To The Core

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination delivers exceptional performance in To The Core, an idle game that is surprisingly demanding at high resolutions. The measured data shows a system capable of exceeding 100 FPS at 4K Ultra, with performance scaling that reveals a balanced pairing between the 8-core Zen 5 processor and the Ada Lovelace GPU. The following analysis breaks down how each component contributes to the observed frame rates, what settings provide the best experience, and how this specific combo ranks among the 2,991 tested configurations.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Ryzen 7 9700F is an 8-core, 16-thread processor based on the Zen 5 architecture, built on TSMC's 4 nm process. It operates with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU features 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, providing 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The processor's PassMark multithread score is 36,470, and its single-thread score is 4,691, placing it in the 94th percentile of all CPUs tested.

In To The Core, the CPU's role is evident when examining the frame rates across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 432 FPS, which is the highest measured value in the dataset. This result indicates that the CPU is not a bottleneck at lower resolutions, as the processor's strong single-thread performance (4,691 in PassMark) allows the GPU to operate at its maximum output. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration provides ample headroom for the game's logic and any background tasks, but the high FPS at 1080p suggests the game is not heavily multithreaded; otherwise, the score would be more dependent on the multithread result of 36,470.

Comparing the 9700F to its nearest rivals in the benchmark database, the data shows it is nearly identical in average score to several high-end processors. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX has an average score of 69,875, which is 0.2% lower than the 9700F's 69,996. The Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70,163, which is 0.2% higher. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 69,515, 0.7% lower, and the Intel Core i7-14700K scores 69,355, 0.9% lower. These deltas are all within a 1% range, meaning the 9700F offers essentially equivalent processing power to these rivals for this game's workload. The 5.50 GHz boost clock is the key differentiator, as it allows the CPU to respond quickly to the game's frame-by-frame logic, which is typical for the idle genre where background calculations and timers are frequent.

The measured FPS at 4K Ultra (98 FPS) versus 1080p Ultra (255 FPS) shows a drop of 157 FPS, or roughly 61.6% lower. This significant reduction indicates that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher resolutions, not the CPU. The CPU's 32 MB of L3 cache and high single-thread score ensure that even at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed, the system does not experience a CPU-bound frame rate cap below the GPU's capability. The data supports the conclusion that the 9700F provides sufficient processing power to feed the RTX 4070 at all settings, with the GPU taking over as the primary performance limiter as resolution increases.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 is based on the AD104 chip using the Ada Lovelace architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process. It has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz, with memory running at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The GPU features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 504.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The card has 5,888 shading units, 184 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores. Its FP32 performance is 29.15 TFLOPS, and the texture rate is 455.4 GTexel/s. The GPU's PassMark G3D score is 26,927, placing it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs.

The GPU's memory configuration is critical for To The Core at high resolutions. The 12 GB VRAM capacity and 504.2 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient to handle the game's assets at 4K, as evidenced by the measured 122 FPS at 4K High. The texture rate of 455.4 GTexel/s ensures that the GPU can fill pixels quickly, which is reflected in the high frame rates even at Ultra settings. The boost clock of 2475 MHz is the driving force behind the performance scaling from 1080p to 4K, as the GPU's compute units are fully utilized when the resolution increases.

When comparing the RTX 4070 to its nearest rivals, the data shows a tight grouping. The NVIDIA Tesla P4 has an average score of 37,628, which is 0.1% lower than the 4070's 37,648. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 37,507, 0.4% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38,135, which is 1.3% higher, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 37,157, 1.3% lower. These deltas indicate that the desktop RTX 4070 performs on par with a mobile RTX 4080 in synthetic benchmarks, which is notable for this game's settings. The 12 GB VRAM is a clear advantage over the RX Vega 56's smaller memory pool, as To The Core at 4K Ultra requires substantial memory bandwidth to maintain 98 FPS.

