BenchPair

Core i5-12490F bottleneck & gaming FPS

Ranked 112 of 201 desktop processors for gaming in our database (44th percentile). It can sustain roughly 118 fps in a typical AAA title regardless of resolution — that ceiling is what decides whether a graphics card is worth pairing with it.

SpecificationsAlder Lake · 2021
ArchitectureAlder Lake
Cores6
Threads12
Boost clock4,600 MHz
L3 cache20 MB
TDP65 W
Released2021
Core i5-12490F FPS in popular games1080p, high

The frame rate this chip could sustain with an infinitely fast graphics card. It is almost the same at every resolution, because rendering more pixels gives the processor no extra work.

GameCPU ceilingWith Radeon RX 9070 GRE
Cyberpunk 2077 112 fps 78 fps
Fortnite 151 fps 149 fps
Counter-Strike 2 178 fps 176 fps
Baldur's Gate 3 102 fps 101 fps
Red Dead Redemption 2 134 fps 87 fps
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 67 fps 66 fps
Best GPU for the Core i5-12490F1080p, high

Ranked by how little performance the pairing wastes. Anything much faster than the top entry will sit partly idle at this resolution — though it may still be worth it if you plan to move to 1440p or 4K.

Graphics cardEst. FPSUnused
Radeon RX 9070 GRE 113 2.6%
GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB 112 3.7%
Radeon RX 6900 XT 116 4.1%
Radeon RX 7800 XT 110 5%
GeForce RTX 5070 116 5.4%
GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 20 GB 116 5.9%
Against its closest neighbours1080p, high
PartEst. FPSDifference
Core Ultra 3-205 113 fps 0%
Ryzen 5 7400 113 fps 0%
Core i5-12490F 113 fps this part
Ryzen 7 5700 113 fps 0%
Ryzen 5 5600 113 fps 0%

Every row measured against the same graphics card, so the difference shown comes from the parts themselves rather than from unrelated systems.

Is the Core i5-12490F good for gaming?

It is adequate rather than strong. It ranks 112 of 201, which is fine with a mid-range card at 1080p, but it will hold back anything substantially faster. Check the pairing before a large graphics upgrade.

What GPU should I pair with a Core i5-12490F?

The closest match at 1080p is the Radeon RX 9070 GRE, wasting only 2.6% of the combined potential at around 113 fps. Anything materially faster will sit partly idle at this resolution, though it can still be the right buy if you plan to move to 1440p or 4K.

What a Core i5-12490F is good for

This chip is capable at 1080p with a mid-range card, but it will become the limit if you pair it with something substantially faster. If you are considering a large graphics upgrade, check the pairing first — you may find most of the new card sitting idle.

Moving to a higher resolution is the cheapest way to get more out of it, because it shifts work onto the card and away from the chip.

Where it sits

Ranked 112 of 201 desktop processors for gaming. Nearest faster: Core Ultra 3-205 , Ryzen 5 7400 . Just below: Ryzen 7 5700 , Ryzen 5 5600 . Full method on the methodology page.