To The Core

The Intel Core i5-12600KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a unique profile within the database for To The Core. The combo ranks 2643rd out of 2991 tested configurations, placing it in the lower third of all tested pairings. The data indicates this is not a high-refresh-rate powerhouse, but rather a configuration capable of delivering playable frame rates at specific settings, with performance characteristics heavily dictated by the GPU's integrated nature and the CPU's substantial processing headroom.

FAQ

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

A: The configuration ranks 2643rd out of 2991 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 12th percentile of all tested pairings, indicating it is a lower-performing combination relative to the broader database.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390's benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 1482. It is 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, 2.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710.

Q: What are the maximum and minimum average frame rates recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate is 147 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The lowest average frame rate is 33 FPS, recorded at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings.

Q: What is the CPU's performance percentile relative to all CPUs?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600KF has a percentile ranking of 79, meaning it performs better than 79% of all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 27799.

Q: Is the GPU a discrete card or an integrated processor?

A: The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP), as indicated by its slot width and bus interface. It features a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with its memory being "System Shared."

Q: Does the combo produce a stable frame rate at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: Yes, at 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo achieves an average of 83 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the primary determinant of frame rates in this configuration. Its architecture is Xe3-LPG, built on a 3 nm process, and it functions as an integrated graphics processor with system-shared memory. The GPU's performance is modest; its benchmark score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rivals being legacy NVIDIA parts like the GeForce GT 710 and GT 520MX.

The GPU's clock speeds are distinctive, with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. This boost clock is substantial, but the integrated nature of the chip, with its 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 render output units, dictates its overall throughput. The memory bandwidth is "System Dependent," meaning it relies on the host system's RAM, which can become a limiting factor. The GPU's FP32 performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, yet the measured frame rates in To The Core suggest that this theoretical compute power is not fully realized in practice.

The data shows a clear correlation between GPU workload and frame rate. At 1080p with Low settings, the GPU produces 147 FPS, but this drops to 86 FPS at Ultra. At 4K, the frame rates fall to between 33 and 56 FPS across all settings. This pattern indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck, as increasing resolution and graphical fidelity directly and significantly reduces performance. The GPU's performance is not high enough to maintain high frame rates at demanding settings, and the "System Shared" memory configuration likely contributes to this limitation.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates reveal a strong dependency on resolution, confirming that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting component in this combo. The data shows a clear and consistent drop in performance as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160.

At 1080p, the combo is capable of producing high frame rates. The average FPS ranges from 147 at Low settings to 86 at Ultra. This suggests that at this resolution, the GPU is able to keep up with the CPU's demands. However, moving to 2560x1440, the average frame rates drop by approximately 30-35% across all settings. For example, High settings fall from 107 FPS at 1080p to 72 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 35 FPS. This is a significant hit, indicating that the GPU is beginning to struggle with the increased pixel count.

The scaling to 4K (3840x2160) is even more severe. The average frame rates drop again, with High settings falling from 72 FPS at 1440p to 41 FPS at 4K. Ultra settings also see a substantial decline, from 58 FPS at 1440p to 33 FPS at 4K. The gap between Low and Ultra settings also narrows at 4K; at 1080p, the difference is 61 FPS (147 vs 86), but at 4K, it shrinks to 23 FPS (56 vs 33). This compression of the performance range at higher resolutions is a classic sign of a GPU bottleneck, where the pixel fill rate becomes the primary constraint, and the CPU's performance becomes less relevant.

The data indicates that the scaling is not linear. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is larger in absolute terms than the drop from 1440p to 4K for most settings, which is typical for a GPU that is hitting its limits. The analysis suggests that for this combo, 1080p is the only resolution where frame rates consistently exceed 60 FPS across all settings, and 1440p is the practical ceiling for playable performance, provided settings are kept at Low or Medium.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of this combo's capabilities across three resolutions and four settings presets.

1920x1080: At this resolution, the combo delivers its best performance. With Low settings, the average frame rate is 147 FPS. Medium settings produce an average of 124 FPS, with a minimum of 105 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS. High settings yield 107 FPS. Ultra settings reduce the average to 86 FPS. All 1080p presets are playable, with even the most demanding Ultra preset maintaining an average above 60 FPS.

