Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 is a competitive FPS where frame rates directly impact responsiveness and visibility, and the data for the Intel Core i5-12400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 tells a story of a system defined by its graphics component. This combination ranks at 2535 out of 2870 tested combos for this game, placing it in the lower 12% of all configurations. The measured frames per second (FPS) across resolutions and settings reveal a clear pattern: this is a system that can deliver playable performance at lower graphical presets, but struggles to maintain high frame rates at higher resolutions and quality levels, making it a pairing best suited for competitive settings rather than visual fidelity.

Resolution Scaling

The data shows a significant and consistent drop in average FPS as resolution increases from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, which points directly to the GPU as the primary limiting factor. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 179 FPS at 1080p to 118 FPS at 1440p, a reduction of 61 FPS, and then plummets to 66 FPS at 4K, a further 52 FPS loss. This trajectory indicates that the Intel Arc B390 is being pushed to its limits as pixel count rises, with the 4K Low result being less than half the 1080p Low score.

The scaling pattern is even more pronounced at higher settings. With High settings, the average drops from 111 FPS at 1080p to 73 FPS at 1440p, and then to 41 FPS at 4K. This consistent halving of performance at each resolution step up suggests a linear relationship between pixel workload and frame time, which is typical for a GPU-bound scenario. The CPU, with its six P-cores and 12 threads, is likely not the bottleneck here, as even the most demanding 4K Ultra setting shows a playable average of 32 FPS, indicating the processor is feeding frames fast enough for the GPU to render them, albeit at a low rate.

What is particularly telling is the performance collapse at 4K Ultra, which yields only 32 FPS. This is a 50% reduction from the 4K Medium score of 55 FPS, suggesting that the Ultra preset introduces effects that overwhelm the GPU's compute and memory resources. The Arc B390 has a boost clock of 2500 MHz and a pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s, but at 4K with Ultra settings, the demand for shading and fill rate appears to exceed its capabilities, resulting in a slideshow-like experience. The scaling from 1080p to 4K is not just a linear drop; it is a cliff edge, particularly at higher settings, confirming that the GPU's 1536 shading units are insufficient for high-fidelity, high-resolution gameplay.

The implication is that users should not expect to play Counter-Strike 2 at 4K with this combo unless they are willing to accept sub-60 FPS averages. The data suggests that the system is balanced for 1080p or 1440p gaming, where the CPU can maintain high frame rates, and the GPU can keep up at lower to medium settings. The frame rate drop from 1440p to 4K at Low settings (118 to 66 FPS) represents a 44% performance loss, which is substantial and underscores the GPU's limited memory bandwidth being "System Dependent" and its reliance on shared system memory, which is a significant disadvantage at higher resolutions where memory traffic increases.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. While it lacks an integrated GPU, its role in Counter-Strike 2 is to handle game logic, physics, and draw calls, and the benchmark data suggests it is more than capable of keeping up with the Arc B390. The CPU's performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12380 and a single-core score of 1680, indicates a strong processor that ranks in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs.

In the measured FPS data, the CPU's influence is most evident at 1080p, where the average frame rates are high enough (179 FPS at Low) that the CPU could potentially become a bottleneck if the GPU were faster. However, given the Arc B390's performance level, the CPU is not the limiting factor in this system. The fact that 1080p Low produces 179 FPS while 1080p Ultra produces 86 FPS shows that the GPU is still the primary constraint, as the CPU would need to handle a similar number of draw calls regardless of the graphical preset, yet the frame rate drops significantly.

The 3DMark scores for the CPU, such as 909 for single-thread and 5912 for max threads, further illustrate its capability for gaming workloads. Counter-Strike 2 is known to be sensitive to single-thread performance, and the i5-12400F's 909 single-thread score in 3DMark is solid, but not exceptional. The data implies that the CPU has headroom to push higher frame rates than the GPU can deliver, as evidenced by the large FPS gap between Low and Ultra settings at the same resolution. For instance, at 1440p, the difference between Low (118 FPS) and High (73 FPS) is 45 FPS, a gap that is entirely attributable to GPU workload, not CPU processing power.

