To The Core

# To The Core with Intel Core i9-14900K + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050

The Intel Core i9-14900K paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 delivers a strong performance profile in To The Core, an Idle genre title released on 2024-02-14. The measured frame rates across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system that scales predictably with both resolution and settings, with the combination ranking in the 60th percentile of tested systems. The data shows a pairing where the RTX 5050, with its 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 2560 shading units, is the primary driver of performance, while the i9-14900K's 24 cores and 32 threads provide ample headroom for the game's computational demands. The following analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, component roles, and practical recommendations based strictly on the benchmark results.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a clear and consistent resolution scaling pattern for this combo in To The Core. At 1080p with High settings, the system achieves 204 FPS, which drops to 137 FPS at 1440p and further declines to 78 FPS at 4K. This represents a 33% reduction when moving from 1080p to 1440p, and a 62% reduction from 1080p to 4K. The scaling is not perfectly linear, suggesting that the GPU becomes progressively more stressed as pixel count increases, while the CPU's role diminishes at higher resolutions.

Looking at the Low preset, the scaling is even more pronounced. At 1080p Low, the system hits 278 FPS, dropping to 187 FPS at 1440p and 107 FPS at 4K. The percentage drop from 1080p to 4K is 62%, identical to the High preset, indicating that resolution has a consistent relative impact regardless of settings. However, the absolute FPS deltas are larger at lower settings, which points to the GPU being the limiting factor at 4K even when graphical demands are reduced.

The Medium preset shows a similar pattern: 235 FPS at 1080p, 158 FPS at 1440p, and 90 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset delivers 164 FPS at 1080p, 110 FPS at 1440p, and 63 FPS at 4K. The 4K Ultra result of 63 FPS is the lowest measured value, and it sits just above the 60 FPS threshold that many users consider playable. The data indicates that at 4K, the RTX 5050 is the dominant bottleneck, as the FPS reductions between 1080p and 4K are substantial across all settings, ranging from 61% to 62%.

The resolution scaling analysis suggests that the i9-14900K is not the limiting factor in this title. At 1080p, where CPU overhead typically matters more, the system still produces very high frame rates—278 FPS at Low and 204 FPS at High—which indicates the CPU has significant headroom. The consistent ~62% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings reinforces that the GPU's rendering throughput is the primary constraint at higher resolutions.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 plays the decisive role in To The Core's performance, as evidenced by the resolution scaling data. The GPU features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 320.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory operates at 2500 MHz with 20 Gbps effective speed. The GPU's base clock is 2317 MHz with a boost clock of 2572 MHz, and it contains 2560 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units. The RTX 5050 also includes 20 RT cores and 80 tensor cores, though these are unlikely to be heavily utilized in an Idle genre game.

The GPU's 8 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for To The Core at all tested resolutions and settings, as the benchmark results show no signs of memory-related stalls. The frame time consistency, where available, supports this: the Medium preset at 1080p shows a minimum FPS of 200 and maximum of 270, with an average of 235. Similarly, at 1440p Medium, the minimum is 134 FPS and maximum is 182 FPS. These ranges indicate stable performance without memory bandwidth limitations causing frame drops.

The RTX 5050's pixel rate of 82.30 GPixel/s and texture rate of 205.8 GTexel/s provide adequate throughput for this title, which is not visually demanding given its genre. The FP32 performance of 13.17 TFLOPS is more than sufficient for the game's rendering requirements. The GPU's 66th percentile ranking among all GPUs, based on an average benchmark score of 21035, places it in the mid-range tier, which aligns with the measured FPS results showing comfortable 1080p and 1440p performance with playable 4K frame rates.

The GPU's thermal and power characteristics, with a 130 W TDP and dual-slot design, are modest. The 1x 8-pin power connector and 300 W suggested PSU indicate this is an efficient card, but these factors do not directly influence the measured FPS data. The 5 nm process node from TSMC, with 16,900 million transistors on a 149 mm² die, contributes to the card's efficiency, though the benchmark results are the primary evidence of its capability in To The Core.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations, this pairing of Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 ranks 1807 out of 2991 combos in To The Core. This places the system in the 60th percentile overall, meaning roughly 40% of tested configurations perform better in this specific game. The rank reflects the mid-range positioning of the RTX 5050, which is the performance ceiling for this combo, despite the high-end nature of the i9-14900K.

