Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive remains a demanding test of system balance even in 2025, and the combination of the Intel Core i7-14700K with the Intel Arc B370 produces a fascinating dataset. This pairing shows a massive CPU advantage paired with a GPU that sits at the 5th percentile of all GPUs, according to the benchmark database. The measured FPS results across three resolutions and four quality presets reveal a system that is almost entirely GPU-bound at higher settings, but which can still deliver competitive frame rates when the CPU is allowed to stretch its legs. The data indicates that this is not a balanced pairing, but rather a platform with massive headroom for a future GPU upgrade, provided the user is willing to accept the graphical limitations of the integrated graphics solution.

The benchmark results show that this configuration's rank in CS:GO is 2615 out of 2848 tested combos, placing it in the bottom 8% of all systems. This low ranking is entirely attributable to the Intel Arc B370, which has an average benchmark score of 1184 and is closely matched with the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570, which scores 1186 (deltaPct of -0.2%), and the ATI Radeon HD 5770, which scores 1190 (deltaPct of -0.5%). The CPU, by contrast, is a high-end part that sits in the 94th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 69355. This creates a stark contrast where the processor's potential is heavily bottlenecked by the graphics solution, a fact that becomes clear when analyzing the resolution scaling and the settings-based performance deltas.

Resolution Scaling

The FPS drop from 1080p to 4K is severe, and it clearly identifies the GPU as the limiting component. At Low settings, the average frame rate falls from 273 FPS at 1920x1080 to 188 FPS at 2560x1440, a drop of 85 FPS, and then further down to 111 FPS at 3840x2160. This represents a 59% reduction in performance from 1080p to 4K, which is a classic sign of a GPU that is being overwhelmed by the pixel count. The scaling is not linear, but the trend is unmistakable: as resolution increases, the workload on the render output pipelines and texture units grows, and the Arc B370's limited resources are quickly saturated.

The same pattern holds for the Medium preset, where the average FPS goes from 233 at 1080p to 160 at 1440p, and then to 95 at 4K. The High preset shows a similar collapse, with 202 FPS at 1080p, 139 FPS at 1440p, and 82 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset, which is the most demanding, sees the average frame rate drop from 172 FPS at 1080p to 118 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 70 FPS at 4K. The fact that the 4K Ultra result of 70 FPS is only slightly above the 60 FPS playability threshold, while the 1080p Low result reaches 273 FPS, shows that the system's performance is highly dependent on the resolution and settings chosen.

What this data suggests is that the Core i7-14700K is not the cause of these frame rate drops. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect to see relatively flat performance across resolutions, as the processor's workload does not change significantly with resolution. Instead, we see massive drops, which points directly at the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth being the constraining factor. The 4K results, in particular, are telling: the difference between Low (111 FPS) and Ultra (70 FPS) is only 41 FPS, which is a relatively small range compared to the 1080p spread of 101 FPS between Low and Ultra. This compression of the performance envelope at higher resolutions indicates that the GPU is hitting a hard architectural limit.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B370 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the Xe3-LPG architecture, built on a 3 nm process. Its specifications are modest: it has 1280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 20 render output units, alongside 10 ray tracing cores. The base clock is 300 MHz, which boosts up to 2400 MHz, and the memory is listed as "System Shared," meaning its bandwidth is "System Dependent." This is a critical detail, as it means the GPU is drawing from the same memory pool as the CPU, which can lead to contention and reduced performance in memory-intensive scenarios.

The measured FPS data shows that the Arc B370 is barely adequate for CS:GO at lower resolutions. At 1080p with Low settings, it manages an average of 273 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. However, this performance is fragile. When settings are increased to Medium, the average drops to 233 FPS, and the minimum FPS recorded is 198 FPS. This minimum frame rate is important because it represents the worst-case scenario that a player might experience during intense firefights. At 4K with Medium settings, the average FPS falls to 95, with a minimum of 80 FPS, which is still playable but leaves little headroom for stutters or background processes.

The GPU's performance relative to its nearest rivals is telling. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1184 is nearly identical to the ATI Radeon HD 5770's score of 1190, a GPU that was released well over a decade ago. This is not a criticism of the Intel part's architecture, but rather a reflection of its target segment: it is designed for basic graphical output, not high-end gaming. The pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s are low, and the FP32 performance of 6.144 TFLOPS is limited. In CS:GO, which is a CPU-bound title at high frame rates, this GPU becomes the primary obstacle to unlocking the i7-14700K's potential.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i7-14700K is a 20-core, 28-thread processor from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.60 GHz. It has a substantial 33 MB of shared L3 cache and a 125 W TDP. This is a top-tier desktop CPU, and its benchmark scores confirm its position: it scores 33440.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 2160 in single-core, and a Passmark multi-thread score of 52392. Its average benchmark score of 69355 places it just 0.1% above the AMD EPYC 9115 and 0.2% above the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, demonstrating that it is in the highest echelon of processors.

In the context of CS:GO, the CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and manage the game's simulation logic. The data shows that the i7-14700K is capable of delivering far higher frame rates than the Arc B370 can handle. At 1080p Low, the measured average is 273 FPS, but this is almost certainly not the CPU's limit. The CPU's single-threaded performance, as evidenced by its Geekbench single-core score of 2569, is more than sufficient to drive frame rates well above 400 FPS in this title. The fact that the system only achieves 273 FPS at 1080p Low is a direct indication that the GPU is the constraint.

