visual fidelity, the Low preset at 1080p delivers 103.4 FPS, which is well-suited for high-refresh-rate monitors.

At 1440p, the situation changes. The Low preset is the only one that breaks the 60 FPS barrier, achieving 78 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 58.7 FPS, which is marginally below the 60 FPS target, and the High preset falls to 46.7 FPS. Therefore, for 1440p, the Low preset is the only recommended option for a fluid experience, while Medium is acceptable for those who can tolerate slight dips. At 4K, no preset is recommended for competitive play. The Low preset achieves 51.8 FPS, which is the highest 4K score, but it still falls short of 60 FPS. The High preset at 28.5 FPS and Ultra at 21.2 FPS are best avoided.

The data indicates that the optimal experience is at 1080p with the Medium preset, as it provides a high average FPS of 79.5 while maintaining a reasonable level of visual quality. The High preset is a viable alternative for those who prioritize visuals, as it still clears the 60 FPS threshold. For 1440p users, the Low preset is the only way to achieve a smooth frame rate, and for 4K, the system is not suitable for this game.