Archeage

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus paired with the Intel Arc B390 integrated graphics produces a combination that ranks near the bottom of the database for Archeage, landing at 3297 out of 3708 tested combos. This places the pairing in the 11th percentile of all configurations, indicating that while the CPU is exceptionally powerful, the integrated GPU severely limits the overall gaming experience. The data shows this is a system where the processor’s capabilities are almost entirely negated by the graphics solution, resulting in frame rates that are generally below playable thresholds except at the lowest settings and resolution.

How This Combo Ranks

The comboRankInGame of 3297 out of 3708 places this configuration in the bottom 11% of all tested pairings for Archeage. This ranking is a direct consequence of the GPU’s performance ceiling, as the Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics solution with a percentileVsAllGpus of just 9. In practical terms, this means the graphics component outperforms only 9% of all discrete and integrated GPUs in the database, making it one of the weakest components tested for this MMORPG. The CPU, by contrast, sits in the 96th percentile among all processors, creating a stark imbalance that the benchmark results reflect clearly.

The measured FPS data confirms this ranking is not an anomaly. At 1080p Ultra, the combination produces an average of 29 FPS, which is below the 30 FPS threshold typically considered minimum for playability. At 4K Ultra, the average drops to 11 FPS, rendering the game essentially unplayable at that quality level. The data indicates that this combo is only viable at 1080p Low, where it achieves 71 FPS. Compared to other combos in the database, this performance profile places it alongside systems using entry-level integrated graphics or very old discrete GPUs, despite the presence of a flagship-tier processor.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, manufactured on Intel’s 3 nm process node. It features 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. The GPU operates at a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz, with a thermal design power of just 80 W. Critically, the memory configuration is listed as "System Shared," meaning the GPU relies on the CPU’s DDR5 memory rather than having dedicated VRAM. The bandwidth is described as "System Dependent," which in this configuration with the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus’s dual-channel memory support translates to a theoretical 115.2 GB/s.

In Archeage, the GPU’s limited compute power is the primary bottleneck. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark score of 1482 places the B390 just 1.3% above the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, a discrete GPU from over a decade ago, and 2.7% above the GT 710. These comparisons highlight the B390’s position at the very bottom of the performance spectrum. The FP32 compute rate of 7.680 TFLOPS and pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s are insufficient for modern game rendering at high resolutions. The shared memory architecture also means that the system’s overall memory bandwidth is split between CPU and GPU tasks, further hampering performance in memory-intensive scenarios common in MMORPGs with many players on screen.

Resolution Scaling

The frame rate scaling from 1080p to 4K reveals a classic GPU-bound scenario. At Low settings, the average FPS drops from 71 at 1080p to 48 at 1440p, a 32% reduction, and then to 28 at 4K, another 42% reduction. This steep decline indicates that the GPU is working at its absolute limit even at the lowest settings, with each pixel count increase causing disproportionate performance losses. At High settings, the progression is 43 FPS at 1080p, 29 FPS at 1440p, and 17 FPS at 4K, showing a similar percentage drop but from an already low baseline.

The data suggests that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The CPU, with 24 cores and 24 threads running at a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, is far more capable than what these frame rates indicate. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see frame rates remain relatively stable across resolutions, since the processor’s workload does not increase proportionally with pixel count. Instead, the dramatic FPS drops—from 71 to 48 to 28 at Low settings across the three resolutions—demonstrate that the integrated GPU’s pixel throughput is exhausted well before the CPU’s processing capacity is challenged. The 4K High result of 17 FPS and 4K Ultra result of 11 FPS are particularly telling, showing that the B390 simply cannot handle the rasterization load at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS this combo achieves in Archeage?

A: The highest average FPS is 71, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This is the only configuration in the measured data that exceeds 60 FPS.

Q: Is this combination capable of running Archeage at 4K?

A: Yes, but only at very low frame rates. The best 4K result is 28 FPS at Low settings, while High settings yield 17 FPS, Medium yields 25 FPS, and Ultra drops to 11 FPS. None of these are considered playable for a smooth experience.

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

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the B390 scores 1482. This is 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463), 1.5% higher than the GeForce 800M (1460), 2.5% higher than the GT 625 OEM (1446), and 2.7% higher than the GT 710 (1443). The margin over these older GPUs is minimal.

Q: What settings provide the most balanced experience at 1080p?

A: Low settings at 1080p provide 71 FPS average, which is the only playable option. Medium settings drop to 64 FPS, which is still playable, but High settings fall to 43 FPS and Ultra to 29 FPS, the latter being below the typically acceptable threshold.

