Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F paired with the Intel Arc B390 in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive presents an unusual performance profile. This combination ranks 2510 out of 2848 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 12% of all configurations. The data shows a system that can deliver playable frame rates, but the margin above minimum playability is thin, and the scaling behavior reveals a setup heavily constrained by its graphics component.

Resolution Scaling

The measured FPS data shows a clear and consistent decline as resolution increases, which is the expected pattern for a system where the GPU is the primary bottleneck. At 1080p with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 303 FPS. Moving to 1440p drops this to 208 FPS, a reduction of 95 FPS (31.4%). Scaling further to 2160p yields 123 FPS, another drop of 85 FPS (40.9%). This progressive degradation indicates that the graphics processor is being saturated as pixel count rises.

The pattern holds across all settings presets. At High settings, the transition from 1080p (223 FPS) to 1440p (154 FPS) represents a 69 FPS loss, and then to 2160p (91 FPS) another 63 FPS loss. At Ultra, the numbers are 190 FPS, 131 FPS, and 77 FPS respectively. The consistent ratio of performance loss between resolution steps suggests the limiting factor scales predictably with pixel throughput.

The gap between Low and Ultra settings widens as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low (303 FPS) and Ultra (190 FPS) is 113 FPS. At 2160p, that gap narrows to 46 FPS (123 vs 77). This narrowing gap at higher resolutions is a classic symptom of a GPU-bound scenario. When the GPU is already struggling to fill pixels at 4K, the additional workload from higher graphics settings has less relative impact because the shader and texture work is being hidden behind the sheer pixel fill rate demand.

The data suggests this combo is never truly CPU-limited in this title, even at 1080p Low. The 303 FPS ceiling at 1080p Low is respectable but not exceptional, and the smooth scaling pattern indicates that the Arc B390 is consistently the constraint. A CPU-bound configuration would show a flatter curve across resolutions, particularly at Low settings where the GPU workload is minimal. That is not the case here.

Settings Recommendations

The measured rows provide clear guidance on the optimal settings for this hardware combination. The Medium preset offers the best balance between visual quality and performance headroom across all tested resolutions. At 1080p Medium, the system averages 258 FPS with a recorded minimum of 219 FPS and maximum of 296 FPS. This is still well above the refresh rate of most high-performance monitors.

At 1440p, Medium delivers 177 FPS average with a minimum of 151 FPS. This remains comfortably in the range required for competitive play, as the minimum FPS does not dip below the 150 FPS threshold that many esports players consider a floor. The 2160p Medium result of 105 FPS average with a minimum of 89 FPS is the first point where the frame rate becomes marginal, but it remains above 60 FPS for standard display use.

High settings at 1440p produce 154 FPS average, which is still playable but offers less headroom than Medium. The minimum FPS data is not recorded for High, so the worst-case performance is unknown. Ultra settings should be avoided. At 1080p Ultra, the average drops to 190 FPS, and at 1440p it falls to 131 FPS. The visual uplift from Medium to Ultra in a game like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is unlikely to justify the 68 FPS average loss at 1080p.

For competitive play, the Low preset at 1080p provides the highest frame rate at 303 FPS average. However, the Medium preset at 258 FPS average is likely the better choice, as the difference in frame time is small while the visual improvements are noticeable. The recommendation is Medium at 1080p or 1440p, with Low reserved for those seeking absolute maximum frame rates.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 2510 out of 2848 tested combinations places this system in the bottom 12% of all tested hardware pairings. This is a low rank, but it needs context. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a game that can run on very modest hardware, and the rank reflects that many other combinations achieve higher frame rates.

The CPU alone, the AMD Ryzen 5 8400F, sits at the 77th percentile among all tested CPUs, which is a solid mid-range position. Its average benchmark score of 25005 places it almost exactly in line with the AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, which scores 24964 (a 0.2% delta). It is also closely matched with the Intel Core i7-11850H (24935, 0.3% delta) and the Intel Core i7-13620H (24911, 0.4% delta). The AMD EPYC 9474F scores 25103, a 0.4% advantage. This CPU is not the reason for the low combo rank.

The GPU tells a different story. The Intel Arc B390 sits at the 9th percentile among all tested GPUs, a very low position. Its average benchmark score of 1482 is just 1.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (1463), 1.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 800M (1460), 2.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446), and 2.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (1443). These are all legacy or low-end mobile parts. The Arc B390 is positioned alongside the weakest graphics processors in the database, which directly explains the low combo rank.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The complete dataset provides a full picture of performance across resolutions and settings. At 1920x1080, the lowest resolution tested, the system delivers its best results. Low settings produce an average of 303 FPS. Medium settings average 258 FPS, with a minimum of 219 FPS and maximum of 296 FPS. High settings average 223 FPS. Ultra settings average 190 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the frame rates drop noticeably. Low settings average 208 FPS. Medium settings average 177 FPS, with a minimum of 151 FPS and maximum of 204 FPS. High settings average 154 FPS. Ultra settings average 131 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the highest resolution tested, performance becomes marginal for high-refresh displays. Low settings average 123 FPS. Medium settings average 105 FPS, with a minimum of 89 FPS and maximum of 120 FPS. High settings average 91 FPS. Ultra settings average 77 FPS.

