Minecraft

Measured FPS Breakdown

The recorded data for Minecraft on this combination of Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B390 shows a clear progression from demanding 4K workloads down to fluid 1080p performance. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates range from 28 FPS at Ultra settings to 71 FPS at Low settings. The Medium preset at 4K delivers an average of 56 FPS, with a minimum of 48 FPS and a maximum of 65 FPS. High settings at 4K produce an average of 45 FPS, while Ultra falls to an average of 28 FPS, which is the lowest recorded figure in the entire dataset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance ceiling rises substantially. Low settings achieve an average of 136 FPS, Medium reaches 108 FPS with a minimum of 92 FPS and a maximum of 124 FPS, and High hits 86 FPS on average. Ultra at 1440p remains demanding, averaging 54 FPS, which sits just below the 60 FPS playability threshold. The gap between Low and Ultra at this resolution is 82 FPS, indicating that visual preset selection has a massive impact on the experience.

At 1920x1080, the combination demonstrates its strongest performance. Low settings average 216 FPS, Medium averages 171 FPS with a minimum of 146 FPS and a maximum of 197 FPS, and High averages 136 FPS. Ultra settings at 1080p still manage an average of 85 FPS, which clears the playability threshold with room to spare. Every preset at 1080p stays above 60 FPS, making this resolution the most versatile for this hardware pairing.

The data also reveals that minimum and maximum frame rates were only recorded for the Medium preset at each resolution. For 4K Medium, the range spans from 48 to 65 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 92 to 124 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the range is 146 to 197 FPS. These figures suggest that the Medium preset provides a stable frame time experience, with the 1080p result showing the narrowest relative variability.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that remains at or above 60 FPS is Low, which delivers an average of 71 FPS. Medium falls to 56 FPS, High drops to 45 FPS, and Ultra bottoms out at 28 FPS. The verdict data confirms that Low is the only playable setting at 4K for this configuration.

At 2560x1440, the best playable preset is High, averaging 86 FPS. The playable settings at this resolution include High, Low, and Medium, while Ultra sits below the threshold at 54 FPS. High is the recommended choice because it offers the highest visual quality while still maintaining an average above 60 FPS.

For 1920x1080, the best playable preset is Ultra, averaging 85 FPS. Every preset at this resolution is playable according to the verdict data, including High at 136 FPS, Medium at 171 FPS, and Low at 216 FPS. Ultra is the optimal selection because it delivers the maximum visual fidelity while still clearing the 60 FPS requirement by a comfortable margin.

The pattern across resolutions is consistent: as resolution decreases, the highest viable preset increases. At 4K only Low works, at 1440p High becomes viable, and at 1080p Ultra is fully playable. This progression highlights how resolution scaling directly governs the available quality headroom.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results indicate that this game's performance scaling is heavily influenced by resolution, which points to the GPU being the dominant constraint at higher settings. Comparing the same preset across resolutions reveals the pattern. For Medium settings, the average FPS moves from 56 at 4K to 108 at 1440p, then to 171 at 1080p. That represents a near doubling of performance when stepping down from 4K to 1440p, and another substantial jump from 1440p to 1080p. This steep scaling curve is typical of a GPU-bound scenario, where lower pixel counts directly translate into higher frame rates.

For High settings, the averages are 45 FPS at 4K, 86 FPS at 1440p, and 136 FPS at 1080p. The 1440p result is roughly 91% higher than the 4K result, while the 1080p result is about 58% higher than the 1440p result. Again, the strong response to resolution changes indicates that the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting factor at these settings.

The Ultra preset shows a similar trend: 28 FPS at 4K, 54 FPS at 1440p, and 85 FPS at 1080p. Even at 1080p Ultra, the frame rate is only modestly above the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting that the GPU is working near its limits under maximum visual load.

The CPU, an Intel Core Ultra 5 225 with 10 cores and 10 threads, does not appear to bottleneck the system in this title. The fact that frame rates scale so dramatically with resolution and preset indicates that the processor has enough headroom to feed the GPU across all tested configurations. The CPU's benchmark scores, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 25891 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4412, place it in the 85th percentile among all CPUs, which supports the interpretation that processing power is not the primary constraint here.

The GPU's percentile ranking tells a different story. The Intel Arc B390 sits in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad. Its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463 and the NVIDIA GeForce 800M at 1460, are all in a similar performance tier. This low percentile ranking aligns with the measured FPS data, which shows the GPU struggling at higher resolutions and settings.

