Archeage

Archeage, a 2014 MMORPG, presents a demanding workload for the tested combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and the Intel Arc B390. The measured data reveals a system where the integrated graphics solution is the primary constraint, with the CPU's substantial capabilities having a limited impact on playability. This analysis examines the performance breakdown across resolutions and settings, contextualizing the results against the hardware's known characteristics.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K is severe, clearly demonstrating that the Intel Arc B390's integrated graphics are the limiting factor in this configuration. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 43 FPS at 1920x1080 to 29 FPS at 2560x1440, representing a 32.6% reduction in performance. Moving to 3840x2160, the average FPS drops further to 17, which is a 60.5% reduction from the 1080p baseline. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario; the pixel count quadruples from 1080p to 4K, and the frame rate plummets accordingly, leaving little headroom for the CPU to influence the outcome.

The trend is consistent across all settings. At Low settings, the frame rate drops from 71 FPS at 1080p to 48 FPS at 1440p, a decline of 32.4%. At 4K Low, the average plummets to 28 FPS, a 60.6% drop from the 1080p result. These near-identical percentage drops across different quality presets indicate that the bottleneck is not related to specific graphical features like textures or shadows, but rather the fundamental throughput of the GPU. The Arc B390's 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply insufficient to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions.

The data suggests that even at 1440p, the experience is marginal. The 29 FPS average at High settings is below the threshold for smooth gameplay, and the 20 FPS at Ultra is barely interactive. The only resolution where the system consistently delivers acceptable performance is 1080p, and even then, it requires a reduction in settings. The 4K results, with averages ranging from 11 to 28 FPS, are not viable for a playable experience. The scaling curve indicates that users should treat 1080p as the practical ceiling for this hardware combination in Archeage.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured rows, the optimal balance of visual quality and performance is achieved at 1920x1080 with Medium settings, which yields an average of 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 73 FPS. This preset provides a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS target, ensuring a generally smooth experience with only occasional dips. The data shows that this is the highest quality setting at 1080p that maintains an average above 60 FPS.

Choosing Low settings at 1080p increases the average to 71 FPS, but the visual fidelity reduction may not be worth the 7 FPS gain, especially since the Medium preset already offers a playable experience. Conversely, High settings at 1080p drop the average to 43 FPS, which is a significant step down and may result in noticeable stutter during intense combat or crowded areas. The Ultra preset at 1080p is not recommended, as the 29 FPS average is well below the playability threshold.

At 2560x1440, the Low preset is the only option that approaches playability, with a 48 FPS average. However, the Medium preset at 43 FPS could be considered if the user is willing to tolerate a sub-60 FPS experience, though the minimum FPS of 36 suggests potential for noticeable frame pacing issues. For a consistent experience, 1080p Medium is the clear choice. The measured data indicates that this preset provides the best experience per the measured rows, offering the highest visual quality without sacrificing the frame rate to the point of distraction.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the decisive component in this system's gaming performance. Its integrated nature, with system-shared memory and a system-dependent bandwidth, places it at a significant disadvantage for a demanding MMORPG like Archeage. The GPU's 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, GeForce 800M, and GeForce GT 625 OEM. This positioning confirms its entry-level performance class.

The GPU's specifications support this assessment. With 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 render output units, the silicon is small and limited. Its boost clock of 2500 MHz is respectable, but the sheer amount of work it can do per clock is constrained. The 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 figure is a theoretical maximum that the measured frame rates show is rarely, if ever, approached in a real-world gaming scenario. The 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate further highlights its limitations, as 4K resolutions require a massive number of pixel fills per second.

The "System Shared" memory is a critical bottleneck. Since the GPU uses the same memory pool as the CPU, there is no dedicated high-bandwidth VRAM. This is reflected in the significant performance drops as resolution increases. The data shows that the GPU is consistently the limiting component, regardless of CPU settings. In this configuration, the GPU's role is to be the primary performance gate, and the measured FPS numbers across all settings and resolutions are a direct reflection of its throughput limits.

FAQ

Q: Can this system run Archeage at 4K resolution?

A: No. The measured data shows average FPS ranging from 11 at Ultra settings to 28 at Low settings at 3840x2160. All 4K results are well below playable thresholds.

Q: What is the best resolution and settings combination for a smooth experience?

