Red Dead Redemption 2

# Red Dead Redemption 2 — Intel Core i7-12700K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER

This combination of Intel's 12th-generation Core i7-12700K and NVIDIA's RTX 2060 SUPER produces a playable but resolution-sensitive experience in Red Dead Redemption 2, with the measured data showing a clear transition from CPU-bound behavior at 1080p to a strictly GPU-limited scenario at 4K. The benchmark results place this pairing at rank 2635 out of 3714 tested combos, indicating a mid-pack position that reflects the GPU's age relative to the processor's capabilities.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep and consistent performance drop as resolution increases, which is classic behavior for a system where the graphics card becomes the dominant constraint at higher pixel counts. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo averages 93 FPS; moving to 1440p Low drops that to 69 FPS, a 24 FPS reduction; and at 4K Low, the average falls further to 46 FPS. That progression from 1080p to 1440p represents a 25.8% decrease, while the leap from 1440p to 4K cuts performance by another 33.3%. Such a steep decline at 4K indicates that the RTX 2060 SUPER's 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth are being saturated, forcing the renderer to work far harder per frame.

Looking at the High preset, the same pattern holds: 58 FPS at 1080p, 43 FPS at 1440p, and 29 FPS at 4K. The percentage drops are 25.9% and 32.6% respectively, nearly identical to the Low preset's scaling. This consistency suggests that the GPU's fillrate and shading resources scale predictably with pixel count, and that the game's engine is not introducing any unexpected bottlenecks at intermediate resolutions. The Medium preset shows 69 FPS at 1080p, 52 FPS at 1440p, and 34 FPS at 4K, with drops of 24.6% and 34.6% — again, a remarkably linear relationship.

The Ultra preset tells a more extreme story: 42 FPS at 1080p, 31 FPS at 1440p, and just 21 FPS at 4K. The 4K result is below the 30 FPS threshold commonly considered the minimum for smooth gameplay, and the scaling from 1440p to 4K is a 32.3% reduction. What the data shows is that the limiting component shifts decisively to the GPU as resolution climbs. At 1080p, the i7-12700K's 12 cores and 20 threads have enough headroom to feed the RTX 2060 SUPER, but by 1440p and especially 4K, the GPU's 2176 shading units and 64 ROPs become the ceiling. The performance drops are not gradual; they are steep and predictable, which points to a well-behaved engine that is purely pixel-bound at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores are substantial: a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and a single-core score of 1850.5, with Geekbench results of 15790 multi-core and 2308 single-core. In the context of Red Dead Redemption 2, these numbers translate to a processor that is rarely the limiting factor at any resolution tested.

At 1080p Low, the system achieves 93 FPS, and the fact that this drops to 69 FPS at 1440p Low suggests the CPU is still capable of driving high frame rates when the GPU is not overburdened. The i7-12700K's 25 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB L2 per core provide ample bandwidth for the game's open-world streaming, and the 10 nm process node keeps thermal headroom reasonable. Benchmark comparisons place this CPU at the 84th percentile among all processors, with an average benchmark score of 35287. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-13600T (average score 35305, delta of -0.1%), the Intel Core i7-12700KF (35365, -0.2%), and the Intel Core i7-13700T (35403, -0.3%). The extremely small deltas — all within 0.4% — indicate that the i7-12700K is performing exactly in line with its expected tier.

The data does not show any scenario where the CPU is clearly the bottleneck. At 1080p Ultra, the combo produces 42 FPS, which is a far cry from the 93 FPS at Low; if the CPU were the constraint, the frame rate would remain relatively flat across settings at the same resolution. Instead, the variation from Low to Ultra at 1080p (93 to 42 FPS) is a 54.8% drop, attributable entirely to GPU workload. The i7-12700K's 3DMark scores — 9276 for 16 threads, 9979 for max threads, and 1043 for single thread — reinforce that it has more than enough compute for this title's AI, physics, and draw-call processing. Even in the most demanding CPU scenarios, such as crowded towns or complex scripted sequences, the processor's 20 threads offer substantial parallelism that the game can leverage.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture with the TU106 chip, fabricated on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It features 2176 shading units, 136 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz. Memory is 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU's benchmark scores include a Passmark G3D score of 16462 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 77402, placing it at the 62nd percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 18093.

This GPU's role in Red Dead Redemption 2 is the primary performance arbiter at every resolution above 1080p Low. The measured data shows that at 4K, even the Low preset only manages 46 FPS, and the Ultra preset falls to 21 FPS — a figure that is barely playable for a slow-paced exploration but inadequate for action sequences. The GPU's 8 GB VRAM is a notable constraint; at 4K Ultra, the game's texture and geometry demands likely exceed what 8 GB can comfortably hold, causing the frame rate to crater. The 448.0 GB/s bandwidth is also modest by modern standards, and the steep scaling from 1440p to 4K (a 32-35% drop across all settings) points to memory bandwidth being a limiting factor.

Comparing the RTX 2060 SUPER to its nearest rivals, the data shows it is closely matched with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (average score 18159, delta of -0.4%), the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (18189, -0.5%), and the AMD Radeon RX 460 (18373, -1.5%). The delta values are all negative, meaning the RTX 2060 SUPER scores slightly lower than these alternatives, but the differences are within the margin of error. This places the GPU in a specific performance tier, and the game's measured FPS reflects that positioning. The GPU's FP32 throughput of 7.181 TFLOPS and texture rate of 224.4 GTexel/s are adequate for 1080p gaming, but the 4K results demonstrate that this card was not designed for such pixel densities in a demanding title like Red Dead Redemption 2.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-12700K and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER achieves a rank of 2635 out of 3714 tested combos in Red Dead Redemption 2. This places it in the 29th percentile of all tested systems, meaning roughly 71% of combinations perform better in this specific game. The ranking reflects the imbalance between the CPU and GPU: the i7-12700K is a high-end processor, but the RTX 2060 SUPER is a mid-range GPU from an earlier generation, and the game's heavy reliance on GPU rasterization means the weaker component drags the overall result down.

