Allods Online

Allods Online, a 2010 MMORPG, presents an unusual challenge for the Intel Core i5-14400F and Intel Arc B390 combination. The benchmark data indicates that this pairing produces a playable experience only at lower resolutions and settings, with the integrated graphics solution acting as a severe bottleneck. The Core i5-14400F is a capable modern processor, but the Arc B390's performance profile, as measured by its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482, places it in a category where high-end gaming is not feasible. This analysis breaks down the measured frame rates to understand the relationship between the CPU, GPU, and the game's demands.

Resolution Scaling

The most striking observation from the measured data is the dramatic impact of resolution on frame rates. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 120 FPS, which is a very smooth experience. However, this performance collapses as resolution increases. Moving to 1440p at Low settings cuts the average frame rate by 37.5% to 75 FPS, and at 4K with Low settings, the average drops further to 39 FPS. This scaling pattern is a clear indicator that the limiting component is the GPU, not the CPU. The i5-14400F has ample headroom to feed frames, but the Arc B390's rendering capabilities are exhausted as the pixel count increases.

The trend is consistent across all settings. For High settings, the average FPS drops from 59 at 1080p to 37 at 1440p and 19 at 4K. This represents a 68% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, a steep decline that underscores the GPU's limitations. The data suggests that the i5-14400F is not the bottleneck here; if it were, the frame rate would remain relatively flat as resolution increases, since the CPU would be the limiting factor in both scenarios. Instead, the frame rate drops proportionally with the pixel count, a classic sign of a GPU-bound scenario.

The scaling from 1440p to 4K is particularly punishing. At Medium settings, the average FPS falls from 59 to 31, a 47.5% reduction. At Ultra settings, the drop is from 23 FPS at 1440p to a barely playable 12 FPS at 4K. This indicates that the Arc B390's memory bandwidth, which is "System Dependent" and shared, becomes a critical constraint at higher resolutions. The chip's 24 ROPs and 48 TMUs are simply not enough to handle the fill rate and texture processing demands of 4K, even in a game from 2010. The conclusion is straightforward: this combo is only viable for 1080p gaming, and even then, only with adjusted settings.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the decisive factor in this pairing's performance. Its benchmark score of 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is among the weakest performers in the database. The nearest rivals for the Arc B390 are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710, with delta percentages of 1.3%, 2.5%, and 2.7% respectively. This comparison places the Arc B390 in the same performance tier as decade-old entry-level discrete GPUs, which explains its struggles with modern resolutions. The GPU's architecture, Xe3-LPG, is built on a 3 nm process, but its integrated nature is its primary weakness.

The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it has no dedicated VRAM. This has significant implications for performance, as the bandwidth is "System Dependent" and shared with the CPU. In Allods Online, which is a MMORPG with potentially large texture loads, this shared memory setup can cause stuttering and low frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions and settings. The boost clock of 2500 MHz is respectable, but the fundamental lack of dedicated memory bandwidth and the low pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s limit its ability to push frames. The data shows that at 4K Ultra, the average FPS is a dismal 12, a clear sign that the GPU is overwhelmed.

The CPU, on the other hand, is a strong performer. The Intel Core i5-14400F has 10 cores and 16 threads, and its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21645 places it in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U, Intel Core i9-11900, AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS, and Intel Core i7-12800H, with delta percentages of 0.1%, 0.2%, -0.2%, and 0.5% respectively. This indicates that the CPU is more than capable of handling the game's logic and draw calls. The bottleneck is not the processor; it is the integrated GPU. The data proves this: at 1080p Low, the combo hits 120 FPS, but this is likely the ceiling for the GPU, not the CPU.

FAQ

Q: Is this CPU-GPU combo capable of running Allods Online smoothly?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 120 FPS, which is smooth. However, at higher resolutions or settings, performance degrades significantly, with 4K Ultra yielding only 12 FPS on average.

Q: Why does the frame rate drop so much when moving from 1080p to 4K?

A: The data shows a steep drop in FPS as resolution increases, from 120 FPS at 1080p Low to 39 FPS at 4K Low. This indicates the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting factor, as its integrated architecture and shared memory cannot keep up with the increased pixel workload.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to other GPUs in the database?

A: The Arc B390 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482, ranking it in the 9th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710, with delta percentages of 1.3%, 2.5%, and 2.7% respectively, showing it is in the same performance class as those older entry-level cards.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-14400F a bottleneck in this configuration?

