Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

The Intel Core i7-13700K paired with the Intel Arc B570 delivers a formidable performance profile in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a title that is notoriously sensitive to both CPU and GPU capabilities. The measured data reveals a system capable of delivering high refresh rates across all tested resolutions, though the balance between the processor and graphics card shifts significantly depending on the settings and resolution selected. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, contextualizes the hardware within its respective performance percentiles, and provides actionable settings recommendations based strictly on the benchmark results.

CPU Role — cores, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Core i7-13700K is a 16-core, 24-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, built on a 10 nm process node. Its base clock is 3.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.40 GHz, and it carries a 125 W TDP. The CPU features a substantial cache hierarchy, including 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 2 MB of L2 cache per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. In the context of CS:GO, which is a game that often relies heavily on single-thread and moderate multi-thread performance for game logic and draw calls, this processor’s high boost clock is critical.

The benchmark data underscores the CPU's strength. In synthetic tests, the i7-13700K achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 30745 and a single-core score of 2116. The single-core score is particularly relevant for CS:GO, as the game’s engine typically benefits from high-frequency cores. The processor’s 3DMark single-thread score of 1136 and 2-thread score of 2262 further indicate strong per-core performance, which allows the CPU to feed frames to the GPU without becoming a bottleneck in most scenarios. The CPU holds an 89th percentile ranking among all tested CPUs, placing it in the top tier of processors for this workload.

When comparing to its nearest rivals, the i7-13700K’s average benchmark score of 46881 is nearly identical to the AMD Ryzen 9 5900, which scores 46971, a delta of -0.2%. It is also within a narrow margin of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 375 (47022, delta -0.3%). This indicates that in raw processing power, the i7-13700K is essentially on par with these alternatives, meaning the observed frame rates in CS:GO are not a result of a massive CPU advantage but rather a well-balanced configuration. The data suggests the CPU is more than capable of driving the high frame rates seen in the 1080p low and medium settings, where the CPU’s single-thread performance is most likely the limiting factor.

GPU Role — VRAM, clocks, and how they relate to this game's results

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture (Battlemage) and fabricated on a 5 nm process by TSMC. It features 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. The GPU’s base and boost clocks are both set at 2500 MHz, and it maintains a 150 W TDP. With 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, the Arc B570 is positioned as a capable mid-range graphics card, holding a 65th percentile ranking among all GPUs.

In CS:GO, the GPU’s role becomes more pronounced at higher resolutions and settings. The 10 GB VRAM is more than sufficient for the game’s texture and geometry requirements, even at 4K Ultra, which is important as VRAM overload can cause stuttering. The memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s supports the high pixel throughput needed for 4K rendering. The GPU’s pixel rate of 200.0 GPixel/s and texture rate of 360.0 GTexel/s are substantial, directly influencing how many pixels and texels can be processed per second, which scales with resolution.

Comparing the Arc B570 to its nearest rivals, its average benchmark score of 20556 is almost identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20534, delta 0.1%) and the Intel Arc A750 (20582, delta -0.1%). This suggests that in terms of raw compute, the B570 is on par with these cards. The measured FPS data shows that the GPU is rarely a bottleneck at 1080p, where the CPU’s high clock speeds push frame rates past 400 FPS on low settings. However, at 4K Ultra, the average FPS drops to 119, indicating that the GPU is being stressed more heavily, though it still maintains a playable frame rate. The data implies that the Arc B570 provides a solid foundation for high-refresh-rate gaming at 1440p, but the CPU’s capabilities are more fully utilized at the lower resolution.

Settings Recommendations — which preset gives the best experience per the measured rows

The measured FPS data provides a clear picture of how the i7-13700K and Arc B570 combination scales with settings. At 1920x1080, the difference between Low and Ultra is substantial: Low produces an average of 465 FPS, High produces 343 FPS, Medium produces 396 FPS, and Ultra drops to 293 FPS. The data shows that the Medium preset offers a balanced experience, with an average of 396 FPS and a minimum of 337 FPS. This is a significant jump from the 293 FPS of Ultra, while still being only 69 FPS lower than the Low preset. For competitive play, where maximizing frame rate is paramount, the Low preset at 465 FPS is the best choice, but for a balance of visual quality and performance, Medium is the recommended setting.

At 2560x1440, the pattern holds. Low produces 320 FPS, High produces 236 FPS, Medium produces 273 FPS, and Ultra produces 201 FPS. The Medium preset again provides a strong compromise, with an average of 273 FPS and a minimum of 232 FPS, which is well above the 144 Hz refresh rate typical of many monitors. The jump from Medium to Ultra costs 72 FPS on average, which may not be worth the visual gains for a fast-paced shooter. At 3840x2160, the GPU begins to show its limits. Low produces 189 FPS, Medium produces 161 FPS, High produces 139 FPS, and Ultra drops to 119 FPS. Even at Ultra, the minimum FPS is not recorded, but the average of 119 FPS is still above the 60 FPS threshold, making 4K playable. However, for the best experience at 4K, the Low preset at 189 FPS offers a much smoother experience, while the Medium preset at 161 FPS provides a good balance between fidelity and speed.

