Assetto Corsa

Assetto Corsa, a racing simulation from 2014, remains a staple benchmark for PC hardware. The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU and the Intel Arc B370 GPU produces a highly specific performance profile. The data measured for this pairing reveals a configuration that is heavily skewed by its graphics component, resulting in a low overall standing. Benchmark results indicate that while the processor holds its own, the graphics solution severely limits the experience, particularly at higher resolutions and detail settings.

How This Combo Ranks

The measured data places this specific combination at rank 2669 out of 2897 tested combos for Assetto Corsa. This places it in the bottom half of all configurations, specifically within the 8th percentile of results. This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, which has a percentile rank of 5 among all tested graphics cards. The processor, by contrast, ranks in the 71st percentile among all CPUs, indicating a significant mismatch in capability between the two components.

The data shows that the Intel Arc B370 is the primary bottleneck. Its average benchmark score of 1184 is nearly identical to its nearest rivals, such as the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 with a deltaPct of -0.2%. This places its raw graphics processing power in the same tier as legacy entry-level hardware. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 5 3600's average benchmark score of 17035 puts it in a much more competitive field, with rivals like the Intel Core i7-1260P and Intel Core i5-11400 showing only a 0.2% difference in score, either above or below. The combination's rank of 2669 out of 2897 is a direct consequence of this imbalance; the CPU's strength cannot compensate for the GPU's profound limitations in a graphically demanding title like Assetto Corsa.

This performance gap is not a subtle one. The GPU is not just a few percent behind; it is in a different performance class entirely. The data implies that any analysis of this combo's in-game performance must focus on the GPU, as it defines the boundaries of what is achievable. The CPU, while not a top-tier part, is more than adequate and is effectively waiting for the GPU to catch up, a situation that never occurs in the measured results.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combination is found at the Low settings preset. The data shows that this preset is the only one that consistently provides a playable frame rate across all tested resolutions. At 1920x1080, Low settings produce an average of 106 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for any settings/resolution combination in the dataset. This is the only configuration that pushes performance beyond the 100 FPS threshold.

The Medium preset is the next step up, but it comes with a significant performance cost. At 1920x1080, the average FPS drops from 106 to 75, a substantial decrease of 31 frames. While still playable, this 29% reduction in performance is a steep price for the visual improvements. At 2560x1440, the Medium preset averages 52 FPS, which is acceptable but begins to show the GPU's strain. At 4K, the Medium preset falls to an average of 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 FPS, which is not a smooth experience for a racing game.

The High and Ultra presets are not viable for this combo. At 1080p, High settings average 56 FPS, and Ultra drops to 46 FPS. These frame rates are below what is generally considered smooth for a simulation title. At higher resolutions, they become unplayable, with 4K Ultra averaging a mere 19 FPS. The data strongly suggests that users should stick to Low or, at the very most, Medium settings at 1080p to maintain a responsive and fluid driving experience. Attempting to use higher presets will result in a visually compromised and technically poor performance.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals a clear pattern of degradation as resolution increases, highlighting the GPU's limited processing power. The most telling comparison is the performance drop from 1080p to 4K at the same settings. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 106 at 1920x1080 to 45 at 3840x2160. This represents a drop of 61 FPS, or a 58% reduction in performance. This is a clear indicator that the GPU is overwhelmed by the pixel count at 4K.

This scaling pattern is consistent across all settings. At Medium, the average FPS drops from 75 at 1080p to 32 at 4K. At High, it drops from 56 to 24. At Ultra, it drops from 46 to 19. The data indicates that the limiting component is unequivocally the GPU. The resolution scaling is far too steep to be caused by the CPU, which is a 6-core, 12-thread part with a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. A CPU bottleneck would typically show less variance across resolutions, as the CPU workload remains relatively constant while the GPU workload increases.

The implication is that this combo is only suitable for 1080p gaming. Even at 1440p, the performance takes a significant hit, with Low settings dropping from 106 to 74 FPS, a 30% reduction. The 4K results are purely academic, as the frame rates are too low for any practical use in a racing simulation. The data shows that the Intel Arc B370 simply does not have the raw fill rate or memory bandwidth—its memory is system shared—to handle resolutions beyond 1080p effectively.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of the combo's performance across three resolutions and four settings presets. At 1920x1080, the results are the most favorable. Low settings yield an average of 106 FPS, making it the only fluid experience available. Medium settings produce an average of 75 FPS, with a minimum of 64 FPS and a maximum of 86 FPS. High settings average 56 FPS, and Ultra settings average 46 FPS. This shows a clear progression of performance loss as visual fidelity increases.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops noticeably. Low settings average 74 FPS, which is still playable but a significant step down from 1080p. Medium settings average 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS. High settings average 39 FPS, and Ultra settings average 32 FPS. The data shows that at 1440p, only the Low preset can be considered smooth, while Medium is borderline.

