Assetto Corsa

Assetto Corsa’s measured frame rates for the Intel Core i3-12100F paired with the Intel Arc B390 show a combination that is strictly limited to lower resolutions and reduced settings for a playable experience. The data indicates a pairing that ranks near the bottom of the database, with the GPU being the dominant constraint across all tested configurations.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this CPU and GPU combo in Assetto Corsa?

A: The only resolution where the combo achieves a consistently smooth average frame rate is 1920x1080. At this resolution, the Low preset produces an average of 118 FPS, and the Medium preset produces 83 FPS, both of which are well above playable thresholds.

Q: Can this combo run Assetto Corsa at 3840x2160?

A: Technically yes, but not at a playable level. At 3840x2160, the average frame rates are 50 FPS on Low, 35 FPS on Medium, 26 FPS on High, and 22 FPS on Ultra. Only the Low preset approaches a playable range, while Medium, High, and Ultra all fall short of a smooth 60 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B390 compare to its nearest rivals in terms of 3DMark performance?

A: The GPU’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482. This places it 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463), 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460), and 2.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446). Its percentile rank against all GPUs is 9.

Q: What is the CPU’s benchmark standing relative to other processors?

A: The Intel Core i3-12100F has an average benchmark score of 13494, placing it in the 68th percentile of all CPUs. It performs nearly identically to the Intel Core 3 N355, which scores 13492, and is 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452).

Q: Is the Medium preset at 1920x1080 a viable option for this combo?

A: Yes. The data shows a 1920x1080 Medium preset averages 83 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS and a maximum of 95 FPS. This provides a stable experience with a comfortable margin above typical playability standards.

Q: How does the combo rank overall in Assetto Corsa?

A: The combo ranks 2566 out of 2897 tested combinations in this game. This places it in the bottom percentile of tested systems, indicating that while it can run the game, it does so with significant performance limitations compared to most other combinations.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i3-12100F is a 4-core, 8-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. Its base clock is 3.30 GHz, with a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. The cache hierarchy includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. This desktop part supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration and connects via PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

In Assetto Corsa, a racing simulation from 2014, the CPU’s role is to handle the physics calculations, AI logic, and game state management. The i3-12100F’s single-thread performance is a key factor for these tasks. Its benchmark results show a 3DMark single-thread score of 893, a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1674, and a Geekbench single-core score of 1932. These scores indicate a capable processor for this game’s CPU-bound aspects, which are often more dependent on single-core speed than on multi-core scaling.

Multi-threaded performance is less critical for Assetto Corsa but still relevant for background tasks and certain game engine workloads. The CPU’s multi-threaded scores include a 3DMark 4-thread score of 2859, an 8-thread score of 4026, and a max-thread score of 4023. Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 11860, and Geekbench multicore is 7252. These numbers show that the CPU’s performance scales well up to its 8 threads, but the game’s demands are unlikely to fully utilize them.

The CPU’s percentile rank of 68 means it performs better than the majority of all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core 3 N355 (average score 13492, delta 0%), the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452, 0.3%), the Intel Core 5 120UL (13594, -0.7%), and the Intel Core i7-1250U (13351, 1.1%). This places the i3-12100F in a competitive position for its class.

For Assetto Corsa specifically, the CPU is unlikely to be the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions. The measured frame rates show that at 1920x1080 Low, the combo achieves 118 FPS, suggesting the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at this level. However, as resolution and settings increase, the GPU becomes the limiting factor, as evidenced by the sharp drop in frame rates at higher settings.

The CPU’s power envelope is a 58 W TDP, which is modest and typical for a budget desktop processor. Its launch MSRP is $97. The processor is not multiplier unlocked, meaning overclocking is not an option for users seeking additional performance. For this game, the data suggests the CPU provides sufficient headroom for the GPU to operate at its maximum capability, particularly at lower settings where the GPU is the limiting factor.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated GPU (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on Intel’s 3 nm process. It is part of the Arc Graphics-M (Panther Lake) generation. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its base clock is 300 MHz, with a boost clock of 2500 MHz.

