Archeage

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data for Archeage with the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D and Intel Arc B390 reveals a dramatic and consistent performance collapse as resolution increases. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo delivers 71 FPS, which drops to 48 FPS at 1440p and further to 28 FPS at 4K. That represents a 32% loss from 1080p to 1440p, and a 61% loss from 1080p to 4K. The pattern is not linear; the steepest relative decline occurs between 1440p and 4K, where the frame rate nearly halves.

This scaling behavior points directly at the graphics processor as the limiting component. When the resolution increases, the number of pixels that must be shaded and rasterized grows exponentially, placing a proportionally heavier load on the GPU's fixed-function units and shading cores. The data suggests the Intel Arc B390 is overwhelmed at higher resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS collapses to just 11, which is a 62% drop from 4K Low. This is not the signature of a balanced system where the CPU becomes the bottleneck at lower resolutions; rather, the GPU is struggling to keep up even at the lowest settings.

Examining the Medium settings row provides additional clarity. At 1080p Medium, the average FPS is 64, with a minimum of 54 and a maximum of 73. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 43, and at 4K Medium, it falls to 25. The spread between minimum and maximum FPS also narrows as resolution climbs, suggesting that the GPU is running at its limit consistently, leaving little headroom for variance. At 1080p, the 19 FPS delta between min and max (54 to 73) indicates some scenes are less demanding, allowing the GPU to push higher. At 1440p, that delta narrows to 13 FPS (36 to 49), and at 4K, it narrows to 7 FPS (21 to 28), showing that the GPU is saturated and cannot exploit any scene simplicity.

The implication for gameplay is profound. Archeage is an MMORPG where large-scale raids and crowded cities can cause frame rate dips, but the data here shows that the baseline FPS is already low at 4K, regardless of the scene. The 17 FPS average at 4K High is below playable thresholds for most users, and even the 28 FPS at 4K Low is borderline. The resolution scaling data strongly suggests that users should not consider 4K as a viable target for this combination, as the GPU simply does not have the raw throughput to maintain smooth performance.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the clear bottleneck in this system, and its specifications confirm why. The GPU features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and just 24 render output units. The low ROP count is particularly telling for a game like Archeage, which relies heavily on fill rate for its world rendering. The GPU's pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s. At 4K, the pixel throughput required is substantial, and the data shows the GPU cannot keep up.

The memory configuration is another critical factor. The Arc B390 uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it relies on the host CPU's DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM. The memory bandwidth is described as "System Dependent," which introduces a major variable into performance. In Archeage, which loads large textures and streaming world data, the shared memory architecture likely causes significant performance penalties at higher resolutions where bandwidth demands escalate. The system's dual-channel memory bus provides 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth, but this is shared between the CPU and GPU, and the GPU's access to it is typically less efficient than dedicated VRAM.

The GPU's clock behavior shows a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. The massive gap between base and boost suggests that the GPU aggressively downclocks when idle but ramps up under load. However, the measured FPS data indicates that even at boost clocks, the performance is insufficient. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark score of 1482 places this GPU in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% higher), GeForce 800M (1.5% higher), GT 625 OEM (2.5% higher), and GT 710 (2.7% higher). These are all ancient, low-end parts, which contextualizes the GPU's capability.

The GPU's architecture is Xe3-LPG on a 3 nm process, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. However, API support does not translate into raw performance. The fact that the GPU ranks in the 9th percentile overall, combined with the measured FPS data, indicates that it is positioned at the very low end of the performance spectrum. In Archeage, this means the GPU will struggle even at 1080p with higher settings, as evidenced by the 43 FPS at High and 29 FPS at Ultra. The GPU's 80 W TDP and IGP form factor (integrated graphics processor) suggest it is designed for power efficiency rather than gaming performance, and the data confirms this trade-off.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is a high-end desktop processor that should theoretically provide ample CPU headroom. It features 8 cores and 16 threads based on the Zen 5 architecture (Granite Ridge), with a base clock of 4.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. The large 96 MB shared L3 cache is particularly beneficial for gaming, as it reduces memory latency and improves data locality. However, the measured FPS data suggests that the CPU's potential is entirely wasted in this configuration because the GPU is so much weaker.

In CPU-bound scenarios, we would expect to see FPS plateaus at lower resolutions where the GPU can keep up. The data shows that at 1080p Low, the combo achieves 71 FPS, which is the highest measured value. This is likely close to the CPU's limit in this game, as Archeage's MMORPG nature means it has significant single-threaded demands for game logic, physics, and network processing. The CPU's single-thread performance is strong, as evidenced by a PassMark single-thread score of 4704 and a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2228. However, the 71 FPS ceiling at 1080p Low suggests that even this powerful CPU cannot push beyond that in Archeage's engine.

The CPU's multi-threaded capabilities are equally impressive, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 22807 and a PassMark multi-thread score of 41318. In an MMORPG like Archeage, which often has many players on screen simultaneously, multi-threaded performance can matter for handling numerous concurrent entities. The CPU's percentile ranking of 92% among all CPUs indicates it is in the top decile of performance. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (0.1% higher), Intel Core i9-14900 (0.5% higher), and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 (0.7% lower), showing that it is competitive with other high-end parts.