A: The data indicates that 1920x1080 with Medium settings is the best option, providing an average of 64 FPS with a minimum of 54 FPS.

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

A: The Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the GeForce 800M, and 2.5% higher than the GeForce GT 625 OEM.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the limiting factor in this game?

A: The GPU is the limiting factor. The consistent percentage-based FPS drops with increasing resolution, from 1080p to 4K, are a classic indicator of a GPU bottleneck.

Q: What is the average FPS difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1080p?

A: The difference is 42 FPS. Low settings achieve 71 FPS, while Ultra settings drop to 29 FPS.

Q: Does the Intel Core Ultra 7 265's performance impact the gaming results?

A: The CPU's performance has a minimal impact on the measured results. The Intel Arc B390's low percentile ranking (9th) and the severe resolution scaling indicate that the GPU is the primary constraint.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2453 out of 2761 tested combos in Archeage. This places it in the bottom 11% of all configurations, which is consistent with the integrated GPU's performance class. The ranking reflects the reality that while the CPU is a high-performance part, the GPU severely limits the overall gaming experience.

This low ranking is predictable given the individual components. The Intel Arc B390 is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, indicating that it performs worse than 91% of its peers. This is the dominant factor in the combo's ranking. The CPU, on the other hand, is in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, but its power cannot be utilized effectively when the GPU is the bottleneck. The result is a system that is significantly unbalanced for gaming, with the CPU's potential being largely wasted.

The gap between the combo's ranking and what the CPU alone could achieve is stark. A configuration with a more capable dedicated GPU would likely rank much higher, as the Core Ultra 7 265 has the processing power to support higher frame rates. However, in this specific pairing, the GPU's limitations are insurmountable. The 2453rd rank out of 2761 combos is a clear statement that this is not a viable gaming platform for a title like Archeage beyond the most modest settings and resolutions.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 265 is a high-end desktop processor with 20 cores and 20 threads, a base clock of 2.40 GHz, and a boost clock of 5.30 GHz. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 42216 and single-core score of 5960 place it in the 93rd percentile of all CPUs, demonstrating its strong processing capabilities. However, in the context of Archeage, the CPU's role is secondary to the GPU.

The measured FPS data shows that the CPU is not the limiting factor at any resolution or setting. The performance scaling aligns almost perfectly with the GPU's workload, not the CPU's capabilities. For instance, the 42 FPS drop from Low to Ultra at 1080p is a graphical setting change, not a CPU-related one. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see smaller differences between settings, as the CPU would be the limiting factor regardless of graphical load.

The CPU's high multi-threaded performance, evidenced by its PassMark multi-thread score of 49682, is essential for modern games, but Archeage's demands are not high enough to stress this processor. The data suggests that the CPU is operating well within its limits, providing no performance ceiling that would prevent the GPU from reaching its full potential. The bottleneck is entirely on the GPU's side, and the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with data, which it does with ease.

Measured FPS Breakdown

1920x1080:

• Ultra: The average FPS is 29. This is the lowest performance tier at this resolution.
• High: The average FPS is 43, a 14 FPS improvement over Ultra.
• Medium: The average FPS is 64, with a minimum of 54 and a maximum of 73. This is the most balanced preset.
• Low: The average FPS is 71, the highest recorded at 1080p.

2560x1440:

• Ultra: The average FPS drops to 20.
• High: The average FPS is 29, a 32.6% drop from the 1080p High result.
• Medium: The average FPS is 43, with a minimum of 36 and a maximum of 49.
• Low: The average FPS is 48, the best result at 1440p.

3840x2160:

• Ultra: The average FPS is 11, the lowest score in the entire dataset.
• High: The average FPS is 17, a 60.5% drop from the 1080p High result.
• Medium: The average FPS is 25, with a minimum of 21 and a maximum of 28.
• Low: The average FPS is 28, which is the only marginally playable result at 4K, though still below 30 FPS.

The data reveals a consistent pattern: each step up in resolution causes a significant, predictable drop in frame rate. The transition from 1080p to 1440p costs roughly 30% of the performance, and the transition to 4K costs another 40-50%. This linear scaling with pixel count confirms that the system is heavily GPU-bound. The maximum FPS values, where available, show that the system can occasionally reach higher frame rates, but the averages are more representative of the sustained experience. The minimum FPS values for Medium settings at all resolutions highlight the potential for stutter during demanding scenes.