Memory configuration is entirely system-dependent. The GPU uses System Shared memory, meaning it draws from the main system RAM. Its memory type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as System Shared or System Dependent. This is a critical limitation, as the GPU’s performance is tied to the speed and capacity of the system’s DDR4 or DDR5 memory, which is shared with the CPU.

The GPU’s compute capabilities include a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s, a texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance of 7.680 TFLOPS. FP16 performance is 15.36 TFLOPS (2:1). The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Its TDP is 80 W, and it is integrated into the processor package.

The Arc B390’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is an extremely low score, indicating that the GPU is only marginally capable of running modern 3D applications. Its nearest rivals in the database are all older, low-end NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX (1463, delta 1.3%), the GeForce 800M (1460, delta 1.5%), the GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446, delta 2.5%), and the GeForce GT 710 (1443, delta 2.7%). The Arc B390 is ahead of all these, but only by a small margin.

In Assetto Corsa, the GPU’s role is to render the game’s graphics, including track geometry, car models, weather effects, and lighting. The game is from 2014, so its graphical demands are relatively modest by modern standards. However, the Arc B390’s low performance tier means it struggles to maintain high frame rates even at moderate settings.

The measured data confirms this. At 1920x1080, the GPU produces 118 FPS on Low, 83 FPS on Medium, 62 FPS on High, and 51 FPS on Ultra. The drop from Low to Ultra is significant, with the Ultra preset producing less than half the frame rate of Low. At 2560x1440, the frame rates are 82 FPS on Low, 58 FPS on Medium, 44 FPS on High, and 36 FPS on Ultra. At 3840x2160, the frame rates fall to 50 FPS on Low, 35 FPS on Medium, 26 FPS on High, and 22 FPS on Ultra.

The GPU’s shared memory architecture is a likely contributor to these limitations. Since the GPU uses system memory, the available bandwidth is shared with the CPU, which can create contention and reduce effective performance. This is especially problematic at higher resolutions where the GPU requires more memory bandwidth to render frames.

The GPU’s low percentile rank (9) and its proximity to very old, low-end GPUs in the benchmark database indicate that it is not designed for high-performance gaming. For Assetto Corsa, the GPU is the primary bottleneck at all settings above Low, and even at Low, the frame rates at higher resolutions are not sufficient for a smooth experience.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured frame rates for this combo in Assetto Corsa show a clear pattern: performance scales inversely with resolution and settings, with the GPU being the limiting factor. At 1920x1080, the combo achieves its best results. The Low preset produces an average of 118 FPS, which is the highest frame rate recorded for this combo. The Medium preset averages 83 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS and a maximum of 95 FPS, providing a stable and playable experience. High settings average 62 FPS, which is borderline playable, while Ultra drops to 51 FPS, which may be acceptable for some users but is below the 60 FPS target.

At 2560x1440, performance drops noticeably across all settings. Low averages 82 FPS, which is still playable, but the margin is thinner. Medium averages 58 FPS with a minimum of 49 FPS and a maximum of 67 FPS, meaning the frame rate can dip below 60 FPS during demanding scenes. High averages 44 FPS, and Ultra averages 36 FPS, both of which are below playable thresholds for a racing simulation where smooth motion is important.

At 3840x2160, the combo struggles to maintain playable frame rates at any setting. Low averages 50 FPS, which is marginal, while Medium averages 35 FPS with a minimum of 30 FPS and a maximum of 40 FPS. High averages 26 FPS, and Ultra averages 22 FPS. These numbers indicate that 4K gaming is not viable with this combo for Assetto Corsa, even at the lowest settings.

The data shows a consistent performance drop of approximately 30-40% when moving from 1920x1080 to 2560x1440, and another similar drop when moving from 2560x1440 to 3840x2160. This suggests that the GPU’s memory bandwidth and fill rate are the limiting factors, as the resolution increases require more pixels to be rendered and more memory to be accessed.

