Road 96

Road 96 is an adventure title that places narrative and atmosphere above graphical spectacle, yet its performance profile reveals a surprisingly demanding engine when pushed to higher presets. For the combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, the measured data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while still capable of delivering extremely high frame rates at more modest settings. The benchmark results indicate a pairing that excels at 1440p and 4K gaming, with the CPU providing ample headroom to feed the powerful GPU.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep, which is typical for a high-end GPU paired with a capable CPU. At 1080p with Ultra settings, the combination produces an average of 163 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 reduces that figure to 104 FPS, a substantial 36% decrease. The jump to 3840x2160 at Ultra further reduces the average to 55 FPS, which is another 47% drop from the 1440p result. This scaling pattern suggests that the RTX 4080 SUPER is the primary limiting factor at 4K, as the workload on the GPU becomes exponentially heavier.

The data for the High preset shows a similar trajectory. Starting at 208 FPS at 1920x1080, the frame rate drops to 133 FPS at 2560x1440 and finally to 70 FPS at 3840x2160. This indicates that even at High settings, the game's visual fidelity demands significant GPU resources when the pixel count is quadrupled. The most revealing data point is the Low preset, where the system achieves 353 FPS at 1080p, 224 FPS at 1440p, and 119 FPS at 4K. The fact that 4K Low still yields over 100 FPS suggests that the CPU is not a bottleneck at this resolution, as the GPU is still able to render frames quickly even with a lower graphical load.

The scaling behavior indicates that this is a GPU-limited scenario across all tested resolutions. If the CPU were a constraint, we would expect to see a plateau in frame rates at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames faster than the CPU can process them. Instead, the data shows a consistent decline in FPS as resolution increases, which is the hallmark of a system where the graphics card is doing the heavy lifting. The i5-12600KF, with its 10 cores and 16 threads, appears to be more than sufficient to keep the RTX 4080 SUPER fed, even at 1080p where CPU demands are typically highest.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing for Road 96. Its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s, which is more than adequate for the textures and effects used in this adventure game. The GPU's boost clock of 2550 MHz, combined with its 10240 shading units, allows it to process the game's visual data with considerable efficiency. The benchmark results show that the GPU's performance scales predictably with resolution, confirming its role as the primary rendering engine.

The GPU's capabilities are particularly evident in the higher preset scores. At 4K Medium, the system averages 87 FPS, while at 4K High it drops to 70 FPS. This 17 FPS difference highlights how the GPU's workload increases with each graphical enhancement. The fact that the RTX 4080 SUPER can maintain playable frame rates at 4K Ultra, averaging 55 FPS, demonstrates its high-end positioning in the market. It is importantly this GPU is rated in the 86th percentile against all other GPUs in the benchmark database, placing it well above the average graphics card.

The data also shows that the GPU has a significant impact on the game's performance at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 353 FPS, which reflects the GPU's raw speed. However, the gap between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 190 FPS, which is a much larger absolute difference than at 4K, where the gap is 64 FPS. This suggests that at 1080p, the GPU has enough headroom to render frames very quickly, but the graphical settings become a more significant constraint as the resolution increases and the GPU's resources are fully utilized.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset at 87 FPS provides a smooth experience while maintaining a reasonable level of visual quality. The High preset at 70 FPS is also viable for those who prefer better graphics, but the Medium preset offers a more comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold. The Ultra preset at 55 FPS is playable but may feel less fluid in fast-paced sections, so Medium or High is recommended for 4K.

At 2560x1440, the High preset at 133 FPS is the sweet spot, offering a significant visual upgrade over Medium while still delivering well over 100 FPS. The Ultra preset at 104 FPS is also excellent for users with high-refresh-rate monitors, as it remains above the 100 FPS mark. For 1080p, the Ultra preset at 163 FPS is the best choice for users with 144Hz or faster displays, as it maximizes visual fidelity without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset at 208 FPS is ideal for esports-style play on 240Hz monitors, though such a high frame rate may be unnecessary for a narrative adventure game.

The Low preset is not recommended for any resolution, as the visual downgrade is likely to be noticeable in a game that relies heavily on its art style. The Medium preset at 1080p yields 258 FPS, which is still very high, but the jump to High adds considerable visual detail for only a 50 FPS reduction. Overall, the data suggests that High is the best preset for most users, as it balances visual quality and performance across all three resolutions, with the exception of 4K where Medium is the safer choice for maintaining a high frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER ranks 328 out of 3713 tested combos in Road 96. This places it in the top 8.8% of all systems tested, which is an impressive result. The high ranking is primarily driven by the GPU's strong performance, as the RTX 4080 SUPER is a top-tier card that excels in this game's rendering requirements. The CPU's contribution is also notable, as its benchmark scores indicate it can keep up with the GPU without causing a bottleneck.

