Pc Building Simulator

The Intel Core i5-10400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 presents a highly unusual performance profile in Pc Building Simulator. While the CPU is a competent mid-range part from 2020, the GPU, an integrated-class Arc part based on the Panther Lake architecture, is the dominant limiting factor. The recorded data shows a system that is only playable at 1080p and, to a lesser extent, at 1440p on the lowest settings, with 4K proving entirely out of reach.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The performance data for this combination reveals a steep decline in frame rates as resolution increases. At 1080p, the system manages playable frame rates across most presets. The recorded average at Low settings is 125 FPS, which is more than double the playable threshold of 60 FPS. Medium settings yield an average of 88 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 75 FPS and a maximum of 102 FPS, indicating a stable experience. High settings produce an average of 62 FPS, just barely clearing the 60 FPS bar. Ultra settings, however, drop to an average of 59 FPS, which falls just short of the playable threshold.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance penalty is significant. Low settings remain playable with an average of 79 FPS, but the overhead is far thinner. Medium settings drop to an average of 56 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 47 FPS and a maximum of 64 FPS, which means the experience will feel inconsistent. High settings average 39 FPS, and Ultra settings average 38 FPS, both of which are well below the 60 FPS threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles to maintain acceptable performance at any setting. The best result is at Low settings with an average of 41 FPS. Medium settings average 29 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 25 FPS and a maximum of 34 FPS. High settings average 21 FPS, and Ultra settings average 20 FPS. All four 4K presets fail to reach the 60 FPS playable threshold, with the lowest frames making the title feel sluggish and unresponsive.

The scaling between resolutions is stark. At Low settings, the drop from 1080p to 1440p is from 125 FPS to 79 FPS, a reduction of 46 FPS. The drop from 1440p to 4K at Low settings is from 79 FPS to 41 FPS, another 38 FPS reduction. This pattern holds across all presets, confirming that the rendering resolution is the primary driver of performance changes in this configuration.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data clearly shows that the Intel Arc B390 is the bottleneck in this system. The CPU, a 6-core, 12-thread Comet Lake part, has a 3DMark max threads score of 4735 and a Passmark multithread score of 12115, which places it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. This is a healthy level of processing power for a simulation title. However, the GPU sits in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of just 1482 from a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test.

The evidence for GPU dominance is in the resolution scaling. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions. Instead, the data shows a dramatic collapse in performance from 1080p to 4K. At Medium settings, the average drops from 88 FPS at 1080p to 56 FPS at 1440p and then to 29 FPS at 4K. This pattern is typical of a system where the GPU cannot keep up with the pixel shading workload at higher resolutions.

The CPU's role becomes more relevant at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 125 FPS, which is high enough that the CPU's 12 threads are likely keeping the frame pipeline fed. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 4748 and the Cinebench R23 multicore score of 10283 suggest the processor has sufficient headroom for simulation logic. Yet at 4K, even the Low preset only averages 41 FPS, which means the GPU is completely overwhelmed regardless of the CPU's capability.

Preset scaling within a resolution reinforces this finding. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra costs 66 FPS, from 125 FPS down to 59 FPS. At 1440p, the same preset change costs 41 FPS, from 79 FPS down to 38 FPS. The GPU's limited shading units, 1536, and its modest 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are simply not enough to handle the increased visual complexity at higher presets.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Pc Building Simulator, this CPU and GPU pairing ranks 3310 out of 3723 combos. This places it in the lower 11% of all tested configurations, which aligns with the measured frame rates. The combo rank reflects the GPU's severe performance limitations, as the CPU is a solid mid-range part that would rank much higher on its own.

The percentile data for the individual components highlights the mismatch. The CPU is in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, meaning it outperforms a majority of processors in general benchmark tests. The GPU is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, meaning it outperforms only a small fraction of graphics cards. This is a classic case of a powerful processor being held back by an entry-level graphics solution.

