Allods Online

Allods Online, a 2010 MMORPG, presents an interesting challenge for the Intel Core i7-12700K paired with the Intel Arc B390. This is a combination of a high-end desktop CPU from 2021 and a modern integrated GPU. The benchmark data reveals a system that is heavily constrained by the graphics solution, with the CPU's substantial processing power remaining largely untapped. The measured frame rates show a clear pattern: playable performance is achievable only at lower resolutions and settings, while the game's higher graphical presets quickly overwhelm the iGPU.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is dramatic and clearly identifies the Intel Arc B390 as the primary bottleneck in this system. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo delivers an average of 120 FPS. Moving to 1440p at the same Low settings, the average FPS drops by 37.5% to 75 FPS. The jump to 4K Low results in another significant decline, with the average falling to 39 FPS, which is only 32.5% of the 1080p performance. This steep decline is typical of a system where the GPU is working at its absolute limit; the rendering resolution increase directly translates to a massive workload increase for the graphics processor.

The trend is consistent across all settings presets. For High settings, performance falls from 59 FPS at 1080p to 37 FPS at 1440p, and then to a barely playable 19 FPS at 4K. Medium settings follow a similar path, starting at 94 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 59 FPS at 1440p, and ending at 31 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, starting at 37 FPS at 1080p and plummeting to 23 FPS at 1440p and a nearly unplayable 12 FPS at 4K. The data indicates that the scaling is not linear but exponential, with the cost of each resolution increase becoming more severe as the resolution climbs.

This pattern suggests that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. A system that is CPU-bound would show relatively small performance differences between resolutions, as the CPU workload does not change significantly with resolution. Here, the frame rate is nearly halved with each step up in resolution, which is a classic sign of a GPU that is saturated and running out of processing power, memory bandwidth, or both. The Intel Core i7-12700K is likely idling, waiting for the Arc B390 to finish its rendering tasks, making the resolution scaling behavior a direct reflection of the iGPU's capabilities.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process node. Its performance characteristics in this game are defined by its 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 render output units. The GPU's base clock is 300 MHz, with a boost clock of 2500 MHz, and it has 12 ray tracing cores. The B390's memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main RAM, with its bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This shared memory architecture is often a performance limiter in gaming, as the GPU must compete with the CPU for memory access.

In the context of Allods Online, the GPU's role is the decisive factor in the overall experience. The benchmark results show that the B390 is only capable of delivering fluid frame rates at the lowest settings and resolutions. At 1080p Low, it achieves 120 FPS, which is an excellent result and suggests that the game is not particularly demanding at its lowest preset. However, this is the only configuration where the GPU can demonstrate high-level performance. As soon as settings are increased, the frame rate collapses, indicating that the iGPU is overwhelmed by the increased shader complexity and texture detail.

The GPU's benchmark percentile of 9 places it in the bottom tier of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals in synthetic testing are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, GT 625 OEM, and GT 710. The deltaPct values against these rivals are small, ranging from 1.3% to 2.7%, indicating that the Arc B390 performs in the same class as these older, low-end discrete graphics cards. This comparison is useful for setting expectations. While the Arc B390 is a modern integrated solution, its performance in this game is comparable to a very old entry-level discrete GPU, meaning that users should have modest expectations for its gaming capabilities.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. It is a high-end desktop CPU with a 125 W TDP and was released in November 2021 with a launch MSRP of $409. This is a powerful processor that is designed for demanding workloads, including gaming and content creation. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and single-core score of 1850.5 demonstrate its substantial processing capabilities.

In this specific test with Allods Online, the CPU's role is almost entirely secondary. The data shows that the system's performance is not limited by the CPU, as the frame rates are far too low to be caused by a processing bottleneck. The i7-12700K is more than capable of handling the game's logic and rendering commands, even at 4K with Ultra settings. The CPU's 12 cores and 20 threads are likely underutilized, as an MMORPG from 2010 is unlikely to be optimized for such a high core count. The game's physics and AI calculations are not demanding enough to tax this processor.