The GPU's nearest rivals in the benchmark database provide context for its performance tier. The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL has an average score of 21153, which is 0.6% higher than the RTX 5050's 21035. The AMD Radeon HD 8970M scores 21237, 1% higher. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 20713, which is 1.6% lower. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile scores 21379, 1.6% higher. These deltas are all within 2%, indicating that the RTX 5050 sits in a closely contested performance band where minor variations in benchmark conditions or driver versions could shift rankings.

The CPU's nearest rivals show a similar clustering. The Intel Core i9-14900KF scores 79371, just 0.3% higher than the i9-14900K's average benchmark score of 79097. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus scores 79574, 0.6% higher. The AMD EPYC 7413 scores 80041, 1.2% higher. The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 scores 77740, which is 1.7% lower. The i9-14900K's 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms that the processor is far from a bottleneck in this game.

The combo rank of 1807 out of 2991, combined with the CPU and GPU individual rankings, tells a clear story: the i9-14900K is overqualified for To The Core, while the RTX 5050 is the determining factor for the system's overall position. The game's Idle genre likely has modest CPU demands, so the massive multi-threaded performance of the i9-14900K—evidenced by its 39399.5 Cinebench R23 multi-core score—does not translate into a higher combo rank. Instead, the GPU's 66th percentile ranking is the primary driver of the combo's 60th percentile placement.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution. At 1080p, all settings presets deliver playable frame rates, but the data supports specific choices for different priorities. The Low preset achieves 278 FPS, which is the highest measured value and suits competitive or high-refresh-rate scenarios. The High preset at 204 FPS offers a strong balance, while Ultra at 164 FPS still provides excellent fluidity. The Medium preset at 235 FPS is a middle ground, but the High preset's 204 FPS with presumably better visual quality makes it the recommended choice for 1080p unless maximum frame rates are required.

At 1440p, the High preset delivers 137 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold and provides smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at 110 FPS is also viable, offering the highest visual quality without sacrificing playability. The Low preset at 187 FPS is excessive for most users, and Medium at 158 FPS is a reasonable compromise. The data suggests that High or Ultra are the best choices at 1440p, with Ultra being acceptable given the 110 FPS result.

At 4K, the situation changes. The Ultra preset drops to 63 FPS, which is technically playable but leaves little headroom for frame time spikes. The High preset at 78 FPS is more comfortable, providing a 24% improvement over Ultra. The Medium preset at 90 FPS offers the best balance of visual quality and performance at 4K, while Low at 107 FPS ensures maximum smoothness. For 4K gaming, the Medium preset is the recommended starting point, with High being the preferred choice if visual fidelity is prioritized over the extra FPS margin.

The measured frame time data for the Medium preset shows stable performance: at 1080p, the range is 200-270 FPS; at 1440p, it is 134-182 FPS; and at 4K, it is 77-104 FPS. These ranges indicate consistent frame pacing without severe drops, supporting the viability of Medium across all resolutions. The absence of min/max data for other presets limits comparison, but the available numbers suggest Medium is a safe choice.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete measured FPS dataset for this combo in To The Core is as follows. At 3840x2160 (4K): High settings average 78 FPS; Low settings average 107 FPS; Medium settings average 90 FPS with a minimum of 77 FPS and maximum of 104 FPS; Ultra settings average 63 FPS. At 2560x1440: High averages 137 FPS; Low averages 187 FPS; Medium averages 158 FPS with a minimum of 134 FPS and maximum of 182 FPS; Ultra averages 110 FPS. At 1920x1080: High averages 204 FPS; Low averages 278 FPS; Medium averages 235 FPS with a minimum of 200 FPS and maximum of 270 FPS; Ultra averages 164 FPS.

