Downfall

# Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + Intel Arc B570: Downfall Performance Analysis

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 paired with the Intel Arc B570 delivers a playable Downfall experience at 1440p and 1080p, but the combination struggles to maintain a consistent 60 FPS at 4K. Benchmark data indicates this pairing is a capable mid-range platform where the CPU handles the bulk of the simulation workload, while the GPU provides the necessary rasterization headroom. The system clears the 60 FPS threshold at 2560×1440 on High settings (78 FPS) and at 1920×1080 on Ultra settings (68 FPS), but at 3840×2160, only the Low preset maintains a playable frame rate.

FAQ

Q: What is the average benchmark score of the Intel Core Ultra 5 225?

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 achieves an average benchmark score of 36,938 across all tested workloads. This places the processor in the 85th percentile of all tested CPUs, meaning it outperforms 85% of the hardware in the database. Its strongest showing is in the Passmark Integer Math test, where it scores 65,345, and in Passmark Floating Point Math, where it reaches 92,038.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its closest rivals?

The Arc B570 posts an average benchmark score of 20,556. The nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, scores 20,534, a negligible 0.1% difference. The Intel Arc A750 scores 20,582, which is a 0.1% difference. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M scores 20,480, within 0.4%, and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X scores 20,662, a 0.5% difference. These results place the Arc B570 in a tight performance cluster, essentially matching the 3070 Mobile in overall graphics workloads.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings for Downfall with this combo?

The data confirms 1080p and 1440p are the ideal resolutions for this pairing. At 1920×1080, the Ultra preset is playable, with the system averaging 68 FPS. The High preset at 2560×1440 is also an excellent choice, with the hardware averaging 78 FPS. Both of these configurations keep the frame rate well above the 60 FPS threshold. At 3840×2160, the system can only maintain a 60 FPS average on the Low preset.

Q: How does the CPU scale between the 1080p and 1440p presets?

The processor's workload grows as resolution increases. Data shows the system drops from 133 FPS on Medium at 1080p to 95 FPS on Medium at 1440p. That is a 28.6% reduction in output. The Low preset at 1440p remains high at 116 FPS, showing the CPU is not the primary constraint. The GPU becomes the main factor at 4K. The High preset at 1440p (78 FPS) versus the High preset at 1080p (109 FPS) represents a 28.4% drop. Pushing to the 4K Ultra preset drops the system to 30 FPS.

Q: Does the Arc B570 bottleneck the CPU in this game?

No. The Arc B570's average score of 20,556 across all graphics workloads places it in the 65th percentile of all tested GPUs. Its closest rival, the RTX 3070 Mobile, is a 0.1% difference, making the two effectively equivalent. The B570's performance in the PassMark G3D test (14,195) is strong, and it leads to a GPU-bound system at 1440p and above. The CPU, with a PassMark multi-thread score of 30,459, is well ahead of the graphics demand.

Q: What is the 4K experience like on this combo?

At 3840×2160, the system is only playable on the Low preset, with an average of 60 FPS. The Medium preset dips to 59 FPS, just under the 60 FPS line. The Ultra preset is not a viable option, with the system down to 30 FPS. For the best 4K experience, stay on the Low preset.

Q: What is the CPU's role at 1440p and what does the data say?

At 2560×1440, the CPU is the decisive component. The gap between Low (116 FPS) and High (78 FPS) presets is 32.8%, which is a large scaling range. The Ultra preset drops to 49 FPS, indicating the GPU is beginning to be stretched at this resolution. The CPU's performance at the High preset is 78 FPS, which is 30% ahead of the RTX 3070 Mobile and 0.1% behind the R9 M390X, showing it is balanced at this resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920×1080, the best playable preset is Ultra, with the combo averaging 68 FPS. The High preset also clears the 60 FPS line at 109 FPS. However, the Ultra preset shows the system has enough headroom to deliver a smooth visual experience at the highest fidelity.

At 2560×1440, the best playable preset is High, with an average of 78 FPS. The Medium preset hits 95 FPS, and the Low preset 116 FPS. The High preset is the sweet spot, delivering 30% more performance than the Ultra preset at this resolution, which drops to 49 FPS.

At 3840×2160, the best playable preset is Low, with an average of 60 FPS. The Medium preset just misses the playable threshold at 59 FPS. The High preset drops to 49 FPS, and the Ultra preset at 30 FPS.

CPU and GPU Roles

The division of labor at 1080p and 1440p is heavily CPU-bound. At 1920×1080, the scaling from Low (163 FPS) to Ultra (68 FPS) shows a wide 58.3% spread, which is typical of a system still dominated by CPU-side game logic. The Core Ultra 5 225's Passmark multi-thread score of 30,459 is leveraged heavily at this resolution. The Arc B570 has only a small role; the GPU is idling during the lower presets.

At 2560×1440, the scaling between Low (116 FPS) and Ultra (49 FPS) is 57.8%, which still points to a CPU-bound system. The CPU is keeping the frame rate high, but the GPU is starting to have an impact. The Arc B570's average score of 20,556 is 0.1% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile. The GPU's own performance at 1440p High (78 FPS) versus 1080p High (109 FPS) shows a 28.4% drop, which is the game engine beginning to stress the graphics hardware more.

At 4K, the workload shifts decisively. The Arc B570's G3D score of 14,195 and its memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s put it in a position where it is the limiting factor at the High preset. The 3840×2160 Low preset (60 FPS) is the only playable configuration. The Medium preset misses the 60 FPS target by 1 FPS (59). The High preset at 49 FPS and Ultra at 30 FPS are not playable.

The Verdict

The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 + Intel Arc B570 combo is a competent 1080p and 1440p machine for Downfall, and a capable but limited 4K machine. At 1920×1080, users can play fully maxed out at 68 FPS. At 2560×1440, the High preset is the best choice, with 78 FPS. At 4K, the system is just barely playable at 60 FPS on Low settings, with Medium scraping just under the threshold at 59 FPS. The CPU is the dominant component at 1080p and 1440p; the GPU only takes over as the bottleneck at 2160p. This is a solid pairing for high-refresh 1440p monitors, but for native 4K displays, the user will have to make significant visual compromises.

For users aiming at 1080p or 1440p, this platform delivers a smooth experience at high fidelity. The data confirms the CPU is the primary driver at these resolutions. For 4K, the system is just at the edge of playability on Low. The GPU's performance sits within 0.5% of the closest rival, the RTX 3070 Mobile, making it a predictable choice.

Similar Performance Alternatives

From the CPU side, the nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F (average score 36,945, a 0.0% difference), the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D (37,018, 0.2% lower), the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (37,093, 0.4% lower), and the Intel Core i9-12900T (37,112, 0.5% lower). The Core Ultra 5 225's closest competition is the 5600F, which offers the same level of game logic performance. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D trails by just 0.2%, and the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 by 0.4%. All of these will behave in a nearly identical fashion in Downfall.

On the GPU side, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile leads the Intel Arc B570 with an average score of 20,534, a 0.1% difference. The Intel Arc A750 is 0.1% off, and the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M is 0.4% lower. The AMD Radeon R9 M390X is 0.5% higher. All of these are well within the margin of error and will perform at the same level as the Arc B570 in this title.

How This Combo Ranks

This pairing ranks #2,988 out of 3,716 tested combos in the game's database. It is in the lower half of the pack. The CPU's 85th percentile ranking and the GPU's 65th percentile put this build in a consistent but not top-tier position. The system is an average performer, but its performance is predictable at 1080p and 1440p resolutions.