To The Core

To The Core is an idle game, but the benchmark data for this Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 combination reveals anything but a static experience. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings paint a picture of a system with immense headroom, where the bottlenecks shift dramatically depending on how the game is configured. This analysis explores what those numbers mean for players, dissecting where the performance ceiling lies and how this specific pairing of components navigates the demands of the game.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data shows a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, but the magnitude of the drop-off is particularly telling for an idle game. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves a staggering 552 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops that figure to 371 FPS, a significant reduction. Pushing further to 4K yields 212 FPS, which is still exceptionally high but represents a major step down from the 1080p figure. This pattern strongly suggests that at lower resolutions, the system is not being stressed by the game's graphical output, but rather by the CPU's ability to feed frames to the GPU.

The transition from 1080p to 1440p at Low settings shows a 181 FPS drop, while the transition from 1440p to 4K shows a 159 FPS drop. These are large absolute numbers, but the relative performance remains high. The data implies that the RTX 4080 is only beginning to flex its muscles at 4K. At 1080p and 1440p, the GPU is likely idling, waiting for the CPU to send new draw calls. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225, with its 10 cores and boost clock of 4.90 GHz, is powerful, but even it has limits. The game appears to be heavily CPU-bound at lower resolutions, as evidenced by the fact that the FPS is far higher than what a typical 4K-capable GPU would need to deliver.

However, the scaling from High to Ultra settings at each resolution is where the GPU's role becomes more apparent. At 4K, High settings yield 156 FPS, while Ultra drops to 125 FPS. This 31 FPS difference is the GPU starting to work harder, but the overall frame rates are still so high that it's clear the RTX 4080 has plenty of headroom. The real story is that this combo is so powerful that it can run To The Core at playable frame rates at 4K Ultra, which confirms the GPU's capabilities. The limiting factor at 1080p and 1440p is undoubtedly the CPU, while the GPU only becomes the primary constraint at 4K with the highest settings. The data suggests that for this specific game, users could easily pair this CPU with a less powerful GPU and see identical performance at 1080p, as the CPU is the bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Given the extraordinary frame rates measured, the settings recommendation is not about achieving playability, but about maximizing the experience. The data shows that even at the most demanding configuration—4K Ultra—the combo still delivers an average of 125 FPS. This is well above the threshold for smooth gameplay on most high-refresh-rate displays. Therefore, the default recommendation for this hardware in To The Core is to run at Ultra settings at any resolution up to and including 4K.

The value of the Medium preset is interesting to note, as it provides a measured min FPS at each resolution, offering a glimpse into frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the min FPS is 397, with an average of 467. At 1440p Medium, the min is 267 with an average of 314. At 4K Medium, the min is 153 with an average of 180. These min FPS values are still exceptionally high, indicating no noticeable stuttering or performance dips. The difference between Medium and High is relatively small at 4K (180 vs. 156 FPS), but it widens at lower resolutions. For players with a 144Hz or 165Hz monitor, the Ultra preset at 1440p (219 FPS) or even 4K (125 FPS) is the clear choice. Considering the CPU bottleneck at lower resolutions, the best experience is to push the resolution and settings higher to offload more work onto the GPU and achieve a more balanced load. The data indicates that running at 1080p Low (552 FPS) or even 1080p High (405 FPS) is leaving significant graphical fidelity on the table for no tangible performance benefit, as the frames are likely already exceeding the refresh rate of any standard monitor.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run To The Core at 4K resolution?

A: Yes. The measured data shows an average of 156 FPS at 4K High and 125 FPS at 4K Ultra, indicating the RTX 4080 is more than capable of handling the game at this resolution.

Q: What is the best settings preset for a 144Hz monitor?

A: For a 144Hz display, the Ultra preset is recommended. The data shows 326 FPS at 1080p, 219 FPS at 1440p, and 125 FPS at 4K, all of which exceed the 144 FPS target, allowing you to take full advantage of the monitor's refresh rate.

Q: Is the game more demanding on the CPU or GPU at 1080p?

A: The data suggests the game is heavily CPU-bound at 1080p. The FPS at Low settings (552) is extraordinarily high, and the difference between Low and High settings (405 FPS) is significant, indicating the GPU is not the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: How does the 4K performance compare to 1080p performance?

A: The 4K Ultra average of 125 FPS is roughly 38% of the 1080p Low average of 552 FPS. This large drop in performance is expected due to the massive increase in pixel count, but the absolute FPS at 4K remains very high.

Q: Will I experience any screen tearing or stuttering?

