Red Dead Redemption 2

FAQ

Q: How does the Intel Core i7-12700KF compare to its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-13700T?

A: The i7-12700KF has an average benchmark score of 35,365, which places it 0.1% behind the i7-13700T's score of 35,403. This effectively makes them performance equals in synthetic workloads.

Q: What is the performance gap between the RTX 4080 and the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: The RTX 4080 averages 54,247 in benchmark scores, while the RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54,209. The RTX 4080 is 0.1% ahead, meaning the two cards are statistically indistinguishable in overall compute performance.

Q: At 4K resolution, what is the frame rate difference between Low and Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160, the Low preset delivers 96 FPS average, while the Ultra preset drops to 43 FPS average. That is a 53 FPS difference, representing a 55% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest visual quality settings.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its single-threaded performance?

A: In Cinebench R23, the i7-12700KF scores 28,838 in multi-core and 4,071 in single-core. The multi-core score is approximately 7 times higher, reflecting the benefit of its 12 cores and 20 threads.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth and how does it relate to its 16 GB capacity?

A: The RTX 4080 has 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth over a 256-bit bus using GDDR6X memory. This high bandwidth, combined with 16 GB of VRAM, supports high-resolution textures and complex scenes without capacity or throughput bottlenecks.

Q: Where does this CPU+GPU combination rank among all tested combos for Red Dead Redemption 2?

A: This combo ranks 260 out of 3,714 tested combinations, placing it in the top 7% of all configurations measured for this specific game.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is the dominant component in this configuration for Red Dead Redemption 2. Its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth, which is ample for the game's large open-world textures and draw distances. The GPU operates at a base clock of 2205 MHz with a boost clock of 2505 MHz, and the memory runs at an effective 22.4 Gbps. These specifications allow the card to maintain high frame rates even when the game demands substantial resource throughput.

The RTX 4080's compute capabilities are substantial, with 9,728 shading units, 304 texture mapping units, and 112 ROPs. Its 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 76 RT cores indicate strong rasterization and ray tracing potential, though Red Dead Redemption 2 primarily stresses traditional rasterization. The card's 86th percentile ranking among all GPUs underscores its position as a high-end part, and its average benchmark score of 54,247 places it 0.1% ahead of the RTX 4080 SUPER.

In this game, the GPU's role is most evident at higher resolutions. At 1080p, the CPU can feed frames quickly enough that the GPU becomes the limiting factor only at Ultra settings. As resolution increases to 1440p and 4K, the GPU's workload grows exponentially, and its VRAM capacity becomes critical for maintaining stable frame rates without texture pop-in or stutter. The measured data shows that at 4K Ultra, the combo drops to 43 FPS, indicating that even this high-end GPU is pushed to its limits by the game's most demanding preset.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution. At 1920x1080, the High preset delivers 121 FPS average, which is smooth for most displays. The Medium preset offers 145 FPS, and Low reaches 194 FPS, but the visual trade-off at Low is significant. The Ultra preset drops to 87 FPS, which is still playable but represents a 28% performance hit compared to High while providing diminishing visual returns.

At 2560x1440, the High preset is the sweet spot, delivering 90 FPS average. This maintains the 60+ FPS threshold with room to spare for demanding scenes. The Medium preset at 108 FPS offers higher headroom for high-refresh-rate monitors, but the visual quality reduction may not be worth the 18 FPS gain over High. Ultra at 65 FPS is borderline for competitive play but acceptable for immersive single-player experiences.

At 3840x2160, the High preset achieves exactly 60 FPS average, which is the baseline for console-like smoothness. This is the recommended setting for 4K displays, as it balances visual fidelity with playability. Medium at 72 FPS provides additional headroom, while Ultra at 43 FPS falls below the 60 FPS threshold and is not recommended for consistent gameplay. Low at 96 FPS is playable but sacrifices too much visual quality for the resolution.

The data shows a consistent pattern: High settings provide the best balance of performance and visual quality across all three resolutions. The min FPS data for Medium (61 FPS at 4K, 92 FPS at 1440p, 123 FPS at 1080p) indicates that Medium has stable frame pacing, but High's average FPS without reported minimums suggests it maintains adequate performance throughout.

How This Combo Ranks

This Intel Core i7-12700KF and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination ranks 260 out of 3,714 tested configurations for Red Dead Redemption 2. This places it in the top 7% of all combos measured, which is consistent with the individual component rankings: the CPU is in the 85th percentile of all CPUs, and the GPU is in the 86th percentile of all GPUs.

The combo's rank suggests that while neither component is the absolute fastest available, their combination is well-balanced for this game. The CPU's 12 cores and 20 threads, with a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, are sufficient to keep the RTX 4080 fed at most settings. The 260th rank out of 3,714 indicates there are 259 combos that perform better, likely featuring newer or higher-tier components.

The CPU's nearest rivals show tight clustering: the i7-13700T is 0.1% ahead, the Intel Core 5 213PE is 0.2% behind, and the i5-13600T is 0.2% ahead. This indicates that the i7-12700KF is in a performance tier where small differences separate competitors. Similarly, the GPU's nearest rivals — the RTX 4080 SUPER at 0.1% behind and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X at 1.1% ahead — show that the RTX 4080 sits in a competitive middle ground.