2560x1440: Performance drops noticeably at 1440p. Low settings achieve an average of 99 FPS. Medium settings average 83 FPS, with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS. High settings average 72 FPS. Ultra settings drop to an average of 58 FPS, which is below the 60 FPS threshold often considered ideal for smooth gameplay. The minimum FPS for Medium settings (71 FPS) suggests that frame pacing is relatively consistent, but the Ultra preset's average indicates it is not a recommended target.

3840x2160: The 4K results show this combo is severely limited. Low settings produce an average of 56 FPS. Medium settings average 48 FPS, with a minimum of 41 FPS and a maximum of 55 FPS. High settings drop to 41 FPS. Ultra settings yield a low average of 33 FPS. None of the 4K presets achieve a consistent 60 FPS, and the Ultra preset's 33 FPS average indicates a stutter-prone experience. The data shows that the GPU is the clear bottleneck at this resolution, as even the lowest settings cannot reach the performance levels seen at 1080p.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 2643 out of 2991 tested configurations places it in a low percentile for To The Core. This ranking is influenced by the GPU's poor relative performance. The Intel Arc B390's benchmark score of 1482 puts it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rivals being significantly older and less capable parts. The GPU is only 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX and 2.7% faster than the GeForce GT 710, which are entry-level parts from over a decade ago.

In contrast, the CPU is a much stronger component. The Intel Core i5-12600KF has a percentile of 79, and its average benchmark score of 27799 is competitive with its nearest rivals. It is only 0.3% slower than the Intel Core i9-10900K and the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, and 0.3% faster than the AMD Ryzen 5 8500GE. This significant disparity in relative performance between the CPU (top 21%) and GPU (bottom 9%) is the defining characteristic of this combo. The CPU has the potential to drive much higher frame rates, but the GPU's limitations cap the overall system performance, resulting in the low overall rank. The data suggests that this pairing is heavily unbalanced, with the GPU acting as a severe bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend on the target resolution and performance goals.

For a smooth 60 FPS experience at 1920x1080, all settings presets are viable. High settings at 107 FPS is the best balance of visual quality and performance, as it provides a significant margin above 60 FPS while offering improved fidelity over Medium. Ultra at 86 FPS is also playable and offers the highest visual quality, but the 21 FPS drop from High is noticeable. Low at 147 FPS is excessive for most displays and sacrifices too much visual detail.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset is the recommended choice. It averages 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS, providing a stable experience above the 60 FPS target. The High preset at 72 FPS is also playable, but the margin for error is smaller. The Ultra preset at 58 FPS is not recommended, as it falls below the 60 FPS threshold and may result in less consistent frame pacing.

At 3840x2160, the Low preset is the only one that approaches playability, with an average of 56 FPS. However, even this is inconsistent and near the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset at 48 FPS and High at 41 FPS will likely feel sluggish. The Ultra preset at 33 FPS is not recommended for a playable experience. For 4K, users should accept the Low preset's visual compromises or consider lowering the resolution. The data indicates that this combo is not suited for 4K gaming with high settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12600KF is a high-performance desktop processor that provides a strong foundation for this combo, though its capabilities are largely untapped by the integrated GPU. It features 10 cores and 16 threads based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache.

The CPU's benchmark results are robust. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 23391 and single-core score is 3302. Geekbench scores are 12137 for multicore and 2157 for single-core. The PassMark multithread score is 27575. These scores place it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, with its average benchmark score of 27799 being nearly identical to its nearest rivals. The data shows the CPU is a top-tier performer for its generation.

In the context of To The Core, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data. Given that the GPU is the bottleneck, the CPU's high core count and clock speeds are not fully utilized. The frame rates at 1080p with Low settings (147 FPS) are the closest the combo gets to CPU-limited performance, but even here, the GPU's limits are evident. The CPU has the capacity to handle the game's logic and physics without issue, but the GPU's inability to render frames quickly enough is the primary constraint. The CPU's performance is therefore not a limiting factor in this pairing; rather, it is a surplus of processing power that cannot be fully exercised due to the GPU's low performance.