The data strongly suggests that the Medium preset is the sweet spot for this combination across all resolutions. It consistently delivers frame rates that are significantly higher than Ultra, with only a modest reduction in visual quality. The measured minimum FPS for Medium is 337 at 1080p, 232 at 1440p, and 137 at 4K, all of which are above the thresholds for smooth gameplay on standard high-refresh-rate monitors.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of the Intel Core i7-13700K and Intel Arc B570 is ranked 2271 out of 2848 tested combinations for CS:GO. This places it in the 80th percentile of all tested combos, indicating that it performs better than the majority of systems tested in this game. This ranking is notable given that the CPU is in the 89th percentile and the GPU is in the 65th percentile. The combined rank of 2271 suggests that while the CPU is powerful, the GPU’s mid-range positioning prevents the combo from reaching the top tier of results.

The data indicates that this combo is well-suited for high-refresh-rate 1080p and 1440p gaming, as evidenced by the measured FPS, but it is not among the absolute fastest combos tested. The ranking implies that other combinations with higher-tier GPUs (e.g., those with higher percentiles) achieve better overall performance in CS:GO, likely due to better scaling at 4K. However, the i7-13700K’s strong single-thread performance ensures that the combo does not fall behind in CPU-bound scenarios. The rank of 2271 out of 2848 is a solid result, showing that this hardware pairing is more than adequate for the game, but it is not the top 10% of systems. This position is consistent with the GPU’s 65th percentile ranking, which is the weaker link in the pairing.

FAQ — 4-6 Q&A pairs answerable from FACT PACK data

Q: What is the average FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings?

A: The measured average FPS at 1920x1080 with Low settings is 465 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570 compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile in average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile has a score of 20534, resulting in a delta of 0.1% in favor of the Arc B570.

Q: What is the minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 2560x1440?

A: The minimum FPS recorded for the Medium preset at 2560x1440 is 232 FPS, with a maximum of 314 FPS.

Q: What is the launch MSRP for the Intel Core i7-13700K?

A: The launch MSRP for the Intel Core i7-13700K is $409.

Q: What is the combo rank for the i7-13700K + Arc B570 in CS:GO?

A: The combo rank is 2271 out of 2848 tested combinations.

Q: Which settings preset offers the highest average FPS at 3840x2160?

A: The Low preset offers the highest average FPS at 3840x2160, with a measured average of 189 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown — resolution by resolution, settings by settings, exact numbers

The measured FPS data is segmented by resolution and settings, providing a complete picture of performance scaling.

At 1920x1080, the results are as follows:

• Low: Average 465 FPS.
• Medium: Average 396 FPS, with a minimum of 337 FPS and a maximum of 456 FPS.
• High: Average 343 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 293 FPS.

At 2560x1440, the results are:

• Low: Average 320 FPS.
• Medium: Average 273 FPS, with a minimum of 232 FPS and a maximum of 314 FPS.
• High: Average 236 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 201 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the results are:

• Low: Average 189 FPS.
• Medium: Average 161 FPS, with a minimum of 137 FPS and a maximum of 185 FPS.
• High: Average 139 FPS.
• Ultra: Average 119 FPS.

The data shows a consistent trend: lower settings yield higher frame rates, and the gap between Low and Ultra narrows as resolution increases. At 1080p, the difference between Low and Ultra is 172 FPS, but at 4K, that difference shrinks to 70 FPS. This suggests that at lower resolutions, the CPU is the primary driver of performance, while at higher resolutions, the GPU becomes more of a limiting factor, compressing the FPS range across settings.

Resolution Scaling — how FPS drops from 1080p to 4K and what it says about the limiting component

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is substantial and reveals the shifting bottleneck between the CPU and GPU. For the Low preset, the average FPS drops from 465 at 1080p to 320 at 1440p (a 31.2% decrease), and then to 189 at 4K (a 59.4% decrease from 1080p). This steep decline indicates that even at the lowest settings, the GPU is being heavily taxed at higher resolutions. The 1440p to 4K drop is 131 FPS, which is larger than the 145 FPS drop from 1080p to 1440p, showing that the GPU’s fill rate and memory bandwidth are being saturated.

For the Medium preset, the average FPS drops from 396 at 1080p to 273 at 1440p (a 31.1% decrease), and then to 161 at 4K (a 59.3% decrease from 1080p). The proportional drop is nearly identical to the Low preset, suggesting that the scaling is primarily resolution-driven rather than settings-driven. However, the absolute values are lower, indicating that the GPU is working harder with the increased visual complexity.

For the High preset, the drop is from 343 at 1080p to 236 at 1440p (a 31.2% decrease), and then to 139 at 4K (a 59.5% decrease from 1080p). The pattern is consistent. For the Ultra preset, the drop is from 293 at 1080p to 201 at 1440p (a 31.4% decrease), and then to 119 at 4K (a 59.4% decrease from 1080p).

The consistent ~31% drop from 1080p to 1440p and ~59% drop from 1080p to 4K across all settings is a strong indicator that the GPU is the limiting component at higher resolutions. The CPU’s performance is high enough that it does not cause a disproportionate FPS penalty when the resolution increases. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see a smaller FPS drop at 4K, as the GPU would be waiting on the CPU. Instead, the data shows a linear scaling with pixel count, which is characteristic of a GPU-bound scenario at 4K. Conversely, at 1080p, the extremely high FPS (465 on Low) suggests the CPU is still able to feed frames faster than the GPU can render them, but the GPU is still not the bottleneck; rather, the CPU’s single-thread performance is the ceiling. The data indicates that this combo is well-balanced for 1440p, where neither component is severely overwhelmed, but at 4K, the Arc B570’s mid-range positioning is clearly the limiting factor.