Assetto Corsa

Assetto Corsa, the 2014 racing simulation, remains a demanding title for low-power hardware, and the combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F with the Intel Arc B370 integrated GPU produces a narrow performance envelope. The data reveals a system that is strictly limited by its graphics solution, where the capable six-core processor is left largely underutilized as the integrated graphics struggle to maintain playable frame rates at higher resolutions. The measured results show a clear hierarchy of performance dictated almost entirely by the GPU's workload, with the CPU providing a stable foundation that never becomes the primary bottleneck in this specific configuration.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K exposes a severe performance cliff that is characteristic of a system bound by its integrated graphics processor. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 106 FPS, which is a playable figure for a racing simulator. Moving to 1440p at the same settings drops the average to 74 FPS, a reduction of 30.2%. The jump to 4K Low yields an average of 45 FPS, which represents a 57.5% decline from the 1080p baseline. This steep drop-off indicates that the rendering resolution is directly overwhelming the GPU's limited processing capacity.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At High settings, the average frame rate falls from 56 FPS at 1080p to 39 FPS at 1440p, and further to 24 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset demonstrates the most brutal scaling, starting at 46 FPS at 1080p, dropping to 32 FPS at 1440p, and collapsing to 19 FPS at 4K. The data shows that for every doubling of pixel count, the frame rate drops by nearly half, which is a textbook indication of a pixel-bound scenario. The GPU’s pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s are simply insufficient for the higher resolution workloads.

The limiting component is unambiguously the Intel Arc B370. The CPU, with its 6 cores and 12 threads, is more than capable of feeding frames at these rates. The fact that the frame rate scales almost perfectly with resolution—rather than remaining flat, which would indicate a CPU limit—confirms that the integrated GPU is the sole constraint. The 4K results, ranging from 19 to 45 FPS depending on settings, are uniformly below the threshold for a smooth simulation experience, suggesting that this resolution is not viable for this combo in Assetto Corsa.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate this combo can achieve in Assetto Corsa?

A: The highest measured average frame rate is 106 FPS, which occurs at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: How does the combo perform at 1440p with Medium settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with Medium settings, the combo produces an average of 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 FPS and a maximum of 60 FPS.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400F or the Intel Arc B370 the primary bottleneck in this game?

A: The benchmark results indicate that the Intel Arc B370 is the limiting factor. The frame rate scales heavily with resolution, which is a characteristic of GPU-bound performance, while the CPU has substantial headroom.

Q: What is the combo's ranking among all tested combinations in Assetto Corsa?

A: The combo ranks 2669 out of 2897 tested combinations, placing it in the lower percentile of systems for this specific game.

Q: What is the performance difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 1080p?

A: At 1920x1080, the Low preset averages 106 FPS, while the Ultra preset averages 46 FPS, representing a 56.6% reduction in average frame rate when moving to the highest quality settings.

Q: Does the system provide a playable experience at 4K resolution?

A: The data shows that 4K performance is generally not playable. At 4K High, the average is 24 FPS, and at 4K Ultra, it drops to 19 FPS. Even at 4K Low, the average of 45 FPS is marginally below the smooth threshold for a racing sim.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide a clear picture of the trade-off between visual fidelity and performance. For a consistent 60 FPS experience, the only viable option is the Low preset at 1080p, which delivers an average of 106 FPS. This provides significant headroom, but the visual quality is minimal. The Medium preset at 1080p is the optimal balance, producing an average of 75 FPS with a minimum of 64 FPS. This ensures that the frame rate rarely dips below the 60 FPS target, while offering improved visual details over the Low preset. The minimum FPS of 64 on the Medium preset is crucial, as it indicates that the experience will remain fluid even during complex scenes with multiple cars.

Moving up to the High preset at 1080p yields an average of 56 FPS, which is playable but does not guarantee a locked 60 FPS experience. The Ultra preset at 1080p, with an average of 46 FPS, should be avoided for competitive or smooth gameplay, as it introduces noticeable stutter. At 1440p, the Medium preset is the highest quality setting that maintains an average above 50 FPS, hitting 52 FPS. However, the minimum of 44 FPS indicates potential dips below the smooth threshold. The High preset at 1440p averages 39 FPS, which is acceptable for a slower-paced driving experience but not ideal for racing.

The data suggests that for the best experience measured, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the recommended configuration. It offers a 60 FPS average with a minimum above 60, providing the smoothest gameplay that still benefits from moderate visual enhancements. If the user prioritizes frame rate over all else, the 1080p Low preset is the safe choice, providing double the performance of Medium. All 4K presets and the 1440p Ultra preset are not recommended, as their average frame rates fall below 35 FPS, which is insufficient for a responsive racing simulation.

How This Combo Ranks

Within the benchmark database for Assetto Corsa, this specific combination of the Intel Core i5-12400F and Intel Arc B370 ranks 2669 out of 2897 tested combos. This places it in the bottom 8% of all systems tested, indicating that it is a low-performance configuration for this title. The rank is a direct consequence of the GPU's limitations, as the Arc B370 sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs based on its average benchmark score of 1184. This low GPU percentile is the primary driver of the combo's poor in-game ranking.