The rank of 3310 out of 3723 combos suggests that most other pairings in the database deliver better performance in this specific title. The simulation genre does not typically require extreme GPU power, but the Arc B390's integrated-class design, with its System Shared memory and System Dependent bandwidth, is a fundamental limitation. The recorded data shows that this combo is only capable of playable frame rates at 1080p, and even then, only on three of the four presets.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-10400F are all close in average benchmark score. The Intel Xeon 6756E has an average score of 14163, which is 0.2% higher than the i5-10400F's 14185. The Intel Core 7 160UL scores 14232, which is 0.3% lower. The AMD EPYC 7552 scores 14115, which is 0.5% higher. The AMD Ryzen 3 7320C scores 14277, which is 0.6% lower. These deltas are all within a single percentage point, meaning any of these processors would deliver nearly identical CPU performance in Pc Building Simulator.

The GPU's nearest rivals are dramatically weaker in benchmark scores, but they are the closest matches in the database. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX scores 1463, which is 1.3% lower than the Arc B390's 1482. The NVIDIA GeForce 800M scores 1460, which is 1.5% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM scores 1446, which is 2.5% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 scores 1443, which is 2.7% lower. These are all legacy, entry-level graphics parts, which confirms that the Arc B390's performance class is at the very bottom of the GPU hierarchy.

For a user with this CPU, swapping the Arc B390 for any of these near-identical GPUs would result in essentially the same frame rates, within the margin of the delta percentages. The performance ceiling is set by the GPU, and all of these alternatives would produce similar results in Pc Building Simulator. Conversely, upgrading the CPU to one of its nearest rivals would yield no measurable improvement, since the GPU would remain the bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Pc Building Simulator at 60 FPS on a 1080p monitor?

A: Yes, at 1080p the system clears the 60 FPS threshold on Low, Medium, and High settings. Low averages 125 FPS, Medium averages 88 FPS, and High averages 62 FPS. Ultra settings fall just short at 59 FPS.

Q: What is the best playable setting at 1440p?

A: Only the Low preset is playable at 2560x1440, with an average of 79 FPS. Medium drops to 56 FPS, High to 39 FPS, and Ultra to 38 FPS, all below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: Is 4K gaming possible with this hardware combination?

A: No. At 3840x2160, the highest average is 41 FPS on Low settings. Medium averages 29 FPS, High averages 21 FPS, and Ultra averages 20 FPS. None of these reach the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-10400F or the Intel Arc B390 the limiting factor?

A: The Intel Arc B390 is the limiting factor. The CPU ranks in the 68th percentile of all CPUs, while the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile. The steep frame rate drops as resolution increases indicate the GPU is overwhelmed.

Q: How does this combination compare to other tested systems?

A: This combo ranks 3310 out of 3723 tested combinations in Pc Building Simulator, placing it in the lower 11% of all configurations.

Q: What graphics cards perform similarly to the Intel Arc B390?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710 are the closest matches, with benchmark scores within 1.3% to 2.7% of the Arc B390.

The Verdict

The Intel Core i5-10400F and Intel Arc B390 can run Pc Building Simulator, but only under specific conditions. The verdict by resolution is clear: at 3840x2160, there are no playable settings, meaning the system cannot deliver 60 FPS at any preset. At 2560x1440, only the Low preset is playable, with an average of 79 FPS. At 1920x1080, the High, Low, and Medium presets all clear the 60 FPS threshold, with High being the best playable setting at an average of 62 FPS.

The system is therefore viable for 1080p gaming, provided the user sticks to High settings or lower. The 125 FPS average at Low settings offers significant headroom for smoother gameplay, while the 88 FPS average at Medium provides a good balance of visual quality and performance. The Ultra preset at 1080p is borderline, averaging 59 FPS, which is just below the playable mark and may result in occasional stutter.

For 1440p owners, the experience is severely limited. The Low preset is the only option that meets the 60 FPS standard, and the visual compromise may be unacceptable for some players. The data does not support 4K gaming with this configuration under any circumstances. The combination of a capable 6-core processor and an entry-level integrated GPU produces a system that is strictly for 1080p play, with the GPU acting as an absolute ceiling on performance.