Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

The Intel Core i5-11400F paired with the Intel Arc B580 is a combination that delivers exceptionally high frame rates in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, making it a strong choice for competitive play. The benchmark data shows this combo outperforms the vast majority of tested configurations in this specific title, with performance scaling predictably with resolution and settings.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution to use with this combo for maximum performance?

A: At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves an average of 524.2 FPS, which is the highest measured performance. Even at 4K with Low settings, it maintains an average of 210.3 FPS, indicating the system has ample headroom for high refresh-rate displays at any resolution.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its direct rivals in general benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core i5-11400F has an average benchmark score of 17181, placing it at the 75th percentile of all CPUs. Its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, scores 17189, showing a delta of 0%, meaning the two are effectively tied in overall synthetic performance.

Q: What is the GPU's standing among its peers based on its average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Arc B580 sits at the 66th percentile of all GPUs with an average score of 23021. Its nearest competitor, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, scores 23181, which is a -0.7% delta, indicating the Arc B580 is essentially on par with that card in aggregate benchmarks.

Q: Does the GPU have enough memory bandwidth for this game?

A: The Arc B580 features 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing 456.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The data shows no bottleneck from memory capacity, as frame rates scale consistently with settings rather than dropping due to memory limitations.

Q: What is the combo's overall rank in this game's tested configurations?

A: This specific combination ranks 1255 out of 1605 tested combos in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. While the rank might seem mid-pack, the absolute FPS numbers are very high, suggesting the ranking includes many higher-end, more expensive systems.

Q: Is the CPU's single-thread performance sufficient for this game?

A: Yes, the i5-11400F scores 868 in 3dmark_single_thread and 2029 in cinebench_r23_singlecore. Since CS:GO is known to be sensitive to single-core performance, these scores contribute to the high frame rates seen, particularly at 1080p where the CPU has more influence.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo's rank of 1255 out of 1605 tested configurations places it in the lower-middle portion of the database for this game. However, this rank must be interpreted carefully. The absolute performance numbers are exceptionally strong, with even the lowest measured average FPS (137.1 at 4K Ultra) being far above what is needed for smooth gameplay. The ranking likely reflects that most of the 1605 combos tested include more powerful CPUs or GPUs, but the data shows this pairing delivers a highly playable experience.

The CPU's percentile ranking at 75.0 versus the GPU's 66.0 suggests the processor is relatively stronger than the graphics card when compared to all other parts. This imbalance is not a problem in CS:GO, as the measured FPS shows the system is capable of pushing well beyond 300 FPS at 1440p. The nearest CPU rivals, such as the Intel Core i7-1260P with a -0.2% delta, offer essentially identical general compute performance, but the i5-11400F's desktop platform with 6 cores and 12 threads provides a solid foundation for this esports title.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS data reveals how the system balances load between CPU and GPU as resolution changes. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average is 524.2 FPS. Moving to 2560x1440 at the same settings drops that to 359.4 FPS, a decrease of 164.8 FPS. At 3840x2160 Low, the average falls further to 210.3 FPS. This pattern shows that even at 1080p, the GPU is not fully maxed out, and the CPU is likely the primary limiter at lower resolutions.

The scaling factor from 1080p to 4K at Low settings is roughly 2.5x, which is less than the 4x pixel count increase. This indicates that the Intel Arc B580 has enough raw compute and memory bandwidth to handle the higher resolution without a proportional FPS drop. At Ultra settings, the 1080p average of 328.2 FPS drops to 137.1 FPS at 4K, a more significant reduction that highlights the increased graphical workload. The data suggests the system is well-balanced; neither component is severely bottlenecked in this title, allowing for predictable scaling across resolutions.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the measured averages are 524.2 FPS on Low, 447.7 FPS on Medium, 387 FPS on High, and 328.2 FPS on Ultra. This shows a smooth progression where each settings tier reduces performance by roughly 40-60 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 196 FPS, which is substantial but leaves all settings well above the 300 FPS mark.

At 2560x1440, the averages are 359.4 FPS on Low, 304.2 FPS on Medium, 266.2 FPS on High, and 228.2 FPS on Ultra. The performance drop from 1080p to 1440p is noticeable, with the Low setting losing 164.8 FPS. The Ultra setting at 1440p still delivers 228.2 FPS, which is more than enough for any high refresh rate monitor.

At 3840x2160, the averages are 210.3 FPS on Low, 182.6 FPS on Medium, 156 FPS on High, and 137.1 FPS on Ultra. Even at 4K, the system never dips below 137 FPS, making it viable for 4K gaming on this title. The data shows that the combination maintains a playable experience across all tested settings and resolutions, with the biggest absolute FPS gains coming from lowering the resolution rather than the settings.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B580's specifications directly influence these results. Its 12 GB of GDDR6 memory with 456.0 GB/s bandwidth ensures that texture-heavy settings at 4K do not cause stuttering or loading hitches. The 2560 shading units and 80 ROPs provide the pixel throughput needed for the high fill rates required at 3840x2160, as evidenced by the 213.6 GPixel/s pixel rate. The boost clock of 2670 MHz is constant, with no difference between base and boost, which suggests stable performance under sustained load.

The GPU's FP32 performance of 13.67 TFLOPS is more than sufficient for CS:GO's older graphics engine. The 19.6 billion transistors on a 5 nm TSMC process give it a high transistor density of 72.1M per mm², which contributes to its efficiency. The 190 W TDP with a suggested 450 W PSU is a modest requirement for the performance delivered. The bus interface of PCIe 4.0 x8 is adequate, as the measured FPS at 1080p does not show any interface bottleneck. The GPU's percentile rank of 66.0 and its close competition with the RTX 4060 (a -0.7% delta) confirm that it is a capable mid-range part that excels in this specific workload.

Settings Recommendations

For competitive play where maximum frame rate is the priority, the 1920x1080 Low preset at 524.2 FPS is the optimal choice. This setting minimizes visual distractions and provides the highest possible refresh rate compatibility. For players using 1440p monitors, the Low setting at 359.4 FPS is recommended, as it offers nearly double the frame rate of the Ultra preset at the same resolution.

For a balance between visual quality and performance, the Medium preset is a strong option. At 1080p it delivers 447.7 FPS, and at 1440p it maintains 304.2 FPS. This setting is ideal for those who want a clearer image without sacrificing the high frame rates needed for smooth aiming. The High preset at 1440p (266.2 FPS) is also a solid choice for users with 165 Hz or 240 Hz displays.

The Ultra preset is best reserved for 4K or for users who prioritize image quality over raw frame rates. At 4K, Ultra yields 137.1 FPS, which is still playable but will not take advantage of the highest refresh rate displays. Given the data, the Medium or High settings at 1440p offer the best overall experience, providing a substantial visual improvement over Low while keeping FPS well above 250. The system's performance is so high that even the most demanding preset at 1080p (328.2 FPS) exceeds the refresh rate of most gaming monitors.