Pc Building Simulator

The Intel Core i5-9400 paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents an interesting case in Pc Building Simulator. The data shows a combination that is heavily influenced by resolution and quality presets, with performance scaling that reveals the distinct roles of each component. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS, ranking, and component behavior to determine what this hardware can actually deliver.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers high frame rates across all settings. The Low preset produces an average of 217.5 FPS, which is exceptionally fluid. Moving to Medium drops the average to 153.9 FPS, still far beyond the 60 FPS threshold. High settings yield 109.9 FPS, and Ultra, the most demanding preset, still maintains an average of 104.7 FPS. The scaling from Low to Ultra shows a performance reduction of roughly 52%, indicating that the GPU has ample headroom at this resolution.

At 2560x1440, the results remain strong but the impact of the higher pixel count is clear. Low settings average 138.7 FPS, which is a 36% drop from the 1080p Low result. Medium averages 95.5 FPS, High averages 68 FPS, and Ultra averages 65 FPS. All presets clear the 60 FPS playable threshold, but the margin shrinks considerably at the top end. The difference between High and Ultra at this resolution is only 3 FPS, suggesting a point of diminishing returns.

At 3840x2160, the picture changes significantly. Low settings are the only playable option, with an average of 68.5 FPS. Medium drops to 47.8 FPS, High to 37.6 FPS, and Ultra to 36.6 FPS. The gap between Low and Medium is substantial, a 21 FPS difference, which indicates a heavy GPU load at 4K. The Ultra preset at 36.6 FPS is barely half the 60 FPS target, making 4K gaming with high quality settings impractical for this combination.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo holds rank 2822 out of 3723 tested configurations in Pc Building Simulator. This places it in the lower 24% of all recorded combos, which is a notable finding given the individual component scores. The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, placing it in the 47th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021, placing it in the 68th percentile of all GPUs.

The discrepancy between the component percentiles and the in-game rank suggests that Pc Building Simulator is not particularly demanding on either part, but the combo's rank is dragged down by the CPU's relatively modest performance. The i5-9400 is a 6-core, 6-thread processor with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score is 6629, and its single-core score is 935. These figures are adequate for simulation games, but they do not place the CPU in a high performance tier.

The Arc B580, with 2560 shading units and 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, offers 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 3068. The GPU is clearly the stronger component in this pairing, and the rank reflects the CPU as the limiting factor in many scenarios.

CPU and GPU Roles

The data reveals a clear division of labor. At 1920x1080, the GPU is the primary bottleneck. The FPS differences between presets are large, from 217.5 at Low to 104.7 at Ultra, which shows that the GPU is doing most of the work. The CPU has enough headroom to feed the GPU at these lower resolutions, allowing the Arc B580 to stretch its legs.

At 2560x1440, the balance shifts. The FPS numbers are still high, but the scaling between presets is less extreme. The drop from Low to Ultra is 53%, similar to 1080p, but the absolute values are lower. This suggests that both components are being pushed harder, with the GPU facing a higher pixel load and the CPU struggling to maintain frame pacing at higher settings.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the clear limiting factor. The FPS at Medium, High, and Ultra are all below 60, and the differences between them are small (47.8, 37.6, and 36.6 FPS, respectively). This indicates that the GPU is saturated and cannot keep up with the 4K pixel count, regardless of quality settings. The CPU's role diminishes because the GPU is the bottleneck, and the frame rate is determined almost entirely by the Arc B580's rendering capabilities.

The scaling between resolutions reinforces this. At Low settings, the FPS drops from 217.5 at 1080p to 138.7 at 1440p to 68.5 at 4K. This is a consistent decline that tracks with the pixel count increase. At Ultra settings, the FPS drops from 104.7 at 1080p to 65 at 1440p to 36.6 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is particularly telling, as it is less than half the 1080p Ultra result, highlighting the GPU's inability to handle 4K with high quality settings.