However, the benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the limiting factor. At 1080p, the FPS drops from 71 at Low to 43 at High, a 39% decline that is attributable entirely to GPU load. If the CPU were the bottleneck, the FPS would remain relatively constant across settings. The fact that the FPS scales with settings confirms that the GPU is saturated. The CPU's role here is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game state, and the data suggests it does so without becoming a constraint. The 64 FPS at 1080p Medium versus 43 FPS at High shows that the GPU's rendering load is the primary variable, not the CPU's processing power.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured FPS data, the optimal settings for this combo depend heavily on the target resolution and the user's tolerance for frame rate. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 71 FPS, which is smooth and responsive. The Medium preset delivers 64 FPS, with a minimum of 54 and maximum of 73, which is still playable but shows some dips. The High preset drops to 43 FPS, which is borderline for an MMORPG where reaction times matter in PvP. The Ultra preset falls to 29 FPS, which is not recommended for any gameplay that requires quick reflexes.

The data suggests that 1080p Medium is the best balance for this combo at that resolution. The 64 FPS average is close to the Low preset's 71 FPS, but the Medium preset likely provides substantial visual improvements in texture detail and shadow quality. The minimum FPS of 54 is acceptable, though it may cause noticeable hitches in crowded areas. For users who prioritize smoothness above all else, Low at 71 FPS is the safer choice, but Medium offers a better visual experience with only a 10% FPS penalty on average.

At 1440p, the situation becomes more constrained. The Low preset delivers 48 FPS, which is playable but not ideal. The Medium preset delivers 43 FPS, and the High preset drops to 29 FPS. Ultra is at 20 FPS, which is unplayable. The recommendation here is to use Low settings at 1440p if the user insists on this resolution, as it provides the only acceptable frame rate. The 48 FPS average is still below the 60 FPS target that many players prefer, but it is the best this combo can achieve.

At 4K, no preset delivers a playable experience. The highest FPS is 28 at Low, followed by 25 at Medium, 17 at High, and 11 at Ultra. None of these are suitable for active gameplay. The data strongly indicates that 4K should be avoided entirely with this combination. Users who have a 4K monitor should either run the game at a lower resolution (such as 1080p) or accept that Archeage will not be playable at the native panel resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Archeage, this combo ranks 2453 out of 2761 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 11% of all configurations, which is consistent with the GPU's low performance percentile. The rank is not surprising given that the Intel Arc B390 sits at the 9th percentile among all GPUs, while the CPU is at the 92nd percentile. The massive imbalance between the CPU and GPU means that the combo's overall ranking is dragged down by the GPU.

The rank of 2453 out of 2761 means that 308 combos performed worse, but 2452 performed better. This is a poor result for a system with such a high-end CPU. The data implies that users who purchased this CPU for gaming would be severely disappointed by the pairing with this GPU. The combo rank does not reflect the CPU's capability but rather the GPU's inability to leverage it.

In practical terms, this rank means that most other CPU+GPU combinations tested for Archeage will deliver higher frame rates. The only combos that perform worse are likely those with even older or weaker GPUs. The data suggests that the Intel Arc B390 is a significant liability, and users should consider pairing the Ryzen 7 9850X3D with a much more powerful GPU to realize its gaming potential.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Archeage?

A: The data shows 1920x1080 is the only resolution where playable frame rates are achieved. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 71 FPS and Medium delivers 64 FPS. At 1440p, the highest FPS is 48 (Low), and at 4K, the highest is 28 (Low).

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the bottleneck in this system?

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. Evidence includes the FPS scaling with settings at the same resolution (e.g., 71 FPS at 1080p Low versus 29 FPS at 1080p Ultra), and the GPU's 9th percentile ranking versus the CPU's 92nd percentile.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 1080p Medium settings?

A: The measured minimum FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 54 FPS, with an average of 64 FPS and a maximum of 73 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GPU's nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% higher score), GeForce 800M (1.5% higher), GT 625 OEM (2.5% higher), and GT 710 (2.7% higher), based on the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark.

Q: Can this combo handle Archeage at 4K Ultra settings?

A: No. The measured average FPS at 3840x2160 with Ultra settings is 11 FPS, which is far below any playable threshold. Even at 4K Low, the average is only 28 FPS.

Q: What is the CPU's multi-threaded performance relative to its rivals?

A: The Ryzen 7 9850X3D scores 22807 in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260M (0.1% higher), Intel Core i9-14900 (0.5% higher), and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 (0.7% lower) in average benchmark score.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table presents the exact measured FPS values for each resolution and settings preset:

| Resolution | Settings | Avg FPS | Min FPS | Max FPS |

|------------|----------|---------|---------|---------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 17 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 28 | — | — |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 25 | 21 | 28 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 11 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | High | 29 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 48 | — | — |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 43 | 36 | 49 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 20 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | High | 43 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 71 | — | — |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 64 | 54 | 73 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 29 | — | — |

The data reveals a consistent pattern: each step up in resolution reduces FPS by roughly one-third to one-half, regardless of settings. The Medium preset row at each resolution includes min/max values, showing that the variance decreases as resolution increases. At 1080p Medium, the range is 54-73 FPS (19 FPS spread). At 1440p Medium, the range is 36-49 FPS (13 FPS spread). At 4K Medium, the range is 21-28 FPS (7 FPS spread). This tightening indicates GPU saturation at higher resolutions.

The FPS differences between Low and Medium presets are relatively small at all resolutions: 7 FPS at 1080p (71 to 64), 5 FPS at 1440p (48 to 43), and 3 FPS at 4K (28 to 25). This suggests that Medium settings do not impose a significant additional load compared to Low. However, the jump from Medium to High is much steeper: 21 FPS at 1080p (64 to 43), 14 FPS at 1440p (43 to 29), and 8 FPS at 4K (25 to 17). This indicates that High settings introduce rendering features (likely shadows, reflections, or draw distance) that disproportionately tax the GPU. The Ultra preset is the most punishing, with FPS dropping to 29 at 1080p, 20 at 1440p, and 11 at 4K, making it unusable at any resolution.