To The Core

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER delivers an exceptional experience in To The Core, ranking in the top 8% of all tested combinations. The data shows a system that is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, yet still capable of pushing frame rates well beyond the threshold of high-refresh-rate displays, even at 4K Ultra settings.

FAQ

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

A: This combination ranks 128th out of 1756 tested combos, placing it in the top 7.3% of all systems benchmarked for this game.

Q: How does the Intel Core i5-14600KF compare to its closest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-14600KF's average benchmark score of 49367 is nearly identical to its direct counterpart, the i5-14600K, which scores 49166 (a 0.4% delta). It also edges out the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, which scores 49062, by a 0.6% margin.

Q: What is the maximum frame rate achieved by this system in the benchmark?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 546.4, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This indicates a massive performance headroom for competitive or high-refresh-rate play.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 SUPER's performance competitive with other high-end GPUs?

A: Yes. Its average benchmark score of 53610 places it 2.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, which scores 52086. It also leads the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT by a 0.2% margin, with that card scoring 53489.

Q: How much VRAM does the GPU have, and what type is it?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER is equipped with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 736.3 GB/s.

Q: What are the core specifications of the Intel Core i5-14600KF?

A: This processor features 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. It is built on Intel's 10 nm process and has a 24 MB shared L3 cache.

How This Combo Ranks

The data places this Intel and NVIDIA pairing at rank 128 out of 1756 tested combinations in To The Core. This excellent standing is a direct result of the synergy between the two components. The RTX 4080 SUPER is a top-tier graphics card, and its 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs is complemented by the i5-14600KF's 93rd percentile ranking among all CPUs. In this game, the combination of a high-end GPU and a very fast CPU ensures that neither component becomes a significant bottleneck at common gaming resolutions. This rank signifies that this system is not just capable of running the game, but is positioned to deliver among the highest frame rates possible, placing it in the top tier of the 1756 systems tested. The system's performance is consistent, showing no weak points that would drag its overall standing down, making it a formidable choice for this title.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is the dominant component in this pairing for To The Core. Its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory and 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth provide ample resources for the game at any resolution. The GPU's architecture, Ada Lovelace, operates on a 5 nm process from TSMC, containing 45,900 million transistors. With a boost clock of 2550 MHz, the card delivers a substantial 52.22 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. This raw power is reflected in its benchmark scores, including a Passmark G3D score of 34245 and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6600.

The GPU's performance relative to its rivals is strong. It holds a 2.9% lead over the RTX 5070 Ti and a 0.2% lead over the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT in average benchmark scores. In the context of To The Core, this power translates directly into high frame rates. The data suggests that at higher resolutions like 2560x1440 and 3840x2160, the GPU's workload increases significantly, and its 16 GB frame buffer ensures it can handle the demands of High and Ultra settings without running out of memory. The card's 88th percentile ranking among all GPUs underscores its position as a high-end solution that is well-suited for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured performance in To The Core is consistently high across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the system delivers staggering frame rates. With Low settings, it averages 546.4 FPS, which decreases to 461.7 FPS on Medium, 403.2 FPS on High, and 326.5 FPS on Ultra. These numbers indicate that at 1080p, the system is heavily CPU-limited, as even the most demanding settings exceed 300 FPS.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance remains exceptional. Low settings yield an average of 366.9 FPS, while Medium, High, and Ultra settings produce 310.6 FPS, 272.1 FPS, and 215.4 FPS, respectively. The transition from 1080p to 1440p shows a more pronounced impact on frame rates, signaling that the GPU is starting to take on a more significant role.

At 3840x2160, the GPU's power is fully utilized. The system still achieves an average of 211.2 FPS on Low settings. This drops to 176.1 FPS on Medium, 155.2 FPS on High, and remains highly playable at 121.6 FPS on Ultra. These figures demonstrate that even at 4K resolution with maximum settings, this combination provides a smooth and immersive experience, comfortably exceeding the 60 FPS standard and approaching the 120 FPS mark.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF plays a critical supporting role, ensuring the RTX 4080 SUPER is never starved of data. With 14 cores and 20 threads, this processor provides substantial multi-threaded capability, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32889. Its single-thread performance is equally strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4643, which is crucial for game logic and physics.

The CPU's 93rd percentile ranking among all processors indicates its top-tier status. While its average benchmark score of 49367 is nearly identical to the i5-14600K, it holds a slight 1.4% edge over the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H. The data points to the CPU being the primary limiter at 1920x1080 resolution. The massive frame rates at this resolution, which exceed 500 FPS on Low settings, are a signal of the CPU's speed. However, the scaling from 1080p to 1440p and 4K shows that the load shifts to the GPU, allowing the CPU to feed frames efficiently without becoming a bottleneck at higher resolutions. Its 125 W TDP and unlocked multiplier also make it a capable part for this performance tier.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend heavily on the user's display and performance goals. For users with a 3840x2160 display, the Ultra preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 121.6 FPS. This provides a high-fidelity experience that is smooth enough for most users, and the 155.2 FPS average on High settings offers an even greater performance buffer if slight visual compromises are acceptable.

For 2560x1440 users, the Ultra preset is also highly recommended, as it achieves an average of 215.4 FPS. This frame rate is well beyond the refresh rate of most high-end monitors, ensuring maximum smoothness. The High preset, at 272.1 FPS, is an option for those who prioritize even higher frame rates, but the visual jump to Ultra is generally worth the minor performance trade-off given the headroom available.

At 1920x1080, the choice is less critical due to the sheer performance on offer. Even the Ultra preset achieves an average of 326.5 FPS. For competitive play where maximum frame rates are paramount, the Low preset's 546.4 FPS average is the clear winner. However, for most users, the Medium or High presets, with averages of 461.7 FPS and 403.2 FPS respectively, provide an excellent balance of visual quality and performance, leaving no practical reason to lower settings.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160 reveals a clear shift in the system's bottleneck. At 1080p High settings, the system produces 403.2 FPS. This drops by 32.5% to 272.1 FPS at 1440p, and then by a further 43.0% to 155.2 FPS at 4K. This dramatic decrease in performance with each resolution increase is classic evidence of a GPU-bound scenario at higher resolutions.

The data indicates that at 1080p, the CPU is the limiting factor. The frame rates are so high that the GPU has spare capacity, and performance is dictated by how quickly the CPU can process and dispatch draw calls. As the resolution increases, the pixel fill rate and shading demands on the GPU increase exponentially. By 4K, the GPU's workload is immense, and it becomes the definitive bottleneck. The fact that the system still manages to exceed 120 FPS at 4K Ultra demonstrates that the RTX 4080 SUPER has enough processing power to handle this demanding title, while the i5-14600KF provides enough throughput to keep it fully fed even at lower resolutions where the CPU's role is more prominent.