The GPU's performance in To The Core is best illustrated by the 4K results. At 4K Medium, the combo achieves 140 FPS with a minimum of 119 FPS and a maximum of 161 FPS. This is a 42 FPS drop from 4K Low (166 FPS), which shows that the medium settings introduce additional GPU load. The Ultra setting at 4K drops to 98 FPS, which is 24% lower than High (122 FPS). This scaling suggests that the Ultra preset applies heavy post-processing or shadow effects that tax the GPU's shading units. The RTX 4070's 29.15 TFLOPS FP32 capability is the limiting factor here, as the game's visual effects at Ultra require more compute throughput than the card can deliver at 4K while maintaining higher frame rates.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and the user's preference for frame rate versus visual fidelity. At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset delivers 255 FPS, which is more than sufficient for any display, while High offers 316 FPS. The Medium preset at 1080p provides 365 FPS with a minimum of 310 FPS, and Low reaches 432 FPS. The data shows that at 1080p, even the Ultra preset is far above the 144 Hz refresh rate common on gaming monitors, so users can choose Ultra for the best visual quality without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset is a reasonable middle ground, offering 316 FPS, which is 61 FPS higher than Ultra, but the visual difference may not be noticeable at such high frame rates.

At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset still delivers a robust 171 FPS, which is above 144 Hz. The High preset provides 213 FPS, and Medium offers 245 FPS with a minimum of 209 FPS. The Low preset reaches 290 FPS. For 1440p users with high-refresh-rate monitors, the High or Ultra preset is recommended, as both exceed 144 FPS. The Medium preset's minimum of 209 FPS provides a buffer for demanding scenes, but the 42 FPS difference between Medium and High (245 vs 213) suggests that High is the better choice for visual quality without a significant performance penalty.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset drops to 98 FPS, which is below the 120 Hz threshold that many 4K displays support. The High preset offers 122 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for competitive gaming. The Medium preset provides 140 FPS with a minimum of 119 FPS, and Low reaches 166 FPS. For 4K, the Medium preset appears to be the sweet spot, as it delivers 140 FPS average with a minimum of 119 FPS, ensuring that frame drops do not go below 60 FPS. The High preset at 122 FPS is also viable, but the 18 FPS difference between Medium and High (140 vs 122) is significant, and the visual upgrade from Medium to High may not justify the frame rate loss on a 4K panel. The Ultra preset at 98 FPS is the only setting below 100 FPS, so it should be avoided unless the user prioritizes maximum visual fidelity over frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 combination holds a rank of 659 out of 2,991 tested combos in To The Core. This places the pairing in the top 22% of all configurations, which is a strong showing given that the database includes many higher-end CPUs and GPUs. The rank of 659 indicates that there are 658 combos that achieve higher average FPS across the measured settings, but the 9700F + RTX 4070 outperforms the majority of tested systems.

The ranking is influenced by the measured FPS across all resolutions and settings. The combo's strongest performance is at 1080p Low (432 FPS), which reflects the CPU's single-thread capability and the GPU's raw fill rate. At 4K Ultra (98 FPS), the combo still performs admirably, but it falls behind combos with more powerful GPUs such as the RTX 4080 or 4090, which would likely achieve higher FPS at the same settings. The rank of 659 is also affected by the fact that the RTX 4070 is an end-of-life product, and newer GPUs in the database may have higher scores.

The nearest rivals in the GPU benchmark list provide context for the combo's rank. The RTX 4070's average score of 37,648 is within 1.3% of the RTX 4080 Mobile (38,135), which suggests that the desktop card is competitive with a mobile variant that has higher power limits. However, the combo rank of 659 reflects the overall system performance, not just the GPU. The 9700F's CPU score of 69,996 is also within 1% of the i7-14700KF (70,163), meaning that the combo's rank is primarily determined by the GPU's performance at 4K. The data shows that this pairing is well-balanced, with neither component significantly bottlenecking the other, which is why it achieves a rank in the top quarter of all combos.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

*Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in To The Core?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 432 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the peak performance across all tested resolutions and settings.

Q: How does the Ryzen 7 9700F compare to the Intel Core i7-14700KF in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The Ryzen 7 9700F has an average benchmark score of 69,996, while the Intel Core i7-14700KF scores 70,163, which is a delta of -0.2%. This means the 9700F is essentially on par with the i7-14700KF, being 0.2% slower in average score.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded at 4K Medium settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Medium settings, the minimum FPS is 119, with an average of 140 and a maximum of 161. This minimum ensures the frame rate does not drop below 119 FPS.

