Palworld

How This Combo Ranks

This combination ranks near the bottom of the database. The Intel Core i5-12400 paired with the Intel Arc B390 sits at rank 3297 out of 3711 tested combos for Palworld, placing it in the 11th percentile of all recorded configurations. This is a low-performing pairing for this title, and the data confirms it struggles to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions.

The bottleneck is overwhelmingly the graphics processor. The Arc B390 holds a percentile rank of 9 among all tested GPUs, meaning roughly 91 percent of graphics cards in the database deliver better raw performance. Its single recorded 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in direct competition with legacy mobile and OEM parts, which explains why Palworld frame rates collapse as resolution increases. The CPU, by contrast, is a solid mid-range part with a percentile rank of 72 among all processors, so the processor is not the limiting factor here.

The measured results tell a clear story. At 1080p with Low settings, this combo produces 84 FPS average, which is playable. At Medium settings, it drops to 68 FPS average, still above the 60 FPS playability threshold. But at High settings, the average falls to 53 FPS, and at Ultra it drops to 40 FPS. Moving to 1440p makes matters worse, with no settings preset achieving 60 FPS. At 4K, the combo is effectively unplayable across all presets, with the best case being 31 FPS average at Low settings.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions and presets makes it clear that the GPU dictates playability in Palworld. Consider the 1080p to 1440p transition at Low settings: the average frame rate drops from 84 to 56, a 33 percent reduction. At High settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is from 53 to 35 FPS, a 34 percent reduction. These are steep declines that point directly at the graphics card being saturated, since the CPU workload in Palworld does not scale dramatically with resolution.

The preset scaling at a fixed resolution reinforces this conclusion. At 1080p, moving from Low to Medium costs 16 FPS (84 to 68), from Medium to High costs another 15 FPS (68 to 53), and from High to Ultra costs 13 FPS (53 to 40). The consistent, near-linear degradation across presets indicates the GPU is the active constraint at every step. A CPU-bound scenario would show smaller frame rate differences between presets, especially at lower resolutions where the processor has more headroom.

At 4K, the picture becomes even more stark. The Arc B390 is simply overwhelmed, with Low settings producing 31 FPS average and Ultra producing just 15 FPS. The CPU's 6 cores and 12 threads, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989, are more than adequate for Palworld's demands at these settings. The data suggests that swapping in a stronger GPU would yield substantial gains, while upgrading the processor would yield almost nothing for this game.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its only playable results. Low settings produce an average of 84 FPS. Medium settings produce 68 FPS average, with a minimum of 58 and a maximum of 79. High settings drop to 53 FPS average. Ultra settings fall to 40 FPS average. The Medium preset at 1080p is the best playable configuration, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold while offering noticeably better visual quality than Low.

At 2560x1440, playability disappears. Low settings yield 56 FPS average, just under the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings produce 45 FPS average, with a minimum of 38 and a maximum of 52. High settings drop to 35 FPS average. Ultra settings manage only 26 FPS average. No preset at this resolution reaches the playable threshold, so users would need to accept sub-60 FPS performance or lower the resolution.

At 3840x2160, the results are marginal. Low settings produce 31 FPS average. Medium settings produce 25 FPS average, with a minimum of 21 and a maximum of 29. High settings drop to 19 FPS average. Ultra settings fall to 15 FPS average. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 16 FPS, and even the best preset here is far below the playable threshold.

The frame time consistency, where recorded, shows moderate variance. At 1080p Medium, the spread from minimum to maximum is 21 FPS (58 to 79). At 1440p Medium, the spread is 14 FPS (38 to 52). At 4K Medium, the spread is 8 FPS (21 to 29). The variance tightens as resolution increases, which is consistent with the GPU being fully saturated and frame delivery becoming more uniform under heavy load.

FAQ

Q: Can this combo run Palworld at 1080p with playable frame rates?

A: Yes, but only at Low and Medium settings. Low settings produce 84 FPS average, and Medium settings produce 68 FPS average. Both exceed the 60 FPS playability threshold. High settings fall to 53 FPS average, and Ultra drops to 40 FPS.

Q: What is the best settings preset at 1440p for this combo?

A: There is no playable preset at 1440p. The best case is Low settings at 56 FPS average, which is below the 60 FPS threshold. Medium settings produce 45 FPS average, High produces 35 FPS, and Ultra produces 26 FPS.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor for Palworld with this combo?

A: The GPU is the clear bottleneck. The Intel Arc B390 ranks in the 9th percentile among all tested GPUs, while the Intel Core i5-12400 ranks in the 72nd percentile among CPUs. The frame rate drops across resolutions and presets align with GPU saturation, not CPU limitation.

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

A: The Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is 1.3 percent ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5 percent ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, 2.5 percent ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7 percent ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710. These are all low-end or legacy parts.

Q: What frame rates can be expected at 4K with this combo?

A: The results are unplayable across all presets. Low settings produce 31 FPS average, Medium produces 25 FPS average, High produces 19 FPS average, and Ultra produces 15 FPS average. The playable settings list for 4K is empty.

Q: Does the i5-12400 hold back the Arc B390 in Palworld?

A: No. The CPU's benchmark results, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15989 and a PassMark single-thread score of 3456, are far above what Palworld requires at these frame rates. The recorded frame rates are consistent with GPU limits, not processor limits.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest CPU rivals to the Intel Core i5-12400, based on average benchmark scores, include the AMD EPYC 7643 at 0.1 percent lower, the Intel Core i7-1355U at 0.3 percent lower, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 at 0.7 percent lower, and the Intel Core i3-14100F at 0.9 percent higher. Any of these processors paired with a comparable GPU would produce nearly identical Palworld frame rates, since the CPU is not the constraining component in this configuration.

The GPU side is more revealing. The Intel Arc B390's nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX (1.3 percent faster), GeForce 800M (1.5 percent faster), GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5 percent faster), and GeForce GT 710 (2.7 percent faster). These are entry-level or outdated graphics solutions, and the data shows the Arc B390 performs in the same class. Users coming from any of these GPUs would see essentially no meaningful difference in Palworld performance.

For the full combo, the practical implication is that any system built around the i5-12400 should pair it with a substantially stronger GPU for Palworld. The processor has ample headroom, as evidenced by its 72nd percentile CPU rank, but the Arc B390's 9th percentile GPU rank drags the entire configuration down to near the bottom of the database. The ranked position of 3297 out of 3711 combos reflects this imbalance.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 1920x1080, the best playable preset is Medium, which delivers 68 FPS average with a minimum of 58 and a maximum of 79. Low settings also exceed the threshold at 84 FPS average, but Medium offers better visual quality while remaining above 60 FPS. High and Ultra settings are not recommended, as they fall to 53 FPS and 40 FPS average respectively.

At 2560x1440, no preset reaches the 60 FPS playability threshold. The closest is Low at 56 FPS average, but that is still below the threshold. The database records no playable settings for this resolution, so users would need to drop to 1080p for a smooth experience.

At 3840x2160, the situation is worse. The best result is Low settings at 31 FPS average, which is far below the playable threshold. The database records no playable settings for this resolution either. This combo is not suitable for 4K Palworld gaming under any preset.

The verdict is straightforward: this configuration is playable only at 1080p with Medium or Low settings. For 1440p or 4K, the Intel Arc B390 simply does not have the rendering horsepower to keep Palworld above 60 FPS, regardless of how much the i5-12400 has left in reserve. Users seeking higher resolutions would need to consider a different GPU entirely.