To The Core

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 delivers an exceptionally strong performance profile in To The Core, an Idle genre title. The measured data shows this combination ranks 780th out of 1756 total CPU/GPU combos in the game, placing it in the upper half of all tested configurations. This pairing leverages a capable 4-core processor with a high-end graphics card to produce frame rates that are consistently above playable thresholds across all tested resolutions and settings.

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

The Intel Core i3-12100F is built on the Alder Lake-S architecture using a 10 nm process node. It features 4 physical cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The processor has a 12 MB shared L3 cache, along with 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core. The chip's TDP is rated at 58 W, and it supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU shows a clear multi-threading capability that aligns with the demands of To The Core. The Cinebench R23 multicore score of 11912 and the Geekbench multicore score of 7413 indicate that the processor can handle multiple simultaneous workloads effectively. The single-thread performance is also respectable, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1681. These numbers suggest that even in scenarios where the game relies on fewer threads, the i3-12100F is not a bottleneck.

The processor's average benchmark score is 13516, which places it at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. Compared to its nearest rivals, the i3-12100F is essentially neck-and-neck with the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, trailing by only 0.1%, while it leads the Intel Core i7-1250U by 0.4% and the Intel Core i3-10105 by 0.6%. The largest gap in this group is against the Intel Core i7-7700K, where the i3-12100F holds a 1.8% advantage. These deltas are marginal, indicating that for To The Core, the CPU's performance is consistent with other processors in its class.

The PassMark multithread score of 14015 and the PassMark single-thread score of 3444 reinforce that the CPU can sustain high frame rates. In To The Core, an idle game, the workload is often less intensive than in action titles, but the data shows that the i3-12100F provides a solid foundation, allowing the GPU to operate without being held back by processing limitations.

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

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is based on the Ampere architecture and the GA104 chip, manufactured on an 8 nm process by Samsung. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1725 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The card features 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 96 raster operation units, alongside 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores.

The GPU's raw compute power is substantial, with a FP32 performance of 20.31 TFLOPS. In the PassMark G3D benchmark, it scores 22214, and its average benchmark score is 28238, placing it at the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. The RTX 3070's nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro S7150, which is 0.6% faster, and the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, which is 0.9% slower. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti trails by 1%, while the AMD Radeon R9 M295X is 1.1% faster. These differences are small, meaning the RTX 3070's performance in To The Core is broadly comparable to these other cards.

The 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the resolutions tested, as the frame rates remain high even at 4K. The GPU's memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s ensures that texture data is fed quickly to the processing units, which is critical for maintaining smooth frame rates in To The Core's high-detail scenes. The DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) also means the card can take advantage of modern rendering features, though the game's idle genre likely does not heavily stress these capabilities. The RTX 3070's performance is the primary driver of the high FPS numbers seen in the measured data, particularly at lower resolutions.

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

The measured FPS data shows a clear trend as resolution increases, indicating that the GPU becomes the limiting factor at higher settings. At 1920x1080, the RTX 3070 produces extremely high frame rates, with the Low preset hitting 356.9 FPS and the Medium preset reaching 299.9 FPS. The High preset stays at 262.7 FPS, while Ultra drops to 210.9 FPS. These numbers are far beyond what any standard monitor can display, suggesting that the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU quickly enough at 1080p.

Moving to 2560x1440, there is a noticeable decline. The Low preset drops to 240.5 FPS, which is a 32.6% reduction from 1080p Low. Medium falls to 204.5 FPS, High to 176.9 FPS, and Ultra to 142.2 FPS. The percentage drops between resolutions and settings are consistent, showing that the GPU is being pushed harder as pixel count increases.

At 3840x2160, the frame rates remain playable but show significant scaling. The Low preset still manages 136.1 FPS, which is a 61.9% drop from 1080p Low. Medium comes in at 114.1 FPS, High at 102.6 FPS, and Ultra at 82.1 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 54.0 FPS, compared to a 146.0 FPS gap at 1080p. This compression of the FPS range at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU's rendering capacity is being fully utilized, and the CPU is no longer the primary constraint. The data shows that the RTX 3070 is the limiting component at 4K, while the i3-12100F is sufficient to keep up at lower resolutions where the GPU is less stressed.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in To The Core?

