To The Core

# To The Core with Intel Core i3-12100F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D

The Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D delivers exceptional frame rates in To The Core, an idle-genre title that scales aggressively with GPU capability. Across all tested resolutions and settings, this combination never drops below 151 FPS average, indicating that the RTX 5090 D is operating well within its comfort zone. The data shows a system where the GPU is the dominant performance driver at 4K, while the CPU begins to assert its influence at lower resolutions where frame rates approach or exceed 500 FPS. This pairing ranks 50th out of 2,991 tested combinations, placing it in the top 1.7% of all tested configs for this game, a strong result that reflects the raw power of the RTX 5090 D even when paired with a modest four-core processor.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a clear GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions, with the RTX 5090 D's immense compute capabilities being gradually taxed as pixel count increases. At 1080p High settings, the combo produces 473 FPS average, which climbs to 329 FPS at 1440p High, and then drops to 188 FPS at 4K High. This represents a 60.2% reduction from 1080p to 4K at High settings, a substantial drop that indicates the GPU is being pushed harder as resolution increases, though the absolute numbers remain extraordinarily high for any game.

The scaling pattern across all settings shows that the RTX 5090 D maintains playable frame rates even at the most demanding configuration. At Ultra settings, the drop from 1080p (393 FPS) to 1440p (265 FPS) is a 32.6% reduction, while moving from 1440p to 4K (151 FPS) results in a 43.0% further reduction. This steeper decline at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU's memory bandwidth of 1.79 TB/s and its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory are being increasingly utilized, though the game's idle genre nature means it likely doesn't stress the GPU as heavily as a AAA shooter would.

The limiting component shifts depending on resolution. At 1080p, the data suggests the CPU becomes a more significant factor, as the frame rates of 527 FPS at Low settings approach what a four-core, eight-thread processor like the Core i3-12100F can realistically feed. The gap between 1080p Low (527 FPS) and 1440p Low (448 FPS) is only 15.0%, while the gap between 1440p Low and 4K Low (256 FPS) is 42.9%. This indicates that below 1440p, the CPU's single-thread performance of 1,674 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 893 in 3DMark single-thread becomes a bottleneck, preventing the GPU from reaching its full potential.

At 4K, the GPU is clearly the limiting component. The 4K Ultra result of 151 FPS average is still remarkably high, but the 41.1% drop from 4K High (188 FPS) to 4K Ultra (151 FPS) shows that the most demanding settings are starting to tax the RTX 5090 D's 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. The 4K Medium result of 217 FPS with a minimum of 184 FPS and maximum of 249 FPS shows acceptable frame pacing even in the mid-range preset.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D achieves a combo rank of 50 out of 2,991 tested configurations in To The Core. This places the pairing in the 98.3rd percentile of all tested combos, an exceptional result that underscores how well the RTX 5090 D compensates for the relatively modest CPU. The GPU alone sits in the 92nd percentile among all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 77,712, while the CPU ranks in the 68th percentile among all processors with an average benchmark score of 13,494.

The RTX 5090 D's nearest rivals in the GPU benchmark database include the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT at 76,904 average score (1.1% slower), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT at 78,940 (1.6% faster), and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 variants at 79,396 and 79,605 (2.1% and 2.4% faster, respectively). This tight clustering around the 77,000-79,000 score range suggests that the RTX 5090 D is positioned in a competitive performance bracket, though these rival comparisons are based on synthetic benchmarks rather than To The Core specific results.

For the CPU, the Core i3-12100F's nearest rivals show a very tight grouping: the Intel Core 3 N355 at 13,492 (essentially tied at 0% delta), the Intel Core i5-9500 at 13,452 (0.3% faster), the Intel Core 5 120UL at 13,594 (0.7% slower), and the Intel Core i7-1250U at 13,351 (1.1% faster). This indicates that the i3-12100F's overall benchmark performance is well-matched to its peers, though its 4 cores and 8 threads at 3.30 GHz base and 4.30 GHz boost clock are modest by modern standards.

