The Long Drive

The Long Drive is an unusual driving simulation that stresses the hardware in a very specific way, as the data from this benchmark run shows. This analysis examines the Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, focusing strictly on measurable performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. The measured data reveals a configuration that is far more capable at lower resolutions and settings, with a predictable performance cliff emerging as graphical demands increase.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides a clear hierarchy of playable experiences for this combination in The Long Drive. The most effective preset is Medium, which offers the best balance between visual fidelity and frame rate stability. At 1920x1080, Medium produces an average of 178 FPS with a minimum of 151 FPS and a maximum of 205 FPS. This is more than sufficient for smooth gameplay, and the presence of measured minimum and maximum values indicates a stable frame delivery without significant stutters. Moving to High at 1080p drops the average to 111 FPS, which is still playable, but the 67 FPS gap between Medium and High suggests a disproportionately large performance cost for the visual upgrade.

At 2560x1440, Medium remains the recommended preset. The average FPS is 117, with a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 135. This resolution is often considered a sweet spot for modern gaming, and the data shows this combo can handle it comfortably at Medium settings. The 100 FPS minimum is notably high, suggesting that even during intensive scenes, the frame rate will not dip into uncomfortable territory. High at 1440p yields 73 FPS, which is playable but moves into a range where frame pacing can become more noticeable to sensitive users.

At 4K (3840x2160), the situation changes drastically. Medium produces an average of 65 FPS with a minimum of 55 and a maximum of 75. This is the only 4K preset that achieves a playable frame rate, though the 55 FPS minimum is borderline for a driving game that requires constant visual feedback. High at 4K drops to 41 FPS, which is generally considered too low for a smooth driving experience. The data strongly suggests that for 4K, Medium is the only viable option, and even then, performance is marginal.

The Low preset is not recommended for this configuration, as the performance gains are not justified by the visual degradation. At 1080p, Low achieves 216 FPS, but this is a meaningless number for most displays that cap at 144Hz or 165Hz. At 4K, Low reaches 79 FPS, which is better than Medium but still falls short of the stability offered by Medium. The Ultra preset is essentially unsustainable, with averages of 77 FPS at 1080p, 51 FPS at 1440p, and 28 FPS at 4K. These numbers indicate that Ultra is designed for more powerful hardware and should be avoided entirely with this combo.

How This Combo Ranks

The combined performance of the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 places this configuration at rank 1671 out of 3725 tested combinations in The Long Drive. This positioning places it in the 55th percentile of all tested combos, meaning it outperforms more than half of the configurations in the database. However, it is far from the top tier, indicating that while this is a capable pairing, it is not optimized for the highest settings in this particular game.

The CPU's individual ranking provides context for this overall result. The Core i3-12100F sits at the 68th percentile against all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13494. Its nearest rivals are tightly clustered: the Intel Core 3 N355 at 13492 (0% difference), the Intel Core i5-9500 at 13452 (0.3% slower), the Intel Core 5 120UL at 13594 (0.7% faster), and the Intel Core i7-1250U at 13351 (1.1% slower). This tight grouping suggests the i3-12100F's computational performance is highly competitive with mid-range processors from several generations, but it does not have a decisive advantage over any of them.

The GPU performs slightly better in relative terms, sitting at the 72nd percentile against all GPUs. Its average benchmark score is 26331, with nearest rivals including the AMD Radeon 860M at 26401 (0.3% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 at 26421 (0.3% faster), the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary at 26553 (0.8% faster), and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT at 26011 (1.2% slower). The RTX 5060's position here is interesting, as it sits in a cluster where the primary differentiator is not raw computational power but rather feature support and efficiency.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 brings 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This bandwidth is a critical factor in The Long Drive, which appears to be memory-sensitive based on the performance scaling across resolutions. The GPU's base clock is 2280 MHz with a boost clock of 2497 MHz, and the memory runs at 1750 MHz with 28 Gbps effective speed. These specifications are modest by current high-end standards, but they are well-matched to the 8 GB frame buffer.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity becomes a noticeable constraint at higher resolutions and settings. The measured data shows a steep drop-off when moving from Medium to High at 4K, with averages falling from 65 FPS to 41 FPS. This 37% reduction is more pronounced than the drop from Medium to High at 1080p, where the average falls from 178 FPS to 111 FPS (a 38% reduction). The similar percentage drops suggest that the GPU is consistently hitting a compute or bandwidth limit rather than a VRAM capacity limit, as a VRAM bottleneck would typically cause more erratic performance with higher minimum frame times.

The GPU's architectural features, including 3840 shading units, 120 texture mapping units, and 48 render output units, provide a peak pixel rate of 119.9 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 299.6 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is rated at 19.18 TFLOPS. These numbers indicate a GPU that is designed for 1080p and 1440p gaming at high frame rates, with 4K being a stretch goal rather than a primary target. The measured data confirms this, as the 4K results are consistently below the 1440p results by a significant margin.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the RTX 5060 paired with the i3-12100F delivers exceptional performance across all settings. The Low preset produces an average of 216 FPS, which is the highest measured result in this entire dataset. Medium reduces this to 178 FPS, with a minimum of 151 and a maximum of 205, indicating a stable frame delivery. High further reduces the average to 111 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. Ultra drops to 77 FPS, which is the first setting where the frame rate approaches a level where some users might notice a lack of fluidity, though it remains playable.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance scales predictably. Low produces 142 FPS, Medium delivers 117 FPS with a minimum of 100 and a maximum of 135, High achieves 73 FPS, and Ultra falls to 51 FPS. The Medium setting's 100 FPS minimum is particularly notable, as it suggests that even in the most demanding scenarios, the frame rate remains high enough to avoid noticeable stuttering. The transition from High to Ultra at this resolution represents a 30% performance drop, from 73 FPS to 51 FPS, which is a significant cost for the visual improvements that Ultra provides.