A: The data shows that 2560x1440 offers an excellent balance, with the High preset delivering 176.9 FPS and the Low preset reaching 240.5 FPS, providing a high frame rate experience that is well above typical refresh rates.

Q: How does the Intel Core i3-12100F compare to its nearest rivals in terms of average benchmark score?

A: The i3-12100F has an average score of 13516, which is 0.1% lower than the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX, 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i7-1250U, 0.6% higher than the Intel Core i3-10105, and 1.8% higher than the Intel Core i7-7700K.

Q: Can the RTX 3070 run To The Core at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, the measured results show that even at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 82.1, which is above the standard 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset at 4K achieves 136.1 FPS.

Q: What is the percentile ranking of the RTX 3070 among all GPUs?

A: The RTX 3070 is at the 72nd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 28238.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor at 1080p resolution?

A: At 1920x1080, the frame rates are extremely high, ranging from 210.9 FPS on Ultra to 356.9 FPS on Low, which suggests that the CPU is capable of keeping up with the GPU, and the GPU is not yet fully saturated.

Q: How much does the FPS drop between the Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset delivers 240.5 FPS, while the Ultra preset delivers 142.2 FPS, representing a drop of 98.3 FPS between the two settings.

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

The measured FPS data for To The Core with the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is as follows:

At 1920x1080, the Low preset achieves an average of 356.9 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 299.9 FPS. The High preset reaches 262.7 FPS. The Ultra preset provides 210.9 FPS. These numbers show a consistent scaling pattern, with each higher setting reducing the frame rate by a significant margin.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 240.5 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 204.5 FPS. The High preset reaches 176.9 FPS. The Ultra preset provides 142.2 FPS. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is notable, with the Low preset falling by 116.4 FPS and the Ultra preset falling by 68.7 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 136.1 FPS. The Medium preset delivers 114.1 FPS. The High preset reaches 102.6 FPS. The Ultra preset provides 82.1 FPS. The frame rates at 4K are still high enough for a smooth experience, but the impact of the GPU's workload is clear, as the Ultra preset is the only one that drops below 100 FPS.

Across all resolutions, the difference between Low and Ultra settings is substantial. At 1080p, the gap is 146.0 FPS (356.9 to 210.9). At 1440p, the gap is 98.3 FPS (240.5 to 142.2). At 4K, the gap narrows to 54.0 FPS (136.1 to 82.1). This pattern indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU's performance ceiling compresses the range of achievable frame rates.

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

For players using this specific CPU and GPU combination, the data provides clear guidance on which settings preset to select based on the resolution of their display.

At 1920x1080, the High preset is the most practical choice. It delivers 262.7 FPS, which is more than enough for any high-refresh-rate monitor. The jump to Ultra only provides a marginal increase in visual quality but reduces the frame rate by 51.8 FPS. The Low preset at 356.9 FPS offers no tangible benefit for most users, as the frame rate is far beyond what any standard display can show. The Medium preset at 299.9 FPS is also viable, but High offers a better balance of visual fidelity and performance.

At 2560x1440, the High preset again stands out as the sweet spot. It provides 176.9 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate that many 1440p monitors support. The Ultra preset drops to 142.2 FPS, which is still playable but might cause some users to miss the 144 FPS mark. The Medium preset at 204.5 FPS and Low at 240.5 FPS are both excellent for esports-style play, but they sacrifice visual quality that is noticeable at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point. It delivers 114.1 FPS, which is comfortably above 60 FPS and provides a good balance between quality and performance. The High preset at 102.6 FPS is also strong, offering a slight visual upgrade with only a 11.5 FPS penalty. The Ultra preset at 82.1 FPS is playable, but the drop below 100 FPS may be noticeable on high-refresh 4K displays. The Low preset at 136.1 FPS is a viable option for those who prioritize frame rate above all else, but the visual downgrade is significant at this resolution.

Overall, the data recommends the High preset for most users at 1080p and 1440p, and the Medium or High preset at 4K, depending on the user's refresh rate tolerance. The Ultra preset is only advisable at 1080p where the frame rate remains high, but at higher resolutions, the performance cost outweighs the visual benefit.