A: No. The i5-14400F scores 21645 in Cinebench R23 multicore and ranks in the 83rd percentile of CPUs. Its performance is far above the GPU's, so the processor is not the limiting component; the Arc B390 is.

Q: What is the best resolution to play at with this combo?

A: The only resolution that provides a consistently playable frame rate is 1920x1080. At this resolution, even High settings achieve 59 FPS, while Low settings reach 120 FPS. Higher resolutions result in sub-60 FPS averages.

Q: Does the Arc B390 have dedicated video memory?

A: No, the memory configuration is "System Shared," with the type, bus width, and bandwidth all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." This means it relies on the system's main memory, which is a factor in its performance limitations.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo are clear. At 1920x1080, the Low preset provides the best experience, with an average of 120 FPS. This setting ensures a high and consistent frame rate, which is crucial for an MMORPG where smooth gameplay is more important than graphical fidelity. The Medium preset at 1080p is also viable, with an average of 94 FPS and a minimum of 80 FPS, but the jump to High drops the average to 59 FPS. For players who prefer higher visual quality, Medium is the recommended compromise, as it maintains a frame rate above 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the situation becomes more challenging. The Low preset is the only one that delivers a playable average frame rate at 75 FPS. The Medium preset drops to 59 FPS with a minimum of 50 FPS, which may be acceptable for some, but it is borderline. High and Ultra settings at 1440p are not recommended, as they yield averages of 37 FPS and 23 FPS respectively, which will feel sluggish. At 4K, no settings are recommended for a good experience. The best average at 4K is 39 FPS on Low, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, and the Ultra preset at 12 FPS is effectively unplayable.

The data suggests that the "best experience" is found at 1080p with Medium or Low settings. The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it produces the lowest frame rates, including a 12 FPS average at 4K. The game's age does not save it from the GPU's limitations; the Arc B390 simply lacks the raw power to run the game at high settings and high resolutions. Therefore, for a consistent and enjoyable experience, users should stick to 1080p and adjust the settings to Low or Medium based on their preference for frame rate versus visual quality.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Allods Online, this specific pairing of the Intel Core i5-14400F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2459 out of 2775 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 11.4% of all configurations, which is a poor showing. The low rank is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, as its 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs drags down the entire system's performance. The CPU, with its 83rd percentile ranking, is not the issue, but it cannot compensate for the GPU's severe lack of compute and memory bandwidth.

The rank of 2459 out of 2775 indicates that this combo is outperformed by the vast majority of other tested systems. This is expected, as the Arc B390 is an integrated GPU, and its performance is comparable to discrete GPUs from over a decade ago, as shown by its nearest rivals. The data confirms that while the CPU is a high-performing component, the overall system's capability is defined by its weakest link. In this case, the GPU is a critical weak point, making this combo unsuitable for demanding gaming tasks at higher resolutions. The benchmark results indicate that this configuration is only useful for low-resolution, low-settings gaming, which is reflected in its low overall rank.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured average FPS data for Allods Online with the Intel Core i5-14400F and Intel Arc B390.

3840x2160 (4K):

• Low: 39 FPS average
• Medium: 31 FPS average, 26 FPS min, 36 FPS max
• High: 19 FPS average
• Ultra: 12 FPS average

2560x1440 (1440p):

• Low: 75 FPS average
• Medium: 59 FPS average, 50 FPS min, 68 FPS max
• High: 37 FPS average
• Ultra: 23 FPS average

1920x1080 (1080p):

• Low: 120 FPS average
• Medium: 94 FPS average, 80 FPS min, 108 FPS max
• High: 59 FPS average
• Ultra: 37 FPS average

The data reveals a consistent pattern: performance scales with resolution, but the GPU's limitations are apparent at every step. The only configuration that breaks the 100 FPS barrier is 1080p Low, with a 120 FPS average. The Medium preset at 1080p is the only other setting that maintains an average above 90 FPS. All other settings at all other resolutions fail to reach 60 FPS, with the exception of 1440p Low at 75 FPS. The minimum and maximum FPS values for the Medium preset at each resolution show that the frame rate can be inconsistent, with the 4K Medium setting showing a 10 FPS variance between min and max. Overall, the measured FPS breakdown confirms that this combo is strictly for 1080p gaming, with diminishing returns at every higher resolution.