Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a 2012 tactical shooter, remains a demanding benchmark for modern hardware due to its high frame rate ceilings and physics-based gameplay. This analysis examines the measured performance of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor paired with the Intel Arc B390 integrated graphics. The data shows a configuration that is heavily dependent on resolution and settings, with the GPU acting as the primary limiting factor in most scenarios, while the CPU provides ample headroom for the game's core logic.

Resolution Scaling

The measured frame rates reveal a clear and predictable scaling pattern as resolution increases, indicating a system bound by its graphics processing unit. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 303 FPS. Moving to 1440p Low reduces this to 208 FPS, a drop of 95 FPS, and at 4K Low, the average falls to 123 FPS. This progression demonstrates that the Intel Arc B390, with its system-shared memory architecture, is heavily taxed by the increasing pixel count. The difference between 1080p and 4K at Low settings is a significant 180 FPS, highlighting that the GPU is the limiting component in this configuration.

The scaling pattern is consistent across all settings presets. For instance, at High settings, the frame rate drops from 223 FPS at 1080p to 154 FPS at 1440p, and then further to 91 FPS at 4K. This linear decline with resolution is a classic indicator of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU, a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 3 part, is capable of delivering far more frames than the Arc B390 can render, as evidenced by the 303 FPS peak at 1080p Low. The data suggests that the CPU is not the limiting factor in any of the measured configurations.

The drop from 1080p to 4K is not just a linear reduction; it also changes the relative performance gap between settings. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 113 FPS (303 vs. 190). At 4K, this gap narrows to 46 FPS (123 vs. 77). This compression indicates that at higher resolutions, the GPU is so saturated that the difference in settings has less of an impact on absolute frame rates. The limiting component is consistently the Intel Arc B390, which struggles to maintain high frame rates at 4K regardless of the visual fidelity.

FAQ

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

A: At 1920x1080, the average frame rate drops from 303 FPS on Low settings to 190 FPS on Ultra settings. This is a difference of 113 FPS, showing that the preset has a substantial impact on performance even at a lower resolution.

Q: How does the system perform at 4K resolution?

A: The data indicates that 4K is a significant challenge for this combo. At 4K with Ultra settings, the average frame rate is 77 FPS. Even at Low settings, the average is only 123 FPS, suggesting the Intel Arc B390 is the limiting factor at this resolution.

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 a bottleneck in this game?

A: No, the data does not suggest a CPU bottleneck. The highest measured frame rate is 303 FPS at 1080p Low, which is a high score. The CPU's benchmark scores, such as a Passmark single-thread score of 3058 and a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16429, indicate it has substantial processing power that is not being fully utilized in these tests.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum frame rates for the Medium preset?

A: For the Medium preset, the data provides min and max FPS values. At 1080p, the range is 219 to 296 FPS with an average of 258 FPS. At 1440p, it's 151 to 204 FPS with an average of 177 FPS. At 4K, the range is 89 to 120 FPS with an average of 105 FPS.

Q: How does this combo rank against other tested combinations?

A: The combination of the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and the Intel Arc B390 ranks 3294th out of 3719 tested combos in this game. This places it in the lower percentile of tested systems, which is consistent with the GPU's low benchmark percentile of 9.

Q: What is the performance difference between 1080p and 1440p at High settings?

A: At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 223 FPS at 1080p to 154 FPS at 1440p. This is a 69 FPS reduction, showing a significant performance cost for the higher resolution.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is the clear performance limiter in this system. Its benchmark data shows a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1482, which places it in the 9th percentile of all GPUs. This is a very low score, and its nearest rivals in the benchmark database are older, low-end parts like the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, which has a score of 1443. The GPU's architecture is Xe3-LPG, built on a 3 nm process, with a boost clock of 2500 MHz. It has 1536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, which are modest specifications.

The memory configuration is a critical detail. The Arc B390 uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it does not have its own dedicated VRAM but instead uses the system's main memory. Its memory bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," which means its performance is tied to the speed of the system's DDR4 memory. This is a major factor in its performance, as the shared bus and lack of dedicated memory bandwidth can cause bottlenecks, especially at higher resolutions and settings where more texture data needs to be accessed.

The GPU's clock speeds are listed as a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz. The boost clock is relatively high, but the low base clock suggests a power-saving design. The GPU's TDP is 80 W, and it is classified as an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with a bus interface of "IGP" and "None" for power connectors. This indicates it is designed for low-power systems. The measured FPS data supports this analysis. The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K is steep, and the frame rates at 4K are relatively low, confirming the GPU is struggling with the increased pixel load.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The data provides a detailed look at the performance across different resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the system is capable of high frame rates. With Low settings, it averages 303 FPS. With Medium settings, it averages 258 FPS, with a minimum of 219 and a maximum of 296. At High settings, the average is 223 FPS. With Ultra settings, the average drops to 190 FPS. This shows that at 1080p, the system can easily handle competitive frame rates, even on the highest preset.

