Garry's Mod FPS on Core i7-12700K + GeForce RTX 3080

Garry's Mod

A Source engine sandbox where performance depends entirely on the mods and contraptions you spawn. RAM errors are common on systems with only 4GB.

Garry's Mod - FPS Estimates by Resolution

Actual FPS may vary based on RAM speed, background processes, and other system factors

1080P
low512 FPS
medium413 FPS
high346 FPS
ultra291 FPS
1440P
low409 FPS
medium343 FPS
high285 FPS
ultra242 FPS
4K
low280 FPS
medium241 FPS
high197 FPS
ultra156 FPS

Performance Report

Garry's Mod

GeForce RTX 3080 + Core i7-12700K
🎮Visual Experience

At 1080p, all quality settings exceed 291 FPS, suitable for 144Hz+ monitors. At 1440p, all settings exceed 242 FPS. At 4K, all settings exceed 156 FPS.

Official Requirements

The GeForce RTX 3080 is 657% above the recommended GPU (GeForce GTX 750) for Garry's Mod. The Core i7-12700K is 160% above the recommended CPU (Core i5).

⚙️FPS Ceiling Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3080 sets the FPS ceiling at all 1080p settings, all 1440p settings, all 4k settings, while the Core i7-12700K still has additional frame-generation headroom.

💰Value Analysis

Approximated average price on current market:

GeForce RTX 3080:$400
Official Launch Price: $699
Core i7-12700K:$285
Official Launch Price: $409

Combo price: $685. At 1080p Ultra, this combo delivers 291 FPS, equivalent to 0.42 FPS per dollar.

ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p0.747 fps/$0.603 fps/$0.505 fps/$0.425 fps/$
1440p0.597 fps/$0.501 fps/$0.416 fps/$0.353 fps/$
4k0.409 fps/$0.352 fps/$0.288 fps/$0.228 fps/$

* Table values represent FPS per Dollar (higher is better)

Performance Limiter Analysis

Core i7-12700K|GeForce RTX 3080

This section is based on estimated CPU/GPU FPS ceilings, not utilization percentages. Adjacent heavier settings are lightly stabilized to remove prediction jitter that would otherwise create impossible reversals.

📈Analysis

At 4k ultra, the GeForce RTX 3080 sets the ceiling at about 191 FPS, while the Core i7-12700K has headroom up to 302 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU limits the CPU potential by 37% (FPS gap: 111 FPS). Overall distribution: GPU limits 12/12 cells, CPU limits 0/12, balanced 0/12.

Verdict

GPU Limits CPU

Your GeForce RTX 3080 is the limiting side in the heaviest mismatch. This means part of the Core i7-12700K frame-generation potential remains unused in those settings.

🧩Detailed Breakdown
1080p (Full HD)
LowGPU Limits CPU 21%
MediumGPU Limits CPU 21%
HighGPU Limits CPU 25%
UltraGPU Limits CPU 28%
1440p (2K QHD)
LowGPU Limits CPU 21%
MediumGPU Limits CPU 21%
HighGPU Limits CPU 25%
UltraGPU Limits CPU 28%
4K (Ultra HD)
LowGPU Limits CPU 32%
MediumGPU Limits CPU 32%
HighGPU Limits CPU 36%
UltraGPU Limits CPU 37%
Percentages show how much potential FPS of the stronger component is lost because the other component has a lower FPS ceiling.
🧠Methodology

We estimate the maximum FPS the processor can sustain and the maximum FPS the graphics card can sustain in each setting, then compare those limits directly.

Limit Factor formula: (stronger - weaker) / stronger. Example: if CPU ceiling is 200 FPS and GPU ceiling is 140 FPS, then GPU limits CPU by 30%.

CPU Limits GPU means the processor ceiling is lower. GPU Limits CPU means the graphics ceiling is lower. Balanced means the FPS ceilings are close enough that the gap is negligible.

