Valorant

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread desktop processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. For cache, it provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory through a dual-channel memory bus, and it connects via a Gen 5 PCIe interface with 16 lanes from the CPU. Its TDP is rated at 58 W, and it is an active production part for the desktop market segment.

In the context of Valorant, a competitive FPS that relies heavily on single-thread performance and high frame rates, the i3-12100F's specifications are directly relevant. The processor's benchmark results show a strong single-thread capability, with a 3DMark single-thread score of 893 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674. The multi-thread scores are also notable, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 11860 and a PassMark multithread score of 14015. The processor's 4 cores and 8 threads are sufficient for handling the game's logic and physics at high frame rates, as the data shows that even at 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS remains above 135.

The measured FPS data indicates that the i3-12100F can push very high frame rates in Valorant across all settings and resolutions. At 1080p Low, the average FPS reaches 331, which is well beyond the refresh rate of most monitors. This suggests that the processor is rarely the bottleneck in this game, even with a modest core count. The processor's percentile ranking of 68 compared to all CPUs indicates it performs better than most processors in general benchmarks, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Core 3 N355 with an average score of 13492 (0% delta), and the Intel Core i5-9500 with an average score of 13452 (0.3% delta). This places the i3-12100F in a competitive position for gaming workloads.

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

The i3-12100F's 4 cores and 8 threads are the foundation of its gaming performance. While modern games are increasingly using more cores, Valorant is known for being less demanding on core count and more sensitive to raw single-thread speed. The processor's boost clock of 4.30 GHz provides the high frequency needed for the game's main thread, which is responsible for input processing, game state updates, and rendering draw calls. The 3DMark 2-thread score of 1659 and the 4-thread score of 2859 show that the processor scales well with its available threads, which is typical for a quad-core design.

The single-thread performance is particularly critical for achieving high average FPS in Valorant. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674 and the PassMark single-thread score of 3444 are strong indicators of the processor's ability to handle the game's primary workload. In the measured results, the gap between 1080p Low and 1080p High is 124 FPS (from 331 to 207), which shows that while the CPU can provide a very high ceiling, the frame rate does drop as the GPU workload increases. This suggests that at lower settings, the CPU is the limiting factor, but at higher settings, the balance shifts more toward the GPU.

The processor's memory support for DDR4 and DDR5 also plays a role in its performance. While the data does not specify which memory type was used in the measured tests, the dual-channel memory bus is standard for this class of processor. The L3 cache of 12 MB shared is sufficient for the game's working set, helping to reduce memory latency and improve frame pacing. The processor's overall average benchmark score of 13494 places it at the 68th percentile, indicating that it outperforms a majority of CPUs in the database, which aligns with its ability to sustain high frame rates in a game like Valorant.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i3-12100F and the Intel Arc B390 holds a combo rank of 2534 out of 2883 tested combos in Valorant. This places the combo in the lower percentile of all tested configurations, which is primarily due to the GPU's low performance percentile. The Intel Arc B390 has a percentile ranking of 9 against all GPUs, meaning it performs better than only 9% of the GPUs in the database. The combo rank reflects the overall capability of the pairing, and despite the strong CPU performance, the GPU holds the system back significantly.

In terms of CPU-specific rivals, the i3-12100F is very close to the Intel Core 3 N355, with a delta of 0% in average benchmark score (13494 vs 13492). It is also slightly ahead of the Intel Core i5-9500 by 0.3% (13494 vs 13452) and behind the Intel Core 5 120UL by 0.7% (13494 vs 13594). These differences are small, meaning the CPU's performance is comparable to these alternatives. However, the combo rank is determined by the combined performance of both the CPU and GPU, and the GPU's weak standing drags the combo down.

The combo rank of 2534 out of 2883 means that this configuration is in the bottom 12% of all tested combos. This is a direct consequence of the Intel Arc B390's performance, which is more in line with older, low-end GPUs. The data shows that the GPU's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with an average score of 1463 (1.3% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M with an average score of 1460 (1.5% delta). These are very old and weak GPUs, which explains why the combo rank is so low despite the CPU's relative strength. For a game like Valorant, the CPU is capable of much higher frame rates, but the GPU limits the overall experience.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Valorant?

A: The highest average FPS is 331, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: How does the CPU's single-thread performance compare to its multi-thread performance?

A: The CPU's single-thread scores are strong, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674, while its multi-core score is 11860. The single-thread performance is more relevant for Valorant's frame rates.

Q: What is the combo's rank among all tested combos in Valorant?

A: The combo ranks 2534 out of 2883 tested combos, placing it in the lower end of the performance spectrum.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking compared to all GPUs?

A: The Intel Arc B390 has a percentile ranking of 9, meaning it performs better than only 9% of all GPUs in the database.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the combo achieve the lowest average FPS?

A: The lowest average FPS is 135, achieved at 3840x2160 resolution with Ultra settings.

Q: What is the processor's average benchmark score and percentile?

A: The i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494 and sits at the 68th percentile compared to all CPUs.