Q: Is the RTX 4070's performance closer to the RTX 4080 Mobile or the RX Vega 56?

A: The RTX 4070's average score is 37,648. The RTX 4080 Mobile scores 38,135, which is 1.3% higher, while the RX Vega 56 scores 37,507, which is 0.4% lower. The RTX 4070 is closer to the RX Vega 56 in score, but the 1.3% delta to the RTX 4080 Mobile is also small.

Q: What is the FPS drop from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 255, while at 4K Ultra, it is 98. This is a drop of 157 FPS, representing a 61.6% reduction in frame rate.

Q: Does the combo achieve 60 FPS at 4K Ultra?

A: Yes, the average FPS at 4K Ultra is 98, which is well above 60 FPS. The minimum FPS for this setting is not listed, but the average indicates a playable experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across all combinations of resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 432 FPS, which is the highest score in the dataset. The Medium preset averages 365 FPS with a minimum of 310 FPS and a maximum of 420 FPS. The High preset averages 316 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 255 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra shows a steady decline: Low to Medium is a 67 FPS drop, Medium to High is a 49 FPS drop, and High to Ultra is a 61 FPS drop. The minimum FPS at Medium (310) is higher than the average FPS at Ultra (255), indicating that the Ultra preset's visual effects significantly increase GPU load.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 290 FPS. The Medium preset averages 245 FPS with a minimum of 209 FPS and a maximum of 282 FPS. The High preset averages 213 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 171 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 45 FPS, from Medium to High is 32 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 42 FPS. The minimum FPS at Medium (209) is still above the 144 Hz refresh rate, making Medium a viable option for high-refresh 1440p monitors. The Ultra preset at 171 FPS is also above 144 Hz, so users can select Ultra without compromising on smoothness.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 166 FPS. The Medium preset averages 140 FPS with a minimum of 119 FPS and a maximum of 161 FPS. The High preset averages 122 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 98 FPS. The drop from Low to Medium is 26 FPS, from Medium to High is 18 FPS, and from High to Ultra is 24 FPS. The minimum FPS at Medium (119) is above 60 FPS, but the Ultra preset's average of 98 FPS is the lowest measured value. The data shows that at 4K, the Medium preset offers the best balance, as it maintains a minimum FPS of 119 while providing a 42 FPS improvement over Ultra.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the limiting component for this combo. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 432 at 1080p to 290 at 1440p, and then to 166 at 4K. This represents a 142 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p (a 32.9% reduction) and a 124 FPS drop from 1440p to 4K (a 42.8% reduction). The percentage drop from 1440p to 4K is larger than from 1080p to 1440p, indicating that the GPU is becoming increasingly stressed as pixel count increases. The 4K resolution has 2.25 times the pixels of 1440p, but the FPS does not drop proportionally, which suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth (504.2 GB/s) is sufficient to handle the increased load.

At Ultra settings, the FPS drops from 255 at 1080p to 171 at 1440p, and then to 98 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 84 FPS (32.9% reduction), and from 1440p to 4K is 73 FPS (42.7% reduction). The percentage drops are similar to Low settings, which indicates that the scaling is consistent regardless of the settings preset. This consistency points to the GPU as the primary limiting factor, as the CPU's performance (as measured by its benchmark scores) does not change with resolution. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain flat across resolutions, but the data shows a clear downward trend.

The limiting component is further confirmed by the fact that the RTX 4070's FP32 performance is 29.15 TFLOPS, which is a fixed capability. At 1080p, the GPU can render frames at 432 FPS (Low), but at 4K, it must process four times the pixels, resulting in 166 FPS (Low). This is not a linear relationship due to other bottlenecks like memory latency, but the trend is clear. The CPU's single-thread score of 4,691 and multithread score of 36,470 are high enough to avoid limiting the GPU at any resolution, as evidenced by the fact that the FPS at 1080p Low (432) is significantly higher than the refresh rates of most displays. The data shows that the Ryzen 7 9700F provides ample processing power, and the RTX 4070's shading units and memory subsystem are the decisive factors in determining frame rates at higher resolutions.