To The Core

The Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D delivers extraordinary frame rates in To The Core, an Idle genre title. The data shows a combination that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions but reveals potential CPU limitations at 1080p. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, scaling behavior, and what it means for the overall experience.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and dramatic scaling pattern as resolution decreases. At 4K (3840x2160) with Ultra settings, the combo produces 151 FPS. Dropping to 1440p (2560x1440) raises this to 265 FPS, and at 1080p (1920x1080) it reaches 393 FPS. This progression shows that the RTX 5090 D has substantial headroom, and the performance gain from lowering resolution is significant.

The scaling from 4K to 1440p at Ultra settings is a 75% increase in frame rate (from 151 to 265 FPS). The jump from 1440p to 1080p is less pronounced, adding another 48% (from 265 to 393 FPS). This tapering off suggests that at 1080p, the system is starting to encounter a limit that is not purely the GPU's rendering capability.

Looking at Low settings, the trend is even more revealing. At 4K Low, the combo hits 256 FPS. At 1440p Low, it jumps to 448 FPS, and at 1080p Low, it reaches 535 FPS. The delta between 1440p and 1080p on Low is only 87 FPS (448 to 535), which is a smaller relative gain compared to the 192 FPS jump from 4K to 1440p (256 to 448). This compression of gains at lower resolutions strongly indicates that the Intel Core i5-12400F is becoming the limiting factor.

The pattern is consistent across all settings. For High settings, the frame rates are 188 FPS at 4K, 329 FPS at 1440p, and 480 FPS at 1080p. The scaling factor from 4K to 1080p is 2.55x (188 to 480 FPS), while the theoretical pixel count difference is 4x. This disparity shows that the CPU cannot feed the GPU fast enough at lower resolutions to fully utilize its potential.

In essence, the RTX 5090 D is so powerful that at 1080p, the performance ceiling is set by the processor, not the graphics card. The data shows that the i5-12400F, despite being a capable 6-core part, hits its limits around the 535 FPS mark on Low settings. This is an excellent result, but it means the massive GPU headroom is only fully exploited at higher resolutions like 4K.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. It features an 18 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Its benchmark scores paint a picture of a solid mid-range CPU, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 12380 and a single-core score of 1680. The 3DMark single-thread score is 909, while the 16-thread score is 5895.

In the context of To The Core, this CPU's role is critical. The game's genre, Idle, often involves complex simulations and background calculations, which can be sensitive to CPU performance. However, the measured FPS data shows that even this 6-core part can push frame rates well beyond typical display refresh rates.

The CPU's performance ceiling is visible when comparing the 1080p Low and 4K Low results. At 4K Low, the system produces 256 FPS, which is likely a GPU-bound scenario. At 1080p Low, it produces 535 FPS, which is more than double. This indicates that the CPU is capable of generating a high number of frames, but the scaling is not linear. The single-thread performance, evidenced by the 3DMark single-thread score of 909, is strong but not unlimited.

The nearest rivals for the i5-12400F, based on average benchmark score, include the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS with a deltaPct of 0, the Intel Core 3 201E with -0.1, and the Intel Core i5-1335U with 0.3. These are all comparable in overall processing power, but the i5-12400F's desktop-oriented design, with its higher boost clock and larger cache, likely contributes to its strong gaming performance.

The data indicates that in To The Core, the CPU is not a bottleneck at 4K, where the GPU is fully engaged. At 1440p, the balance shifts slightly, and at 1080p, the CPU becomes the primary limiter. The 12 threads are sufficient for this title, as the frame rates remain exceptionally high. However, the fact that 1080p Low (535 FPS) is not significantly higher than 1080p Medium (504 FPS) or 1080p High (480 FPS) suggests that the CPU's instruction throughput is the limiting factor, not the graphics settings.

FAQ

*Q: What is the maximum average FPS achievable with this combo in To The Core?*

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 535 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the combo perform at 4K Ultra settings?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 151, with no minimum or maximum values provided.

Q: Is this CPU or GPU combo more likely to bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the CPU is the limiting factor at 1080p, as frame rates plateau around 535 FPS on Low settings, and the gains from lowering resolution diminish compared to the jump from 4K to 1440p.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, Low settings yield 448 FPS, while Ultra settings yield 265 FPS. This represents a 69% performance uplift from using Low settings over Ultra.

Q: Does the RTX 5090 D provide a significant advantage over its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The RTX 5090 D has an average benchmark score of 77712. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, has a score of 76904, which is a deltaPct of 1.1% higher. The NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 79396, which is 2.1% higher.