Moving to 2560x1440, the performance decreases but remains playable. Low settings yield an average of 208 FPS. Medium settings average 177 FPS, with a min of 151 and a max of 204. High settings average 154 FPS. Ultra settings average 131 FPS. The data shows that at 1440p, the system can still provide a smooth experience, but the gap between Low and Ultra settings becomes more pronounced in terms of absolute FPS.

At 3840x2160, the performance drops significantly. The system averages 123 FPS on Low settings. Medium settings average 105 FPS, with a min of 89 and a max of 120. High settings average 91 FPS. Ultra settings average 77 FPS. This indicates that 4K is a challenge for this configuration. The frame rates are still playable, but they are not high enough for a competitive advantage, and the minimum frame rates for the Medium preset at 89 FPS suggest that there can be noticeable drops in demanding scenes. The data shows a clear hierarchy of performance across settings and resolutions, with the 1080p Low preset being the fastest and the 4K Ultra preset being the slowest.

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested hardware combinations for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 and Intel Arc B390 combo ranks 3294th out of 3719 combos. This puts it in the 88th percentile of all tested systems, meaning it is slower than 88% of them. This is a low ranking, which is directly attributable to the Intel Arc B390's performance. The CPU's individual percentile is 73, which is a solid mid-range score, but the GPU's percentile is only 9, which is very low.

This disparity between the CPU and GPU performance is a key finding. The CPU is capable of far more, but it is held back by the graphics card. The combo's rank is thus determined by its weakest link. The data shows that the system is not a high-end gaming machine, but rather a low-power solution. The CPU's performance is more than adequate for the game's logic, but the GPU cannot render the frames fast enough to take full advantage of it. This is a classic case of a system bottlenecked by its graphics solution, and the overall rank reflects this limitation. The system is not in the bottom 10% of combos, but it is clearly in the lower half, which is consistent with the GPU's low benchmark scores.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 3 architecture. It has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. This processor has a 16 MB L3 cache and supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus. Its performance is well-documented in the benchmark scores. It has a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16429 and a single-core score of 2319. Its Passmark single-thread score is 3058, and its multithread score is 19330. These scores place the CPU in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 19593.

In the context of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the CPU's role is to handle the game's simulation and physics. The high frame rates measured at 1080p Low (303 FPS) indicate that the CPU is not a bottleneck at that setting. Even at 4K, where the average FPS is much lower, the CPU's performance is not likely the primary limiter. The game is known to be CPU-intensive, but the Ryzen 5 5500's strong single-thread performance, as evidenced by its 2319 Cinebench R23 score, is sufficient to keep up with the game's logic. The CPU is also comparable to other processors in its performance tier. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-12500, has an average benchmark score of 19668, a -0.4% difference. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 has a score of 19617, which is -0.1% different. These scores show the Ryzen 5 5500 is competitive with its peers.

The CPU's architecture, with its 16 MB of L3 cache, is likely beneficial for a game like CS:GO. The high frame rates are evidence of its capability. However, since the GPU is the limiting factor, the CPU is not the reason for the system's low overall rank. The CPU's percentile of 73 is much higher than the GPU's 9, confirming that the processor is not the source of the performance bottleneck.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured data, the optimal settings for this system depend heavily on the user's target resolution and frame rate. For a high-refresh-rate monitor, the 1920x1080 Low preset is the best choice, delivering an average of 303 FPS. This is ideal for competitive play. The Medium preset at 1080p also provides an excellent experience with an average of 258 FPS and a minimum of 219 FPS, which is still very high.

For users with a 1440p monitor, the Low preset is the only one that provides a high enough frame rate for competitive play, with an average of 208 FPS. The Medium preset at 1440p gives an average of 177 FPS, which is still smooth, but the higher settings start to drop the frame rate into the 150s and 130s. At 4K, the system is not a high-frame-rate solution. The Low preset yields 123 FPS, and the Medium preset yields 105 FPS. These are playable, but they are not high enough for a competitive edge.

The data suggests a clear strategy. To maximize frame rate, the Low preset is the most effective at all resolutions. The Medium preset offers a balance, but the performance hit is significant. The High and Ultra presets are only recommended for users who prioritize visual quality over frame rate and are playing at lower resolutions. The data shows that the difference between Low and Ultra at 1080p is 113 FPS, which is a large margin. Therefore, for a competitive shooter like CS:GO, the Low preset is the recommended setting to get the most out of the system's hardware.