A component can still be the FPS limiter without reaching 100% utilization. The displayed percentages are derived from FPS ceilings and then monotonic-smoothed across heavier presets and resolutions, not generic utilization heuristics.

Garry's Mod Requirements Comparison

See how your processor and graphics card compare against the game official minimum and recommended system specs. The placement of your hardware is calculated using relative synthetic performance scores to help you gauge overall playability.

CPU - Core i7-12700K
cpu icon
34,347
Your Score
MinimumPentium 4
RecommendedCore i5
GPU - GeForce RTX 3080
gpu icon
25,071
Your Score
MinimumGeForce 6 series
RecommendedGeForce GTX 750

Your CPU is 160% above and your GPU is 657% above the recommended specs. Ultra settings at 1080p, or High at 1440p/4K.

CPU

+160%vsrecommended

GPU

+657%vsrecommended

CPU

+1045%vsminimum

GPU

+7497%vsminimum

Minimum Requirements
Video Card: GeForce 6 series
Processor: Pentium 4
Memory: 4 GB
Disk Space: 5 GB
System: Windows 7
Recommended Requirements
Video Card: GeForce GTX 750
Processor: Core i5
Memory: 8 GB
Disk Space: 20 GB
System: Windows 10

Frequently Asked Questions

1Can the Core i7-12700K and GeForce RTX 3080 run Garry's Mod well?

Yes, the Core i7-12700K paired with the GeForce RTX 3080 can run Garry's Mod smoothly up to 4k achieving around 156 FPS at Ultra quality. Your GPU is 657% above the recommended specs, and your CPU is 160% above the recommended requirements.

2Is there a more cost-effective setup to run Garry's Mod?

This CPU + GPU combo costs approximately $685 ($285 CPU + $400 GPU). Your GeForce RTX 3080 provides phenomenal top-tier performance but at a premium enthusiast price. Since you are essentially at the ceiling of current hardware capabilities, there are no meaningful performance upgrades available. However, if you wanted a more cost-effective build that still delivers a great experience, you could theoretically step down to a high-end card with a significantly better value rating. For example, upgrading to the GeForce RTX 4080 for around $1199 (Rank #290 for value) could deliver noticeably better performance.

3Which component should I upgrade first to improve Garry's Mod performance?

Your GeForce RTX 3080 is already a top-tier graphics card. While it's technically the limiting factor here (which means you are fully utilizing your GPU's visual horsepower exactly as intended), there is no meaningful upgrade path that would drastically improve your Garry's Mod performance right now. GPU fully utilized at: 1080p low, 1080p medium, 1080p high, 1080p ultra, 1440p low, 1440p medium, 1440p high, 1440p ultra, 4k low, 4k medium, 4k high, 4k ultra.

4Does this setup support Frame Generation for Garry's Mod?

Garry's Mod does not currently support Frame Generation technologies like DLSS 3 or FSR 3. Your performance is based entirely on native rendering. If the game adds support in a future update, newer GPUs will benefit the most.

5What are the minimum and recommended specs for Garry's Mod?

Garry's Mod requires at minimum a Pentium 4 (CPU) and GeForce 6 series (GPU) with 4 GB RAM and 5 GB storage. For the recommended experience, you need a Core i5 and GeForce GTX 750 with 8 GB RAM. Your Core i7-12700K and GeForce RTX 3080 both exceed the recommended specs, so you're well-positioned for a great experience.

6How accurate are these Garry's Mod FPS estimates for the Core i7-12700K and GeForce RTX 3080?

These Garry's Mod FPS results are not arbitrary numbers. They come from calculations informed by thousands of real gaming benchmarks, and the typical accuracy range is around 10% to 15%. That makes them far more useful than generic FPS calculators that simply invent values without a benchmark foundation. Actual in-game performance can still vary with drivers, updates, RAM configuration, cooling, and the exact scene being rendered.

Performance estimates are based on synthetic benchmarks and hardware capabilities.

Results may vary based on drivers, OS, and background processes.