Red Dead Redemption 2

The Intel Core i5-12400 pairs with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 to deliver a mid-range 1080p and 1440p experience in Red Dead Redemption 2, with the data showing a clear ceiling at 4K Ultra settings. The CPU’s six Performance-cores and twelve threads, running at a 2.50 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost clock, provide enough headroom for the game’s world simulation, while the GPU’s 8 GB of GDDR7 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth become the primary constraint as resolution and settings scale up.

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

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake-S architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. Its base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz are modest by modern standards, but the chip’s benchmark results indicate it is far from a bottleneck in this title. In Cinebench R23, the CPU scores 15935 multi-core and 2249 single-core, placing it in the 77th percentile against all tested CPUs. This level of single-thread performance is crucial for Red Dead Redemption 2, which relies heavily on a few main threads for gameplay logic and draw calls.

The CPU’s cache layout — 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3 — is adequate for feeding the GPU with scene data. The 3DMark scores reinforce this: 910 single-thread and 5873 for 16-thread workloads. In practice, this means the i5-12400 can maintain consistent frame pacing without stuttering, even when the GPU is pushing high frame rates. At 1080p Low settings, where the RTX 5060 is less stressed, the CPU’s role becomes more apparent; the measured 115.5 FPS average suggests the processor can keep up with the GPU’s output. The nearest rivals in CPU performance — the Intel Core i7-9700 (0.1% ahead) and Intel Core i7-8700 (0.2% behind) — show that this chip is effectively in a performance dead heat with older high-end parts, meaning the i5-12400 is not the limiting factor in this combination.

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

Q: What is the best resolution/settings combo for a playable frame rate?

A: At 1920x1080 High settings, the combo averages 71.8 FPS, which is smooth for most players. For higher fidelity, 2560x1440 High drops to 56.5 FPS, still playable, but 3840x2160 High falls to 36.4 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: How much performance is lost when moving from Low to Ultra settings?

A: At 1080p, the drop from Low (115.5 FPS) to Ultra (53.1 FPS) represents a 54% reduction in average frame rate. The gap narrows at higher resolutions: at 1440p, Low (85.9 FPS) to Ultra (36.5 FPS) is a 57% drop, and at 4K, Low (55.6 FPS) to Ultra (28.5 FPS) is a 49% drop.

Q: Is the RTX 5060’s 8 GB VRAM enough for this game?

A: The data does not show VRAM capacity errors, but the performance scaling suggests the 8 GB buffer and 128-bit bus limit texture-heavy settings. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p, but at 4K Ultra, the GPU’s 28.5 FPS average indicates memory bandwidth and capacity are bottlenecks.

Q: How does the CPU’s performance compare to its direct rivals?

A: The i5-12400’s average benchmark score of 19850 is virtually identical to the Intel Core i7-9700 (19831, 0.1% ahead) and the Intel Core i7-8700 (19894, 0.2% behind). This means the CPU is not a differentiator in this game; the GPU dictates the frame rate.

Q: What frame rate can I expect at 1440p Medium settings?

A: The measured average is 64.3 FPS. This is a good middle ground for a 1440p monitor, offering a solid balance between visual quality and responsiveness, sitting between the 56.5 FPS High and 85.9 FPS Low results.

Q: Does the game scale well with multi-threaded CPUs?

A: The i5-12400 scores 15935 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 18747 in PassMark multithread, which is strong. However, the 3DMark single-thread score of 910 versus 16-thread 5873 shows the game’s engine benefits from a few fast cores more than many slower ones.

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

The measured FPS data shows a predictable degradation as resolution increases, but the pattern reveals which component is the bottleneck. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 71.8 FPS at 1920x1080, to 56.5 FPS at 2560x1440, and finally to 36.4 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 49% drop from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is not linear; the jump from 1440p to 4K (a 36% drop) is larger than from 1080p to 1440p (a 21% drop). This non-linearity indicates the GPU is becoming the primary limiter at higher pixel counts.

