Counter-Strike 2

Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and Intel Arc B570 form a complete Intel-based platform for Counter-Strike 2, pairing a 14-core Arrow Lake processor with a Battlemage-generation GPU. The measured results show this combination sits in the lower half of tested configurations, with a combo rank of 2286 out of 2870. This pairing demonstrates a clear performance ceiling that varies significantly across resolutions and settings, making it a workable but not exceptional choice for this specific esports title.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall ranking of this CPU and GPU combination in Counter-Strike 2?

A: This combo ranks 2286th out of 2870 tested combinations. That places it in the bottom 20% of all configurations the benchmark database has recorded for this game, indicating that while playable, it is not a top-tier performer.

Q: What is the best average FPS this combo achieves at 1080p?

A: The highest average frame rate recorded is 275 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. The Medium preset at the same resolution delivers 229 FPS, while High and Ultra produce 171 FPS and 133 FPS respectively.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to its nearest rival in raw GPU benchmarks?

A: The Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, which is 0.1% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (score 20534). It also sits just 0.1% below the Intel Arc A750, which scores 20582, showing the B570 is essentially a statistical tie with both cards in synthetic tests.

Q: What is the CPU's single-core performance relative to its peers?

A: In Cinebench R23, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 scores 4648 points in single-core and 32924 points in multi-core tests. Its average benchmark score of 48995 places it 0.5% below the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 and 0.8% above the Intel Core i5-14600K.

Q: Does the 4K Ultra preset provide a smooth experience?

A: No. At 3840x2160 with Ultra settings, the combo averages only 49 FPS. This is below the 60 FPS threshold typically considered smooth for competitive play, meaning heavy visual settings at 4K should be avoided for this pairing.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245?

A: The CPU supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. It features 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, specifically the Battlemage generation. It utilizes the BMG-G21 chip, manufactured on a 5 nm process by TSMC, containing 19,600 million transistors on a 272 mm² die. The GPU operates at a fixed clock speed of 2500 MHz for both base and boost, with memory running at 2375 MHz, translating to 19 Gbps effective.

The card comes equipped with 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. This memory configuration is a key factor in the game's performance scaling. With 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 render output units, the Arc B570 delivers a pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s. Compute performance is rated at 11.52 TFLOPS for FP32 operations.

In Counter-Strike 2, the GPU's role becomes increasingly dominant as resolution and settings increase. At 1080p Low, the frame rate reaches 275 FPS, but this drops to 102 FPS at 4K Low, showing a 63% reduction. The data indicates that the Arc B570's 10 GB frame buffer and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but the GPU begins to struggle at 4K, particularly at higher presets where the average FPS falls below 100.

The GPU's nearest rival in synthetic benchmarks is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile, which it slightly edges out by 0.1%. It also trades blows with the Intel Arc A750, being 0.1% slower. This positioning suggests the B570 is a mid-range performer, which aligns with its 65th percentile ranking among all GPUs.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2286th out of 2870 tested combos in Counter-Strike 2. This places it in the bottom 20% of all recorded configurations, indicating that many other CPU-GPU pairings deliver higher frame rates in this game.

The CPU itself performs well relative to its peers, sitting in the 90th percentile among all CPUs. Its average benchmark score of 48995 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G, which scores 49196, a difference of only 0.4%. Similarly, it trails the AMD Ryzen 9 7900 by 0.5% and leads the Intel Xeon Gold 5318H by 0.6% and the Core i5-14600K by 0.8%.

The GPU, however, is less impressive in relative terms. With a percentile ranking of 65 among all GPUs, the Arc B570 is a solid mid-pack performer. Its average score of 20556 puts it in a dead heat with the RTX 3070 Mobile and Arc A750, but this level of performance is not enough to push the combo higher in the rankings for a game like Counter-Strike 2, which often favors higher-end graphics cards for maximum frame rates.

The discrepancy between the CPU's high percentile (90) and the combo's low rank (20th percentile) suggests that the GPU is the primary bottleneck in this pairing. The data shows that the CPU has headroom to drive higher frame rates, but the Arc B570 cannot deliver them, particularly at higher resolutions and settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its strongest results. With Low settings, the average FPS is 275, which is exceptionally high for competitive play. Medium settings reduce this to 229 FPS, with a minimum of 194 FPS and a maximum of 263 FPS. High settings produce 171 FPS average, while Ultra drops to 133 FPS. All of these numbers are above the 60 FPS threshold, and most are above 100 FPS, making 1080p a very playable resolution for this combo.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance decreases but remains respectable. Low settings average 182 FPS, Medium averages 151 FPS with a range of 129 to 174 FPS, High averages 113 FPS, and Ultra averages 88 FPS. These figures indicate that 1440p is still viable for competitive play, especially on lower presets, though the Ultra preset begins to approach the lower limit of what is acceptable for fast-paced action.