The medium preset is the only one with complete min/max data at every resolution, which allows for a more precise assessment. The 1080p Medium spread from 219 to 296 FPS shows a 77 FPS range. The 1440p Medium spread from 151 to 204 FPS shows a 53 FPS range. The 2160p Medium spread from 89 to 120 FPS shows a 31 FPS range. The narrowing spread at higher resolutions further confirms the GPU-bound nature of the system.

FAQ

Q: Is this system capable of maintaining 144 FPS at 1080p?

A: Yes, at 1080p with Low (303 FPS), Medium (258 FPS), or High (223 FPS) settings. Even Ultra achieves 190 FPS, which is above 144 FPS.

Q: Can this combo handle 1440p gaming?

A: It depends on the target frame rate. For 144 FPS, only Low (208 FPS) and Medium (177 FPS) qualify. High (154 FPS) is above 144 FPS but has no recorded minimum to confirm stability. Ultra (131 FPS) is below 144 FPS.

Q: What is the best setting for 4K on this hardware?

A: Medium is the recommended preset at 2160p, producing 105 FPS average with a minimum of 89 FPS. This is the only settings preset at 4K with recorded minimum and maximum data, and the minimum stays above 60 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU performance compare to its direct rivals?

A: The Ryzen 5 8400F has an average score of 25005. The Ryzen 5 7500F scores 24964 (0.2% lower), the Core i7-11850H scores 24935 (0.3% lower), and the Core i7-13620H scores 24911 (0.4% lower). The EPYC 9474F scores 25103 (0.4% higher). The differences are negligible.

Q: What GPU performance tier does the Arc B390 belong to?

A: The Arc B390 scores 1482, which is within 2.7% of the GeForce GT 710 (1443), GeForce GT 625 OEM (1446), GeForce 800M (1460), and GeForce GT 520MX (1463). This places it at the 9th percentile among all tested GPUs.

Q: Is the frame rate stable in the worst case?

A: The data includes minimum FPS only for Medium settings. At 1080p Medium, the minimum is 219 FPS. At 1440p Medium, it is 151 FPS. At 2160p Medium, it is 89 FPS. For other presets, no minimum data is available.

CPU Role

The AMD Ryzen 5 8400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor based on the Zen 4 architecture, built on a 4nm TSMC process. It operates with a base clock of 4.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The CPU has a 16 MB shared L3 cache and 1 MB L2 cache per core. It supports DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus, providing 83.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The TDP is rated at 65 watts.

In this game, the CPU is not the limiting factor. The 3DMark scores show a single-thread score of 951 and a 2-thread score of 1874. The scaling from 2 threads (1874) to 4 threads (3563) to 8 threads (5275) to max threads (6165) shows diminishing returns beyond 8 threads, which is typical for a game like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive that is not heavily multithreaded.

The Cinebench R23 scores of 2943 single-core and 20851 multi-core confirm a capable processor for gaming workloads. The PassMark multi-thread score of 24389 and single-thread score of 3685 align with the mid-range positioning. The closest CPU rival, the Ryzen 5 7500F, has an average score within 0.2%, meaning the 8400F provides essentially identical computational performance for this workload.

The data indicates that the CPU has ample headroom to feed the GPU. The fact that FPS scales down consistently with resolution, rather than plateauing at a CPU-imposed limit, proves that the processor is not the bottleneck. Even at 1080p Low, where CPU demands are proportionally highest, the system reaches 303 FPS, leaving the CPU with significant headroom.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3nm Intel process. It has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units. The boost clock is rated at 2500 MHz, with a base clock of 300 MHz. It features 12 ray tracing cores. The FP32 performance is rated at 7.680 TFLOPS, and the pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s. The TDP is 80 watts.

The memory configuration is System Shared, meaning it uses the system's DDR5 memory rather than dedicated VRAM. The memory bus width and bandwidth are listed as System Dependent, which means performance will vary based on the system memory configuration. This is a critical limitation, as shared memory bandwidth is often a constraint for integrated graphics.

The GPU's benchmark result is minimal, with only a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482. This places the GPU at the 9th percentile, which is exceptionally low. The nearest rivals are all legacy NVIDIA parts: the GT 520MX (1463, 1.3% slower), GeForce 800M (1460, 1.5% slower), GT 625 OEM (1446, 2.5% slower), and GT 710 (1443, 2.7% slower). These are all parts that were low-end even at their release.

The gaming data confirms this low standing. The Arc B390 produces 303 FPS at 1080p Low and 123 FPS at 2160p Low. The difference of 180 FPS between these two points shows how heavily the GPU is affected by pixel count. The texture rate of 120.0 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 60.00 GPixel/s are modest figures, and the shared memory system adds latency that affects frame pacing in a fast-paced shooter. The GPU is the clear bottleneck in this combination, and its performance would need to improve substantially to move this combo up the ranking.