Assetto Corsa

Assetto Corsa, a racing simulation from 2014, continues to be a benchmark staple due to its unique demands on both CPU and GPU. Here, the pairing of the Intel Core i7-12700K with the Intel Arc B370 presents a fascinating case study in system balance. The data reveals a configuration where the processor, a high-end 12th Gen part, vastly outclasses the graphics solution, which is an integrated GPU. This disparity defines the performance characteristics observed across all resolutions and settings, pointing to a system that is almost exclusively bound by its graphics component. The benchmark results show a clear performance ceiling imposed by the GPU, making this combination an excellent example of how a powerful CPU cannot compensate for a limited graphics processor in a graphically intensive task.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall rank of the Intel Core i7-12700K + Intel Arc B370 combination in Assetto Corsa?

A: The combo ranks 3427 out of 3712 tested combinations in the database. This places it in the bottom percentile of all tested systems, indicating that its performance is considerably below the median of all recorded hardware pairings for this title.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B370's GPU benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 has an average benchmark score of 1184. Its nearest rival, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, scores 1186, which is a 0.2% difference. Another close competitor, the AMD FirePro M2000, scores 1168, placing it 1.4% behind the Arc B370. This shows it is clustered with older, low-powered graphics solutions.

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

A: At 1920x1080, the average FPS drops from 106 on Low settings to 46 on Ultra settings. This represents a significant 56.6% reduction in frame rate when moving from the lowest to the highest preset, showing the substantial graphical load increase from these settings on the GPU.

Q: Which resolution provides a playable frame rate above 60 FPS on High settings?

A: None of the tested resolutions achieve an average FPS above 60 on High settings. At 1920x1080, the average is 56 FPS. At 2560x1440, it drops to 39 FPS, and at 4K (3840x2160), it falls to 24 FPS, indicating that High settings are too demanding for this GPU to maintain a 60 FPS experience even at the lowest tested resolution.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its single-threaded performance in synthetic tests?

A: The Core i7-12700K shows a strong scaling from single to multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23, the single-core score is 1850.5, while the multi-core score is 19784. This indicates an approximate 10.7x improvement in multi-core performance, leveraging its 12 cores and 20 threads effectively.

Q: What is the GPU's percentile ranking among all other graphics cards?

A: The Intel Arc B370 sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. This is an extremely low ranking, confirming that its performance is in the bottom 5% of all graphics processors in the database, which aligns with its classification as an integrated processor.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is the definitive bottleneck in this configuration. With a TDP of just 25 W and a boost clock of 2400 MHz, it is designed for power efficiency rather than high-end gaming performance. Its memory configuration is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's main RAM rather than dedicated VRAM, and its bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which is a major limiting factor for a game like Assetto Corsa that benefits from high texture throughput. The GPU's benchmark results confirm its limited capabilities; it scores a mere 1184 in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, placing it in the 5th percentile of all GPUs and putting it on par with decade-old discrete cards like the ATI Radeon HD 5770.

The data shows that the GPU's rendering capabilities, characterized by its 1280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 20 ROPs, are insufficient for demanding gaming loads. Its pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s sound adequate on paper, but the lack of dedicated memory bandwidth severely cripples real-world performance. In Assetto Corsa, this translates to frame rates that struggle to stay fluid even at lower settings. The performance difference between the Ultra and Low presets at 1440p is stark, with the average FPS plummeting from 32 to 74, a 42 FPS gap. This massive swing illustrates that the GPU's compute and memory subsystems are quickly overwhelmed by the increased draw calls, shader complexity, and texture sizes associated with higher quality presets. The GPU is the sole component determining the playability of this title, as the CPU is clearly not the limiting factor.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the system scales with resolution. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves an average of 106 FPS. Moving to 1440p, the average drops to 74 FPS, a 30.2% reduction. At 4K, the average falls further to 45 FPS, which is a 39.2% drop from 1440p. This scaling pattern is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario; as the pixel count increases, the GPU must process exponentially more fragments and texture data, and the performance degrades proportionally.