When considering the CPU's performance in isolation, the i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27799, which places it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i9-10900K, scores 27872, which is only 0.3% higher, indicating that the i5-12600KF is essentially on par with a previous-generation flagship. Similarly, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D scores 27896, a 0.3% difference. This shows that the CPU is well-matched with the GPU, as it provides enough processing power to avoid limiting the RTX 4080 SUPER's performance.

The GPU's ranking is even more impressive. The RTX 4080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 54209, placing it in the 86th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, scores 54247, a negligible 0.1% difference. This indicates that the SUPER variant offers essentially identical performance to the non-SUPER model in this game. The combo's ranking of 328 out of 3713 is a strong indicator that this system is well-balanced for Road 96, with no single component acting as a major weak point.

FAQ

Q: What is the average FPS at 4K with Ultra settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 55 FPS. This is the lowest average among the tested configurations, indicating that 4K Ultra is the most demanding scenario for this hardware combination.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rival in terms of benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF has an average benchmark score of 27799, which is 0.3% lower than the Intel Core i9-10900K's score of 27872. This makes the two processors effectively equivalent in performance for this game.

Q: Is the GPU a limiting factor at 1080p?

A: No, the data suggests the GPU is not a limiting factor at 1080p. The system achieves 353 FPS at Low settings and 208 FPS at High settings, indicating that both the CPU and GPU have ample headroom to render frames at very high rates.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 1440p gaming?

A: The High preset at 2560x1440 yields an average of 133 FPS, which is recommended for a balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 104 FPS is also viable for high-refresh-rate displays.

Q: How much faster is the 1080p Low preset compared to the 4K Ultra preset?

A: The 1080p Low preset averages 353 FPS, while the 4K Ultra preset averages 55 FPS. This represents a 298 FPS difference, showing the massive impact of both resolution and settings on performance.

Q: What is the GPU's memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER has a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s, which is provided by its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this system's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the average frame rates range from 353 FPS at Low to 163 FPS at Ultra. The Medium preset at 1080p averages 258 FPS, with a minimum of 219 FPS and a maximum of 297 FPS. The High preset at 1080p averages 208 FPS, showing a significant drop from Medium but still an excellent result.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales down proportionally. The Low preset averages 224 FPS, while the High preset averages 133 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p averages 164 FPS, with a minimum of 140 FPS and a maximum of 189 FPS. The Ultra preset at 1440p averages 104 FPS, which is still very playable for most users. The data shows that 1440p is the resolution where the system hits a sweet spot for high-refresh-rate monitors at high settings.

At 3840x2160, the system's performance is more constrained. The Low preset averages 119 FPS, which is still quite high for 4K. The Medium preset averages 87 FPS, with a minimum of 74 FPS and a maximum of 100 FPS. The High preset averages 70 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 55 FPS. This breakdown shows that 4K gaming is viable with this hardware, but users will need to adjust settings to maintain a consistent 60 FPS or higher. The 4K data also shows that the game is heavily GPU-bound, as the frame rates drop linearly with the increased resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF plays a supportive but critical role in this system's performance. With 10 cores and 16 threads, it offers substantial multi-threading capability that is more than sufficient for Road 96's requirements. The CPU's base clock of 3.70 GHz and boost clock of 4.90 GHz provide strong single-threaded performance, which is important for game logic and physics calculations. In the 3DMark benchmarks, the CPU scores 7956 in the 16-thread test and 1016 in the single-thread test, demonstrating its balanced performance profile.

The CPU's benchmark results show that it is not a bottleneck in this configuration. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 23391 and single-core score of 3302 indicate that the CPU can handle both multi-threaded workloads and single-threaded tasks efficiently. The Geekbench scores of 12137 for multicore and 2157 for single-core further confirm this. The CPU's average benchmark score of 27799 places it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, which is a solid result for a mid-range to high-end processor.

In the context of Road 96, the CPU's role is to ensure that the GPU is never starved of data. The measured FPS at 1080p Low, where the system achieves 353 FPS, suggests that the CPU can handle even the most demanding frame-rate scenarios without becoming a limiting factor. The CPU's performance is particularly important at lower resolutions where the GPU can render frames faster, and the data indicates that the i5-12600KF has the processing power to keep up with the RTX 4080 SUPER. The 125W TDP and Alder Lake architecture provide a solid foundation for gaming performance, with the CPU's 20 MB of shared L3 cache helping to reduce memory latency.