The rank of 50 out of 2,991 is particularly noteworthy given the CPU's limitations. Many combinations ranked above this pairing likely feature higher-core-count processors, but the data shows that To The Core benefits more from GPU horsepower than CPU throughput. The 4K Ultra result of 151 FPS average demonstrates that even at the most demanding settings, this combo delivers well above the 60 FPS threshold that most games target.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the user's resolution and performance priorities. At 4K, the High preset delivers 188 FPS average, which is 24.4% faster than the Ultra preset's 151 FPS while still providing a visually rich experience. The Medium preset at 4K offers 217 FPS, a 15.4% improvement over High, with a minimum FPS of 184 indicating smooth frame delivery. For users with high-refresh-rate 4K displays, the Medium preset is recommended as it provides the best balance of visual quality and performance, with the 184 FPS minimum ensuring no noticeable stutters.

At 1440p, the High preset at 329 FPS is already sufficient for even the most demanding 240 Hz displays, while the Medium preset at 379 FPS offers additional headroom for those with 360 Hz panels. The Low preset at 448 FPS provides the maximum possible frame rate but sacrifices visual fidelity for a marginal competitive advantage in this idle genre game. The Ultra preset at 265 FPS still exceeds the refresh rate of most monitors, so users with 240 Hz 1440p displays could comfortably select Ultra for the best visuals without compromising smoothness.

At 1080p, all presets deliver exceptional frame rates. The Low preset at 527 FPS and Medium at 497 FPS are virtually indistinguishable in terms of perceived smoothness on any current display. The Ultra preset at 393 FPS and High at 473 FPS both provide ample performance for 360 Hz monitors. Given the CPU's potential bottleneck at this resolution, the data suggests that the High preset at 473 FPS is the recommended choice, as it offers a substantial visual upgrade over Low while maintaining frame rates that exceed any display's refresh rate. The Medium preset's minimum FPS of 422 and maximum of 571 show some variance, but the average of 497 FPS indicates consistent performance.

For the best overall experience across all resolutions, the High preset appears to be the sweet spot. It delivers 188 FPS at 4K, 329 FPS at 1440p, and 473 FPS at 1080p, all of which are comfortably above 144 Hz refresh rates. The Ultra preset, while offering the highest visual quality, costs 19.7% performance at 4K compared to High, which may not be worth the visual trade-off in an idle game where frame rates are already exceptionally high.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming at high refresh rates?

A: Yes. The measured data shows 188 FPS average at 4K High settings and 151 FPS at 4K Ultra. Even at the most demanding preset, the frame rate exceeds 144 Hz, making this combo suitable for high-refresh-rate 4K displays.

Q: Is the Intel Core i3-12100F a bottleneck for the RTX 5090 D in this game?

A: The CPU becomes a limiting factor primarily at 1080p, where frame rates approach 527 FPS at Low settings. At 1440p and 4K, the GPU is the dominant component, with the 4K results showing typical GPU-bound scaling behavior.

*Q: What is the best preset for competitive play in To The Core?*

A: At any resolution, the Low preset provides the highest frame rates, reaching 527 FPS at 1080p, 448 FPS at 1440p, and 256 FPS at 4K. However, the difference between Low and High is minimal at 1080p, where both exceed 470 FPS, making High the better competitive choice.

Q: How does this combo compare to other tested configurations?

A: This pairing ranks 50th out of 2,991 tested combos, placing it in the top 1.7% of all configurations tested for To The Core. The RTX 5090 D's 92nd percentile GPU ranking contributes significantly to this high placement.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 D's 32 GB VRAM matter for this game?

A: The game is an idle genre title, and while VRAM usage is not directly measured in the data, the 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.79 TB/s bandwidth provide ample headroom for any texture or asset requirements at 4K Ultra settings.

Q: What is the minimum FPS I should expect at 4K Medium settings?

A: The measured minimum FPS at 4K Medium is 184 FPS, with an average of 217 FPS and a maximum of 249 FPS. This indicates consistent frame delivery without significant drops.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D is the primary performance driver in this configuration, and its specifications explain the exceptional frame rates observed. The GPU features 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing 1.79 TB/s of memory bandwidth. This massive bandwidth is crucial for feeding the 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs that process the game's visuals. The 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power and 423.6 GPixel/s pixel rate are more than sufficient for an idle genre game, which typically features simpler geometry and effects than action titles.

