Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a 2012 FPS that remains a benchmark staple because it scales across a wide range of hardware, and the measured data for this combination of an Intel Core i5-9400 with an Intel Arc B390 shows a system that is capable at high refresh rates but struggles at the extreme top end. The pairing of a six-core, six-thread Coffee Lake CPU with an integrated Xe3-LPG GPU produces results that are heavily resolution-dependent, with the data indicating a clear ceiling at 4K Ultra settings. This analysis uses only the measured FPS figures and the benchmark scores provided, interpreting what they mean for gameplay.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average frame rate recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average frame rate in the measured data is 303 FPS, achieved at 1920x1080 with Low settings. This is the only reading that breaks the 300 FPS barrier.

Q: How much faster is the 1080p Low preset compared to the 4K Ultra preset?

A: The 1080p Low preset averages 303 FPS, while the 4K Ultra preset averages 77 FPS. This represents a difference of 226 FPS, or roughly 4x higher performance at the lower resolution and settings.

Q: Does the Arc B390 have dedicated VRAM?

A: No. The GPU’s memory is listed as "System Shared," meaning it uses the system’s DDR4 memory rather than dedicated video memory. The memory bus width and bandwidth are also listed as "System Shared" and "System Dependent," respectively.

Q: What is the combo’s rank among all tested system combinations for this game?

A: The combo ranks 2510 out of 2848 tested combinations. This places it in the lower percentile, indicating it is outperformed by the vast majority of tested systems in this database.

Q: What is the CPU’s single-core benchmark score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 scores 935 points in the Cinebench R23 single-core test. Its multi-core score in the same test is 6629 points.

Q: Is the GPU’s performance closer to a modern discrete card or an older entry-level card?

A: Based on the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1482, the Arc B390 sits within 2.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710, which scores 1443. Its nearest rival in the database is the GT 520MX, which is only 1.3% slower.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B390 is an integrated graphics processor built on the Xe3-LPG architecture with a 3 nm process node. Its memory configuration is entirely "System Shared," which means it draws from the same DDR4 pool as the CPU, and its memory bandwidth is "System Dependent." This is a critical factor in understanding the measured FPS data, as the shared memory architecture will inherently limit performance at higher resolutions where bandwidth demands increase.

The GPU’s clocks are listed with a base of 300 MHz and a boost of 2500 MHz. This boost clock is the key to its performance in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a game that is not typically heavy on GPU compute for its visual style. The GPU has 1536 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output pipelines, along with 12 ray tracing cores. Its peak pixel rate is 60.00 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 120.0 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance at 7.680 TFLOPS.

The benchmark data shows a GPU that ranks in the 9th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 1482 from the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GT 520MX (score 1463, 1.3% slower), the GeForce 800M (score 1460, 1.5% slower), the GT 625 OEM (score 1446, 2.5% slower), and the GT 710 (score 1443, 2.7% slower). This places the Arc B390 in a performance bracket that is historically associated with entry-level or legacy discrete GPUs, not modern gaming hardware. The data confirms that this integrated solution is not designed for high-end gaming workloads.

In the measured FPS data, the GPU’s influence is most visible when moving between settings presets. At 3840x2160, the average frame rate drops from 123 FPS on Low to 105 FPS on Medium, then 91 FPS on High, and finally 77 FPS on Ultra. This pattern shows a consistent scaling cost for each step up in visual fidelity. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 46 FPS, which represents a 37% reduction in average frame rate. The shared memory architecture likely contributes to this, as higher settings require more memory bandwidth for textures and geometry, which the system-dependent bandwidth may struggle to provide at 4K resolution.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-9400 is a six-core, six-thread processor from the Coffee Lake family, using a 14 nm process node. It has a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. The CPU supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, which is the same memory pool used by the Arc B390. This shared memory arrangement means the CPU’s memory bandwidth is a shared resource, potentially creating a bottleneck when both components are under load.

The CPU’s benchmark results place it at the 47th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 2254. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 (score 2259, 0.2% faster), the Intel Core i7-10710U (score 2248, 0.3% slower), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 (score 2246, 0.4% slower), and the Intel Core i3-10305 (score 2264, 0.4% faster). These deltas are all within 0.4%, indicating that the i5-9400’s multi-threaded performance is essentially on par with these competing parts from different generations and market segments.

For Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the CPU’s single-core performance is often more relevant than multi-core, as the game’s engine has traditionally been more dependent on single-threaded performance. The i5-9400 scores 935 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 392 in Cinebench R20 single-core. These scores are moderate for the time of release but are not exceptional by modern standards. The CPU’s six threads are sufficient for the game’s typical workload, but the data suggests that the CPU is not the primary bottleneck at lower resolutions. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 303 FPS, which indicates the CPU can feed frames quickly enough to reach high refresh rates.

However, the CPU’s impact becomes less clear at 4K Ultra, where the average drops to 77 FPS. In this scenario, the GPU is likely the limiting factor, as the integrated Arc B390 cannot handle the increased pixel count and settings load. The CPU’s six cores and six threads are still capable of maintaining the game’s logic and rendering commands, but the GPU’s limitations cap the final output. The data shows that the CPU’s performance is not the primary constraint except in the most CPU-light scenarios, such as 1080p Low, where the GPU still manages to produce 303 FPS, suggesting the CPU can keep up with that frame rate.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a complete picture of how this combo performs across three resolutions and four settings presets. Starting with 3840x2160, the system averages 123 FPS on Low settings. Moving to Medium, the average drops to 105 FPS, with a minimum of 89 FPS and a maximum of 120 FPS. High settings yield an average of 91 FPS, and Ultra settings produce an average of 77 FPS. The 4K results show a clear progression where each settings tier costs roughly 14-16 FPS on average.

