Counter-Strike 2

# Counter-Strike 2 with Intel Core i7-13700K + Intel Arc B390

This combination pairs a high-end 16-core CPU with a low-power integrated-class GPU, and the benchmark data reflects a system that is firmly GPU-limited at every resolution. The Intel Arc B390, with its 9th percentile ranking among all GPUs, delivers playable frame rates at 1080p on lower presets but struggles to maintain competitive performance as resolution and settings increase. The Core i7-13700K, sitting at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, provides ample headroom that this GPU cannot fully utilize in Counter-Strike 2.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a steep and consistent decline as resolution climbs from 1920x1080 to 3840x2160, revealing the Arc B390 as the primary bottleneck. At High settings, average FPS drops from 111 at 1080p to 73 at 1440p, then to 41 at 4K. That is a 34% reduction going from 1080p to 1440p, followed by a 44% reduction from 1440p to 4K. The scaling pattern is typical of a GPU that runs out of pixel throughput and shading power long before the CPU becomes relevant.

Low settings show the same trend but from a higher baseline. At 1080p Low, the system averages 179 FPS, which falls to 118 at 1440p and 66 at 4K. The 4K Low result is still above the 32 FPS seen at 4K Ultra, but the drop from 179 to 66 represents a 63% loss when moving from 1080p to 4K at the lowest preset. This indicates that even with minimal graphical load, the GPU is overwhelmed by the pixel count at higher resolutions.

Medium settings provide the only complete data set with min and max FPS recorded. At 1080p Medium, the average is 149 FPS with a minimum of 126 and maximum of 171. At 1440p Medium, the average drops to 98 FPS with a range of 84 to 113. At 4K Medium, the average falls to 55 FPS with a minimum of 47 and maximum of 63. The minimum frame rates at each resolution stay relatively close to the averages, suggesting consistent frame pacing rather than occasional spikes or stutters.

Ultra settings produce the lowest results across the board. The system averages 86 FPS at 1080p Ultra, which is still playable, but drops to 57 at 1440p Ultra and just 32 at 4K Ultra. The 4K Ultra result is below the threshold for smooth gameplay in a fast-paced FPS. The scaling from 1080p Ultra to 4K Ultra shows a 63% performance loss, the same percentage observed at Low settings, which points to a purely resolution-bound limitation.

The data strongly suggests that the limiting component is the GPU. If the CPU were the constraint, frame rates would remain relatively flat across resolutions, since the i7-13700K has more than enough compute power for Counter-Strike 2. Instead, every resolution increase produces a substantial FPS drop, which is the hallmark of a GPU-bound scenario. The Arc B390, with its 24 ROPs and 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, simply cannot feed the display pipeline fast enough at higher pixel counts.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is built on the Xe3-LPG architecture with a Panther Lake chip on a 3 nm process. Its clock speeds are listed as a 300 MHz base and a 2500 MHz boost, with memory being system shared and bandwidth described as system dependent. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, 24 raster output units, and 12 ray tracing cores. These specifications place it in the integrated graphics class, despite being labeled as a discrete Arc product.

In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, the Arc B390 scores 1482 points, which puts it at the 9th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GeForce GT 520MX with a score of 1463 (1.3% slower), the GeForce 800M at 1460 (1.5% slower), the GeForce GT 625 OEM at 1446 (2.5% slower), and the GeForce GT 710 at 1443 (2.7% slower). This places the B390 in extremely modest company, and the Counter-Strike 2 results align with that positioning.

The pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s are the key throughput numbers that explain the resolution scaling. At 4K, the GPU must fill over 8 million pixels per frame, and with 24 ROPs, the fill rate becomes a hard ceiling. The 7.680 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is sufficient for 1080p on lower settings but insufficient for 1440p Ultra or 4K Ultra, which require heavy shader work alongside higher pixel output.

The system shared memory configuration means the GPU relies on the CPU's DDR4 or DDR5 memory bandwidth, which is system dependent. In Counter-Strike 2, this arrangement likely contributes to the performance degradation at higher settings, as the GPU competes with CPU cores for memory access. The lack of dedicated VRAM is a notable handicap, though the measured data does not isolate this effect from raw compute limitations.

The 9th percentile ranking and the rival comparisons make it clear that the Arc B390 is not designed for high-end gaming. Its performance in Counter-Strike 2, a game known for being CPU-light and easy to run, confirms that it is best suited for 1080p gaming at Low or Medium settings. The GPU's 80 W TDP and IGP slot width also indicate it is intended for compact or portable systems rather than desktop gaming rigs.

FAQ

Q: Is this system capable of running Counter-Strike 2 at 4K?

A: At 4K, the system averages 66 FPS on Low settings and 55 FPS on Medium, but drops to 41 FPS on High and 32 FPS on Ultra. The Medium preset is the only 4K option that maintains a minimum frame rate above 45, with a recorded minimum of 47 FPS.

Q: What is the best resolution for competitive play with this setup?

A: The data shows 1920x1080 on Low settings delivers the highest average FPS at 179, with Medium at 149 FPS. Both are well above the 1440p Low result of 118 FPS, making 1080p the clear choice for competitive frame rates.

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

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, the Arc B390 scores 1482, which is 1.3% higher than the GeForce GT 520MX, 1.5% higher than the GeForce 800M, 2.5% higher than the GeForce GT 625 OEM, and 2.7% higher than the GeForce GT 710.

Q: Does the Core i7-13700K bottleneck the Arc B390 in this game?

A: No. The i7-13700K ranks at the 89th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 46881, while the Arc B390 sits at the 9th percentile. The FPS drops across resolutions indicate the GPU is the limiting factor, not the CPU.

Q: What frame rates can I expect at 1440p on High settings?