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

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how this combo performs across different resolutions and settings in Valorant. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the combo achieves its highest frame rates. With Low settings, the average FPS is 331. Moving to Medium settings, the average drops to 218, with a minimum of 185 and a maximum of 250. High settings yield an average of 207, and Ultra settings produce an average of 198. The difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 133 FPS, showing a significant impact of settings on performance.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates decrease as expected. Low settings produce an average of 282 FPS, which is still very high. Medium settings average 186 FPS, with a minimum of 158 and a maximum of 214. High settings average 177 FPS, and Ultra settings average 169 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 113 FPS, which is a smaller percentage drop than at 1080p, indicating that the GPU is becoming more of a limiting factor at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, the highest resolution tested, the frame rates drop further. Low settings average 225 FPS, which is still playable. Medium settings average 149 FPS, with a minimum of 126 and a maximum of 171. High settings average 141 FPS, and Ultra settings average 135 FPS. The difference between Low and Ultra at 4K is 90 FPS, which is the smallest absolute drop across all resolutions. This suggests that at 4K, the GPU is more consistently the bottleneck, and the CPU's headroom is less relevant.

The data shows a clear trend: as resolution increases, the average FPS decreases, but the relative impact of settings also changes. At 1080p, the CPU can drive very high frame rates, but the GPU limits the maximum at higher settings. At 4K, the GPU is the primary limiting factor at all settings, as the frame rates are more clustered together. The minimum FPS values are only provided for Medium settings at each resolution, with 185 at 1080p, 158 at 1440p, and 126 at 4K, indicating that frame pacing remains stable enough for competitive play.

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

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel's 3 nm process. It features a chip codenamed Panther Lake and is part of the Arc Graphics-M generation. The GPU has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. Its memory is system shared, meaning it uses the system's RAM rather than dedicated VRAM, with a bus width that is also system shared and bandwidth that is system dependent. This is a significant limitation for gaming, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory bandwidth.

The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with a FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS. These specifications are modest for a modern GPU, and the benchmark data confirms this. The GPU's only benchmark score is a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, which places it at the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463 (1.3% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M with a score of 1460 (1.5% delta), both of which are very old and low-end parts.

In Valorant, the GPU's role is to render the scene and handle the graphics workload. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is capable of producing high frame rates at lower resolutions and settings, but it struggles at higher settings and resolutions. At 1080p Low, the GPU can keep up with the CPU, resulting in 331 FPS. However, at 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 198 FPS, indicating that the GPU is the limiting factor. At 4K Ultra, the average is 135 FPS, which is still playable but far from the CPU's potential. The system shared memory and lack of dedicated VRAM mean that the GPU's performance is heavily dependent on the system's memory speed and capacity, which can cause variability in frame rates.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the best settings for this combo depend on the user's resolution and refresh rate priorities. At 1920x1080, Low settings provide the highest average FPS of 331, which is ideal for competitive play on a high-refresh-rate monitor. Medium settings at 1080p average 218 FPS, with a minimum of 185, which is still above 144 Hz and offers better visual quality. High settings average 207 FPS, and Ultra settings average 198 FPS. For most players, Medium settings at 1080p strike a good balance between visual fidelity and performance, as the minimum FPS of 185 ensures smooth gameplay even in demanding scenes.

At 2560x1440, Low settings average 282 FPS, which is excellent for high-refresh-rate gaming. Medium settings average 186 FPS, with a minimum of 158, which is still above 144 Hz. High settings average 177 FPS, and Ultra settings average 169 FPS. For 1440p, Medium settings are recommended, as they provide a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining an average FPS above 180 and a minimum above 150, which is sufficient for most gaming monitors. Ultra settings at 1440p are also viable, but the average FPS drops to 169, which may be below the refresh rate of some high-end monitors.

At 3840x2160, Low settings average 225 FPS, which is surprisingly high for 4K and suggests that the game is well-optimized. Medium settings average 149 FPS, with a minimum of 126, which is playable but may not be ideal for competitive play on a 144 Hz monitor. High settings average 141 FPS, and Ultra settings average 135 FPS. For 4K, Low settings are recommended to maximize performance, as the visual difference between Low and Medium may not be worth the 76 FPS drop in average frame rate. The minimum FPS of 126 at Medium settings indicates that there may be occasional frame drops, which could be problematic in a fast-paced game like Valorant.

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

The resolution scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals the balance between the CPU and GPU in this combo. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 331 at 1080p to 282 at 1440p and 225 at 4K. This represents a 32% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 20% drop from 1440p to 4K. The fact that the frame rate remains above 200 at 4K Low suggests that the CPU is still capable of pushing high frame rates, but the GPU is starting to become a limiting factor as the resolution increases.

At Medium settings, the average FPS drops from 218 at 1080p to 186 at 1440p and 149 at 4K. This is a 32% drop from 1080p to 4K, showing a more consistent scaling pattern. The minimum FPS also drops from 185 at 1080p to 158 at 1440p and 126 at 4K. This indicates that the GPU is becoming more of a bottleneck at higher resolutions, as the increased pixel count requires more rasterization and texture processing. The CPU's relatively stable performance across resolutions is evident in the fact that the frame rates at 4K Low are still higher than at 1080p Ultra, which suggests the CPU is not the primary limiting factor.

At Ultra settings, the average FPS drops from 198 at 1080p to 169 at 1440p and 135 at 4K. This is a 32% drop from 1080p to 4K, similar to the Medium settings. The data shows that the GPU's performance scales almost linearly with resolution at higher settings, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU's high single-thread performance means it can provide enough frames at lower resolutions, but as the resolution increases, the GPU's workload grows and becomes the limiting component. The overall picture is that this combo is CPU-bound at 1080p Low, but becomes increasingly GPU-bound as resolution and settings increase, with the GPU's modest performance capping the system's potential.