To The Core

To The Core is a lightweight Idle title, and the benchmark data for the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 reflects that genre's modest demands. The combination sits at rank 1586 out of 2991 tested combos, placing it just past the midpoint of the database. This ranking is heavily influenced by the GPU's 61st percentile standing among all graphics cards, while the CPU performs much higher at the 90th percentile of all processors. The measured frame rates are extremely high across all resolutions, indicating that this pairing is far more capable than necessary for the game's visual workload.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread desktop processor built on the Arrow Lake architecture. It operates with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The absence of hyperthreading means the 14 threads match the physical core count, which is a notable design choice for a desktop chip. The processor has a 65 W TDP and uses the Intel Socket 1851. It features a 24 MB shared L3 cache, along with per-core L1 and L2 caches of 192 KB and 3 MB respectively. This is a 3 nm TSMC part with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die.

For an Idle game like To The Core, the CPU's role is typically minimal, and the data confirms this. The Core Ultra 5 245 scores 32,924 in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4,648 in single-core. Its PassMark multithread score is 38,706, and the single-thread score is 4,394. These are strong synthetic results, placing it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G and the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, with the Core Ultra 5 245 trailing both by just 0.4% and 0.5% respectively in average benchmark score. It slightly edges out the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H by 0.6% and the Intel Core i5-14600K by 0.8%.

Given the game's simplicity, the CPU is unlikely to be the bottleneck at any resolution. The frame rates observed at 1080p Low, reaching 313 FPS, suggest the processor can feed the GPU more than enough frames. The data indicates that even at 4K Ultra, where the GPU load is highest, the system maintains 71 FPS, which is still well above playable thresholds. The CPU's high single-thread performance, evidenced by its 4,648 Cinebench R23 score, is more than sufficient for the game's logic and input handling, which are typically single-threaded in idle titles.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 is based on the AD107 chip and uses the Ada Lovelace architecture. It has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 272.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU operates at a base clock of 1830 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. Its memory clock is 2125 MHz, translating to 17 Gbps effective. The card has 3072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, along with 24 RT cores and 96 tensor cores. It delivers 15.11 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and has a pixel rate of 118.1 GPixel/s. The TDP is 115 W, and it requires a 300 W suggested PSU.

In the context of To The Core, the GPU is the primary driver of frame rates, but even it is underutilized at lower resolutions. The RTX 4060 sits at the 61st percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 17,639. Its nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon HD 7790 and the AMD Radeon 780M, with the RTX 4060 performing 0.2% worse than the former and 0.3% better than the latter. This is a surprisingly tight grouping, indicating that synthetic benchmarks place this card in a specific performance tier.

The 8 GB VRAM is ample for a game like To The Core, which does not appear to have demanding texture requirements. The measured frame rates show the GPU scaling well with resolution, from 313 FPS at 1080p Low to 71 FPS at 4K Ultra. The 128-bit memory bus and 272 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for the data throughput required by this title. The GPU's boost clock of 2460 MHz helps maintain high frame rates, and the data shows that at 1440p Medium, the combo achieves 178 FPS, indicating the GPU is still not the limiting factor at that setting.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The measured FPS data shows a clear scaling pattern across resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo reaches 313 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low, the frame rate drops to 210 FPS, a reduction of 103 FPS or approximately 33%. At 4K Low, the frame rate further drops to 120 FPS, which is a 57% reduction from 1440p and a 62% reduction from 1080p. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor as resolution increases, though even at 4K Low, the system is still delivering 120 FPS.

The scaling is more pronounced at higher settings. At 1080p Ultra, the average FPS is 185. At 1440p Ultra, it drops to 124 FPS, a 33% reduction. At 4K Ultra, it falls to 71 FPS, a 43% reduction from 1440p and a 62% reduction from 1080p. This pattern shows that the GPU's rendering load increases significantly with resolution, but the CPU is not the bottleneck. The fact that the frame rate drops from 313 FPS at 1080p Low to 120 FPS at 4K Low suggests that the GPU is scaling its workload, but the CPU is still capable of keeping up.

The data also shows that settings have a substantial impact. At 1080p, going from Low to Ultra reduces the average FPS from 313 to 185, a drop of 41%. At 4K, the same settings change reduces FPS from 120 to 71, a drop of 41%. This consistency indicates that the GPU is the primary scaling factor for both resolution and settings. The CPU's role is secondary, as evidenced by the fact that the lowest FPS recorded (71 FPS at 4K Ultra) is still well above the 60 FPS target for smooth gameplay.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 ranks 1586 out of 2991 tested combos in To The Core. This places it in the 53rd percentile of all combos, meaning it outperforms just over half of the tested configurations. Given the game's low system requirements, this rank is more indicative of the GPU's mid-tier status than any CPU limitation. The RTX 4060's 61st percentile ranking among GPUs is a key driver, while the CPU's 90th percentile ranking ensures it is not holding back performance.