The CPU's 18 MB of shared L3 cache and 1.25 MB per core L2 cache are sufficient for the game's data requirements, and its support for DDR4 and DDR5 memory provides flexibility, though the actual memory speed is not specified in the data. The benchmark results indicate that the i5-12400F is a balanced mid-range processor that, in this pairing, is effectively waiting on the GPU. The data does not suggest that upgrading the CPU would yield any significant FPS gains in Counter-Strike 2, as the system is clearly GPU-bound across all tested settings and resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to play Counter-Strike 2 with this CPU and GPU combo?

A: Based on the measured data, 1920x1080 offers the highest frame rates, with an average of 179 FPS at Low settings and 111 FPS at High settings. This resolution provides the most headroom for competitive play, as the average FPS never drops below 86 FPS even at Ultra settings.

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

A: The GPU has an average benchmark score of 1482, placing it just 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, which scores 1463. It is 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 800M, and 2.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM, indicating it sits at the very bottom of the GPU performance hierarchy.

Q: Is the Intel Core i5-12400F a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B390 in this game?

A: No. The data shows that frame rates scale down significantly with resolution and settings, which is a sign of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's high synthetic scores, such as a 12380 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, suggest it has ample processing power to feed the GPU, as the FPS drops are consistent with GPU workload increases.

Q: What is the expected average FPS at 2560x1440 with Medium settings?

A: The measured data shows an average FPS of 98 at 1440p with Medium settings, with a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS. This is a playable range for most users, though it is significantly lower than the 149 FPS average at 1080p with the same settings.

Q: Does this combo support high refresh rate monitors at 4K?

A: No. The highest average FPS at 3840x2160 is 66 FPS, achieved with Low settings. At any other settings, the average FPS is below 60, with Ultra settings yielding only 32 FPS, making high refresh rate 4K gaming impossible with this hardware.

Q: How does the CPU's multi-threaded performance compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The i5-12400F has an average benchmark score of 19039, which is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, which scores 19047 and has a deltaPct of 0. It is 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core 3 201E and 0.3% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7773X, showing it is a competitive mid-range processor.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data reveals a consistent performance hierarchy across all resolutions, with Low settings always yielding the highest average frame rates and Ultra settings the lowest. At 1920x1080, the system delivers an average of 179 FPS on Low, 149 FPS on Medium, 111 FPS on High, and 86 FPS on Ultra. The Medium settings also show a minimum of 126 FPS and a maximum of 171 FPS, indicating a stable frame time distribution, though the 45 FPS gap between Low and High suggests significant GPU workload scaling.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages drop to 118 FPS on Low, 98 FPS on Medium, 73 FPS on High, and 57 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at this resolution shows a minimum of 84 FPS and a maximum of 113 FPS, which is a tighter range compared to 1080p, suggesting the GPU is starting to struggle to maintain high frame rates. The 4K results are the most telling, with averages of 66 FPS on Low, 55 FPS on Medium, 41 FPS on High, and 32 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset at 4K has a minimum of 47 FPS and a maximum of 63 FPS, which shows a wider variance, indicating frame pacing issues as the GPU hits its limits.

The data shows a clear pattern: the delta between Low and Ultra settings is consistent at roughly 93 FPS at 1080p, 61 FPS at 1440p, and 34 FPS at 4K. This diminishing delta as resolution increases is a classic sign of a GPU that is becoming saturated with pixel work, leaving less headroom for the effects enabled by higher presets. The Arc B390's 24 ROPs and 48 TMUs are likely the limiting hardware resources, as higher resolutions and settings demand more fill rate and texture filtering, which this GPU cannot provide.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is a mobile-class GPU based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 2500 MHz. It features 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, along with 12 ray tracing cores. The GPU's memory is "System Shared," meaning it relies on the system's RAM, with bandwidth that is "System Dependent." This is a critical weakness for a game like Counter-Strike 2, especially at higher resolutions, as memory bandwidth is a key factor in texture streaming and frame buffer operations.