At 3840x2160, the GPU becomes the limiting factor. Low settings average 102 FPS, which is still smooth, but Medium drops to 85 FPS with a range of 72 to 97 FPS. High settings average 63 FPS, just above the 60 FPS mark, while Ultra plummets to 49 FPS, which is not ideal for a competitive shooter. The data clearly shows that 4K Ultra is not a recommended configuration for this combo.

Resolution Scaling

The performance drop from 1080p to 4K reveals the balance between CPU and GPU. At 1080p Low, the combo achieves 275 FPS, which indicates the CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at high rates. However, at 4K Low, the average FPS falls to 102, a reduction of 63%. This is a significant drop that points to the GPU being the primary bottleneck at higher resolutions.

For the Medium preset, the scaling is similar. 1080p Medium yields 229 FPS, while 4K Medium yields 85 FPS, a 63% decrease. This consistency across presets suggests that the resolution change has a predictable impact on performance, driven by the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth.

The High preset shows a drop from 171 FPS at 1080p to 63 FPS at 4K, a 63% reduction as well. The Ultra preset drops from 133 FPS at 1080p to 49 FPS at 4K, a 63% reduction. This uniform 63% scaling across all presets indicates that the GPU is the limiting factor, as the CPU's performance is likely sufficient to maintain higher frame rates if the GPU could keep up.

The data suggests that the Intel Core Ultra 5 245 has ample headroom. Its boost clock of 5.10 GHz and strong single-core performance (4648 in Cinebench R23) should not be the constraint at 4K. Instead, the Arc B570's 10 GB of VRAM and 380.0 GB/s bandwidth are likely saturated at higher resolutions, capping the frame rate.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 245 is a 14-core, 14-thread processor based on the Arrow Lake architecture, built on a 3 nm process by TSMC. It has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, with a TDP of 65 W. The CPU supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, offering 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth.

In synthetic benchmarks, the CPU scores 32924 points in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 4648 points in single-core. These figures place it in the 90th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G, scores 49196, which is only 0.4% higher, indicating the Ultra 5 245 is a strong competitor.

In Counter-Strike 2, the CPU's role is to maintain high frame rates, especially at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the combo hits 275 FPS, showing the CPU can handle the game's physics and logic at high speed. However, the CPU's performance is not fully utilized at higher resolutions, as the GPU becomes the bottleneck.

The 14 cores and 14 threads are more than adequate for Counter-Strike 2, which typically benefits from strong single-core performance. The 5.10 GHz boost clock ensures that the CPU can keep up with the game's demands, but the data suggests that the GPU limits overall frame rates. The CPU's high percentile ranking (90) versus the combo's low rank (2286 out of 2870) confirms that the processor is not the weak link in this pairing.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this combo depends on the target resolution and desired frame rate. For competitive play, where high frame rates are crucial, the 1080p Low preset delivers an average of 275 FPS, providing the smoothest experience. The Medium preset at 1080p, with an average of 229 FPS, offers a balance between visual quality and performance, with a minimum of 194 FPS ensuring minimal dips.

For players using 1440p monitors, the Low preset at 182 FPS is the best choice for high refresh rate displays. The Medium preset at 151 FPS is also viable, with a minimum of 129 FPS, but High settings at 113 FPS may be sufficient for those prioritizing visuals over maximum frame rates. The Ultra preset at 88 FPS is playable but not ideal for fast-paced competitive matches.

At 4K, the options are more limited. The Low preset at 102 FPS is the only setting that provides a comfortable margin above 60 FPS. Medium at 85 FPS is acceptable, but High at 63 FPS is borderline, and Ultra at 49 FPS should be avoided. For a smooth 4K experience, sticking to Low or Medium settings is recommended.

The data indicates that the best overall experience is at 1080p Medium, which offers a high average FPS of 229 with a narrow minimum-maximum range of 194-263 FPS, indicating consistent performance. This preset likely provides a good balance of visual fidelity and responsiveness without overburdening the GPU. For those with 1440p displays, the Medium preset at 151 FPS offers a similar balance, though the lower minimum of 129 FPS may be noticeable in intense firefights.