Compared to its nearest GPU rivals, the RTX 4060 performs nearly identically to the AMD Radeon HD 7790 and AMD Radeon 780M, with deltas of -0.2% and +0.3% respectively. This means the combo's rank would likely be similar if paired with those GPUs, assuming the CPU remains the same. The CPU's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Ryzen 9 7900, have nearly identical average scores, so swapping the processor would have a negligible impact on the combo's rank in this game. The data indicates that this combo is a balanced mid-range pairing, but in a game like To The Core, the GPU is the determining factor for the rank.

The rank of 1586 out of 2991 is not a reflection of poor performance; it is a result of the GPU's mid-pack positioning. The measured FPS shows that this combo delivers excellent frame rates at all tested settings, far exceeding the requirements for a playable experience. The rank would be much higher if the game were more demanding, as the CPU's high percentile would contribute more to the overall score.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of performance across three resolutions and four settings. At 3840x2160 (4K), the average FPS ranges from 71 at Ultra to 120 at Low. The Medium setting at 4K yields an average of 102 FPS, with a minimum of 87 FPS and a maximum of 117 FPS. The High setting at 4K averages 88 FPS. Notably, the Low and Ultra settings at 4K do not have reported min or max FPS values, only averages.

At 2560x1440 (1440p), the performance improves significantly. The Low setting averages 210 FPS, while High averages 154 FPS. Medium at 1440p averages 178 FPS, with a range of 151 to 205 FPS. Ultra at 1440p averages 124 FPS. The scaling from 4K to 1440p shows a consistent increase of roughly 40-50% across all settings, indicating the GPU's workload is heavily resolution-dependent.

At 1920x1080 (1080p), the frame rates are exceptionally high. Low averages 313 FPS, Medium averages 265 FPS (with a range of 225 to 304 FPS), High averages 229 FPS, and Ultra averages 185 FPS. The 1080p Medium setting has the most detailed data, showing a 79 FPS spread between min and max. The data shows that at 1080p, the CPU is likely the limiting factor at Low settings, as the GPU is capable of producing more than 313 FPS, but the frame rate is capped by the processor's ability to issue draw calls.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

Based on the measured FPS data, the Medium preset appears to offer the best balance between visual quality and performance. At 1080p Medium, the combo averages 265 FPS, which is 48 FPS lower than Low but provides better visual fidelity. The min FPS of 225 at 1080p Medium ensures a smooth experience without noticeable dips. At 1440p Medium, the average is 178 FPS, with a min of 151 FPS, which is still well above the 60 FPS threshold for a fluid experience. Even at 4K Medium, the average is 102 FPS with a min of 87 FPS, which is highly playable.

The High preset also performs admirably, with averages of 229 FPS at 1080p, 154 FPS at 1440p, and 88 FPS at 4K. However, the Medium preset offers a significant FPS advantage over High while likely providing a visually similar experience in an Idle game. The Ultra preset, while delivering 185 FPS at 1080p, drops to 71 FPS at 4K, which is still playable but offers diminishing returns for the visual upgrade.

For users with a 4K display, the Medium preset is recommended, as it maintains an average of 102 FPS with a minimum of 87 FPS, ensuring a consistently smooth experience. At 1440p, Medium is the best choice, providing 178 FPS average. At 1080p, Medium yields 265 FPS, which is more than enough for any refresh rate. The Low preset, while offering the highest frame rates, does not provide a meaningful advantage over Medium given the already high performance levels.

FAQ

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in To The Core?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 combination ranks 1586 out of 2991 tested combos in the database.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 313, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: At what resolution and settings does the combo dip below 100 FPS?

A: At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the average FPS is 71. At 4K High, the average is 88 FPS. All other tested configurations exceed 100 FPS average.

Q: How does the RTX 4060 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 780M?

A: The RTX 4060 has an average benchmark score of 17,639, while the AMD Radeon 780M has a score of 17,588, making the RTX 4060 0.3% faster.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the 1440p Medium setting?

A: The minimum FPS for 2560x1440 with Medium settings is 151 FPS, with a maximum of 205 FPS and an average of 178 FPS.

Q: What is the CPU's percentile ranking among all processors?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is in the 90th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 48,995.