For Red Dead Redemption 2 specifically, this combo's rank of 260 is strong but not elite. The game is known for being demanding on both CPU and GPU, and this configuration handles it well across all tested resolutions. The top 7% placement means users can expect high-quality gameplay without needing to compromise heavily on settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how performance scales from 1080p to 4K. At High settings, the average FPS drops from 121 at 1920x1080 to 90 at 2560x1440 (−26%) and then to 60 at 3840x2160 (−33% from 1440p). This represents a total drop of 50% from 1080p to 4K.

At Low settings, the scaling is steeper: 194 FPS at 1080p, 145 FPS at 1440p (−25%), and 96 FPS at 4K (−34% from 1440p). The absolute drop of 98 FPS from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is larger than at High settings, but the percentage drop is similar at around 50%.

Medium settings show a different pattern: 145 FPS at 1080p, 108 FPS at 1440p (−26%), and 72 FPS at 4K (−33% from 1440p). The min FPS values for Medium are informative: 123 FPS at 1080p, 92 FPS at 1440p, and 61 FPS at 4K. These minimums indicate that even at Medium settings, 4K can dip to near the 60 FPS threshold.

Ultra settings exhibit the most dramatic scaling: 87 FPS at 1080p, 65 FPS at 1440p (−25%), and 43 FPS at 4K (−34% from 1440p). This is a 51% total drop from 1080p to 4K.

The consistent percentage drops across settings suggest that the limiting factor scales linearly with resolution, pointing to the GPU as the primary bottleneck. The CPU's performance headroom is evident at 1080p Low, where 194 FPS is achieved, indicating that the CPU can handle high frame rates when the GPU is not stressed. As resolution increases, the GPU's workload dominates, and the frame rate drops accordingly.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The detailed measurements across all resolutions and settings are as follows:

At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves 194 FPS average. The Medium preset delivers 145 FPS average with a minimum of 123 FPS and maximum of 167 FPS. The High preset reaches 121 FPS average. The Ultra preset drops to 87 FPS average.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers 145 FPS average. The Medium preset achieves 108 FPS average with a minimum of 92 FPS and maximum of 125 FPS. The High preset reaches 90 FPS average. The Ultra preset drops to 65 FPS average.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset delivers 96 FPS average. The Medium preset achieves 72 FPS average with a minimum of 61 FPS and maximum of 82 FPS. The High preset reaches exactly 60 FPS average. The Ultra preset drops to 43 FPS average.

These numbers show a clear hierarchy: Low > Medium > High > Ultra at every resolution. The Medium preset is the only one with reported minimum and maximum FPS values, providing insight into frame pacing. At 1080p Medium, the range from 123 to 167 FPS indicates a 44 FPS spread, while at 1440p Medium, the spread narrows to 33 FPS (92 to 125), and at 4K Medium, it narrows further to 21 FPS (61 to 82). This tightening of the frame range at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU's workload becomes more consistent as it becomes the bottleneck.

The jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 49 FPS (194 to 145), while the jump from Medium to High costs 24 FPS (145 to 121), and from High to Ultra costs 34 FPS (121 to 87). At 1440p, these increments are 37 FPS (145 to 108), 18 FPS (108 to 90), and 25 FPS (90 to 65). At 4K, they are 24 FPS (96 to 72), 12 FPS (72 to 60), and 17 FPS (60 to 43). The diminishing returns of higher settings are most pronounced at 4K, where High only delivers 12 FPS more than Medium but 17 FPS less than Ultra.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake-S architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with 25 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU's 125 W TDP and unlocked multiplier make it a flexible part for overclocking, though the measured data reflects stock performance.

The CPU's benchmark scores indicate strong multi-threaded performance: Cinebench R23 multi-core scores 28,838, while single-core scores 4,071. Geekbench multi-core scores 14,367 and single-core 2,255. PassMark multi-thread scores 34,092, and single-thread 3,984. The 3DMark scores show scaling from 2 threads (2,065) to 16 threads (9,282) and max threads (9,983), demonstrating good thread scaling.

For Red Dead Redemption 2, the CPU's role is to maintain a steady frame supply to the GPU. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 194 FPS, which suggests the CPU can handle high frame rates without bottlenecking the RTX 4080. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking and tight clustering with rivals (all within 0.2% of each other) indicate it is a well-established performer that does not hold back the GPU in this game.

The CPU's 20 threads are more than sufficient for Red Dead Redemption 2, which typically utilizes fewer than 8 threads efficiently. The high single-thread performance (4,071 in Cinebench R23) ensures that the game's main thread is not a bottleneck, while the multi-thread capabilities handle background tasks and draw call submission. The CPU's performance is consistent with its position relative to rivals: 0.1% behind the i7-13700T and 0.2% ahead of the i5-13600T, indicating that for this game, the CPU is not the limiting component at any tested resolution.