The CPU, in contrast, is a mid-range performer. The Intel Core i5-12400F is in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19039. This disparity between a relatively strong CPU and a very weak GPU creates an imbalanced system where the graphics card is the definitive bottleneck. The combo's rank of 2669 is more reflective of the GPU's standing than the CPU's, as the game's performance is shown to be dependent on the graphics solution. When compared to other systems, this combo will struggle to keep up with any configuration featuring a discrete GPU, even older ones, as evidenced by the GPU's nearest rivals being legacy parts like the ATI Radeon HD 5770.

The ranking implies that users of this combo will have to make significant compromises in settings and resolution to achieve playable frame rates. The system is not designed for high-refresh-rate or high-resolution gaming in Assetto Corsa. The data suggests that this combo is suitable for entry-level 1080p gaming at best, and its ranking of 2669 out of 2897 confirms that it is at the lower end of the performance spectrum for this specific simulation.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the decisive factor in this combo's performance. Its specifications reveal a part designed for efficiency rather than raw power. The GPU operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, and it is built on a 3 nm process node. The architecture is Xe3-LPG, and it features 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 raster output units. The memory is designated as "System Shared," meaning it uses the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. This is a critical constraint, as the bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which can be a bottleneck in games that require high memory throughput.

The GPU's performance in Assetto Corsa is poor. It achieves a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are significantly older parts, such as the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which have similar average scores (1186 and 1190 respectively). This positions the Arc B370 at the level of a low-end GPU from over a decade ago. The 6.144 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and the 48.00 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply not sufficient for the demands of a modern racing simulation at higher resolutions.

In practical terms, the GPU's limitations manifest in the measured frame rates. The 4K Ultra preset produces an average of 19 FPS, which is essentially unplayable. Even at 1080p Ultra, the GPU can only manage an average of 46 FPS. The scaling of performance with resolution and settings clearly indicates that the GPU is the primary constraint, as the CPU is not the limiting factor. The 25 W TDP and "IGP" slot width confirm that this is an integrated solution, and the data shows that it is not suitable for demanding gaming beyond low-to-medium settings at 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a comprehensive view of the combo's performance across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the Low preset delivers an average of 106 FPS, which is the highest score in the entire dataset. The Medium preset at this resolution averages 75 FPS, with a minimum of 64 and a maximum of 86. The High preset averages 56 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 46 FPS. This shows a clear progression of performance loss as visual fidelity increases, with a 56.6% difference between Low and Ultra.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 74 FPS, which is still a playable figure. The Medium preset averages 52 FPS, with a minimum of 44 and a maximum of 60. The High preset averages 39 FPS, and the Ultra preset drops to an average of 32 FPS. The step from 1080p to 1440p reduces performance by roughly 30-35% across all settings, reflecting the increased pixel count.

The 3840x2160 results are the most demanding. The Low preset averages 45 FPS, which is the only 4K setting that approaches playability. The Medium preset averages 32 FPS, with a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 36. The High preset averages 24 FPS, and the Ultra preset averages 19 FPS. The data shows that 4K is not a viable resolution for this combo, as even the lowest settings cannot maintain a solid 60 FPS. The minimum FPS values, where available, are provided for the Medium presets, showing that the system can dip as low as 27 FPS at 4K and 44 FPS at 1440p, which would cause noticeable stuttering in a fast-paced racing game.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F provides the computational foundation for this combo. It is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The CPU has an 18 MB shared L3 cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Its benchmark scores are respectable for a mid-range desktop part, with a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12380 and a single-core score of 1680. In the overall CPU rankings, it sits in the 73rd percentile, with an average benchmark score of 19039, placing it close to other parts like the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS and the Intel Core i5-1335U.

In the context of Assetto Corsa, the CPU does not appear to be a bottleneck. The game's performance scales almost linearly with resolution and settings changes, which is a clear sign of GPU limitation. If the CPU were the limiting factor, the frame rates would be similar across different resolutions. The data shows a massive drop from 106 FPS at 1080p Low to 45 FPS at 4K Low, which confirms that the CPU is not the constraint. The 12 threads and high boost clock are more than sufficient to handle the game's physics and AI calculations at the frame rates the GPU can output.

The CPU's role is to provide a stable platform that does not hold back the GPU further. Given that the GPU is already the primary bottleneck, the CPU's performance is effectively masked in this scenario. The CPU's 65 W TDP and 10 nm process node indicate an efficient part, but its capabilities are wasted in this configuration because the integrated GPU cannot leverage its full potential. The benchmark results indicate that the CPU is a far stronger component than the GPU, and in a system with a discrete graphics card, the i5-12400F would likely perform much better. However, in this specific combo, the CPU's power is irrelevant to the final frame rates, as the Arc B370 is the definitive limiting factor.