However, the scaling becomes even more severe when higher settings are introduced. At High settings, the average FPS at 1080p is 56. This drops to 39 at 1440p (a 30.4% decrease) and then to 24 at 4K (a 38.5% decrease from 1440p). The absolute frame rate at 4K High is only 24 FPS, which is below the threshold for smooth gameplay. The data suggests that the system is not just limited by pixel fill rate but also by memory bandwidth. The shared system memory, which has to be accessed by both the CPU and GPU, likely becomes a severe bottleneck at higher resolutions and with larger texture sets. The jump from Low to High at 4K results in a 21 FPS loss, whereas the same settings jump at 1080p results in a 50 FPS loss. This indicates that at lower resolutions, the GPU's compute units are more saturated, and the settings change has a more pronounced effect on frame time. At higher resolutions, the memory bandwidth is the primary constraint, causing the settings to have a less dramatic relative impact on the already low frame rates.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The benchmark data provides a detailed look at the system's performance across three resolutions and four quality presets. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 106 FPS on Low settings. This is the only configuration in the entire dataset that achieves a triple-digit frame rate. Performance decreases as settings increase: 75 FPS on Medium, 56 FPS on High, and 46 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset shows a minimum FPS of 64 and a maximum of 86, indicating some variance but generally stable performance.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance drops significantly. The Low preset averages 74 FPS, which is a substantial 32 FPS loss from 1080p. The Medium preset averages 52 FPS with a recorded range of 44 to 60 FPS. High settings yield an average of 39 FPS, and Ultra settings bring the average down to 32 FPS. None of the settings at 1440p can maintain a consistent 60 FPS experience, with Medium coming the closest but still dipping below 60 FPS in its minimum.

At 3840x2160 (4K), the system struggles to remain playable. The Low preset averages 45 FPS, which is the only playable option at this resolution. The Medium preset averages 32 FPS with a minimum of 27 and a maximum of 36 FPS, showing a tight but low performance window. High settings drop to 24 FPS, and Ultra settings are essentially unplayable at an average of 19 FPS. The data shows a clear and consistent trend: the system is capable of high frame rates only at 1080p with the lowest settings, and higher resolutions or quality presets quickly push it into unplayable territory.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i7-12700K + Intel Arc B370 combination ranks 3427 out of 3712 tested combos in Assetto Corsa. This places it in the 92nd percentile of worst-performing systems, meaning it outperforms only about 8% of all tested configurations. This low rank is directly attributable to the GPU's lack of power, despite the CPU's high performance. The data implies that this combination is a poor match for gaming, as the graphics processor is the sole limiting factor and cannot leverage the potential of the CPU.

In the context of the database, this rank is a strong indicator that the system is not suitable for modern gaming at higher settings. The GPU's performance is so low that it negates the benefits of the high-end processor. The rank is a quantitative measure of the system's overall gaming capability, and in this case, it highlights a fundamental imbalance. It is a stark example of how a system is only as strong as its weakest link, and here, the weakest link is the integrated graphics solution. The rank suggests that users would need to drastically lower graphical expectations or the resolution to get a playable experience, as confirmed by the measured FPS data.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a high-performance desktop processor, and the data indicates it is not the limiting factor in this configuration. With 12 cores (8 Performance and 4 Efficient cores based on its Alder Lake architecture) and 20 threads, it provides substantial multi-threading capabilities. Its base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz are high, and its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 19784 and single-core score of 1850.5 place it in the 84th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-13600T and the Intel Core i7-13700T, which have average scores within a 0.3% margin of the 12700K. This shows that the CPU is a top-tier performer, more than capable of handling the physics and AI calculations required by a simulation game like Assetto Corsa.

The fact that the system's performance is so poor, despite the CPU's strength, confirms that the bottleneck lies elsewhere. The CPU's 25 MB of shared L3 cache and support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory are more than sufficient for gaming. In synthetic tests like Passmark, its multi-thread score of 34404 and single-thread score of 4013 further emphasize its power. If the GPU were not the limiting factor, we would expect to see much higher frame rates, especially at lower resolutions where the CPU is more relevant. However, the data shows that even at 1080p, the system cannot achieve high frame rates on High settings, proving that the CPU is waiting idly for the GPU to complete its rendering tasks. The processor's role is to feed the GPU with data, and in this case, it is feeding a very slow GPU.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combination is found at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only configuration that achieves an average frame rate above 100, providing a smooth and responsive experience. This is the recommended choice for players who prioritize frame rate and fluidity above all else. It allows the game's core simulation and physics to run without the visual fidelity of higher presets.

For players who desire better visual quality, the 1920x1080 Medium preset is the next best option. With an average of 75 FPS, it remains fluid and provides a significant visual upgrade over Low settings. The minimum FPS of 64 ensures that even in demanding scenes, the game is likely to stay above 60 FPS. This is the best compromise between visual quality and performance that this hardware can achieve.

At higher resolutions, the picture is grim. The 2560x1440 Low preset is the only viable option at that resolution, with an average of 74 FPS. However, it is a 32 FPS drop from 1080p Low, and the visual clarity gained from the resolution increase may not be worth the performance loss. All other settings at 1440p and all settings at 4K fail to reach a consistent 60 FPS, making them unsuitable for a racing simulation where smooth, predictable frame pacing is crucial for control and immersion. The 4K Medium preset, with a minimum of 27 FPS, is particularly problematic. Ultimately, the data suggests that this system should be used at 1080p, and users should stick to Low or Medium settings to ensure a playable and enjoyable experience.