The Verdict

This PC can run Pc Building Simulator, but the experience depends heavily on the chosen resolution. At 1920x1080, all presets are playable, with the Ultra preset averaging 104.7 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold. This is the ideal resolution for this combo, offering smooth performance even at maximum quality.

At 2560x1440, all presets also clear the 60 FPS mark. The Ultra preset averages 65 FPS, which is playable but leaves little headroom for demanding scenes. The High preset averages 68 FPS, providing a slightly more comfortable margin. Both are viable options for a 1440p monitor.

At 3840x2160, only the Low preset is playable, with an average of 68.5 FPS. Medium drops to 47.8 FPS, and High and Ultra fall to 37.6 and 36.6 FPS, respectively. The verdict is clear: 4K gaming is only possible with the lowest quality settings, and even then, the frame rate is close to the 60 FPS threshold. For a smoother 4K experience, users would need to lower the resolution or accept a sub-60 FPS frame rate.

The data shows that this system is best suited for 1080p or 1440p gaming, where it can deliver high quality settings with excellent frame rates. 4K is technically playable at Low settings, but it is not recommended for a consistently smooth experience.

Similar Performance Alternatives

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i5-9400 offer similar CPU performance. The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 has an average score of 2259, which is 0.2% higher than the i5-9400. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, which is 0.3% lower. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, which is 0.4% lower, and the Intel Core i3-10305 scores 2264, which is 0.4% higher. These CPUs would produce nearly identical frame rates in Pc Building Simulator, as the differences are within 1% of each other.

For the GPU, the nearest rivals are also closely matched. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP has an average score of 23061, which is 0.2% higher than the Arc B580. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, which is 0.6% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172, which is 0.7% higher, and the NVIDIA P106-100 scores 23249, which is 1% higher. These GPUs would deliver very similar performance in this game, with frame rates that differ by only a few FPS at most.

The practical implication is that users with any of these alternative CPUs or GPUs can expect similar results. The performance envelope is narrow, with all rivals falling within a 1% margin of the tested components. This makes the i5-9400 and Arc B580 a representative example of a mid-range setup that performs consistently across a range of comparable hardware.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Pc Building Simulator at 60 FPS on Ultra settings?

A: At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 104.7 FPS, and at 2560x1440, the Ultra preset averages 65 FPS. Both clear the 60 FPS threshold. At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset averages only 36.6 FPS, which is not playable.

Q: What is the best settings preset for 4K resolution?

A: The only playable preset at 3840x2160 is Low, with an average of 68.5 FPS. Medium, High, and Ultra all fall below 60 FPS, with averages of 47.8, 37.6, and 36.6 FPS, respectively.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254. Its closest rival, the Intel Core i7-1068NG7, scores 2259, which is 0.2% higher. The Intel Core i7-10710U scores 2248, which is 0.3% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 scores 2246, which is 0.4% lower.

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

A: The Intel Arc B580 has an average benchmark score of 23021. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 23061, which is 0.2% higher, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 scores 22895, which is 0.6% lower. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 scores 23172, which is 0.7% higher.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more important for this game?

A: At 1920x1080 and 2560x1440, the GPU is the primary factor, as FPS scales significantly with quality presets. At 3840x2160, the GPU is the clear bottleneck, with all presets above Low failing to reach 60 FPS.

Q: What resolution offers the best balance of quality and performance?

A: 2560x1440 with the Ultra preset averages 65 FPS, which is above the playable threshold. This provides high quality visuals while maintaining a smooth frame rate. 1920x1080 with Ultra averages 104.7 FPS, offering an even larger margin.

Best Settings per Resolution

At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Low, with an average of 68.5 FPS. This is the only viable option for 4K, as Medium and above all fall below the threshold.

At 2560x1440, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, with an average of 65 FPS. This allows for maximum quality settings while maintaining playability, though the margin is thin.

At 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is also Ultra, with an average of 104.7 FPS. This provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold, making it the recommended choice for 1080p users who want the best visual experience.