Q: Are there any settings where the combo fails to maintain a high frame rate?

A: No. The lowest average FPS recorded across all tested settings and resolutions is 151 FPS at 4K Ultra, which is still exceptionally high.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data allows for a clear recommendation based on resolution and desired frame rate. For players targeting the highest possible frame rates, the 1080p Low preset delivers 535 FPS. This is the maximum performance the combo can achieve in this game.

For a balanced experience at 1440p, the Medium preset offers 379 FPS, with a minimum of 322 FPS and a maximum of 436 FPS. This is a strong choice for high-refresh-rate monitors, as it provides a smooth experience with better visual fidelity than Low. The High preset at 1440p yields 329 FPS, which is still excellent, but the Medium preset's 379 FPS is a noticeable improvement.

At 4K, the Ultra preset yields 151 FPS, which is playable but below the threshold for the highest refresh rate displays. The High preset at 4K offers 188 FPS, which is a better option for 4K gaming if you want to stay above 144 FPS. The Medium preset at 4K provides 217 FPS with a minimum of 184 FPS, making it the most balanced choice for 4K, offering a significant jump over High while maintaining a solid frame rate floor.

The best experience per the measured rows depends on the monitor's refresh rate. For a 144Hz display, the 4K Medium preset (217 FPS) provides a comfortable margin. For a 240Hz display, the 1440p Medium preset (379 FPS) is ideal. For 360Hz or higher displays, the 1080p Low preset (535 FPS) is the only setting that can fully saturate the refresh rate.

In summary, the Medium preset is the sweet spot across all resolutions, offering a balanced combination of visual quality and performance. The data shows that the jump from Low to Medium at 1080p costs 31 FPS (535 to 504), which is a minor hit for better visuals. At 4K, the jump from Low to Medium costs 39 FPS (256 to 217), again a reasonable trade-off.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D combination is ranked 38th out of 2991 tested combos in To The Core. This places it in the top 1.3% of all tested configurations, which is an outstanding result.

This ranking is impressive given that the CPU is not a top-tier processor. The i5-12400F has a percentile rank of 73 versus all CPUs, indicating it is better than 73% of processors. However, its pairing with the RTX 5090 D, which has a percentile rank of 92 versus all GPUs, boosts the combo's performance significantly.

The high combo rank suggests that the RTX 5090 D's raw power is the primary driver of the frame rates, and the i5-12400F is sufficient to keep it fed at most resolutions. The fact that the combo ranks 38th out of 2991 means there are only 37 other combinations that perform better, likely featuring more powerful CPUs. This highlights that while the i5-12400F is not the absolute best, it does not hold the RTX 5090 D back enough to prevent a top-tier result.

The GPU's nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks, such as the AMD Radeon RX 6650M XT, have a higher average score by 1.1%, but the RTX 5090 D's overall performance in this game is clearly sufficient to secure a high rank. The data indicates that the combination is well-balanced for this title, with the GPU doing most of the heavy lifting.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table details the exact measured average FPS for each resolution and settings combination. Minimum and maximum FPS are included where available.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Ultra: 151 FPS average.
• High: 188 FPS average.
• Medium: 217 FPS average, with a minimum of 184 FPS and a maximum of 249 FPS.
• Low: 256 FPS average.

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Ultra: 265 FPS average.
• High: 329 FPS average.
• Medium: 379 FPS average, with a minimum of 322 FPS and a maximum of 436 FPS.
• Low: 448 FPS average.

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Ultra: 393 FPS average.
• High: 480 FPS average.
• Medium: 504 FPS average, with a minimum of 429 FPS and a maximum of 580 FPS.
• Low: 535 FPS average.

The data shows a consistent hierarchy: Lower resolutions and lower settings yield higher frame rates. The Medium preset at each resolution has associated minimum and maximum FPS values, providing a fuller picture of performance variability. The 1080p Medium preset shows a range from 429 to 580 FPS, indicating some frame time variance, but the average of 504 FPS remains exceptionally high. The 4K Medium preset has a tighter range (184-249 FPS), suggesting more stable performance at that resolution.

These exact figures demonstrate that the combo is capable of delivering playable frame rates at any tested setting, with the lowest being 151 FPS at 4K Ultra. This reflects the sheer power of the RTX 5090 D, even when paired with a mid-range CPU like the i5-12400F.