The data shows that this combo sits in a crowded field. Given the CPU's 84th percentile ranking versus the GPU's 62nd percentile, the combo's overall rank is closer to the GPU's position, which confirms that the graphics card is the bottleneck. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the combo would rank higher than the GPU's percentile, but that is not the case. The 3714 total combos include systems with far more powerful GPUs, and the 2635 rank indicates that while this setup is not at the bottom, it is firmly in the lower half of the distribution.

In practical terms, this rank means users should expect a playable experience at 1080p and 1440p with adjusted settings, but not a high-refresh-rate or high-fidelity experience at 4K. The combo outperforms many older or lower-tier pairings, but it is clearly outclassed by any system with a more modern GPU. The percentile gap between the CPU and GPU also suggests that upgrading the graphics card would yield substantial gains without needing to touch the processor — a useful data point for anyone considering incremental improvements.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings trade-off between visual quality and frame rate depends heavily on the target resolution and the user's tolerance for frame drops. The data provides four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) at three resolutions, allowing for a clear recommendation matrix.

At 1920x1080, the Medium preset delivers 69 FPS on average, with a minimum of 59 FPS and a maximum of 80 FPS. This is the best balance for smooth gameplay, as it stays well above the 60 FPS target while offering better visual fidelity than Low (93 FPS). High drops to 58 FPS, which is still playable but below the 60 FPS mark, and Ultra falls to 42 FPS, which is too low for fast-paced action. For 1080p, Medium is the recommended preset; it provides a 60+ FPS average with a minimum that never dips below 59 FPS, ensuring consistent performance.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset yields 52 FPS on average, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. This is the highest preset that maintains an average above 50 FPS; High drops to 43 FPS, and Ultra falls to 31 FPS. The Low preset at 69 FPS is smooth but sacrifices too much visual detail. For 1440p, Medium is the recommended choice, as it provides a playable experience with a minimum that stays above 40 FPS, though users sensitive to stutter may prefer Low for the more comfortable 69 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, no preset achieves a playable 60 FPS. The Low preset averages 46 FPS, Medium averages 34 FPS (with a minimum of 29 FPS and maximum of 39 FPS), High averages 29 FPS, and Ultra averages 21 FPS. For 4K, the recommendation is to use Low, as it is the only setting that keeps the average above 45 FPS, and even then, the frame rate will dip during heavy scenes. Users seeking 4K should consider lowering the resolution or accepting a sub-30 FPS experience with Medium. The data clearly shows that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming in Red Dead Redemption 2.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: The measured data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo can achieve 60+ FPS on Medium settings (69 FPS average). At 2560x1440, the best preset (Medium) averages 52 FPS, and at 3840x2160, even Low settings only reach 46 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor at all resolutions above 1080p Low. The i7-12700K's high benchmark scores (Cinebench R23 multi-core of 19784) indicate it has ample headroom, while the RTX 2060 SUPER's 62nd percentile ranking and the steep FPS drops from 1080p to 4K confirm the GPU is the bottleneck.

Q: How does the RTX 2060 SUPER compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 18093, which is -0.4% compared to the RTX 3060 Mobile (18159), -0.5% versus the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (18189), and -1.5% versus the AMD Radeon RX 460 (18373). It performs slightly below all of them.

Q: Can this combo handle Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the combo averages 42 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The data suggests that Medium (69 FPS) or High (58 FPS) are more appropriate for a balance of quality and performance.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in this game?

A: The combo ranks 2635 out of 3714 tested combinations, placing it in the lower half of all systems tested. This reflects the GPU's mid-range position relative to the CPU's higher-tier performance.

Q: Is 4K gaming viable with this setup?

A: No. At 4K, the highest average FPS is 46 (Low settings), and the Ultra preset drops to 21 FPS. The 4K Medium setting has a minimum FPS of 29, which is below the 30 FPS playability threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table presents the exact measured average FPS values for each resolution and settings preset, along with minimum and maximum values where recorded:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 29 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 46 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 34 | 29 | 39 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 21 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | High | 43 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 69 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 52 | 44 | 60 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 31 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | High | 58 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 93 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 69 | 59 | 80 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 42 | — | — |

The data shows a consistent pattern: at each resolution, the Low preset provides the highest average FPS, followed by Medium, High, and Ultra in descending order. The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum values, and those show a spread of roughly 20-30 FPS across all resolutions, indicating that the game's frame time variance is manageable but present. The absence of min/max data for Low, High, and Ultra suggests that those measurements were not captured during testing, so the average values alone should be used for comparison.

At 1080p, the gap between Low and Ultra is 51 FPS (93 vs 42), which is a 54.8% reduction. At 1440p, that gap narrows to 38 FPS (69 vs 31), a 55.1% reduction. At 4K, the gap is 25 FPS (46 vs 21), a 54.3% reduction. This consistent percentage drop across resolutions indicates that the settings presets scale the GPU workload uniformly, and the frame rate penalty for each step up in quality is predictable. The Medium preset's min/max values show that the frame rate can fluctuate by up to 21 FPS (at 4K), which could be noticeable during intense action sequences, but the averages remain stable enough for a playable experience at 1080p and 1440p.