This is a case of extreme CPU-GPU imbalance. The i7-12700K is an incredibly capable processor, but it is paired with an integrated GPU that is its polar opposite in terms of gaming performance. The CPU's high single-thread performance, evidenced by its passmark_single_thread score of 4013, ensures that it will never hold back the GPU in this game. The bottleneck is entirely on the graphics side, and the CPU's power is essentially wasted in this configuration for gaming. The data suggests that this processor could easily support a much more powerful discrete GPU without becoming a limiting factor.

How This Combo Ranks

The overall combo, consisting of the Intel Core i7-12700K and the Intel Arc B390, ranks 2459 out of 2775 tested combinations in Allods Online. This places it in the bottom 11% of all systems tested, which is a poor result for a system with such a strong CPU. The ranking is a direct consequence of the Arc B390's weak graphics performance, which drags down the entire system's capability in this game. The high-performing CPU has almost no positive impact on the final ranking because the GPU is unable to translate its processing power into frame rates.

The combo's low rank is directly correlated with the GPU's extremely low performance percentile of 9. In contrast, the CPU's percentile is 84, meaning it performs better than 84% of all CPUs. This stark difference highlights the fundamental issue: the system is built around a top-tier processor, but it is crippled by a bottom-tier graphics solution. The combination is highly inefficient for gaming, as the CPU's potential is left unrealized. While the CPU is a strong performer, its abilities do not matter when the GPU cannot produce more than 120 FPS at 1080p Low, and much less at higher settings. The ranking reflects the reality that the weakest link in the system defines the overall experience.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combination depend heavily on the user's resolution and performance targets. For a smooth 60+ FPS experience, the only viable options are at 1080p. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 120 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors. If a user prefers slightly better visual fidelity, the Medium preset at 1080p offers a very good average of 94 FPS, with a minimum of 80 FPS, ensuring a consistently playable experience. These are the only two configurations that provide a clear, headroom-rich performance level.

At 1440p, the options become more limited. The Low preset delivers an average of 75 FPS, which is playable, but the Medium preset drops to an average of 59 FPS. For a 60 Hz monitor, the 1440p Medium setting might be just acceptable, but the 1440p High and Ultra presets, with averages of 37 and 23 FPS respectively, are not recommended for a good experience. At 4K, the situation is largely untenable for smooth gameplay. All presets at 4K are below 40 FPS on average, with the Low preset being the only one that approaches a minimum playable state at 39 FPS. The 4K High (19 FPS) and Ultra (12 FPS) presets are effectively slideshows.

Therefore, the best experience per the measured rows is to play at 1080p with either Low or Medium settings. The Medium preset at 1080p is the sweet spot, providing a significant visual upgrade over Low while maintaining an average frame rate that is well above 60 FPS. For users with a 1440p monitor, the Low preset is the only way to achieve a comfortably playable frame rate. The Ultra preset should be avoided at all resolutions, as it incurs a massive performance penalty for what is likely a marginal visual improvement in this older MMORPG.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following is the complete set of measured average FPS data for the Intel Core i7-12700K with the Intel Arc B390 in Allods Online.

1920x1080

• Low: 120 FPS average.
• Medium: 94 FPS average, with a minimum of 80 FPS and a maximum of 108 FPS.
• High: 59 FPS average.
• Ultra: 37 FPS average.

2560x1440

• Low: 75 FPS average.
• Medium: 59 FPS average, with a minimum of 50 FPS and a maximum of 68 FPS.
• High: 37 FPS average.
• Ultra: 23 FPS average.

3840x2160

• Low: 39 FPS average.
• Medium: 31 FPS average, with a minimum of 26 FPS and a maximum of 36 FPS.
• High: 19 FPS average.
• Ultra: 12 FPS average.

This data confirms the performance hierarchy. The system is most capable at 1080p, where it can deliver excellent frame rates on lower presets. The 1440p resolution is a middle ground, offering playable performance only on Low settings. The 4K resolution is not suitable for this game with this combo, as even the lowest settings cannot maintain a consistent 40 FPS. The measurements show a clear and consistent degradation of performance as both resolution and graphical fidelity increase, with the GPU being the sole limiting factor.