Red Dead Redemption 2

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

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake generation, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It runs at a 2.50 GHz base clock and boosts up to 4.40 GHz. The processor features 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 18 MB L3 cache. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. In synthetic benchmarks, its single-thread score in Cinebench R23 is 2332, while its multi-core score reaches 16518.

When looking at how this CPU performs in Red Dead Redemption 2, the data shows that the 12400F sits at the 77th percentile when compared to all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19221. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the Intel Core i7-8700K scores 19210, just 0.1% behind, and the AMD Ryzen 5 7533HS scores 19364, which is 0.7% ahead. The Intel Core i5-1335U is 0.3% behind at 19167, while the AMD EPYC 7773X trails by 1.3% with a score of 18979. This clustering indicates that the 12400F delivers performance that is essentially on par with several other mid-range options, meaning the CPU is not a bottleneck in this pairing for most gaming scenarios.

In the context of Red Dead Redemption 2, the 6-core/12-thread configuration is adequate for the game's demands. The game is known for its vast open world and physics simulations, which can utilize multiple threads. The 12400F's multi-threaded performance, as evidenced by its Geekbench multi-core score of 9138, ensures that it can feed the GPU with enough data to maintain high frame rates. The boost clock of 4.40 GHz contributes to strong single-thread performance, which is still important for game logic and draw call processing. The data indicates that at 1080p and 1440p, the CPU is capable of keeping up with the GPU, as frame rates scale predictably with resolution changes.

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, using TSMC's 5 nm process, and packs 21,900 million transistors on a 181 mm² die. It features 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2280 MHz and boosts to 2497 MHz. It has 3840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with 30 RT cores and 120 tensor cores. The GPU's FP32 compute performance is 19.18 TFLOPS.

In synthetic benchmarks, the RTX 5060 holds the 73rd percentile among all GPUs, with an average score of 30109. Its nearest rivals show a very tight grouping: the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT scores 30097, a 0% delta, and the AMD Radeon RX 570 scores 30158, which is 0.2% higher. The NVIDIA Tesla M60 is 0.5% behind at 29969, and the RTX 5070 Mobile is 0.6% ahead at 29928. This means the RTX 5060's raw compute performance is almost identical to these other cards, though the 8 GB VRAM capacity is the defining characteristic for this game.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a demanding title at higher resolutions and settings. The 8 GB of VRAM is the critical factor here. At 4K resolution, the game's texture and geometry data can exceed the memory capacity, leading to performance drops. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 24.7, which is a significant drop from the 37.4 FPS at 4K High. This is likely due to the GPU hitting its memory limit, forcing texture streaming and causing frame rate instability. The 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth is also a factor, as the game requires high data throughput to render the detailed world efficiently. At 1080p, the memory capacity is less of an issue, and the GPU's raw compute power allows for a more playable experience.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of scaling across resolutions. At 1920x1080 with High settings, the combo achieves 71.2 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 High, the frame rate drops to 54.2 FPS, a 23.9% decrease. At 3840x2160 High, it falls to 37.4 FPS, which is 47.5% lower than the 1080p result. This scaling indicates that the GPU is the primary limiting component as resolution increases.

The pattern is even more pronounced at Ultra settings. The 1080p Ultra score is 54.2 FPS, which drops to 40.7 FPS at 1440p (a 24.9% decrease) and then to 24.7 FPS at 4K (a 54.4% decrease from 1080p). This aggressive drop at 4K Ultra strongly suggests that the GPU is running out of memory and/or bandwidth, as the workload becomes too heavy for the 8 GB VRAM buffer.

Conversely, at Low settings, the scaling is more moderate. The 1080p Low score is 114.3 FPS, 1440p Low is 88.5 FPS (a 22.6% drop), and 4K Low is 56.8 FPS (a 50.3% drop from 1080p). Even at Low settings, the 4K resolution still demands significantly more from the GPU, confirming that the RTX 5060 is the bottleneck in this configuration. The CPU is not the limiting factor here, as it would show a more consistent performance across resolutions if it were.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

In the database of tested processor and graphics card combinations for Red Dead Redemption 2, this pairing of the Intel Core i5-12400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 ranks 824th out of 1687 tested combos. This places it in the upper-middle tier of all tested systems. The rank indicates that while this combo is capable of running the game, there are many other configurations that deliver higher average frame rates.

The ranking reflects the balance of the components. The CPU is performing at a level consistent with its peers, as shown by its 77th percentile standing, and the GPU is at the 73rd percentile. However, the 8 GB VRAM of the RTX 5060 is a limiting factor in this specific game, which likely prevents the combo from ranking higher. The data shows that the combo's performance is more reliant on the GPU's ability to handle the game's memory requirements than on raw compute power. When compared to other combos, the 12400F's strong multi-threaded performance ensures that it does not drag down the GPU's potential, but the GPU's memory constraints cap the overall result.

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

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across different settings. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings yield an average of 114.3 FPS, Medium settings produce 88.1 FPS, High settings achieve 71.2 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 54.2 FPS. These numbers show a steady decline as graphical fidelity increases, with a 52.6% drop from Low to Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down: Low settings average 88.5 FPS, Medium settings average 63.8 FPS, High settings average 54.2 FPS, and Ultra settings average 40.7 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra at this resolution is 54.0%, which is slightly steeper than at 1080p, indicating the GPU is working harder.

At 3840x2160, the results are the most demanding: Low settings average 56.8 FPS, Medium settings average 44.9 FPS, High settings average 37.4 FPS, and Ultra settings average 24.7 FPS. The drop from Low to Ultra here is 56.5%, the largest percentage decrease across all resolutions. This data clearly shows that 4K Ultra is not a playable setting for this combo, as the frame rate falls below 30 FPS. The 1080p and 1440p resolutions offer more playable experiences across all settings, with 1440p Low being the sweet spot for high refresh rates.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400F a bottleneck for the RTX 5060 in this game?

A: No, the data suggests the CPU is not the limiting factor. The CPU's average benchmark score of 19221 is within 1.3% of its nearest rivals, indicating it is performing as expected. The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K shows a consistent drop that is characteristic of a GPU bottleneck, not a CPU one.

Q: Can this combo run Red Dead Redemption 2 at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: At 4K with Low settings, the combo achieves 56.8 FPS, which is playable. At Medium settings, it drops to 44.9 FPS, and at High, it drops to 37.4 FPS. However, at 4K Ultra, the frame rate falls to 24.7 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

Q: What is the best resolution and setting combo for a high refresh rate experience?

A: For a high refresh rate experience, 1080p with Low settings provides the highest average FPS at 114.3. If visual quality is a priority, 1080p High at 71.2 FPS or 1440p Low at 88.5 FPS are also good options.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 compare to its closest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT?

A: The average benchmark scores are almost identical, with the RX 7700 XT scoring 30097 and the RTX 5060 scoring 30109, a 0% delta. This indicates that in raw compute performance, they are effectively equal, though the 8 GB VRAM on the RTX 5060 may impact performance in memory-heavy titles.

Q: What is the CPU's ranking compared to all other CPUs tested?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400F ranks in the 77th percentile of all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 19221 places it in the upper tier of mid-range processors, with its closest rival being the Intel Core i7-8700K at a 0.1% delta.

Q: Is the data measured or estimated?

A: The data is measured, as indicated by the "dataIsMeasured" field being true. This means the FPS numbers are based on actual testing, not projections or simulations.