When comparing the two components, the data suggests that the GPU is the decisive factor for Minecraft performance. The CPU's high percentile ranking and strong synthetic scores do not translate into high frame rates at 4K Ultra, where the GPU's limitations become apparent. At lower resolutions and presets, the CPU provides enough performance to allow the GPU to reach higher frame rates, but the overall ceiling is set by the graphics hardware.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Minecraft at 4K with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Low settings. The 3840x2160 Low preset averages 71 FPS, while Medium averages 56 FPS, High averages 45 FPS, and Ultra averages 28 FPS. The verdict data lists Low as the only playable setting at this resolution.

Q: What is the best preset to use at 1440p?

A: High settings are the best choice at 2560x1440, averaging 86 FPS. Medium is also playable at 108 FPS, and Low reaches 136 FPS, but Ultra falls below the threshold at 54 FPS.

Q: Is Ultra settings available at 1080p?

A: Yes, Ultra at 1920x1080 averages 85 FPS, which clears the 60 FPS playability threshold. All four presets at 1080p are playable, with Low reaching 216 FPS, Medium at 171 FPS, and High at 136 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest GPU rivals?

A: The Arc B390 has an average benchmark score of 1482, placing it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, scores 1463, which is 1.3% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, the GT 625 OEM scores 1446, and the GT 710 scores 1443.

Q: Which component limits performance in this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. Frame rates scale strongly with resolution and preset changes, while the CPU ranks in the 85th percentile among all CPUs. The GPU's low 9th percentile ranking and the steep FPS drops at higher resolutions indicate graphics-bound performance.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum frame rates for Medium settings?

A: At 4K Medium, the range is 48 to 65 FPS. At 1440p Medium, the range is 92 to 124 FPS. At 1080p Medium, the range is 146 to 197 FPS. These are the only settings with recorded min and max values in the dataset.

How This Combo Ranks

This combination of Intel Core Ultra 5 225 and Intel Arc B390 ranks 3282 out of 3710 tested combos for Minecraft. That places this system in the lower portion of the database, at roughly the 88th percentile from the bottom, meaning the majority of tested configurations deliver higher frame rates in this game. The low ranking is primarily attributable to the GPU, which sits in the 9th percentile among all graphics cards, rather than the CPU, which performs in the 85th percentile among all processors.

The CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 5600F with an average score of 36945, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D at 37018, the AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 at 37093, and the Intel Core i9-12900T at 37112. The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 scores 36938, which puts it within 0.5% of each of these competitors. This indicates that the processor is competitive with mid-range and older high-end options, but the overall combo ranking is dragged down by the graphics solution.

The GPU's nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710, are all legacy or entry-level parts. The Arc B390 leads this group slightly, with a 1.3% advantage over the GT 520MX and a 2.7% advantage over the GT 710. These comparisons reinforce the conclusion that the GPU is a low-tier component relative to the rest of the tested hardware pool, which explains the combo's low overall position.

The rank of 3282 out of 3710 means that only about 428 tested combos perform worse than this system in Minecraft. While the CPU portion of the combo is capable, the GPU prevents this configuration from achieving competitive standing in the database.

The Verdict

This PC can run Minecraft, but the playable experience depends heavily on resolution and settings. At 1920x1080, the system clears the 60 FPS threshold at every preset, including Ultra with an average of 85 FPS. This makes 1080p the most reliable resolution for this combination, with High at 136 FPS and Medium at 171 FPS offering even higher headroom.

At 2560x1440, the system remains playable at High, Medium, and Low settings. High averages 86 FPS, Medium averages 108 FPS, and Low averages 136 FPS. Ultra at 1440p falls short at 54 FPS, so users should avoid the maximum preset at this resolution.

At 3840x2160, only Low settings are playable, delivering an average of 71 FPS. Medium drops to 56 FPS, High to 45 FPS, and Ultra to 28 FPS. The verdict data confirms that 4K users must accept Low settings to maintain a playable frame rate.

The overall assessment is that this system is best suited for 1080p gaming with this title, where it can run the highest settings comfortably. At 1440p, it offers a good balance with High settings, and at 4K, it is limited to Low. The GPU is the primary constraint, while the CPU provides ample processing headroom across all tested configurations.