At 3840x2160, the results are mostly below playable thresholds. Low settings average 45 FPS, which is marginal for a racing game. Medium settings average 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 FPS and a maximum of 36 FPS. High settings average 24 FPS, and Ultra settings average 19 FPS. The data shows that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combination, as all settings presets fail to provide a consistently smooth frame rate. The minimum FPS data, only available for the Medium preset, shows that the frame pacing can dip below the average, further impacting the experience.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the defining component in this combination, and its specifications explain the measured performance. It is built on Intel's Xe3-LPG architecture and has a very low TDP of 25 W. Its performance is more akin to an integrated graphics processor, given its "IGP" slot width. The GPU has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, but its memory configuration is its biggest weakness: it relies on "System Shared" memory. This means the GPU uses the system's DDR4 RAM, which has a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s (for the CPU), rather than dedicated, high-speed GDDR6 memory.

This shared memory architecture is a major bottleneck. The GPU's shading units, 1280 in total, are likely starved for data. The pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s, which are low numbers. The data shows that the GPU's performance is comparable to that of the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, a legacy part. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 confirms this, as it is within a 1% margin of its closest rivals. The GPU's 5th percentile ranking among all GPUs is a damning statistic, indicating that it performs worse than 95% of the graphics cards in the benchmark database.

The GPU's inability to maintain playable frame rates at higher settings is a direct result of its limited memory bandwidth and low compute power. The data shows that this is not a driver issue or a game-specific quirk; it is a fundamental hardware limitation. The Arc B370 is simply not designed for gaming at 1080p with high settings, let alone 1440p or 4K. Its 20 ROPs and 40 TMUs are too few to handle the fill rate requirements of modern game rendering at higher resolutions.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 presents a stark contrast to the GPU. It is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 2 architecture, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. It has a 32 MB shared L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory. Its benchmark scores are solid, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 15045 and a single-core score of 2124. The 3DMark 16-thread score of 4605 and the Geekbench multi-core score of 7372 further indicate a capable processor for gaming workloads.

The CPU's performance is not the limiting factor in this combination. Its nearest rivals, the Intel Core i7-1260P and Intel Core i5-11400, have nearly identical average benchmark scores, with deltas of 0.2% and -0.2% respectively. This places the Ryzen 5 3600 in a well-populated mid-range tier. The data shows that for Assetto Corsa, a game from 2014, the CPU has more than enough processing power to feed the GPU. The fact that FPS drops significantly as resolution increases confirms that the GPU is the bottleneck, not the CPU.

The CPU's role is to handle the physics and game logic, and its 6 cores and 12 threads are sufficient for this task. The data shows that the CPU is performing its duties, but its potential is untapped because the GPU cannot keep up. If the Arc B370 were replaced with a more powerful GPU, the Ryzen 5 3600 would likely be able to support higher frame rates. The CPU is not a weak link; it is a solid foundation that is held back by the graphics card. The measured FPS values are proof of the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's.

FAQ

Q: Why is the overall rank for this combo so low?

A: The combo ranks 2669 out of 2897 tested combinations. This is primarily due to the Intel Arc B370 GPU, which ranks in the 5th percentile among all GPUs, while the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU ranks in the 71st percentile. The GPU's low performance drags down the entire system's ranking.

Q: What is the best settings preset to use with this combo?

A: The Low settings preset is the only one that provides consistently playable frame rates. At 1080p, it averages 106 FPS. The Medium preset is also viable at 1080p, averaging 75 FPS, but the performance drops significantly at higher resolutions.

Q: Can this combo run Assetto Corsa at 4K resolution?

A: No, the data shows that 4K is not a viable resolution. Even at Low settings, the average FPS is only 45. At Ultra settings, it drops to 19 FPS, which is unplayable.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU the main bottleneck?

A: The GPU is unequivocally the bottleneck. This is evident from the resolution scaling, where FPS drops dramatically from 1080p to 4K (e.g., from 106 to 45 FPS at Low settings), a pattern typical of a GPU-limited scenario.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184. Its closest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, has a score of 1186, a delta of -0.2%. This indicates the Arc B370 is performing at the level of a very old, entry-level graphics solution.

Q: Does the Ryzen 5 3600 perform well in this system?

A: Yes, the CPU is more than capable. Its average benchmark score of 17035 is on par with rivals like the Intel Core i7-1260P and Intel Core i5-11400, which have deltas of 0.2% and -0.2% respectively. Its performance is not the cause of the low frame rates.