To The Core

The Intel Core i7-12700KF paired with the Intel Arc B390 produces a highly unusual performance profile in To The Core, one that is strictly limited by the graphics solution at every measurable setting. The data shows a classic GPU-bound scenario where the CPU's substantial resources go largely unused, making this combo a study in bottlenecking rather than balanced performance. This analysis breaks down the measured frames, the CPU's theoretical headroom, and what the numbers mean for a player targeting a specific resolution.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is steep and consistent, confirming that the Intel Arc B390 is the definitive limiting factor. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 107 FPS at 1920x1080 to 72 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 35 FPS. Moving to 4K (3840x2160) drops the average further to 41 FPS, which is a 66 FPS loss compared to 1080p High. This scaling pattern is a textbook indicator of a GPU that is saturated by pixel count, not a CPU that is struggling to feed frames.

The same trend appears across all quality presets. At Low settings, the average goes from 147 FPS at 1080p down to 99 FPS at 1440p, and then to 56 FPS at 4K. The gap between 1440p and 4K remains significant, with a 43 FPS difference at Low settings. This suggests that even the lowest graphical load is enough to overwhelm the Arc B390's processing capabilities at higher resolutions. The 4K results are uniformly below 60 FPS, with Ultra settings hitting a low of 33 FPS average, indicating that 4K is not a viable target for this combination in To The Core.

The relative scaling between presets also reveals the GPU's architecture. At 1080p, the jump from Low (147 FPS) to Medium (124 FPS) is a 23 FPS drop, and High (107 FPS) to Ultra (86 FPS) is a 21 FPS drop. At 4K, the same preset transitions show smaller absolute differences: Low (56 FPS) to Medium (48 FPS) is an 8 FPS drop, and High (41 FPS) to Ultra (33 FPS) is also an 8 FPS drop. This compression of frame rates at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is hitting a hard computational ceiling, where additional graphical features cannot be rendered without a proportional loss in throughput. The limiting component is unambiguously the Intel Arc B390.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700KF is a high-end desktop processor with 12 cores and 20 threads, a base clock of 3.60 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. Its benchmark scores are robust, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28838 and a single-core score of 4071. The PassMark multithread score of 34092 and single-thread score of 3984 further illustrate its capability. This is a CPU that ranks in the 85th percentile against all CPUs, placing it well above the average processor for gaming and productivity tasks alike.

However, in To The Core, the CPU's role is almost entirely passive. The measured frame rates show no evidence of CPU limitation, as the FPS scales directly with resolution and settings in a way that only a GPU bottleneck can produce. If the CPU were the constraint, we would expect to see similar frame rates across different resolutions, particularly at lower settings where the GPU has less work to do. Instead, the data shows a consistent and significant drop in FPS as resolution increases, which means the CPU is not the limiting factor at any point in the tested configurations.

The CPU's benchmark data suggests it has far more headroom than the Arc B390 can utilize. For instance, the 3DMark 16-thread score of 9282 and the max-thread score of 9983 indicate strong multi-threaded performance, but To The Core is an Idle genre game that likely does not scale with such high thread counts. The single-thread performance, evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1043 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2255, is more relevant for game logic, but even this is not a limiting factor. The bottleneck is so severe that the CPU's performance characteristics are effectively irrelevant to the final FPS output. The i7-12700KF is essentially waiting on the GPU, which is why the combo's ranking in the database is so low.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i7-12700KF and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2643 out of 2991 tested combos in To The Core. This places it in the bottom 12% of all configurations, a poor result that directly reflects the GPU's weak performance. The combo's rank is not due to the CPU, which is a strong performer on its own, but entirely due to the Arc B390's inability to keep pace with modern rendering demands.

The GPU's benchmark scores are stark. The Arc B390 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, and its percentile rank against all GPUs is a dismal 9th percentile. Its nearest rivals in the database are legacy NVIDIA parts like the GeForce GT 520MX (score of 1463, deltaPct of 1.3) and the GeForce 800M (score of 1460, deltaPct of 1.5). The Arc B390 is only 1.3% faster than the GT 520MX in the 3DMark test, which is a mobile GPU from a completely different era. This comparison highlights just how underpowered the Arc B390 is for a modern title, even one as light as To The Core.

