Archeage

# Archeage Performance Analysis: Intel Core i7-12700K + Intel Arc B390

This combination of Intel's Core i7-12700K and the Arc B390 integrated graphics produces playable frame rates only at lower resolutions and settings in Archeage, with a clear pattern showing the GPU as the primary bottleneck. The data set includes twelve measured FPS configurations spanning three resolutions and four quality presets, providing a comprehensive view of how this pairing scales under load.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate progression from 1080p to 4K reveals a significant performance cliff that intensifies with higher quality settings. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 71 at 1920x1080 to 48 at 2560x1440, a reduction of 23 frames, then further declines to 28 at 3840x2160. This represents a 60.6% decrease from 1080p to 4K at Low settings. The scaling pattern indicates that pixel count heavily influences performance, with each resolution step costing roughly 20-30% of the previous frame rate.

Moving to Medium settings, the same resolution progression shows 64 FPS at 1080p, 43 at 1440p, and 25 at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 21 frames (32.8%), while the drop from 1440p to 4K is 18 frames (41.9%). This steeper decline at higher resolutions suggests that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth become increasingly strained as pixel count grows. At High settings, the pattern continues with 43 FPS at 1080p, 29 at 1440p, and 17 at 4K, showing a nearly linear degradation.

The Ultra preset exhibits the most dramatic scaling collapse. Starting at 29 FPS at 1080p, it falls to 20 at 1440p and bottoms out at 11 at 4K. The 4K Ultra result is barely above a slideshow, indicating that this configuration cannot handle maximum quality at any resolution above 1080p. The resolution scaling data strongly suggests that the Arc B390's 24 ROPs and 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are insufficient for high pixel throughput demands, particularly when combined with the memory bandwidth being "System Dependent" and likely shared with the CPU.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K brings substantial processing power to this pairing, featuring 12 cores and 20 threads based on the Alder Lake architecture with a 10 nm process. Its base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz provide strong single-threaded performance, as evidenced by a 3DMark single-thread score of 1043 and a PassMark single-thread score of 4013. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and single-core score of 1850.5 demonstrate balanced throughput capabilities.

In Archeage, an MMORPG from 2014, the CPU's 12 cores and 20 threads are likely more than sufficient for the game's workload. The 25 MB of shared L3 cache and generous per-core L1 and L2 allocations help reduce memory latency, which is beneficial for the complex game logic and entity management typical of MMO environments. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 9276 and max-thread score of 9979 indicate strong multi-threaded performance, while the 2-thread score of 2065 and 4-thread score of 4011 show that even lightly threaded workloads receive adequate attention.

The CPU's percentile ranking of 84 versus all CPUs places it in the upper tier of processors, and its average benchmark score of 35287 sits within 0.4% of its nearest rivals, including the Intel Core i5-13600T (35305, -0.1% delta) and Intel Core i7-12700KF (35365, -0.2% delta). This suggests the i7-12700K is a capable performer that should not bottleneck the GPU in most scenarios. However, the benchmark results show that regardless of CPU headroom, the frame rates remain limited by the graphics subsystem, particularly at higher resolutions and quality settings where the GPU's 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 compute and 120.0 GTexel/s texture rate become the constraining factors.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific CPU-GPU combination ranks 2453 out of 2761 tested combos in Archeage, placing it in the bottom 11.2% of all configurations. This ranking reflects the Arc B390's position as an integrated graphics solution rather than a discrete GPU, and the data confirms that the GPU drags down the overall performance of what would otherwise be a high-end CPU pairing.

The GPU alone ranks at the 9th percentile versus all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482 based on the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% delta), NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% delta), and NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% delta) — all of which are entry-level or legacy parts. This places the Arc B390 in the same performance tier as decade-old discrete GPUs, which explains why the combo ranking is so low despite the CPU's strength.

The deltaPct values between the Arc B390 and its nearest rivals are small (1.3% to 2.7%), indicating that the GPU's performance is tightly clustered with these older parts. The CPU's nearest rivals show similarly tight clustering (deltas of -0.1% to -0.4%), but at a much higher absolute performance level. This contrast between the CPU's high percentile (84) and the GPU's low percentile (9) creates a significant imbalance that manifests in the measured frame rates, where the CPU has ample headroom while the GPU operates at its limits.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the resolution most likely to deliver playable performance, the data shows a clear hierarchy across settings. Low settings produce 71 FPS on average, which is the only configuration in the entire data set to exceed 60 FPS. Medium settings yield 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 and maximum of 73, providing a playable experience with some visual improvement. High settings drop to 43 FPS, while Ultra falls to 29 FPS. The gap between Medium and High is 21 FPS (32.8%), suggesting that the High preset introduces significant rendering demands that the GPU cannot fully meet.

At 2560x1440, the performance degrades predictably. Low settings average 48 FPS, Medium averages 43 FPS with a range of 36 to 49, High averages 29 FPS, and Ultra drops to 20 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p remains borderline playable, but the minimum of 36 FPS indicates potential stuttering during intense scenes. The step from Low to Medium at this resolution costs only 5 FPS (10.4%), while the step from Medium to High costs 14 FPS (32.6%), showing that the High preset's additional quality features disproportionately impact performance.