A: At 2560x1440 with High settings, the system averages 73 FPS. This is playable but noticeably lower than the 111 FPS at 1080p High, and the lack of min/max data means frame consistency is not confirmed.

Q: Is the Ultra preset usable at any resolution?

A: At 1080p Ultra, the system averages 86 FPS, which is acceptable. At 1440p Ultra, the average drops to 57 FPS, and at 4K Ultra it falls to 32 FPS, making the higher resolutions impractical for this preset.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its best performance. Low settings produce an average of 179 FPS, with no min or max recorded. Medium settings average 149 FPS, with a minimum of 126 and maximum of 171. High settings average 111 FPS, and Ultra settings average 86 FPS. The spread from Low to Ultra at 1080p is 93 FPS, which is substantial but reflects the GPU's ability to handle the base resolution with headroom.

At 2560x1440, performance drops significantly. Low settings average 118 FPS, which is still smooth for most players. Medium settings average 98 FPS with a minimum of 84 and maximum of 113. High settings average 73 FPS, and Ultra settings average 57 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 61 FPS, narrower than at 1080p because the GPU is increasingly strained at every preset.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles. Low settings average 66 FPS, which is borderline for a competitive FPS. Medium settings average 55 FPS with a minimum of 47 and maximum of 63. High settings average 41 FPS, and Ultra settings average 32 FPS. The 4K results show that only Low and Medium presets are viable, and even then, the frame rates are marginal for a game where reaction time matters.

The Medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data across all three resolutions, which allows for a clearer picture of frame consistency. At 1080p Medium, the minimum of 126 FPS is 84.6% of the average, indicating stable performance. At 1440p Medium, the minimum of 84 FPS is 85.7% of the average, again showing consistency. At 4K Medium, the minimum of 47 FPS is 85.5% of the average, confirming that the GPU maintains predictable frame pacing even when stressed.

Comparing presets at the same resolution, the performance gaps are consistent. At 1080p, Low is 30 FPS faster than Medium, which is 50 FPS faster than High, which is 25 FPS faster than Ultra. At 1440p, Low is 20 FPS faster than Medium, which is 25 FPS faster than High, which is 16 FPS faster than Ultra. At 4K, Low is 11 FPS faster than Medium, which is 14 FPS faster than High, which is 9 FPS faster than Ultra. The diminishing returns at higher resolutions suggest the GPU's fill rate limits the impact of settings changes.

Settings Recommendations

For players seeking the highest frame rates, the 1080p Low preset is the clear choice, delivering an average of 179 FPS. This is the only configuration that approaches the 200+ FPS territory that competitive Counter-Strike players typically prefer. The 1080p Medium preset, at 149 FPS, is a strong alternative for those who want better visuals without sacrificing too much performance.

At 1440p, the Low preset at 118 FPS is the most viable option, as it remains above the 100 FPS threshold that most players consider smooth. The Medium preset at 98 FPS is acceptable for casual play but may feel slightly less responsive in high-intensity firefights. High and Ultra at 1440p, at 73 and 57 FPS respectively, are not recommended for competitive play.

At 4K, the Low preset at 66 FPS is the only setting that approaches playability, and even that is marginal. The Medium preset at 55 FPS, with a minimum of 47 FPS, could work for single-player or casual modes but is insufficient for ranked or tournament play. High and Ultra at 4K should be avoided entirely, as their averages of 41 and 32 FPS fall below playable thresholds.

The data suggests that the optimal experience is 1080p Medium, which balances the 149 FPS average with a confirmed minimum of 126 FPS. This provides a 23 FPS safety margin above the average, ensuring consistent frame delivery. For players who prioritize maximum responsiveness over visual quality, 1080p Low at 179 FPS is the best option, though the lack of min/max data means frame consistency is not verified.

For 1440p users, the Low preset at 118 FPS is the recommended starting point. If the visual quality is too sparse, Medium at 98 FPS is the next step, but the minimum of 84 FPS may cause noticeable hitches on a high refresh rate monitor. The system is not suited for 4K gaming in this title, and players with 4K displays should consider lowering the resolution to 1440p for a better experience.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on Raptor Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, with 30 MB of shared L3 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache per core. The CPU supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration and has a TDP of 125 W. Its benchmark scores are strong across the board, including a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116.

In Counter-Strike 2, the CPU's role is minimal because the game is not heavily threaded. The i7-13700K's 3DMark scores show excellent scaling from 2 threads (2262) to 16 threads (10717), but the game typically uses only a few cores. The single-threaded performance, reflected in the 3DMark single-thread score of 1136 and Geekbench single-core score of 2529, is more than sufficient for the game's engine. The CPU ranks at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46881, placing it in the upper tier of processors.

Comparing the i7-13700K to its nearest rivals, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 scores 46971, which is 0.2% higher, and the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 scores 47022, 0.3% higher. The AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and Intel Xeon w3-2535 both score 46654 and 46653, respectively, which is 0.5% lower. These differences are negligible in real-world gaming, and the i7-13700K's performance is effectively tied with its closest competitors.

The CPU's high core count and clock speeds do not translate into higher FPS in Counter-Strike 2 because the GPU is the bottleneck. The measured FPS data shows that even at 1080p Low, where the CPU would have the most influence, the system achieves 179 FPS. This is likely below what the i7-13700K could deliver with a more powerful GPU, as the processor's Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30745 indicates substantial compute headroom.

The 3DMark max-thread score of 12412 and PassMark multithread score of 45887 confirm that the CPU can handle demanding workloads, but Counter-Strike 2 does not exploit this capability. The game's performance is instead constrained by the Arc B390's 9th percentile GPU ranking. Players upgrading from this GPU to a more capable model would likely see significant FPS increases, as the i7-13700K has the single-thread performance and cache hierarchy to support high frame rates in esports titles.