In contrast, the CPU's nearest rivals are all modern processors with similar average scores. The Intel Core i7-13700T has an avgScore of 35403 (deltaPct of -0.1), the Intel Core i5-13600T has an avgScore of 35305 (deltaPct of 0.2), and the Intel Core i7-12700K has an avgScore of 35287 (deltaPct of 0.2). The i7-12700KF's own average benchmark score is 35365, which is right in line with these parts. This shows that the CPU is performing exactly as expected, but it is being paired with a GPU that is in a completely different performance class. The ranking is a direct consequence of this mismatch, and the data indicates that any of the GPU's nearest rivals would produce a similar bottleneck.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across all tested configurations. At 1920x1080, the results are as follows: Low settings average 147 FPS, Medium settings average 124 FPS with a minimum of 105 FPS and a maximum of 143 FPS, High settings average 107 FPS, and Ultra settings average 86 FPS. These numbers show that 1080p is the only resolution where the combo can achieve high refresh rates, though even here the Ultra preset dips below 90 FPS.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the frame rates drop considerably. Low settings average 99 FPS, Medium settings average 83 FPS with a minimum of 71 FPS and a maximum of 96 FPS, High settings average 72 FPS, and Ultra settings average 58 FPS. The 1440p results are playable at Low and Medium, but High and Ultra settings fall below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The minimum FPS data for Medium settings also shows that frame pacing can be inconsistent, with a 25 FPS difference between the minimum and maximum.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates. Low settings average 56 FPS, Medium settings average 48 FPS with a minimum of 41 FPS and a maximum of 55 FPS, High settings average 41 FPS, and Ultra settings average 33 FPS. None of the 4K configurations reach 60 FPS average, and even the Low preset is marginal. The Medium preset's minimum of 41 FPS indicates that the experience can feel stuttery, while the Ultra preset's 33 FPS average is effectively a slideshow for most players. The data clearly shows that 4K is not a viable option for this hardware combo in To The Core.

FAQ

Q: Is the Intel Core i7-12700KF a good CPU for this game?

A: The CPU is powerful, but it is not the limiting factor. Its benchmark scores, like a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 28838 and a PassMark single-thread score of 3984, are strong. However, in To The Core, the frame rates are determined entirely by the GPU, so the CPU's performance is largely irrelevant to the outcome.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The Arc B390's 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482 is only 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX's score of 1463. It is also just 1.5% faster than the GeForce 800M (score of 1460) and 2.5% faster than the GeForce GT 625 OEM (score of 1446). These are all legacy or low-end parts, showing the Arc B390 is not competitive with modern GPUs.

Q: What resolution should I use for the best experience?

A: According to the data, 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the combo can consistently exceed 100 FPS, with Low settings averaging 147 FPS and Medium averaging 124 FPS. At 2560x1440, only Low settings (99 FPS) remain above 90 FPS. 4K is not recommended, as all presets fall below 60 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle Ultra settings?

A: It can, but only at 1080p, where it averages 86 FPS. At 1440p, Ultra averages 58 FPS, which is below 60 FPS. At 4K, Ultra averages just 33 FPS, which is not a smooth experience. The GPU's 9th percentile ranking against all GPUs confirms it is not built for high-end settings at high resolutions.

Q: Why is the combo rank so low at 2643 out of 2991?

A: The low rank is due to the severe GPU bottleneck. While the CPU ranks in the 85th percentile against all CPUs, the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile. The pairing of a high-end CPU with a low-end GPU creates a situation where the system's overall performance is dragged down by the weakest component, resulting in a bottom-12% ranking.

Q: Is the frame rate consistent across all settings?

A: No, the data shows variance. At 1080p Medium, the minimum FPS is 105 and the maximum is 143, a 38 FPS spread. At 1440p Medium, the minimum is 71 and the maximum is 96, a 25 FPS spread. At 4K Medium, the minimum is 41 and the maximum is 55, a 14 FPS spread. This indicates that higher resolutions produce more stable frame times, but at the cost of overall performance.

Settings Recommendations

The measured data provides a clear hierarchy for playable settings. For a smooth experience above 100 FPS, 1080p Low (147 FPS) or Medium (124 FPS) are the only viable options. High settings at 1080p still deliver 107 FPS, which is excellent, but the jump to Ultra drops the average to 86 FPS. For players with a 1080p 144Hz monitor, Medium or High settings offer the best balance of visual quality and performance, avoiding the steep penalty of Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the recommendations are more conservative. Low settings (99 FPS) are the only preset that stays above 90 FPS, making it the best choice for high-refresh 1440p displays. Medium settings (83 FPS) are playable but not ideal for competitive play, while High (72 FPS) and Ultra (58 FPS) are best reserved for slower-paced play. If a 60 FPS target is acceptable, then High settings at 1440p are the highest visual quality that can be sustained.

For 4K, the data suggests avoiding this resolution altogether. Even the Low preset (56 FPS) fails to reach 60 FPS average, and the Medium preset (48 FPS) has a minimum of 41 FPS, which will be noticeable as stutter. The Ultra preset (33 FPS) is not a playable experience. If a player must use 4K, the Low preset is the only option that comes close to playable, but the overall performance is poor. The practical recommendation is to use 1080p with High settings, as it provides a 107 FPS average without the visual downgrade of Low, making it the sweet spot for this hardware combination.