At 3840x2160, all settings produce sub-30 FPS results. Low averages 28 FPS, Medium averages 25 FPS with a range of 21 to 28, High averages 17 FPS, and Ultra averages 11 FPS. The 4K resolution demands four times the pixel throughput of 1080p, and the Arc B390's fill rate simply cannot keep up. The minimum FPS of 21 at 4K Medium indicates that even the most forgiving settings produce inconsistent frame times at this resolution. Notably, the spread between Low and Ultra at 4K is only 17 FPS, whereas the same spread at 1080p is 42 FPS, showing that at 4K the GPU is so saturated that quality settings have diminishing impact.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture with a 3 nm process node, featuring 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. Its base clock is 300 MHz with a boost of 2500 MHz, and it draws 80 W TDP. The GPU's 12 ray tracing cores support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, providing modern API compatibility.

The GPU's memory configuration is "System Shared" for size, type, bus width, and bandwidth, meaning it relies on the host system's memory rather than dedicated VRAM. The bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which introduces variability based on the CPU's memory configuration. The i7-12700K supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, and the dual-channel interface could provide adequate bandwidth, but the shared nature of the memory subsystem creates contention with CPU workloads.

The GPU's compute capabilities include 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 and 15.36 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1 ratio), with a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s. These specifications position the Arc B390 as a low-end graphics solution, consistent with its 9th percentile ranking and 1482 average benchmark score. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it just 1.3% above the NVIDIA GT 520MX, a GPU from the early 2010s.

In Archeage, the GPU's limitations manifest most clearly at higher resolutions. The game's release date of January 2014 suggests it was designed for the graphics hardware of that era, which the Arc B390 approximates in raw performance. However, the 25 FPS average at 4K Medium and 17 FPS at 4K High indicate that modern rendering techniques and the game's ongoing updates have increased GPU demands beyond what this integrated solution can deliver.

FAQ

Q: What is the best playable configuration for this combo?

A: The 1920x1080 Medium preset offers 64 FPS average with a minimum of 54 FPS, providing a smooth experience. The 1920x1080 Low preset achieves 71 FPS, which is the highest measured frame rate, but Medium adds visual quality while remaining above 60 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle 4K gaming in Archeage?

A: No. The best 4K result is 28 FPS at Low settings, with Medium at 25 FPS, High at 17 FPS, and Ultra at 11 FPS. All 4K configurations fall below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered minimally playable.

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

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, which is 1.3% above the NVIDIA GT 520MX (1463), 1.5% above the GeForce 800M (1460), and 2.5% above the GT 625 OEM (1446). These are all entry-level or legacy GPUs, confirming the Arc B390's low-end positioning.

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

A: The GPU is clearly the bottleneck. The i7-12700K ranks at the 84th percentile among all CPUs with an average score of 35287, while the Arc B390 ranks at the 9th percentile with a score of 1482. The frame rate drops of 60.6% from 1080p to 4K at Low settings further confirm GPU limitation.

Q: What is the FPS range for the Medium preset across resolutions?

A: At 1080p, Medium averages 64 FPS with a range of 54 to 73. At 1440p, Medium averages 43 FPS with a range of 36 to 49. At 4K, Medium averages 25 FPS with a range of 21 to 28. The minimum FPS values show consistent frame times within each resolution.

Q: How does the i7-12700K's multi-threaded performance compare to its rivals?

A: The i7-12700K scores 35287 on average, which is just 0.1% below the i5-13600T (35305), 0.2% below the i7-12700KF (35365), and 0.3% below the i7-13700T (35403). The extremely small deltas indicate these CPUs perform nearly identically in synthetic benchmarks.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal configuration for this combo is the Medium preset at 1920x1080, which delivers 64 FPS average with a minimum of 54 FPS. This provides a balanced experience that maintains playability while offering improved visuals over the Low preset. The Low preset at 1080p achieves 71 FPS, which is the highest frame rate in the entire data set, and could be preferred for competitive or fast-paced scenarios where smoothness trumps visual fidelity.

For users with 2560x1440 displays, the Low preset at 48 FPS is the only configuration that approaches playability, though Medium at 43 FPS remains viable with a minimum of 36 FPS. The High preset at 29 FPS and Ultra at 20 FPS should be avoided at this resolution. At 3840x2160, all settings produce sub-30 FPS results, with Low at 28 FPS being the only marginally playable option. Users with 4K displays should consider either lowering the resolution to 1440p or accepting a reduced visual experience.

The High settings at 1080p (43 FPS) represent a significant visual upgrade over Medium but cost 21 FPS (32.8%), making them unsuitable for smooth gameplay. The Ultra preset at any resolution yields frame rates below 30 FPS and should be avoided entirely with this GPU. The data suggests that the Medium preset at 1080p offers the best balance of visual quality and performance, while the Low preset provides a high-refresh-rate option for those who prioritize frame rate. Given that the GPU's 9th percentile ranking places it far below the CPU's capability, the recommendation is to prioritize resolution and settings that minimize the GPU's pixel throughput requirements.