To The Core

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is an exceptionally strong combination for To The Core, ranking 121st out of 1756 tested combos, placing it in the top 7% of all systems. This is a high-end pairing that delivers playable frame rates even at 4K Ultra, but the data reveals a nuanced story where the CPU’s massive thread count and the GPU’s raw throughput interact in ways that favor high-refresh 1440p gaming over sheer 4K brute force.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo’s rank of 121 out of 1756 tested configurations places it firmly in the upper echelon of systems for this title. This is not a marginal performer; the data indicates a top-tier setup that will not be the bottleneck in nearly any scenario. The ranking reflects a balance where the CPU’s multi-threaded prowess and the GPU’s high-end rasterization capabilities combine to produce some of the highest average frame rates in the database. While not the absolute fastest combo, its position in the 93rd percentile for CPUs and 88th percentile for GPUs suggests that only a handful of more exotic or newer components would outperform it. For a game like To The Core, which appears to scale well with hardware, this ranking confirms that users can expect a consistently smooth experience across all but the most demanding settings.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. This configuration is a powerhouse for a game that likely utilizes multiple threads for simulation and logic. Benchmark results show exceptional multi-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39000 and a Passmark multithread score of 45887. Its single-thread capabilities are equally strong, evidenced by a Geekbench single-core score of 2850 and a Passmark single-thread score of 4333, ensuring that the game’s main thread is never a limiting factor. In the context of this combo, the CPU’s 30 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR5 memory provide a robust foundation for feeding the GPU. The data shows this CPU sits within 0.5% of its nearest rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-13700KF and AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 5945, indicating that performance is at the peak of what is available for this socket, with a 93rd percentile ranking versus all CPUs confirming its elite status.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER is built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 736.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Its 10240 shading units and 80 RT cores provide immense compute power, with a Passmark G3D score of 34245 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 246994. This GPU is designed for high-resolution gaming, and the data supports that, but it is the combination with the CPU that yields the headline numbers. The GPU’s 88th percentile ranking versus all GPUs places it just ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT by 0.2% and the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M by 0.4%, showing it is at the very top of the performance stack for this generation. The 16 GB VRAM is a significant asset for To The Core, allowing for high-resolution textures and settings without running into memory limits, as evidenced by the playable frame rates at 4K Ultra.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates show a clear hierarchy based on resolution and settings. At 1080p, the combo is extraordinarily fast: Low settings yield 549 FPS, Medium hits 464.9 FPS, High reaches 400.8 FPS, and Ultra still produces 322.4 FPS. Moving to 1440p, the numbers remain exceptionally high: Low delivers 366.9 FPS, Medium 314.3 FPS, High 270.4 FPS, and Ultra 215.8 FPS. At 4K, the performance drops but remains very playable: Low produces 211.2 FPS, Medium 176.6 FPS, High 157.3 FPS, and Ultra 127 FPS. These figures indicate that the system is never CPU-bound at 1080p, and even at 4K, the frame rates are well above the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay. The performance gap between 1080p Ultra and 4K Ultra is roughly 2.5x, which is expected given the pixel count difference, but the absolute numbers confirm that this combo can handle any resolution with ease.

Resolution Scaling

The scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the limiting component. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 549 FPS, which is likely near the upper limit of what the CPU can feed to the GPU. When moving to 4K Low, the frame rate drops to 211.2 FPS, a 61% reduction. This proportional drop suggests that at lower settings, the GPU becomes the primary bottleneck, as the rendering load increases significantly with pixel count. However, at Ultra settings, the drop from 322.4 FPS at 1080p to 127 FPS at 4K is a 61% reduction as well, indicating a consistent scaling pattern. The fact that the system maintains over 120 FPS at 4K Ultra confirms the GPU’s power, but the data also shows that the CPU is strong enough to avoid becoming a limiting factor even at 1080p, where frame rates exceed 500 FPS. This is a balanced system where the GPU is the primary driver of performance differences across resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the best experience depends on the user’s display. For a 1080p or 1440p high-refresh monitor (240Hz or higher), Ultra settings are clearly viable, with 322.4 FPS and 215.8 FPS respectively, providing a buttery-smooth experience with maximum visual fidelity. For 1440p, High settings at 270.4 FPS offer a significant boost over Ultra while still looking excellent, making it a strong choice for competitive play. At 4K, the recommendation is High settings, which deliver 157.3 FPS, a substantial improvement over Ultra’s 127 FPS while maintaining high visual quality. Low settings are only useful for pushing frame rates to absolute extremes, such as 549 FPS at 1080p, but the visual trade-off is severe. For most users, the sweet spot is High or Ultra at 1440p, where the combo offers both high fidelity and triple-digit frame rates.

FAQ

*Q: How does this combo rank among all tested systems for To The Core?*

A: It ranks 121st out of 1756 tested combos, placing it in the top 7% of all systems for this game.

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 549, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Can this system handle 4K gaming?

A: Yes, it delivers 127 FPS at 4K Ultra and 157.3 FPS at 4K High, both well above the 60 FPS standard for smooth gameplay.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i7-13700K is within 0.5% of its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i7-13700KF (-0.1%) and AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 (-0.5%), showing it is at the top of its class.

Q: How does the GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX 4080 SUPER is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT and 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro W6600M, but 2.1% behind the AMD Radeon RX 7700S in average benchmark score.

Q: What is the recommended setting for 1440p gaming?

A: Ultra settings provide 215.8 FPS, which is ideal for high-refresh monitors, while High settings offer a slight boost to 270.4 FPS for competitive play.