Undisputed

The Intel Core i7-14700K paired with the Intel Arc B580 presents a compelling case study for mid-range 1440p gaming, but the data reveals a performance curve that demands careful setting management, especially at 4K. Benchmark results for Undisputed show this combo is capable of high refresh rates at 1080p, very playable performance at 1440p, and a surprisingly strong showing at 4K with only modest setting reductions. The measured FPS across various resolutions and presets paints a clear picture of a system that scales efficiently with graphical demands, though the most extreme settings will push it below the 60 FPS threshold.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo exhibits exceptional headroom across all presets. The Low preset yields an average of 220.2 FPS, which is extraordinarily high and indicates that the CPU-GPU pairing is far from bottlenecked at this resolution. Moving up to Medium, the average drops to 160.2 FPS, still a massive figure that comfortably exceeds any high-refresh-rate display's capabilities. The High preset maintains a strong 130.3 FPS average, showing only a modest performance hit relative to Medium. The most demanding Ultra preset still achieves an average of 84 FPS, which is well above the playable threshold and demonstrates that even at maximum settings, the system has plenty of reserve performance for competitive or fast-paced play.

Stepping up to 2560x1440, the performance scaling is smooth and predictable. The Low preset delivers 160.2 FPS, which is identical to the 1080p Medium result, suggesting the resolution increase is offset by the reduced graphical workload. Medium settings produce 112.2 FPS, a substantial figure that indicates the Arc B580 has ample memory bandwidth for 1440p gaming. High settings average 93.8 FPS, which is impressive for a mid-range GPU at this resolution. The Ultra preset manages 63.1 FPS, barely clearing the 60 FPS threshold and showing that 1440p Ultra is where the system starts to feel its limits, though it remains playable.

At 3840x2160, the data reveals a more dramatic scaling curve. The Low preset still achieves an average of 100.3 FPS, which is remarkable for 4K and suggests the game's low settings are not particularly GPU-intensive. Medium settings drop to 71.4 FPS, which is still comfortably above the playable threshold. However, High settings fall to 58.4 FPS, just below the 60 FPS mark, indicating a steep performance cliff between Medium and High at this resolution. The Ultra preset plunges to 39.1 FPS, which is not playable by any standard and shows that 4K Ultra is far beyond this combo's reach. The gap between Medium (71.4) and High (58.4) is particularly notable, as it represents a 13 FPS drop for what is likely a modest visual improvement.

Best Settings per Resolution

For 1920x1080, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which produces an average of 84 FPS. This is the clear choice for users with 1080p displays, as it delivers the highest visual quality while maintaining a substantial margin above the playable threshold. The data shows that even at Ultra, the system is not stressed, and users could potentially enable additional enhancements without issue, though none are listed in the test data.

At 2560x1440, the best settings are also Ultra, with an average of 63.1 FPS. This is a tight margin above the 60 FPS threshold, meaning users should expect some fluctuation in demanding scenes, but the average remains playable. The High preset at 93.8 FPS is a safer choice for users who prefer a consistent frame rate with a small visual sacrifice. For those with high-refresh-rate 1440p monitors, the Medium preset at 112.2 FPS offers the best balance of smoothness and visual fidelity, though Ultra is technically the recommended setting based on the 60 FPS rule.

For 3840x2160, the best settings are Medium, which achieves 71.4 FPS. This is the only preset beyond Low that clears the 60 FPS threshold at this resolution. High settings at 58.4 FPS are close but fall short, meaning 4K users must choose between Medium and Low for a playable experience. The Low preset at 100.3 FPS is an option for users who prioritize frame rate, but Medium offers a significant visual upgrade while still maintaining a comfortable buffer above the playable minimum. The verdict data confirms this, listing Low and Medium as the playable settings at 4K.

CPU and GPU Roles

The scaling between resolutions and presets indicates that this game is primarily GPU-bound at higher settings, but the CPU plays a significant role at lower resolutions and presets. At 1080p, the difference between Low (220.2 FPS) and Ultra (84 FPS) is 136.2 FPS, a massive spread that suggests the GPU is the limiting factor at Ultra, while the CPU is capable of pushing far higher frame rates at Low. The identical 160.2 FPS result at 1080p Medium and 1440p Low is particularly telling; it suggests that at these settings, the bottleneck shifts between components, but the overall system throughput remains constant.

The CPU's strength is evident when examining the 1080p Low result of 220.2 FPS. The Intel Core i7-14700K, with its 20 cores and 28 threads, has the single-threaded performance necessary to drive such high frame rates in a sports game like Undisputed. The CPU's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2160 and PassMark single-thread score of 4472 indicate strong per-core performance, which is crucial for games that rely on a primary simulation thread. As resolution increases, the GPU becomes more dominant, evidenced by the 4K results where even the Low preset drops to 100.3 FPS from 220.2 FPS at 1080p Low.

The Arc B580's role becomes clearer when examining the 1440p to 4K transition. At 1440p Ultra, the system averages 63.1 FPS, but at 4K Ultra, it falls to 39.1 FPS, a 24 FPS drop that is disproportionately large compared to the resolution increase. This suggests the GPU's 12 GB of GDDR6 memory and 456.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1440p but struggle with the increased pixel count at 4K Ultra. The GPU's PassMark G3D score of 15748 and 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 3068 place it in a mid-range tier, which aligns with the observed performance. The CPU's benchmark scores, particularly the Cinebench R23 multi-core result of 33440.5, show it is not a bottleneck at any resolution in this game, meaning users upgrading from a weaker CPU would see minimal gains in Undisputed.