The RTX 5060’s 8 GB GDDR7 memory and 128-bit bus become strained at 4K, where texture data exceeds the buffer’s comfort zone. The Low settings results tell a similar story: 115.5 FPS at 1080p, 85.9 FPS at 1440p, and 55.6 FPS at 4K. Even at Low, the 4K average is barely above half of the 1080p result, confirming that the GPU’s memory subsystem is the limiting factor. The CPU, with its 18 MB L3 cache and strong single-thread performance, does not show signs of saturation at any resolution; if it were the bottleneck, the 1080p and 1440p results would be closer together. The data suggests that players targeting 4K should expect to use Low or Medium settings (55.6 and 44.8 FPS respectively) to stay above 30 FPS, while 1440p High is the practical ceiling for a 60 FPS experience.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 850th out of 1687 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2. This places it in the 50th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly half of the tested combos outperform it and half underperform it. Given the CPU’s 77th percentile ranking and the GPU’s 73rd percentile ranking, the combo’s mid-pack position is expected; neither component is a top-tier performer, but both are above average.

The rank of 850 out of 1687 suggests that this system is a solid mid-range option, not a high-end contender. The RTX 5060’s average benchmark score of 30109 is nearly identical to the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (30097, 0% delta), which means the combo’s ranking is more influenced by the CPU than the GPU. The i5-12400’s nearest rival, the Core i7-9700, has an average score of 19831 (0.1% ahead), so swapping to a slightly better CPU would not dramatically change the in-game rank. The data indicates that this combo is well-balanced for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but it will not compete with higher-tier systems at 4K, which is reflected in its mid-pack rank.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 is a Blackwell 2.0 architecture GPU built on TSMC’s 5 nm process, with 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus. The memory runs at 1750 MHz (28 Gbps effective), yielding a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU has 3840 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs, with a boost clock of 2497 MHz. These specs translate to a 19.18 TFLOPS FP32 performance, which is substantial for a mid-range card. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 20891 places it in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rival being the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, which scores 30097 in the average benchmark — a 0% delta.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, the GPU’s role is dominant. The 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p at most settings, but the 128-bit bus limits texture throughput at 4K. This is evident in the 4K results: High settings yield 36.4 FPS, Medium 44.8 FPS, and Low 55.6 FPS. The gap between High and Low at 4K (a 53% difference) is larger than at 1080p (a 61% difference), showing that the GPU is struggling to maintain memory bandwidth at higher resolutions. The GPU’s 120 RT cores and 120 tensor cores are present, but the measured data does not isolate ray tracing performance. The 8 GB capacity is a notable constraint; at 4K Ultra, the 28.5 FPS average indicates the GPU is running out of memory and bandwidth headroom. Players should treat this card as a 1440p performer, with 4K reserved for Low or Medium settings.

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

The measured FPS data provides a full matrix of results across three resolutions and four settings presets.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers strong performance. Low settings average 115.5 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh monitors. Medium settings drop to 85.9 FPS, still very smooth. High settings average 71.8 FPS, which is comfortable for 60 Hz displays. Ultra settings fall to 53.1 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced action. The 1080p results show a clear scaling from Low to Ultra, with the GPU handling the workload without major issues.

At 2560x1440, the performance becomes more moderate. Low settings average 85.9 FPS, which is excellent for a 1440p panel. Medium settings deliver 64.3 FPS, a good target for 60 FPS gaming. High settings average 56.5 FPS, which is slightly below the 60 FPS mark but still playable. Ultra settings drop to 36.5 FPS, which is not recommended for smooth gameplay. The 1440p results indicate that the card is capable at this resolution, but Ultra settings push the 8 GB VRAM to its limits.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear bottleneck. Low settings average 55.6 FPS, which is acceptable for 4K if you prioritize frame rate over visuals. Medium settings average 44.8 FPS, which is borderline playable. High settings drop to 36.4 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS minimum for many players. Ultra settings average 28.5 FPS, which is not recommended. The 4K results show a steep falloff, with the GPU’s memory bandwidth and capacity unable to sustain high frame rates at any settings above Low. The data confirms that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K reserved for lower settings or less demanding scenes.