At 2560x1440, the performance improves significantly. Low settings average 208 FPS, Medium averages 177 FPS with a minimum of 151 FPS and a maximum of 204 FPS, High averages 154 FPS, and Ultra averages 131 FPS. The delta between Low and Ultra at 1440p is 77 FPS, which is a larger absolute gap than at 4K, indicating that the GPU has more headroom at this resolution. The Medium preset’s minimum of 151 FPS is above the typical 144 Hz refresh rate, making it a viable option for smooth gameplay on high-refresh monitors.

At 1920x1080, the system reaches its peak performance. Low settings average 303 FPS, which is the only result above 300 FPS. Medium averages 258 FPS with a minimum of 219 FPS and a maximum of 296 FPS. High averages 223 FPS, and Ultra averages 190 FPS. The 1080p results show that the combo can handle competitive play at high refresh rates, with even Ultra settings maintaining an average above 190 FPS. The Medium preset’s minimum of 219 FPS is particularly strong, ensuring that frame times stay well within the range for 144 Hz or even 240 Hz displays.

Comparing resolutions, the data shows a consistent scaling pattern. At High settings, the average FPS goes from 223 at 1080p, to 154 at 1440p, to 91 at 4K. This represents a 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 41% drop from 1440p to 4K. At Low settings, the averages are 303, 208, and 123 FPS for 1080p, 1440p, and 4K, respectively. The percentage drops are larger at Low settings, with a 31% drop from 1080p to 1440p and a 41% drop from 1440p to 4K. The Ultra settings show the most significant scaling, with 190 FPS at 1080p, 131 FPS at 1440p, and 77 FPS at 4K, representing a 31% and 41% drop respectively.

The Medium preset provides the only complete min/max data across all resolutions. At 1080p, the minimum is 219 FPS and the maximum is 296 FPS, giving a range of 77 FPS. At 1440p, the minimum is 151 FPS and the maximum is 204 FPS, a range of 53 FPS. At 4K, the minimum is 89 FPS and the maximum is 120 FPS, a range of 31 FPS. This shrinking range at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU becomes more consistently loaded, with less variance in frame times.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-9400 and Intel Arc B390 ranks 2510 out of 2848 tested combinations for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. This places it in the bottom 12% of all tested systems, which is a low position for a competitive FPS. The rank reflects the GPU’s limitations more than the CPU’s, as the i5-9400’s 47th percentile CPU ranking is far better than the GPU’s 9th percentile ranking.

The GPU’s nearest rivals in the database are all low-end NVIDIA parts, with the GT 520MX being the closest at 1.3% faster. The delta to the GT 710 is 2.7%, and the GT 625 OEM is 2.5% faster. These are all legacy or entry-level GPUs, and the Arc B390’s performance is within a few percentage points of them. This means that in the database’s hierarchy, the Arc B390 is not competing with modern discrete graphics cards but rather with decade-old integrated and low-end solutions.

The combo rank of 2510 indicates that most other tested system pairings, which likely include stronger discrete GPUs, outperform this setup by a significant margin. For a game like CS:GO, where high frame rates are crucial for competitive play, being at the 2510th position out of 2848 means the system will struggle to keep up with more balanced or higher-end configurations. The CPU’s ranking at the 47th percentile suggests it is a mid-pack processor, but the GPU’s 9th percentile ranking pulls the overall combo down.

The data shows that the CPU is not the primary reason for the low combo rank. The i5-9400’s nearest rivals, such as the i7-1068NG7 and i7-10710U, have nearly identical average scores, and the CPU’s performance is adequate for feeding frames to the GPU. The bottleneck is clearly the integrated GPU, which cannot deliver the frame rates that a dedicated graphics card would provide. This is evident in the 4K Ultra result of 77 FPS, which is below the 90 FPS threshold that many players consider playable for a competitive title.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings preset depends on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 3840x2160, the best experience is achieved with Low settings, which averages 123 FPS. Medium settings also provide a playable experience with an average of 105 FPS and a minimum of 89 FPS, but the drop to High (91 FPS) and Ultra (77 FPS) makes those presets less suitable for maintaining smooth gameplay. For 4K, Low settings are recommended for the highest frame rate, while Medium is acceptable if visual quality is preferred over a higher average FPS.

At 2560x1440, the Medium preset offers the best balance, with an average of 177 FPS and a minimum of 151 FPS. This ensures that frame rates stay above 150 FPS even in demanding scenes, which is ideal for 144 Hz monitors. High settings average 154 FPS, which is still above 144 FPS, but the minimum is not provided, so there is no guarantee of consistent performance. Low settings average 208 FPS, which is excellent for 240 Hz monitors, but the visual quality reduction may not be worth it for all players. Ultra settings average 131 FPS, which is below the 144 Hz threshold and may result in noticeable frame drops.

For 1920x1080, the data supports using Medium settings as the default choice. The average of 258 FPS and minimum of 219 FPS ensures that the system never drops below 219 FPS, which is sufficient for 240 Hz displays. Low settings push the average to 303 FPS, which is the highest recorded result, but the visual trade-off is significant. High settings average 223 FPS, which is still above 200 FPS, and Ultra averages 190 FPS, which is above 144 Hz but below 240 Hz. For competitive play at 1080p, Medium settings provide the best combination of high frame rates and visual fidelity, with the minimum FPS ensuring a stable experience. If a player prioritizes raw frame rate above all else, Low settings deliver the highest average, but the data suggests that Medium is the sweet spot for most users, offering a 258 FPS average with a 219 FPS floor.