Q: What is the CPU’s percentile rank compared to other processors?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus has a percentileVsAllCpus of 96, meaning it outperforms 96% of all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 93785, placing it within 1.5% of the AMD EPYC 4564P and within 1.9% of the AMD EPYC 9175F.

Q: Does the GPU have dedicated memory?

A: No. The memory configuration is listed as "System Shared," meaning it uses the system’s DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM. The bandwidth is described as "System Dependent," relying on the CPU’s dual-channel memory bus.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus is a 24-core, 24-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake Refresh architecture, built on a 3 nm process node by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, with a thermal design power of 125 W. The cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3 cache. The processor supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, providing a theoretical memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory and has a PCIe Gen 5 interface with 20 CPU lanes.

In synthetic benchmarks, this CPU demonstrates exceptional capability. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 44253 and single-core score of 2439 place it well above the average processor. The Passmark multithread score of 68574 and single-thread score of 5068 further confirm its high performance. With an avgBenchmarkScore of 93785, it sits at the 96th percentile of all CPUs, nearly matching the Intel Xeon 6520P (93786, 0% delta) and trailing the AMD EPYC 4564P by just 1.5%. For Archeage, an MMORPG that can be sensitive to single-thread performance in crowded areas, the CPU’s 5.50 GHz boost clock and strong single-core scores should theoretically provide ample headroom.

However, the measured FPS data shows that the CPU’s power is entirely unused in this pairing. Even at 1080p Low, where the frame rate is highest, the CPU is unlikely to be the limiting factor. The consistent performance across all settings at each resolution—where the FPS drops are proportional to GPU load—indicates that the processor is waiting on the GPU for nearly every frame. The 24 threads would be beneficial if the GPU could feed them faster, but the B390’s rendering speed caps the entire system.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the only settings that provide a consistently playable experience are at 1920x1080 with Low or Medium quality. At 1080p Low, the average FPS is 71, which is smooth and responsive. Medium settings at the same resolution yield 64 FPS, which remains playable and offers better visual fidelity. The jump to High settings at 1080p reduces the average to 43 FPS, which may be acceptable for some users but is noticeably less fluid, especially in fast-moving combat scenarios common in MMORPGs. Ultra settings at 1080p produce 29 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay.

At 1440p, the situation worsens significantly. Low settings average 48 FPS, which is borderline playable, but Medium drops to 43 FPS, High to 29 FPS, and Ultra to 20 FPS. The 4K results are not recommended under any circumstances, as even Low settings only achieve 28 FPS, and Ultra drops to 11 FPS. The best experience per the measured rows is 1080p Low, which prioritizes frame rate over visual quality. For users who prefer better visuals, 1080p Medium at 64 FPS is a reasonable compromise, offering a 10% frame rate reduction for improved textures and effects. The data does not support using High or Ultra settings at any resolution if smooth gameplay is the goal.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured results show a clear progression from Low to Ultra settings. Low settings average 71 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo. Medium settings average 64 FPS, with a minimum of 54 FPS and a maximum of 73 FPS. High settings drop to 43 FPS average, and Ultra settings fall to 29 FPS. The range between minimum and maximum at Medium settings (54-73 FPS) suggests some scene-dependent variation, but the overall trend is a linear decrease in performance as visual quality increases.

At 2560x1440, the performance degrades further. Low settings average 48 FPS, which is 32% lower than the 1080p Low result. Medium settings average 43 FPS, with a minimum of 36 FPS and maximum of 49 FPS. High settings average 29 FPS, and Ultra settings fall to 20 FPS. The 1440p Medium range (36-49 FPS) shows that even the minimum frame rate is below the 60 FPS target, making this resolution suitable only for less demanding scenarios.

At 3840x2160, the results are largely unplayable. Low settings average 28 FPS, which is the best 4K result. Medium settings average 25 FPS, with a minimum of 21 FPS and maximum of 28 FPS. High settings average 17 FPS, and Ultra settings average 11 FPS. The 4K Medium range (21-28 FPS) indicates that frame times are inconsistent, leading to stuttering and a poor experience. Across all resolutions, the pattern is consistent: the Intel Arc B390 is the definitive bottleneck, and the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus’s processing power cannot compensate for the integrated GPU’s limitations. The data suggests that users should either lower resolution to 1080p and accept Low or Medium settings, or consider a discrete GPU upgrade to unlock the CPU’s full potential.