The GPU's performance is quantifiably low, as it ranks in the 9th percentile of all GPUs and has an average benchmark score of 1482. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts, with the GT 520MX being the only one that is faster, by a mere 1.3%. This places the Arc B390 at the very bottom of the performance spectrum, which is reflected in the measured FPS data for Counter-Strike 2. The GPU's FP32 compute of 7.680 TFLOPS and pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s are theoretical limits that are not fully realized in this game, as the measured FPS indicates that the GPU is often the bottleneck.

The data shows that the GPU's performance is insufficient for smooth gameplay at 4K, with even Low settings yielding only 66 FPS. At 1080p, the GPU is more capable, but the difference between Low and Ultra (179 vs 86 FPS) shows that the GPU's shading units are quickly overwhelmed by higher-quality effects. The 12 ray tracing cores are present, but they do not appear to benefit this game, as the Ultra settings, which may include ray-traced shadows, cause a massive performance hit (86 FPS at 1080p Ultra vs 111 FPS at High). The GPU's shared memory architecture is a major concern, as it limits the effective memory bandwidth compared to a dedicated VRAM solution, likely contributing to the steep FPS drops at higher resolutions.

Settings Recommendations

Given the measured data, the optimal balance between frame rate and visual quality is achieved at 1920x1080 with High settings, which yields an average of 111 FPS. This provides a smooth and responsive experience for competitive play, and the 25 FPS gap between High and Ultra at 1080p suggests that High is the sweet spot where the GPU is not overburdened. For players who prioritize maximum frame rates, 1080p Low is the best choice, delivering 179 FPS, which is ideal for high refresh rate monitors.

At 1440p, the data suggests that Medium settings are the most viable option, with an average of 98 FPS and a minimum of 84 FPS, ensuring that frame rates rarely dip below 60. High settings at 1440p, which yield 73 FPS, are also playable, but the margin for error is lower. At 4K, the data is clear: only Low settings are recommended, as the 66 FPS average is the only preset that offers a playable frame rate, and even then, it may be too inconsistent for competitive play.

The Ultra preset is not recommended at any resolution, as it consistently produces the lowest frame rates, with a 32 FPS average at 4K and 57 FPS at 1440p. The performance cost of Ultra settings is not justified by the visual improvements, given the significant FPS penalty. The data implies that this combo should be paired with a 1080p monitor for the best experience, with settings adjusted based on whether the user prefers high FPS (Low) or better visuals (High). For 1440p, Medium is the recommended preset to maintain a playable frame rate.

How This Combo Ranks

The Intel Core i5-12400F and Intel Arc B390 combo ranks 2535 out of 2870 tested combinations for Counter-Strike 2, placing it in the bottom 12% of all systems. This low ranking is almost entirely attributable to the GPU, which is in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, while the CPU is in the 73rd percentile. The disparity between the two components is stark: the CPU is a capable mid-range part, but the GPU is a low-end integrated solution that severely limits the system's gaming performance.

The combo's rank is not surprising given the GPU's benchmark scores, which show it is only 1.3% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX, a GPU from over a decade ago. The data suggests that this pairing is fundamentally unbalanced, with the CPU having significant headroom that the GPU cannot utilize. In Counter-Strike 2, this means that the system will not be able to achieve high frame rates at high settings, and it will struggle to maintain 60 FPS at 1440p with anything above Medium settings.

The ranking also implies that there are 335 combos that perform worse, which likely feature even older or more limited GPUs. However, for a modern game like Counter-Strike 2, this rank indicates that users should temper their expectations and focus on 1080p gameplay with lower settings to get a playable experience. The data shows that the combo's performance is consistent with its rank, as the measured FPS at 1080p Low (179 FPS) is a bright spot, but the overall trend is one of GPU-limited performance. This is a system for esports-style play at low settings, not for high-fidelity gaming.