To The Core

The Intel Core i5-12400 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 combination delivers exceptional performance in To The Core, an Idle genre title released in February 2024. The pairing ranks in the 887th position out of 1,756 tested combos, placing it in the upper half of the database. Benchmark results indicate this system is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the processor provides ample headroom at 1080p to push frame rates well beyond the 200 FPS threshold across most settings.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear pattern of GPU limitation as resolution increases. At 1920x1080 with Ultra settings, the combo achieves 197.4 FPS, but dropping to Low settings unlocks 328.9 FPS—a massive 66% jump that shows the CPU (Intel Core i5-12400) has significant untapped capacity. The processor’s 3DMark single-thread score of 910 and Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,249 indicate strong per-core performance that prevents bottlenecking even at these elevated frame rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the scaling pattern tightens noticeably. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 328.9 (1080p) to 220.8 (1440p), a 32.9% reduction. At Ultra settings, the decline is 197.4 to 130.8 FPS, a 33.7% drop. This proportional scaling across settings suggests the RTX 5060’s 8 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 128-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth becomes the primary constraint, rather than the CPU’s 6 cores and 12 threads.

At 3840x2160, the GPU limitation becomes even more pronounced. Ultra settings yield 76.9 FPS, while Low settings manage 127.8 FPS—a 66.2% difference. The gap between 1440p and 4K at Low settings (220.8 vs. 127.8 FPS) represents a 42.1% performance hit, which aligns with the pixel count increase. The data shows that at 4K, even the fastest settings struggle to maintain the triple-digit FPS seen at lower resolutions, confirming the RTX 5060 is the limiting component.

The pattern indicates that for this Idle genre title, the i5-12400’s 4.40 GHz boost clock and 18 MB shared L3 cache are more than sufficient. The GPU’s 19.18 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 30 RT cores handle the graphical load, but the 128-bit memory interface creates a bandwidth ceiling at higher resolutions.

FAQ

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested configurations in To The Core?*

A: It ranks 887th out of 1,756 tested combos, placing it just past the midpoint of the database.

Q: What is the best frame rate this combo can achieve?

A: The highest measured average is 328.9 FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings. Even at 4K Ultra, it maintains 76.9 FPS.

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

A: The data suggests the GPU is the limiter even at 1080p. At Low settings, the combo hits 328.9 FPS, but the processor’s PassMark single-thread score of 3,456 shows it could potentially push higher if the GPU allowed.

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

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score of 30,109 is statistically tied with the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (30,097, 0% delta) and slightly ahead of the NVIDIA Tesla M60 (29,969, 0.5% delta).

Q: What is the playable experience at 4K across settings?

A: At 3840x2160, High settings deliver 94.9 FPS, Medium 106.7 FPS, and Low 127.8 FPS. All presets exceed the 60 FPS threshold, though Ultra drops to 76.9 FPS.

Q: How does the i5-12400 compare to its closest competitors?

A: The CPU’s average benchmark score of 19,850 is 0.1% above the Intel Core i7-9700 (19,831) and 0.4% above the Intel Core i5-11600K (19,771), while sitting 0.2% below the Intel Core i7-8700 (19,894).

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame field places this configuration at 887 out of 1,756 tested combos, which corresponds to roughly the 50.5th percentile. This is a respectable position for a mid-range pairing, especially considering the CPU’s percentileVsAllCpus of 77 and the GPU’s percentileVsAllGpus of 73. The system outperforms its component-level percentiles in aggregate, suggesting efficient scaling in this title.

The CPU’s nearest rival data shows a tight cluster: the i5-12400’s average benchmark score of 19,850 is nearly identical to the Intel Core i7-9700 (19,831, +0.1%) and Intel Core i5-11600K (19,771, +0.4%), while trailing the Intel Core i7-8700 (19,894, -0.2%) by a hair. This indicates the processor is well-matched against older flagship parts from a generation prior.

For the GPU, the RTX 5060’s average benchmark score of 30,109 sits within 0.6% of all four nearest rivals. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (30,097) is essentially identical at 0% delta, while the NVIDIA Tesla M60 (29,969) trails by 0.5% and the RTX 5070 Mobile (29,928) by 0.6%. This suggests the desktop RTX 5060 performs at parity with its immediate competition.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results. Low settings produce 328.9 FPS average, which is the highest measured value in the entire dataset. Medium settings reduce this to 279.7 FPS (-14.9%), High settings yield 244.4 FPS (-25.7%), and Ultra settings drop to 197.4 FPS (-40.0%). The progression from Low to Ultra shows a consistent reduction of roughly 40-50 FPS per tier, indicating balanced scaling across the four presets.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates remain high but begin to compress. Low settings hit 220.8 FPS, Medium 185.5 FPS (-16.0%), High 162 FPS (-26.6%), and Ultra 130.8 FPS (-40.8%). The percentage drop from Low to Ultra is similar to 1080p, but the absolute headroom shrinks as the GPU works harder.

At 3840x2160, the pattern shifts. Low settings produce 127.8 FPS, Medium 106.7 FPS (-16.5%), High 94.9 FPS (-25.7%), and Ultra 76.9 FPS (-39.8%). The Ultra setting at 4K is the only measured configuration below 100 FPS, yet it still exceeds the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay.

The settings deltas are remarkably consistent across resolutions: Medium is always roughly 15-16% slower than Low, High is 25-26% slower, and Ultra is 39-41% slower. This consistency indicates the game’s settings scale uniformly regardless of resolution, with no unexpected performance cliffs or bottlenecks emerging.

Settings Recommendations

For players targeting the highest refresh rates at 1920x1080, Low settings provide an average of 328.9 FPS, which is ideal for 240 Hz displays. However, Medium settings at 279.7 FPS still exceed most monitor refresh rates and offer better visual quality. High settings at 244.4 FPS remain competitive, and even Ultra at 197.4 FPS is suitable for 144 Hz panels.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts based on display capability. Low settings at 220.8 FPS support 200 Hz+ monitors, while Medium at 185.5 FPS comfortably drives 165 Hz displays. High settings at 162 FPS are acceptable for 144 Hz panels, and Ultra at 130.8 FPS still exceeds common 120 Hz refresh rates.

For 4K (3840x2160) gaming, the data shows all settings are playable. Low at 127.8 FPS and Medium at 106.7 FPS provide excellent experiences on 120 Hz displays. High at 94.9 FPS is smooth on standard 60 Hz panels with headroom, and even Ultra at 76.9 FPS maintains reliable frame pacing above the 60 FPS threshold.

The optimal balance between visual fidelity and performance appears to be High settings at 4K (94.9 FPS) or Ultra at 1440p (130.8 FPS). For competitive play at 1080p, Low settings maximize frame rates at 328.9 FPS, but the 39-41% penalty for Ultra makes the highest preset a viable choice for immersive single-player sessions. Given the Idle genre’s typically undemanding nature, the measured data suggests this combo can handle maximum settings at 1440p or High settings at 4K without compromise.