A: At Medium settings, the measured minimum FPS is 397 at 1080p, 267 at 1440p, and 153 at 4K. These minimums are very high, suggesting that the frame rate is stable and unlikely to experience noticeable stuttering.

Q: Is the RTX 4080 being fully utilized at 1440p?

A: Based on the data, likely not. The FPS at 1440p Ultra (219) is significantly higher than at 4K Ultra (125). This indicates that the GPU is not working as hard at 1440p, and the CPU is likely creating a bottleneck that prevents the GPU from reaching its full potential.

How This Combo Ranks

In the grand scheme of tested configurations for To The Core, this pairing of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 sits at rank 226 out of 3725 combos. This places it in the top 6% of all tested systems, which is an exceptional result. This high ranking is a direct consequence of the raw power of both components. The GPU, in particular, is a top-tier performer, as evidenced by its own benchmark scores. The data indicates that this combo is not just playable; it's in the upper echelon of systems tested for this game.

The fact that it's not ranked even higher suggests that there are other combinations capable of even greater performance, likely with more powerful CPUs that can feed the RTX 4080 more efficiently at lower resolutions. The rank of 226 out of 3725 is a strong indicator that this system is a high-end performer, and the measured FPS data confirms this. The high ranking is a reflection of the GPU's ability to handle high resolutions and settings, while the CPU's performance is sufficient to keep the system in the top tier. The data shows that this is a powerful pairing, and the rank reflects that, though it also hints at the potential for a CPU upgrade to push the combo even higher, especially for those playing at 1080p or 1440p.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 is a 10-core, 10-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz, and it can boost up to 4.90 GHz. In the context of To The Core, the CPU's role appears to be the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions. The fact that the FPS at 1080p Low (552) is nearly double the FPS at 4K Ultra (125) indicates that the CPU is capable of generating a massive number of frames, but this capability is limited by the GPU's ability to render them at higher resolutions.

The benchmark data for the CPU shows strong single-threaded performance, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3655. This is crucial for an idle game, which often has a single main thread handling game logic and UI updates. The high boost clock of 4.90 GHz helps ensure that this main thread is processed quickly. The Passmark single-thread score of 4412 further reinforces this strength. While the multi-threaded scores are also respectable (e.g., Cinebench R23 multi-core of 25891), the nature of the game likely means that the single-thread performance is more critical for achieving those extreme frame rates at 1080p. The data suggests that the CPU is doing its job exceptionally well, and its performance is the reason why the system can achieve over 500 FPS at 1080p. The CPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals is nearly identical, with a 0% deltaPct compared to the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F, indicating that this level of performance is a standard for this class of processor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

This data set provides a comprehensive look at the system's performance across 12 distinct configurations.

At 1920x1080, the highest average FPS is observed at Low settings with 552 FPS. Medium settings reduce this to 467 FPS, with a minimum of 397 and a maximum of 537. High settings yield 405 FPS, and the most demanding Ultra preset still delivers an average of 326 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the performance scales down as expected. Low settings produce 371 FPS. Medium settings average 314 FPS, with a minimum of 267 and a maximum of 361. High settings yield a solid 272 FPS, while Ultra settings maintain an average of 219 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the system continues to impress. Low settings achieve 212 FPS. Medium settings average 180 FPS, with a minimum of 153 and a maximum of 207. High settings drop to 156 FPS, and the Ultra preset, which is the most graphically intensive, still manages an average of 125 FPS. The data shows a consistent and predictable scaling with both resolution and settings, with no anomalous dips or stutters, as evidenced by the strong minimum FPS values at Medium settings.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a powerhouse of a GPU, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture. It features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing a massive 716.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth. Its boost clock is 2505 MHz. These specifications translate into immense raw rendering power, which is evident in the game's performance at higher resolutions. The GPU's role becomes the primary factor when the resolution and settings are increased, as it takes over from the CPU as the bottleneck. The jump from 1080p to 4K is a clear example of this, where the GPU's workload increases dramatically.

The GPU's Passmark G3D score of 34457 and its 86th percentile ranking among all GPUs underscore its high-end status. However, the data suggests that in To The Core, the RTX 4080 is often not being fully utilized. At 1080p, the incredibly high FPS numbers are likely limited by the CPU, meaning the GPU is waiting for data. This is supported by the fact that the RTX 4080's performance is very close to its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, with only a 0.1% deltaPct in average benchmark score. The GPU's 16 GB of VRAM is more than sufficient for this game, even at 4K Ultra, and its high memory bandwidth ensures that texture streaming and data transfer are not bottlenecks. The data indicates that the GPU is the star of the show for enabling high-resolution, high-fidelity gameplay, but its potential is somewhat held back by the CPU at lower resolutions.