FAQ

*Q: Can this system run Undisputed at 4K resolution?*

A: Yes, but only at Low or Medium settings. The Medium preset achieves 71.4 FPS, while Low reaches 100.3 FPS. High settings at 58.4 FPS and Ultra at 39.1 FPS are below the 60 FPS playable threshold.

Q: What is the best preset for 1440p gaming with this combo?

A: The Ultra preset is the most demanding that stays at or above 60 FPS, averaging 63.1 FPS. For a more comfortable margin, High settings at 93.8 FPS or Medium at 112.2 FPS are excellent alternatives.

Q: How does this combo perform at 1080p compared to higher resolutions?

A: At 1080p, the system delivers exceptional performance, with Ultra settings averaging 84 FPS and Low settings reaching 220.2 FPS. The 1080p results are significantly higher than 1440p and 4K, indicating the system is well-suited for 1080p high-refresh-rate displays.

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

A: The data suggests the GPU is the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions and settings. At 1080p Low, the system reaches 220.2 FPS, indicating strong CPU performance, but the GPU becomes limiting as resolution and settings increase, with 4K Ultra dropping to 39.1 FPS.

Q: What is the highest playable setting at 4K?

A: Medium settings at 71.4 FPS is the highest preset that clears the 60 FPS threshold. The High preset at 58.4 FPS is just below playable, so users should stick to Medium for a consistent experience.

Q: Does this combo have enough performance headroom for future updates?

A: At 1080p and 1440p, there is significant headroom. The 1080p Ultra result of 84 FPS and 1440p High result of 93.8 FPS suggest that minor performance demands from updates would still keep the system playable. At 4K, however, the margin is thin, with Medium at 71.4 FPS leaving little room for increased demands.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-14700K + Intel Arc B580 combination ranks 2841 out of 3718 tested combos in Undisputed, placing it in the lower-middle portion of the database. This ranking is somewhat surprising given the strong FPS results at 1080p and 1440p, but it likely reflects the inclusion of much more powerful GPU configurations in the test pool. The combo's percentile ranking for the CPU is 94 (vs all CPUs), which is excellent, while the GPU's percentile is 68 (vs all GPUs), indicating the CPU is far stronger relative to its peers than the GPU. This imbalance explains why the combo ranks where it does; the CPU is capable of driving much higher frame rates, but the GPU holds it back at higher settings.

The rank suggests that users with this combo are getting a system that is competitive with mid-range builds but not with high-end configurations. The data shows that the Arc B580 is the limiting factor, particularly at 4K, where the system falls below 60 FPS at High settings. For users considering this combo, the ranking implies that the CPU has longevity for future GPU upgrades, but the current GPU will cap performance in more demanding titles. The 3718 total combos tested indicate a large field, and being in the 76th percentile (2841/3718) places this system in a position where it outperforms about a quarter of tested configurations but is outclassed by the majority.

The Verdict

Yes, this PC can run Undisputed with playable performance across most resolutions, with the clear exception of 4K Ultra. At 1920x1080, the system delivers excellent performance at all presets, with Ultra settings averaging 84 FPS and Low reaching 220.2 FPS. This makes it ideal for 1080p gaming on high-refresh-rate monitors. At 2560x1440, the system remains highly capable, with Ultra settings at 63.1 FPS just clearing the 60 FPS threshold and High at 93.8 FPS providing a more comfortable experience. The verdict data confirms that all four presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) are playable at 1440p.

At 3840x2160, the system is playable but requires setting compromises. Medium settings at 71.4 FPS is the recommended choice, while Low at 100.3 FPS offers a higher frame rate with reduced visuals. High at 58.4 FPS is marginally below the playable threshold, and Ultra at 39.1 FPS is not playable. Users with 4K displays should stick to Medium or Low for a consistent experience. Overall, this combo is a solid choice for 1080p and 1440p gaming, with 4K support limited to medium or lower settings. The system's performance profile suggests it is best suited for users who prioritize high frame rates at mainstream resolutions rather than maximum visual fidelity at 4K.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Based on the nearest rivals for the CPU and GPU, several alternative components would behave similarly in Undisputed. On the CPU side, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is the closest match, with an average benchmark score of 69515 compared to the i7-14700K's 69355, a delta of -0.2%. This means the 7950X would deliver essentially identical gaming performance, making it a direct alternative for users on the AMD platform. The AMD Ryzen 9 7940HX (score 69875, delta -0.7%) and AMD Ryzen 7 9700F (score 69996, delta -0.9%) are also very close, with differences well within margins that would not produce noticeable FPS changes in Undisputed. These CPUs would all perform within 1% of the i7-14700K, meaning gaming results would be indistinguishable.

On the GPU side, the nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP, with an average score of 23061 versus the Arc B580's 23021, a delta of -0.2%. This is an interesting comparison, as the RX 580 is an older card, but the benchmark data suggests they perform similarly in synthetic tests. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (score 22895, delta 0.6%) is also a close match, though it would likely have different driver characteristics. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (score 23172, delta -0.7%) is the most powerful rival listed, and while the synthetic scores are close, real-world gaming performance could differ due to architectural advantages. The NVIDIA P106-100 (score 23249, delta -1%) is a mining card and not a realistic gaming alternative. For users considering alternatives, the RTX 2080 or RTX 3080 would provide similar or slightly better FPS in Undisputed, while the RX 580 2048SP would be a more budget-oriented choice with comparable benchmark scores.