For users targeting a specific frame rate, the data provides clear guidance. For 60 FPS, the only viable options are 1920x1080 Low (118 FPS) and 1920x1080 Medium (83 FPS). At 2560x1440, even Low (82 FPS) can exceed 60 FPS on average, but it may dip below during heavy scenes. For 30 FPS, 3840x2160 Low (50 FPS) is the only 4K option that meets this threshold, while 2560x1440 Medium (58 FPS) and above are also viable.

The minimum frame rate data is only provided for Medium settings at each resolution. At 1920x1080 Medium, the minimum is 70 FPS, which is well above playable. At 2560x1440 Medium, the minimum is 49 FPS, which is close to the 60 FPS target but may cause noticeable stutters. At 3840x2160 Medium, the minimum is 30 FPS, which is the bare minimum for playability.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested combinations for Assetto Corsa, this pairing of the Intel Core i3-12100F and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2566 out of 2897 total combinations. This places it in the bottom 11.4% of all tested systems, indicating that it is a very low-performance configuration for this game.

The rank is primarily driven by the GPU’s limitations. The Arc B390’s 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 and its 9th percentile rank among all GPUs make it one of the weakest GPUs in the database. While the CPU is more capable, ranking in the 68th percentile, the GPU’s low performance drags the overall combo ranking down significantly.

Comparing to the GPU’s nearest rivals, the Arc B390 is only marginally faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% faster), the GeForce 800M (1.5% faster), the GeForce GT 625 OEM (2.5% faster), and the GeForce GT 710 (2.7% faster). All of these are very old, low-end GPUs that are not suitable for modern gaming. The combo’s rank of 2566 suggests that most other combinations, even those with similarly weak GPUs, manage to achieve better performance in Assetto Corsa.

The CPU’s performance is less of a factor in this ranking. The i3-12100F’s average benchmark score of 13494 and 68th percentile rank show that it is a competent processor. However, the GPU’s 9th percentile rank is so low that it dominates the combo’s overall performance profile. For a game like Assetto Corsa, which is not particularly demanding on the CPU, the GPU’s weakness is the primary reason for the low ranking.

The rank of 2566 out of 2897 means that only 331 tested combinations are slower than this one. This is a clear indicator that the combo is not suitable for a smooth gaming experience in Assetto Corsa at most settings. Users with this configuration would need to make significant compromises in resolution and quality settings to achieve playable frame rates.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured frame rate data, the recommended settings for this combo depend on the user’s target resolution and frame rate preferences.

For users with a 1920x1080 monitor, the Medium preset is the best choice. It averages 83 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS and a maximum of 95 FPS. This provides a smooth, stable experience that is well above the 60 FPS threshold. The Low preset offers a higher average of 118 FPS, but the visual quality reduction may not be worth the extra frame rate for most users. The High preset at 62 FPS is also viable, but the Medium preset offers a better balance of performance and visual quality.

For users with a 2560x1440 monitor, the Low preset is the only option that consistently exceeds 60 FPS, averaging 82 FPS. However, the Medium preset at 58 FPS is also playable, with a minimum of 49 FPS. Users who prioritize visual quality over absolute frame rate may prefer Medium, but they should be prepared for occasional dips below 60 FPS. High (44 FPS) and Ultra (36 FPS) are not recommended for a smooth experience.

For users with a 3840x2160 monitor, the Low preset at 50 FPS is the only option that approaches playability. Medium at 35 FPS, High at 26 FPS, and Ultra at 22 FPS are all too slow for a racing simulation where smooth, responsive controls are essential. Users with a 4K display should strongly consider lowering the resolution to 2560x1440 or 1920x1080 for a better experience.

In summary, the best experience with this combo is achieved at 1920x1080 with the Medium preset. This provides an average of 83 FPS with a minimum of 70 FPS, ensuring a smooth and responsive racing experience. Users who prefer higher resolutions will need to accept lower settings and frame rates, with 2560x1440 Low being the next best option. The data clearly shows that the Arc B390 is not capable of handling higher settings or resolutions in Assetto Corsa, and users should adjust their expectations accordingly.