Assetto Corsa

Intel Core i5-11400F and Intel Arc B390 is a combination that lands in the lower tier of tested configurations for Assetto Corsa, ranking 2566th out of 2897 combos. The data indicates a system fundamentally constrained by the graphics processor, where playability is achievable only at lower resolutions and settings. The benchmark results show a clear pattern: this pairing is not designed for high-fidelity racing simulations, but it can deliver a functional experience at 1080p with adjusted expectations.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data reveals a steep performance cliff as resolution increases, a classic indicator of severe GPU limitation. At 1080p Low, the combo produces 118 FPS average, which drops to 82 FPS at 1440p Low and further to 50 FPS at 4K Low. This represents a 57.6% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K at the lowest settings, demonstrating that the rendering pipeline cannot keep pace with pixel count demands.

The scaling behavior becomes more punishing at higher quality presets. At High settings, the transition from 1080p (62 FPS) to 1440p (44 FPS) costs 29% of performance, and moving to 4K (26 FPS) costs another 41% relative to 1440p. This non-linear drop-off suggests the Arc B390's memory subsystem, which relies on System Shared memory, becomes a bottleneck when both resolution and texture complexity increase simultaneously.

The Ultra preset tells an even more decisive story. The 1080p Ultra average of 51 FPS falls to 36 FPS at 1440p and collapses to 22 FPS at 4K. The gap between Low and Ultra at the same resolution widens with resolution: at 1080p, Ultra is 56.8% slower than Low; at 1440p, it is 56.1% slower; at 4K, it is 56% slower. This consistent gap confirms that the limiting component is the GPU, as the CPU workload remains relatively stable across settings while the GPU struggles with increased shader and texture work.

The data indicates that the i5-11400F is not the primary constraint in this pairing. At 1080p Low, the CPU delivers 118 FPS average, which is well above the 60 FPS threshold, suggesting it has headroom remaining. The GPU's pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s, combined with only 24 ROPs, explains why higher resolutions and settings cause such dramatic FPS drops. The 4K Medium result, with a 30 FPS minimum and 40 FPS maximum, shows the system can occasionally reach playable territory but lacks consistency.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo ranks 2566th out of 2897 tested combinations, placing it in the bottom 11.4% of all configurations. This percentile position aligns with the GPU's individual standing, as the Arc B390 ranks in the 9th percentile among all GPUs, while the i5-11400F sits in the 71st percentile among CPUs. The disparity between the CPU's respectable standing and the GPU's low ranking explains why the system behaves as a GPU-bound configuration.

The GPU's nearest rivals in benchmark scores are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX (1.3% higher), GeForce 800M (1.5% higher), GT 625 OEM (2.5% higher), and GT 710 (2.7% higher). These deltas are remarkably small, indicating the Arc B390's raw compute performance is comparable to decade-old entry-level GPUs. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482 places it in this company, which explains why Assetto Corsa's modern rendering demands overwhelm it at higher settings.

In contrast, the CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7H12 (0.3% higher), Intel Core i5-12450H (0.4% lower), AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G (0.6% lower), and Intel Core Ultra 7 164U (0.6% higher). These tiny deltas show the i5-11400F is competitive with a wide range of processors, and its 12 MB of L3 cache and 6 cores with 12 threads provide adequate compute for simulation physics. The CPU's Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340 and single-core score of 2024 confirm it can handle the game's logic threads, but the GPU cannot translate that CPU capability into high frame rates.

The ranking position of 2566 out of 2897 means this combo is outperformed by the vast majority of systems tested. However, it is not the absolute worst, and the measured data shows it can exceed 60 FPS at 1080p Low, which is more than some lower-ranked combos achieve. The combination's performance profile is defined by the GPU's limitations, not the CPU's capabilities.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 operates as an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 300 MHz base clock and 2500 MHz boost clock. Its memory configuration is System Shared, meaning it draws from the same DDR4 pool as the CPU, with bandwidth described as System Dependent. This architecture has profound implications for Assetto Corsa, a game that benefits from dedicated video memory for texture streaming and frame buffering.

The GPU's specifications reveal its modest capabilities. With 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and only 24 ROPs, the chip is designed for efficiency rather than raw throughput. The 7.680 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 15.36 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1) provide enough compute for basic rendering, but the render output units become the bottleneck at higher resolutions. The 60.00 GPixel/s pixel rate translates to a theoretical maximum of 60 frames per second at 1080p, which the measured data approaches only at Low settings.

The 80 W TDP and 3 nm process node from Intel indicate a power-efficient design, but efficiency does not compensate for the lack of dedicated VRAM. The System Shared memory configuration means the GPU competes with the CPU for bandwidth, and the measured FPS drops at 4K reflect this contention. The 4K Medium result shows a 30 FPS minimum and 40 FPS maximum, indicating frame time variance that stems from memory access patterns rather than pure compute limits.

The GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, which are modern APIs. Assetto Corsa's rendering engine can leverage these features, but the hardware's limited ROP count and shared memory prevent it from exploiting them effectively. The 12 ray tracing cores are present but offer no practical benefit in this game at these performance levels. The GPU's percentile rank of 9 among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482, places it firmly in entry-level territory, and the measured game results confirm this classification.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings. At 1080p, the Low preset delivers 118 FPS average, which is more than double the 60 FPS target and provides headroom for smooth gameplay. The Medium preset at 1080p offers 83 FPS average with a 70 FPS minimum, which remains comfortably playable while providing better visual quality. High settings at 1080p drop to 62 FPS average, which is still acceptable, but the margin above 60 FPS is thin.

For 1440p, the Low preset produces 82 FPS average, which is playable, while Medium drops to 58 FPS with a 49 FPS minimum, which may cause noticeable stutter in fast-paced racing scenarios. The High preset at 1440p yields 44 FPS average, which is below the smoothness threshold, and Ultra at 36 FPS is not recommended. The 4K resolution is not viable for this combo, as even Low settings only reach 50 FPS average, and Medium falls to 35 FPS with a 30 FPS minimum.

The data supports a recommendation of 1080p Medium as the best balance. The 83 FPS average with a 70 FPS minimum ensures consistent frame delivery, and the Medium preset's visual improvements over Low are meaningful for a racing simulation where track details and car models matter. For players prioritizing maximum frame rate, 1080p Low at 118 FPS is the clear choice, but the Medium preset's 42% reduction in average FPS compared to Low is a reasonable trade for better visuals.

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only option that maintains playable performance. The 82 FPS average provides a good experience, but the 29.5% drop from 1080p Low to 1440p Low indicates the GPU is already under strain. The 4K resolution should be avoided entirely, as all presets except Low fall below 40 FPS, and even Low's 50 FPS average is borderline for a racing game that requires quick reactions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset shows a consistent pattern across all resolutions. At 1080p, the Low preset achieves 118 FPS average, Medium reaches 83 FPS with a 70-95 FPS range, High produces 62 FPS, and Ultra drops to 51 FPS. The progression from Low to Ultra represents a 56.8% performance loss, indicating that each quality tier adds significant GPU load.

At 1440p, the results scale downward proportionally. Low delivers 82 FPS, Medium produces 58 FPS with a 49-67 FPS range, High reaches 44 FPS, and Ultra falls to 36 FPS. The gap between 1080p and 1440p narrows at lower presets: Low loses 30.5% performance, Medium loses 30.1%, High loses 29%, and Ultra loses 29.4%. This consistency suggests the GPU's ROP throughput, rather than memory bandwidth, is the primary limiter.

At 4K, the performance collapses. Low produces 50 FPS, Medium reaches 35 FPS with a 30-40 FPS range, High drops to 26 FPS, and Ultra yields 22 FPS. The 4K Low result is 39% lower than 1440p Low, and 4K Ultra is 38.9% lower than 1440p Ultra. The 4K Medium frame range of 30-40 FPS shows significant variance, which would manifest as visible stuttering during races.

Notably, the frame time data is only available for Medium presets at each resolution. The 1080p Medium range of 70-95 FPS indicates a 35.7% variance between minimum and maximum, which is substantial. The 1440p Medium range of 49-67 FPS shows a similar 36.7% variance, while the 4K Medium range of 30-40 FPS has a 33.3% variance. This consistent frame time spread suggests the shared memory system causes periodic hitches regardless of resolution.

FAQ

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

A: The measured data shows 1920x1080 as the only resolution where all presets exceed 50 FPS average. At 1440p, only the Low preset stays above 60 FPS. The 4K resolution cannot maintain consistent playable frame rates, with even Low settings averaging only 50 FPS.

Q: Can this system run Assetto Corsa at 60 FPS?

A: Yes, but only at 1080p. The Low preset achieves 118 FPS average, and Medium reaches 83 FPS. At 1440p, only Low exceeds 60 FPS with 82 FPS. The High preset at 1080p produces 62 FPS, which barely meets the target, while all 4K presets fall below 60 FPS.

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

A: The Arc B390's average benchmark score of 1482 is within 2.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, GT 625 OEM, GeForce 800M, and GT 520MX. The performance deltas range from 1.3% higher than the GT 520MX to 2.7% higher than the GT 710, indicating these GPUs are all in the same performance class.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-11400F the bottleneck in this system?

A: No. The CPU ranks in the 71st percentile among all processors, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 14340. The GPU ranks in the 9th percentile, and the FPS drops at higher resolutions and settings indicate the graphics processor is the primary constraint.

Q: What settings should I use for the smoothest experience?

A: The 1080p Medium preset provides 83 FPS average with a 70 FPS minimum, offering a balance of visual quality and performance. For maximum frame rate, 1080p Low at 118 FPS is the fastest measured configuration. Avoid Ultra settings at any resolution, as they reduce average FPS by over 56% compared to Low.

Q: Does the GPU's shared memory configuration affect performance?

A: Yes. The Arc B390 uses System Shared memory, and the measured frame time variance at Medium settings (35.7% at 1080p, 36.7% at 1440p, 33.3% at 4K) indicates memory contention causes periodic frame drops. This is particularly evident in the 4K Medium result, which ranges from 30 to 40 FPS.