To The Core

The Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER combination delivers exceptionally high frame rates in To The Core, an Idle genre title. The data shows this pairing is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while at 1080p the CPU's capabilities become more relevant. This analysis breaks down the measured performance, ranking, and practical settings for this specific combo.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial, clearly indicating a shift in bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves 482 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low reduces that to 322.3 FPS, a 33% decrease. At 4K Low, the average falls to 186.5 FPS, which is 61% lower than the 1080p result. This scaling pattern is typical for a powerful GPU being tasked with more pixels.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (482 FPS) and Ultra (282.7 FPS) is 199.3 FPS. At 4K, that same Low-to-Ultra gap is 76.2 FPS (186.5 vs 110.3). This suggests that at 1080p, the CPU is able to feed frames fast enough that the GPU's workload from higher settings is the limiting factor. At 4K, the GPU is so saturated that even dropping to Low settings only yields a 76 FPS improvement, showing the renderer is the primary constraint.

The game's Idle genre likely means simple scenes, but the data shows the RTX 4070 SUPER is still pushed hard at 4K Ultra, dropping to 110.3 FPS. For high-refresh 4K gaming, you would need to stay at High or Medium settings. The 1440p results are the sweet spot, with Ultra still delivering 193.3 FPS, which is more than enough for most high-refresh monitors.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific configuration ranks 292nd out of 1756 tested combos in To The Core. This places it in the top 16.6% of all tested pairings, which is a strong showing. The combo outperforms the vast majority of systems, but it is not at the absolute top tier, where higher-end CPUs and GPUs like the RTX 4090 or flagship i9s would sit.

The ranking reflects a balanced pairing. The RTX 4070 SUPER alone sits at the 84th percentile of all GPUs, while the i5-14400F is at the 88th percentile of all CPUs. Neither component is a weak link, but the combo's rank is influenced by the fact that many other tested systems use more powerful (and expensive) parts. The data indicates that this is a high-performance pairing that will not be the bottleneck in most gaming scenarios, but it is not the absolute fastest on the database.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. In To The Core, the high boost clock is likely more important than the core count, as idle games typically do not scale well with many threads. The CPU's single-thread performance is solid, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3093 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2333.

The 20 MB of shared L3 cache is ample for a game of this type. The CPU's benchmark data shows a strong multi-threaded result (Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 21914), but the game's performance at 1080p Low (482 FPS) suggests that even the single-core performance is sufficient to avoid being a major bottleneck. At 4K, the CPU's role diminishes, as the GPU becomes the limiting factor.

Compared to its nearest rivals in the CPU benchmark list, the i5-14400F is essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-12800H (deltaPct 0) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 7645 (deltaPct 0.2). This indicates that for this game, the processor's architecture and clock speed provide performance on par with those other options, meaning the GPU is doing most of the heavy lifting in the measured FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The data provides a clear picture of performance across all settings and resolutions.

1080p: The combo is exceptionally fast here. Low settings produce 482 FPS average. Medium settings yield 407.3 FPS. High settings deliver 353.2 FPS. Even at Ultra, the average is 282.7 FPS. This means that at 1080p, you can max out the game's settings and still have ample headroom for a 240Hz monitor.

1440p: Performance remains very high. Low settings average 322.3 FPS. Medium settings hit 274 FPS. High settings run at 237.8 FPS. Ultra settings still manage 193.3 FPS. This resolution is the best balance; even with Ultra settings, the frame rate is above the 144Hz threshold that most gamers target.

4K (3840x2160): This is where the GPU starts to feel the pressure. Low settings average 186.5 FPS. Medium settings drop to 157 FPS. High settings deliver 132.6 FPS. Ultra settings are the only mode that dips below the 120 FPS mark, averaging 110.3 FPS. For a smooth 4K experience, High settings are recommended, as they stay above 130 FPS.

The progression from Low to Ultra at each resolution shows a consistent penalty. At 1080p, Ultra is 41% slower than Low. At 1440p, Ultra is 40% slower than Low. At 4K, Ultra is 41% slower than Low. This consistency suggests the game's settings scale predictably with GPU load, regardless of resolution.

FAQ

*Q: Can this combo run To The Core at 4K 120 FPS?*

A: Yes, but not at Ultra settings. The data shows 4K High averages 132.6 FPS, while 4K Ultra drops to 110.3 FPS. To maintain a 120 FPS average, you should use High settings or lower.

Q: Is the CPU a bottleneck at 1080p?

A: The data suggests it is not a major issue. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 482 FPS, which is extremely high. While the CPU is more involved at this resolution, the i5-14400F's 4.70 GHz boost clock keeps it from limiting performance below 280 FPS even at Ultra settings.

Q: How does the RTX 4070 SUPER compare to its nearest GPU rivals in this game?

A: The GPU's average benchmark score is 42576, which is nearly identical to the NVIDIA RTX A6000 (42653, deltaPct -0.2) and the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE (42723, deltaPct -0.3). The measured FPS in To The Core reflects this high level of performance.

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo?

A: The 1440p results are the most balanced. At 1440p Ultra, the combo averages 193.3 FPS, which is well above the refresh rate of most high-end monitors. 4K is also viable, but you must compromise on settings to stay above 120 FPS.

Q: How significant is the performance difference between High and Ultra settings?

A: It is noticeable. At 1440p, High averages 237.8 FPS, while Ultra averages 193.3 FPS, a difference of 44.5 FPS. At 4K, the gap is 22.3 FPS (132.6 vs 110.3). The visual uplift from Ultra may not be worth the frame rate cost in this game.

Q: Is this a top-tier combo according to the database?

A: It ranks 292nd out of 1756 combos, placing it in the top 16.6%. This is a strong result, but there are many other tested configurations with higher-end components that achieve higher frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

For the best experience, the data points to 1440p as the optimal resolution. At 1440p, even Ultra settings maintain an average of 193.3 FPS. This provides a fluid experience on a 144Hz or 165Hz monitor without any compromises. If you prefer maximum visual fidelity and have a 240Hz monitor, 1440p High (237.8 FPS) or Medium (274 FPS) are excellent choices, as they offer a significant frame rate buffer.

At 4K, the recommendation is to stick with High settings, which deliver 132.6 FPS. This is above the standard 120Hz refresh rate and provides a smooth experience. Ultra settings at 4K (110.3 FPS) are playable but will dip below 120 FPS, which may be noticeable on high-refresh displays. Medium settings at 4K (157 FPS) are a good alternative if you want more headroom, but High offers a better balance of quality and speed.

At 1080p, the game is almost always CPU-limited to a degree, but the frame rates are so high that settings choice is purely about visual preference. Ultra at 1080p (282.7 FPS) is the best choice for a 240Hz monitor, as it still provides a massive frame rate. Low settings (482 FPS) are only useful for competitive play where every frame matters, but the visual degradation is unnecessary for an idle game. The data clearly shows that High or Ultra settings at 1080p or 1440p provide the best experience without sacrificing playability.