To The Core

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER delivers a remarkably smooth experience in To The Core, an Idle genre title released on 2024-02-14. The measured frame rates are exceptionally high across all tested resolutions, indicating that this combination is far more powerful than the game's demands require. The data shows a clear hierarchy where performance scales predictably with resolution and settings, making this combo a versatile option for high-refresh-rate displays.

FAQ

*Q: What is the overall performance rank of this CPU and GPU combination in To The Core?*

A: The combo ranks 1210 out of 1756 tested combinations, placing it in the upper-middle tier of all systems tested for this game.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 2060 SUPER compared to its nearest rival, the RTX 2070?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 19774, which is 0.5% higher than the RTX 2070's score of 19680. This indicates nearly identical raw performance.

Q: What is the performance difference between the i5-10400F and the AMD EPYC 7552?

A: The i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14168, which is 0.4% higher than the EPYC 7552's score of 14115. The deltaPct is a marginal 0.4.

Q: Does the CPU or the GPU have a higher percentile ranking relative to all other parts?

A: The CPU sits in the 73rd percentile among all CPUs, while the GPU sits in the 63rd percentile among all GPUs. The processor is comparatively stronger than the graphics card.

Q: What is the maximum average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 265.2, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo fail to maintain 60 FPS on average?

A: The only configuration that drops below 60 FPS is 3840x2160 (4K) with Ultra settings, which yields an average of 59.3 FPS. Every other tested configuration exceeds 60 FPS.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture and utilizes the TU106 chip. It operates with a base clock of 1470 MHz and a boost clock of 1650 MHz. The card is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is substantial for a game like To The Core, which appears to be relatively light on GPU resources, as evidenced by the high frame rates achieved.

The GPU's raw compute capabilities are considerable, with an FP32 performance of 7.181 TFLOPS and a texture rate of 224.4 GTexel/s. It also features 2176 shading units and 64 ROPs, which handle the final pixel output. The card's pixel rate of 105.6 GPixel/s is a key factor in its ability to push high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions. The benchmark data supports this, showing that the GPU is rarely the limiting factor in this specific game.

When compared to its nearest rivals, the RTX 2060 SUPER is in a tight grouping. It leads the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN by a 0.3% margin in average score (19774 vs 19706) and the RTX 2070 by 0.5% (19774 vs 19680). This suggests that for To The Core, the GPU's performance is well within the expected range for this tier of hardware. The 63rd percentile ranking among all GPUs confirms it is a capable mid-range performer, but the game's low graphical demands mean even this mid-range card can produce very high frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 10th Generation processor based on the Comet Lake architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. This configuration provides solid multi-threaded performance, as seen in its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10297 and its Passmark multithread score of 12115. The CPU's single-thread performance is also respectable, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1453.

For an Idle game like To The Core, the CPU's role is often more critical than in graphically intensive titles, as it may handle game logic, simulation, and background tasks. The i5-10400F's 12 threads ensure that it can manage these workloads without becoming a bottleneck. The benchmark results show a balanced profile: the 3DMark 16-thread score of 4748 is very close to the max-thread score of 4735, indicating that the CPU scales well with additional threads.

The CPU's performance is competitive with its nearest rivals. It outperforms the AMD EPYC 7552 by 0.4% in average score (14168 vs 14115) and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C by 0.8% (14168 vs 14277). Interestingly, it trails the Intel Core i5-8500 by 1.1% (14168 vs 14332) and the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546 by 1.2% (14168 vs 14336). This places the i5-10400F in a very tight performance band, where the differences are negligible. With a 73rd percentile ranking among all CPUs, it is clearly a strong performer for this game.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-10400F and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER holds a rank of 1210 out of 1756 total tested combos for To The Core. This placement in the 69th percentile of tested systems indicates that while it is not a top-tier enthusiast setup, it comfortably outperforms a significant majority of other configurations in this specific game.

The ranking suggests that this combo is well-balanced for the game's requirements. While neither component is at the extreme high-end, their combined performance is more than sufficient to deliver high frame rates. The CPU's strong 73rd percentile ranking helps boost the overall combo, compensating for the GPU's slightly lower 63rd percentile standing. The data shows that this pairing is not held back by a significant bottleneck in either direction, resulting in a cohesive and effective system for To The Core.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive look at how the combo scales across different settings and resolutions. The performance hierarchy is consistent, with lower resolutions and lower settings yielding higher frame rates.

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers outstanding performance. The average FPS ranges from 265.2 at Low settings, to 225.8 at Medium, 194.6 at High, and 154.5 at Ultra. All of these figures are exceptionally high, making any of these settings viable for a high-refresh-rate 1080p monitor.

Moving to 2560x1440, the frame rates remain very high. The average FPS is 177.1 at Low, 148 at Medium, 132.7 at High, and 107.9 at Ultra. Even at the highest settings, the combo easily maintains over 100 FPS, which is ideal for 1440p gaming.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the performance begins to show more strain. The average FPS is 100.4 at Low, 88.7 at Medium, and 75.6 at High. These are still very playable numbers. However, at Ultra settings, the average FPS drops to 59.3, which is just below the 60 FPS threshold. This is the only configuration where the combo fails to hit a 60 FPS average.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the user's display resolution and target frame rate.

For 1920x1080 displays, the Ultra preset is highly recommended. With an average of 154.5 FPS, it provides a significant visual upgrade over lower presets while still maintaining a frame rate high enough for even the fastest 1080p monitors. If a user prefers maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 265.2 FPS is also a valid choice, but Ultra offers a better balance of quality and speed.

For 2560x1440 displays, the Ultra preset is also the best choice. The 107.9 FPS average is comfortably above 100 FPS, ensuring a smooth and responsive experience. The High preset at 132.7 FPS is an alternative for those who want a slight performance buffer, but the data suggests that Ultra is fully playable.

For 3840x2160 displays, the High preset is recommended as the best balance. The 75.6 FPS average is well above the 60 FPS target and provides a good visual experience. While the Medium preset at 88.7 FPS offers higher performance, the visual fidelity is lower. The Ultra preset is not recommended at this resolution, as its 59.3 FPS average dips below the standard 60 FPS threshold, which may result in a less smooth experience.