Revolution Idle

The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 lands at rank 62 out of 1774 tested combos in Revolution Idle. This places the configuration in the top 3.5% of all tested systems, a strong result that reflects the combination of a high-end GPU with a mid-range but capable processor. The percentile data supports this: the CPU sits at the 77th percentile among all processors, while the GPU ranks at the 91st percentile among all graphics cards. This is a case where the GPU is the dominant component, but the CPU does not bottleneck it in this particular genre.

The i5-12400’s benchmark scores are closely clustered with its nearest rivals, showing that this CPU sits in a competitive performance band. Its average benchmark score of 19850 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-9700 at 19831 (a delta of 0.1%), and it is essentially on par with the Intel Core i7-8700 at 19894 (a delta of -0.2%). The margin over the Intel Core i5-11600K is also negligible, at just 0.4%. This means that in raw compute, the i5-12400 is indistinguishable from those older flagship chips, reinforcing that the CPU is not the limiting factor here. The 3DMark multi-threaded score of 5890 and single-thread score of 910 further illustrate a balanced processor that handles both lightly-threaded and heavily-threaded tasks without a standout weakness.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 62 out of 1774 places this system in the upper echelon of tested configurations. Given the game’s idle genre, where frame rates are not typically the primary metric, achieving this high a rank indicates that the hardware is delivering excellent raw performance. The rank is driven almost entirely by the RTX 4090’s massive compute capacity, as the CPU’s own percentile (77th) is lower than the GPU’s (91st). However, the data shows that the i5-12400 is sufficient to keep up with the GPU’s demands, as evidenced by the strong FPS figures at lower resolutions where CPU load would be relatively higher. The combination is well-balanced for this title, even if the CPU is not the most powerful available.

GPU Role

The RTX 4090 is the undisputed performance leader in this pairing. Its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth, which is critical for high-resolution textures and complex scenes. The GPU’s boost clock of 2520 MHz and base clock of 2235 MHz, combined with 16384 shading units, deliver a raw FP32 throughput of 82.58 TFLOPS. In Revolution Idle, which does not demand aggressive real-time rendering, these specifications translate to headroom that is rarely fully utilized. The GPU’s PassMark G3D score of 38194 places it at the 91st percentile among all GPUs, and its average benchmark score of 66473 is closely matched by its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA Tesla T4 at 66733 (a delta of -0.4%) and the NVIDIA Quadro P6000 at 67320 (a delta of -1.3%). This indicates that the 4090 is a top-tier part, and the measured FPS in this game reflects that, with the GPU being the primary driver of the high frame rates observed.

Resolution Scaling

The data reveals a clear trend: as resolution increases, average FPS drops, but the pattern indicates where the bottleneck lies. At 1080p, the average FPS across all settings is high, ranging from 120.1 to 188.7. At 1440p, the numbers fall, with averages between 73.5 and 164. At 4K, the averages drop further, to between 38.3 and 88. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is not linear; for example, at High settings, the FPS drops from 165.5 at 1080p to 115.5 at 1440p (a 30% reduction), and then to 62.9 at 4K (a further 45% reduction). This steep decline at 4K strongly suggests that the GPU is becoming the limiting factor, as the i5-12400’s compute power is sufficient to feed the GPU at lower resolutions, but the RTX 4090’s rendering load at 4K starts to cap the frame rate. The low setting at 4K still achieves 88 FPS, which shows that even at the highest resolution, the GPU has enough headroom to maintain playable frame rates when visual effects are reduced.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1080p, the i5-12400 and RTX 4090 combination delivers excellent results across all settings. The Low preset yields an average of 188.7 FPS, while Medium reaches 173.9. High settings produce 165.5 FPS, and Ultra drops to 120.1. The difference between Low and Ultra is 68.6 FPS, indicating that the Ultra preset imposes a significant load, but the hardware still manages over 120 FPS, which is well above the standard 60 FPS target. The data suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is not a bottleneck, as even the most demanding preset maintains a high frame rate.

Moving to 1440p, the same pattern holds but with lower absolute numbers. Low settings average 164 FPS, Medium 126.4, and High 115.5. Ultra falls to 73.5 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is now 90.5 FPS, which is larger than at 1080p, showing that the GPU is beginning to feel the load. The High preset at 115.5 FPS is still smooth, while Ultra at 73.5 FPS is playable but not as fluid. This resolution is where the RTX 4090’s strengths become more apparent, as the CPU is less likely to limit performance.

At 4K, the results show a clear GPU-bound scenario. Low settings average 88 FPS, which is respectable, but Medium and High both plateau at 62.9 FPS. Ultra drops to 38.3 FPS. The fact that Medium and High produce identical results suggests that the game’s visual effects at those settings do not scale linearly with GPU load, or that the GPU is hitting a memory bandwidth or compute ceiling. The 38.3 FPS at Ultra is below the 60 FPS threshold, making that preset less desirable for a smooth experience. The 4K data confirms that the RTX 4090, while powerful, is not invincible at this resolution, and the i5-12400 is not the cause of the slowdown.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal settings depend on the resolution target. At 1080p, the High preset at 165.5 FPS offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, as it is only 23.2 FPS lower than Low but provides a noticeably better image. The Ultra preset at 120.1 FPS is still very playable and is a good choice for those prioritizing visuals, as the frame rate remains well above 60.

For 1440p, the High preset at 115.5 FPS is the recommended choice. It delivers a smooth experience with good visual fidelity. The Medium preset at 126.4 FPS is also viable if a higher frame rate is preferred, but the difference in quality is likely minimal. The Ultra preset at 73.5 FPS is playable but shows a significant drop from High, indicating that the visual gains may not justify the 42 FPS loss.

At 4K, the Low preset at 88 FPS is the only setting that consistently exceeds the 60 FPS target. The Medium and High presets both hit 62.9 FPS, which is just above the line but leaves little headroom for drops. The Ultra preset at 38.3 FPS is not recommended for a smooth experience. Given the data, the best experience at 4K is to use the Low preset, which sacrifices visual effects for a stable and fluid frame rate, or to accept a slight compromise at Medium or High for a still-playable 62.9 FPS average. The data indicates that this combo is best suited for 1080p and 1440p gaming, where it can push high frame rates at high settings, while 4K requires a settings trade-off.