At 3840x2160, the limitations of this combo become apparent. Low produces 79 FPS, which is the only 4K setting that exceeds 60 FPS. Medium drops to 65 FPS with a minimum of 55 and a maximum of 75, placing it in a range where frame drops could be noticeable during fast driving sequences. High falls to 41 FPS, which is generally considered too low for a driving game, and Ultra bottoms out at 28 FPS, making it essentially unplayable. The data shows a clear pattern: 4K requires a significant reduction in settings to achieve playable frame rates, and even then, the experience is not as smooth as at lower resolutions.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K provides insight into which component is the primary bottleneck at each resolution. At Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 178 at 1080p to 117 at 1440p to 65 at 4K. This represents a 34% reduction from 1080p to 1440p and an additional 44% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The scaling is relatively linear, which suggests that the system is not hitting a hard bottleneck at any specific resolution but rather experiencing a gradual increase in workload that both the CPU and GPU must process.

The Low preset shows a similar pattern: 216 FPS at 1080p, 142 FPS at 1440p, and 79 FPS at 4K. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p is 34%, and from 1440p to 4K is 44%. This consistency across presets indicates that the limiting factor is not the graphical settings themselves but rather the raw pixel count that must be rendered. The RTX 5060's 8 GB VRAM and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth appear to be the primary constraints, as the frame rate scales almost exactly with the number of pixels being processed.

The High preset shows a slightly different pattern: 111 FPS at 1080p, 73 FPS at 1440p, and 41 FPS at 4K. The reduction from 1080p to 1440p is 34%, and from 1440p to 4K is 44%. This is nearly identical to the Medium and Low presets, suggesting that the resolution scaling is consistent regardless of the quality settings. The CPU's role becomes more apparent at lower resolutions where the frame rates are higher, as the i3-12100F's four cores and eight threads must keep up with the GPU's output. At 1080p with Low settings, the 216 FPS average suggests that the CPU is still able to keep pace, but the 68th percentile CPU ranking indicates that this is near the upper limit of what this processor can deliver.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in The Long Drive?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 with Medium settings provides the most stable experience, with an average of 178 FPS and a minimum of 151 FPS. This is the only configuration that offers both high frame rates and the presence of measured minimum and maximum values, indicating consistent performance.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, but only with significant compromises. At 4K with Medium settings, the average FPS is 65 with a minimum of 55. This is technically playable but marginal. The Low preset achieves 79 FPS, which is better, but High and Ultra fall to 41 FPS and 28 FPS respectively, making them unsuitable for a driving game.

Q: How does the CPU affect performance in this game?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Its benchmarking places it at the 68th percentile among all CPUs. In this game, the CPU appears sufficient at 1080p, as evidenced by the 216 FPS average at Low settings, but it may become a limiting factor at higher resolutions where the GPU is more stressed.

Q: Is the Ultra preset ever worth using?

A: No. The Ultra preset produces an average of 77 FPS at 1080p, 51 FPS at 1440p, and 28 FPS at 4K. These numbers are consistently below the Medium preset at the same resolutions, and the visual improvements do not justify the performance cost. The data indicates that Ultra is not a viable option for this hardware combination.

Q: How does the RTX 5060 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 5060 has an average benchmark score of 26331, placing it at the 72nd percentile. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 860M at 26401 (0.3% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 at 26421 (0.3% faster), and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT at 26011 (1.2% slower). This indicates it is competitively positioned within a tight performance band.

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

A: Medium is the clear choice at 2560x1440, with an average of 117 FPS, a minimum of 100 FPS, and a maximum of 135 FPS. The 100 FPS minimum is the highest of any setting at this resolution, indicating it provides the most consistent frame delivery.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, manufactured on a 10 nm process. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz with a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, and it has 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The CPU's TDP is rated at 58 W, which is modest for a desktop processor serious about power efficiency. Its benchmark scores show a single-thread performance of 893 in 3DMark and 1674 in Cinebench R23, with multi-thread scores of 4023 in 3DMark max threads and 11860 in Cinebench R23 multicore.

In The Long Drive, the CPU's role is most evident at lower resolutions where the GPU is not the primary bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 216 FPS, which suggests that the i3-12100F is capable of feeding the RTX 5060 with enough data to maintain very high frame rates. However, the CPU's 68th percentile ranking indicates that it is not a top-tier processor, and its performance in this game may be limited by its four physical cores. The 3DMark results show that the CPU's multi-threaded performance is 4023, which is only slightly higher than its 8-thread score of 4026, indicating that the processor does not scale well beyond 8 threads.

The CPU's cache configuration, with 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, is typical for modern processors, but the 12 MB shared L3 cache is relatively small. This could impact performance in games that require frequent access to large datasets, though the measured results suggest it is sufficient for The Long Drive at most settings. The lack of integrated graphics is irrelevant here, as the system relies on the discrete RTX 5060.

The nearest CPU rivals provide context for its performance. The Intel Core 3 N355 scores 13492, a 0% difference, while the Intel Core i5-9500 scores 13452, 0.3% slower. The Intel Core 5 120UL scores 13594, 0.7% faster, and the Intel Core i7-1250U scores 13351, 1.1% slower. This tight clustering indicates that the i3-12100F is performance-comparable to a range of mid-range processors, and any difference in gaming performance is likely due to other factors such as memory speed or motherboard implementation.