The CPU's performance headroom is also visible in the scaling between settings. At 1080p, the difference between Low (273 FPS) and High (202 FPS) is 71 FPS, which is a significant drop that can be attributed to the increased GPU workload from higher-quality textures and effects. However, the CPU's frame time consistency is likely excellent, given its 20 cores and 28 threads. It is importantly CS:GO is not heavily multi-threaded, so the CPU's 33 MB of L3 cache and high boost clock are more important than its core count. The Passmark data compression score of 695234 and floating point math score of 134222 suggest a processor that can handle any background tasks without impacting game performance.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings for this configuration depend entirely on the target resolution. For 1080p, the Low preset is the clear choice for competitive play, as it delivers 273 FPS, which is well above the 240 Hz refresh rate of most high-end monitors. The Medium preset at 233 FPS is also viable, and the minimum FPS of 198 means it will rarely drop below the 144 Hz threshold, making it a good option for players who want slightly better visuals without sacrificing smoothness. The High preset at 202 FPS is acceptable, but the Ultra preset at 172 FPS is less ideal for serious competitive play, as it brings the average down closer to the 144 Hz line.

At 1440p, the Low preset is the only one that provides a substantial margin over 144 Hz, with 188 FPS. The Medium preset at 160 FPS is playable, but the minimum of 136 FPS means it will occasionally dip below the 144 Hz refresh rate. The High preset at 139 FPS is borderline, and the Ultra preset at 118 FPS is not recommended for fast-paced play. For 4K, the situation is more challenging. The Low preset at 111 FPS is the only setting that provides a comfortable experience above 100 FPS. The Medium preset at 95 FPS is acceptable for casual play, but the High preset at 82 FPS and Ultra at 70 FPS will be noticeably less smooth.

The data suggests that the "best" experience is a trade-off. For maximum frame rates, the Low preset at 1080p is the only choice. However, if you are willing to accept a slightly lower frame rate for improved visuals, the Medium preset offers the best balance of performance and fidelity, with a minimum FPS of 198 at 1080p and 136 at 1440p. The Ultra preset is difficult to recommend, as it provides a minimal visual improvement over High in CS:GO while costing 15% of the average FPS.

FAQ

Q: Is this system good for competitive CS:GO?

A: At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 273 FPS, which is excellent for competitive play. However, at 1440p and 4K, the frame rates drop significantly, and the system is unlikely to maintain a high refresh rate on a 240 Hz monitor at those resolutions.

Q: Why is the system ranked so low (2615 out of 2848) if the CPU is high-end?

A: The low rank is almost entirely due to the Intel Arc B370 GPU, which has a 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 1184 and sits in the 5th percentile of all GPUs. The CPU is in the 94th percentile, but the GPU bottlenecks its performance in gaming.

Q: What is the best resolution for this system?

A: The data shows that 1920x1080 is the only resolution where the system can consistently deliver frame rates above 200 FPS. At 1440p, the maximum average FPS is 188 on Low settings, and at 4K, it drops to 111 FPS on Low.

Q: How does the Arc B370 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Arc B370 scores 1184 in 3DMark Steel Nomad, which is nearly identical to the ATI Radeon HD 5770 (1190, deltaPct -0.5%) and the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570 (1186, deltaPct -0.2%). It is slightly faster than the AMD FirePro M2000 (1168, deltaPct 1.4%).

Q: Should I upgrade the GPU or CPU for better performance?

A: Benchmark results indicate that the CPU is not the limiting factor. The i7-14700K has an average score of 69355, while the GPU's is 1184. Upgrading the GPU would yield a massive performance increase, whereas upgrading the CPU would provide no measurable benefit in this game.

Q: What is the minimum FPS at 1080p Medium settings?

A: The measured minimum FPS at 1920x1080 with Medium settings is 198 FPS, with an average of 233 FPS and a maximum of 268 FPS.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The following table provides the exact measured average FPS values for all tested resolution and settings combinations.

| Resolution | Settings | Average FPS | Minimum FPS | Maximum FPS |

|------------|----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|

| 3840x2160 | High | 82 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Low | 111 | - | - |

| 3840x2160 | Medium | 95 | 80 | 109 |

| 3840x2160 | Ultra | 70 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | High | 139 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Low | 188 | - | - |

| 2560x1440 | Medium | 160 | 136 | 184 |

| 2560x1440 | Ultra | 118 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | High | 202 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Low | 273 | - | - |

| 1920x1080 | Medium | 233 | 198 | 268 |

| 1920x1080 | Ultra | 172 | - | - |

The results are consistent across the board. The Medium preset is the only one that provides minimum and maximum FPS data, which gives a clearer picture of the frame time consistency. At 1080p Medium, the system holds a minimum of 198 FPS, which is a strong result. At 1440p Medium, the minimum drops to 136 FPS, and at 4K Medium, it drops to 80 FPS. This data reinforces the conclusion that the system is best suited for 1080p gaming, where it can maintain a comfortable margin above the 144 Hz threshold even on the Medium preset. For players who prioritize visual quality over raw frame rate, the High preset at 1440p still delivers 139 FPS, but this is the limit of the system's capability.