The GPU's clock speeds of 2,017 MHz base and 2,407 MHz boost, combined with its 5 nm process node from TSMC and 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, position it as one of the most powerful consumer GPUs available. The 170 ray tracing cores and 680 tensor cores, while not heavily utilized in an idle game, provide future-proofing for more demanding titles. The GPU's 575 W TDP and suggested 950 W PSU requirement indicate high power draw, but the measured FPS data shows this power is well-spent in To The Core.

The GPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks correlates well with the in-game results. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,326 and PassMark G3D score of 44,065 place the RTX 5090 D in the 92nd percentile of all GPUs. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 310,674 and Vulkan score of 376,915 further confirm the GPU's compute prowess. These benchmark scores translate directly to the game's performance, where the GPU maintains 188 FPS at 4K High and 151 FPS at 4K Ultra, demonstrating that even the most demanding preset leaves significant performance headroom.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT (1.1% slower in average score), AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (1.6% faster), and NVIDIA Tesla P100 variants (2.1-2.4% faster). This tight grouping suggests that while the RTX 5090 D is powerful, there are other GPUs with comparable average benchmark scores. However, the in-game performance at 4K Ultra of 151 FPS indicates that the RTX 5090 D's specific architecture and memory configuration are well-suited to To The Core's rendering requirements.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F plays a supporting role in this configuration, providing just enough processing power to keep the RTX 5090 D fed at most resolutions. The CPU features 4 cores and 8 threads with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, based on the Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process node. The 12 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per-core L2 cache provide sufficient memory hierarchy for the game's workload, though the 58 W TDP indicates modest power consumption.

The CPU's benchmark scores reveal its strengths and limitations. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11,860 and single-core score of 1,674 show that the processor is capable in single-threaded tasks, which are common in game logic and physics calculations. The 3DMark scores of 4,051 for 16 threads and 893 for single-thread confirm that multi-threaded performance scales well up to 8 threads (4,026 score), but plateaus beyond that, as evidenced by the max threads score of 4,023, nearly identical to the 8-thread result.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 68th among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13,494, places it in the upper-midrange of processors. Its nearest rivals show a tight cluster: the Intel Core 3 N355 at 13,492 (0% delta), the Intel Core i5-9500 at 13,452 (0.3% faster), and the Intel Core 5 120UL at 13,594 (0.7% slower). This indicates that the i3-12100F performs competitively with other mid-range processors, though it lacks the core count of higher-end chips.

In To The Core, the CPU's influence is most apparent at 1080p, where the frame rates of 527 FPS at Low settings suggest the processor is reaching its limit in terms of draw call processing and game logic. The gap between 1080p Low (527 FPS) and 1440p Low (448 FPS) of 15.0% is smaller than the gap between 1440p Low and 4K Low (256 FPS) of 42.9%, indicating that the CPU can keep up with the GPU at 1080p but becomes less of a factor as resolution increases. The 4K results, where the GPU is clearly the bottleneck, show that the CPU's 4 cores are sufficient for this game at higher resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS dataset for this combo across all resolutions and settings is as follows:

At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 527 FPS, the highest recorded for this combo. The Medium preset averages 497 FPS with a minimum of 422 FPS and maximum of 571 FPS, showing some frame variance but maintaining consistently high performance. The High preset averages 473 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 393 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a 25.4% performance drop, with the Ultra preset still delivering nearly 400 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset averages 448 FPS, a 15.0% decrease from the 1080p Low result. The Medium preset averages 379 FPS with a minimum of 322 FPS and maximum of 436 FPS. The High preset averages 329 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 265 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 1440p shows a 40.8% performance drop, reflecting the increased GPU load at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset averages 256 FPS, a 42.9% decrease from the 1440p Low result. The Medium preset averages 217 FPS with a minimum of 184 FPS and maximum of 249 FPS. The High preset averages 188 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 151 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra at 4K shows a 41.0% performance drop, consistent with the 1440p scaling pattern and indicating that the GPU is being progressively taxed.

The Medium preset is the only one with recorded minimum and maximum FPS values across all resolutions, showing 422/571 at 1080p, 322/436 at 1440p, and 184/249 at 4K. These ranges indicate that frame delivery is consistent, with the minimum FPS staying above 184 FPS even at 4K. The overall data shows that this combo delivers exceptional performance in To The Core, with the RTX 5090 D providing the bulk of the processing power and the Core i3-12100F adequately supporting the GPU at most settings.