These numbers reveal a consistent hierarchy across all resolutions: Low is always the fastest, followed by Medium, then High, with Ultra being the slowest. The deltas between presets are not uniform. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 114 FPS (278 vs 164), while at 4K, the difference is 44 FPS (107 vs 63). This narrowing at higher resolutions again confirms the GPU-bound nature of 4K performance.

The only preset with full min/max data is Medium, which appears at all three resolutions. The spread between min and max is 70 FPS at 1080p (200-270), 48 FPS at 1440p (134-182), and 27 FPS at 4K (77-104). The decreasing spread at higher resolutions indicates that frame pacing becomes more consistent as the GPU becomes the bottleneck, which is a positive sign for stability.

The scaling from 1080p to 1440p for each preset is as follows: Low drops from 278 to 187 FPS (33% reduction), Medium from 235 to 158 FPS (33% reduction), High from 204 to 137 FPS (33% reduction), and Ultra from 164 to 110 FPS (33% reduction). The scaling from 1440p to 4K: Low drops from 187 to 107 FPS (43% reduction), Medium from 158 to 90 FPS (43% reduction), High from 137 to 78 FPS (43% reduction), and Ultra from 110 to 63 FPS (43% reduction). The consistent 33% and 43% reductions across all presets demonstrate a highly predictable scaling model.

FAQ

*Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in To The Core?*

A: The highest measured average FPS is 278, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Is 4K Ultra playable with this setup?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 63, which is above the 60 FPS threshold but leaves minimal headroom. The High preset at 4K averages 78 FPS, providing a more comfortable margin.

Q: How does the RTX 5050 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The RTX 5050 has an average benchmark score of 21035. The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL scores 21153 (0.6% higher), the AMD Radeon HD 8970M scores 21237 (1% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT scores 20713 (1.6% lower), and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile scores 21379 (1.6% higher).

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested systems in this game?

A: The Intel Core i9-14900K and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 combo ranks 1807 out of 2991 total combos in To The Core, placing it in the 60th percentile.

Q: Does the CPU or GPU limit performance at 1080p?

A: The data shows the GPU is the primary limiter even at 1080p, as the i9-14900K's 95th percentile CPU ranking and high multi-core scores indicate substantial headroom. The 278 FPS at Low settings further confirms the CPU is not a bottleneck.

Q: What are the frame time ranges for the Medium preset?

A: At 1080p Medium, the range is 200-270 FPS; at 1440p Medium, it is 134-182 FPS; and at 4K Medium, it is 77-104 FPS. These ranges indicate stable performance with no severe frame drops.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a 24-core, 32-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 6.00 GHz, with a TDP of 125 W. The CPU features 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and includes integrated UHD Graphics 770. The processor was released on 2023-10-16 with a launch MSRP of $589.

In To The Core, the i9-14900K's role is supportive rather than performance-determining. The game's Idle genre likely involves light computational tasks, and the CPU's massive multi-threaded capabilities—demonstrated by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 21697—are far beyond what this title requires. The single-core performance is equally strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2262.5 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2655, ensuring that any single-threaded game logic runs without issue.

The CPU's 95th percentile ranking among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79097, places it in the top tier of processors. Its nearest rivals—the Core i9-14900KF at 79371 (-0.3%), Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus at 79574 (-0.6%), EPYC 7413 at 80041 (-1.2%), and Ryzen AI Max+ 395 at 77740 (+1.7%)—all perform within 2% of the i9-14900K. This clustering confirms that the CPU is not a differentiator in To The Core; any of these processors would likely produce nearly identical frame rates.

The evidence that the CPU is not the bottleneck is clear from the resolution scaling data. If the CPU were limiting, we would expect to see similar FPS across resolutions, particularly at lower settings where GPU load is reduced. Instead, the FPS drops consistently by 33% from 1080p to 1440p and 43% from 1440p to 4K across all presets, which is classic GPU-bound behavior. The i9-14900K's 6.00 GHz boost clock ensures that even the highest single-threaded demands of To The Core are met with ease, while its 32 threads provide headroom for any background tasks or streaming workloads. The CPU's 36 MB of L3 cache also helps reduce memory latency, though the game's modest requirements mean this has minimal impact on the measured results.