To The Core

The Intel Core i5-14600KF paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the top-performing combination for To The Core, securing the #1 spot out of 1,756 tested combos. This is a decisive result, placing this pairing ahead of every other CPU and GPU configuration in the database for this title. The data shows a system that delivers extreme frame rates, though the bottleneck shifts significantly depending on resolution and settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame field places this configuration at rank 1 out of 1,756 combos, meaning it outperforms all other tested pairings in To The Core. This is not a marginal victory; it is a clear statement that the i5-14600KF and RTX 5090 together form the reference point for maximum performance in this game. The CPU itself holds a percentile of 93 versus all CPUs, and the GPU a percentile of 94 versus all GPUs, so both components are near the top of their respective hierarchies. The data indicates the combination is greater than the sum of its parts — the CPU's strong single-thread performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4,643) pairs well with the GPU's raw throughput (3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 14,411) to deliver a smooth experience at every setting. Rivals like the Intel Core i5-14600K (avg score 49,166, deltaPct 0.4) and AMD EPYC 4345P (avg score 49,595, deltaPct -0.5) are close in synthetic CPU benchmarks, but in-game, this combo's rank shows the RTX 5090 is the dominant factor.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 is the centerpiece here, and its specifications explain why this combo holds the top rank. It packs 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth — more than enough to feed even the most demanding frame buffers at 4K. The GPU's boost clock of 2407 MHz (base 2017 MHz) drives 21,760 shading units, producing 104.8 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. In To The Core, an idle game with simple geometry but potentially heavy draw calls, the GPU's raw fill rate (423.6 GPixel/s pixel rate and 1,636.8 GTexel/s texture rate) ensures that even at Ultra settings, the render pipeline never becomes the limiting factor. The 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores are largely irrelevant for this title, but the sheer rasterization power pushes frame rates into triple digits at all resolutions. The GPU's percentile of 94 versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 84,306, confirms it sits near the apex of the performance stack, and the data shows it does not struggle to maintain high utilization in this game.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals how the workload shifts as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo hits 632.6 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it drops to 144.8 FPS — a reduction of roughly 77% from the peak. This scaling pattern indicates the CPU becomes the primary limiter at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the CPU's 14 cores (20 threads) with a 5.30 GHz boost clock are likely maxed out on game logic and draw call submission, preventing the GPU from reaching its full potential. The evidence: moving from 1080p Low to 1440p Low only drops FPS from 632.6 to 426.5 (a 33% decrease), while moving from 1440p Low to 4K Low drops from 426.5 to 245 (a 43% decrease). The GPU's load increases with resolution, but the CPU bottleneck at 1080p means the GPU is not fully utilized. At 4K Ultra, the GPU is finally the limiting factor, as the frame rate lands at 144.8 FPS — still far above typical display refresh rates. The data suggests that for maximum frame rates, 1080p is CPU-bound, while 4K shifts the balance toward the GPU.

Measured FPS Breakdown

Here are the exact measured average FPS figures for this combo in To The Core, organized by resolution and settings:

1920x1080:

• Low: 632.6 FPS
• Medium: 536.9 FPS
• High: 465.8 FPS
• Ultra: 372.7 FPS

2560x1440:

• Low: 426.5 FPS
• Medium: 363.1 FPS
• High: 314.3 FPS
• Ultra: 252.7 FPS

3840x2160:

• Low: 245.0 FPS
• Medium: 204.8 FPS
• High: 177.4 FPS
• Ultra: 144.8 FPS

The pattern is consistent: each settings tier reduces FPS by a comparable margin. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra costs 259.9 FPS (41% drop). At 1440p, the same move costs 173.8 FPS (41% drop). At 4K, the Ultra setting drops 100.2 FPS from Low (41% drop). This consistent scaling suggests the settings presets affect the same types of GPU work (shading, post-processing) across resolutions. The gap between 1080p and 1440p is larger than between 1440p and 4K — for example, at High, 1080p to 1440p drops 151.5 FPS (33%), while 1440p to 4K drops 136.9 FPS (44%). This indicates the CPU has less headroom to feed the GPU as resolution climbs, but the GPU still manages the workload efficiently. No min or max FPS data is available, so these averages represent the sustained performance level.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14600KF is a 14-core, 20-thread processor with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, built on Intel's 10 nm process. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB per-core L2 cache help keep game data close at hand. In To The Core, the CPU's role is to manage the game's simulation and draw calls, and its performance is strong: Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 32,889 and single-core of 4,643, with a Geekbench single-core of 2,778. The CPU's percentile of 93 versus all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 49,367, puts it above most desktop processors. Its nearest rivals in synthetic tests are the Intel Core i5-14600K (deltaPct 0.4, essentially identical) and the AMD EPYC 4345P (deltaPct -0.5, slightly lower). The data shows the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at 4K Ultra (where the GPU is fully engaged), but at 1080p Low, the frame rate of 632.6 FPS suggests the CPU's game logic throughput is the limiting factor — the GPU could likely push higher if the CPU could feed it faster. The 125W TDP and unlocked multiplier make it a flexible choice for overclocking, though the data here is based on stock settings.

FAQ

*Q: Is this combo the best for To The Core?*

A: Yes, the data shows it ranks #1 out of 1,756 tested combos, with the highest measured FPS across all resolutions and settings.

Q: What is the maximum FPS this combo can achieve?

A: The highest measured average FPS is 632.6 at 1080p with Low settings; the lowest is 144.8 at 4K with Ultra settings.

Q: How much does the CPU hold back the GPU at 1080p?

A: At 1080p Low, the CPU likely limits performance, as the frame rate drops 33% when moving to 1440p Low, suggesting the CPU cannot fully feed the GPU at lower resolutions.

Q: Does the RTX 5090's 32 GB VRAM matter for this game?

A: The 32 GB GDDR7 memory with 1.79 TB/s bandwidth exceeds what To The Core requires, so the GPU's memory subsystem is not a limiting factor at any tested setting.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its closest rival in synthetic tests?

A: The i5-14600KF has an average benchmark score of 49,367, which is 0.4% higher than the Intel Core i5-14600K (49,166) and 0.5% higher than the AMD EPYC 4345P (49,595).

Q: What is the FPS difference between 1440p and 4K at High settings?

A: At High settings, 1440p delivers 314.3 FPS, while 4K delivers 177.4 FPS — a 136.9 FPS drop, indicating the GPU is increasingly stressed at higher resolutions.