Cyberpunk 2077

The Intel Core i5-10400F and Intel Arc B570 combination delivers a playable but constrained experience in Cyberpunk 2077, with performance heavily dependent on resolution and settings. The data shows a system that can handle 1080p gaming comfortably but struggles significantly at 4K, where frame rates drop to the low 20s. This analysis breaks down the measured FPS data, component roles, and how this pairing ranks against other tested configurations.

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

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a 6-core, 12-thread processor from the Comet Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process node. It operates with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, with a 65 W TDP. Cache configuration includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR4 with dual-channel interface, offering 42.7 GB/s of bandwidth. The CPU connects via PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

Benchmark data shows this processor performs adequately for gaming workloads. In Cinebench R23, it scores 10283 in multi-core and 1451 in single-core tests. Geekbench results are similarly balanced, with a multi-core score of 6257 and single-core of 1420. The 3DMark results reveal scaling behavior: from 1350 at 2 threads to 3929 at 8 threads, then 4735 at max threads. This indicates the 6-core design provides reasonable multi-threaded scaling but the single-thread performance of 688 in 3DMark is modest by modern standards.

The CPU holds the 68th percentile against all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 14185. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon 6756E (0.2% faster), the Intel Core 7 160UL (0.3% slower), the AMD EPYC 7552 (0.5% faster), and the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C (0.6% slower). These tight deltas suggest the i5-10400F sits in a competitive mid-range performance tier.

In Cyberpunk 2077, the CPU's role is evident in the lower resolution results. At 1080p with Low settings, the system achieves 76 FPS average, which is the highest measured frame rate across all configurations. This suggests the CPU can feed the GPU adequately at lower resolutions. However, as resolution increases, the GPU becomes the bottleneck, and the CPU's contribution diminishes. The 6-core, 12-thread configuration provides enough parallelism for the game's threading model, but the modest single-thread score of 1451 in Cinebench R23 suggests the CPU may limit performance in CPU-bound scenarios, particularly at high frame rates.

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

The Intel Arc B570 is built on the Xe2-HPG architecture, specifically the Battlemage generation, using a 5 nm process from TSMC. The chip contains 19,600 million transistors on a 272 mm² die. The GPU features 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 80 raster output pipelines. Ray tracing is supported through 18 dedicated RT cores.

Clock speeds are fixed at 2500 MHz for both base and boost, with memory running at 2375 MHz (19 Gbps effective). The memory subsystem consists of 10 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, providing 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a significant asset for Cyberpunk 2077, which is known for heavy texture usage. The GPU delivers 11.52 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 23.04 TFLOPS of FP16 with 2:1 ratio.

The GPU's benchmark results place it at the 65th percentile against all GPUs, with an average score of 20556. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (0.1% faster), the Intel Arc A750 (0.1% slower), the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M (0.4% faster), and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X (0.5% slower). These close margins indicate the Arc B570 performs competitively in synthetic benchmarks.

In Cyberpunk 2077, the GPU's 10 GB VRAM and 380 GB/s bandwidth are critical. At 4K Ultra, the game demands substantial memory bandwidth, and the measured average of 19 FPS reflects this strain. The 160-bit bus width, while adequate for 1080p and 1440p, becomes a limiting factor at 4K. The boost clock of 2500 MHz provides consistent performance, but the GPU's raw compute of 11.52 TFLOPS is insufficient for the game's demanding lighting and post-processing effects at higher resolutions.

FAQ

Q: What is the best resolution for this combo in Cyberpunk 2077?

A: The data shows 1080p is the only resolution where consistently playable frame rates are achieved. At 1080p Low, the system averages 76 FPS, while 1080p Medium averages 56 FPS and 1080p High averages 41 FPS. At 1440p, even Low settings only reach 56 FPS average.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The i5-10400F has an average benchmark score of 14185, which is 0.2% higher than the Intel Xeon 6756E, 0.3% lower than the Intel Core 7 160UL, 0.5% higher than the AMD EPYC 7552, and 0.6% lower than the AMD Ryzen 3 7320C. All four rivals are within 0.6% of each other.

Q: What is the GPU's memory configuration and why does it matter?

A: The Arc B570 has 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, delivering 380.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This configuration is sufficient for 1080p and 1440p gaming, but at 4K the bandwidth becomes a limiting factor, as evidenced by the drop from 37 FPS at 4K Low to 20 FPS at 4K High.

Q: How does this combo rank among all tested combinations?

A: The combination ranks 2316 out of 2920 tested combos in Cyberpunk 2077. This places it in the lower quartile of all tested systems, indicating that while it can run the game, it is not among the higher-performing configurations.

Q: What are the minimum and maximum FPS at 1080p Medium?

A: At 1080p Medium, the system achieves an average of 56 FPS with a minimum of 47 FPS and a maximum of 64 FPS. This range suggests relatively consistent performance without major frame time spikes.

Q: Does the GPU support modern APIs needed for Cyberpunk 2077?

A: Yes, the Arc B570 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This API support ensures compatibility with the game's rendering requirements, though performance remains limited by raw hardware capabilities.

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

The measured FPS data reveals a clear performance hierarchy across resolutions and settings. Starting at 1920x1080, the system delivers its best results. At Low settings, the average FPS is 76. Medium settings produce an average of 56 FPS, with a minimum of 47 and maximum of 64. High settings drop the average to 41 FPS. Ultra settings yield 39 FPS average. This shows a 48.7% drop from Low to Ultra at 1080p, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint as settings increase.

Moving to 2560x1440, performance degrades noticeably. Low settings average 56 FPS, which matches the 1080p Medium result. Medium settings average 42 FPS, with a minimum of 35 and maximum of 48. High settings drop to 31 FPS average. Ultra settings yield 29 FPS average. The transition from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings shows roughly a 26-30% reduction in average FPS, depending on the preset.

At 3840x2160, the system struggles significantly. Low settings produce 37 FPS average. Medium settings drop to 27 FPS, with a minimum of 23 and maximum of 32. High settings yield 20 FPS average. Ultra settings are nearly unplayable at 19 FPS average. The gap between Low and Ultra at 4K is 48.6%, similar to the percentage drop at 1080p but from a much lower baseline.

The data shows consistent behavior across resolutions. At each resolution, the performance gap between Low and Ultra remains proportionally similar, suggesting the GPU's scaling with settings is predictable. However, the absolute frame rates at 4K make this resolution impractical for gaming with this combo.

How This Combo Ranks — use comboRankInGame vs other tested combos

The combination of Intel Core i5-10400F and Intel Arc B570 ranks 2316 out of 2920 tested combos in Cyberpunk 2077. This places the system in the 79th percentile of tested combinations, meaning roughly 604 combos perform worse, and 2316 perform better. This ranking reflects the system's position as a lower-mid-range configuration for this specific game.

The ranking is consistent with the measured FPS data. At 1080p Low, the system achieves 76 FPS, which is respectable for a budget-oriented pairing. However, many other combos in the database achieve higher frame rates at higher settings and resolutions. The CPU's 68th percentile ranking and GPU's 65th percentile ranking are both below average, and their combination in a demanding game like Cyberpunk 2077 results in the lower overall ranking.

Importantly, the combo's rank is specific to Cyberpunk 2077. The game's heavy reliance on GPU compute and memory bandwidth penalizes the Arc B570's 160-bit bus at higher resolutions. Other games with less demanding memory requirements might see this combo rank higher relative to other configurations. The 2316 rank out of 2920 represents the system's capability specifically within this game's engine and rendering pipeline.

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

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal settings depend on the target resolution and acceptable frame rate. For 1080p gaming, Medium settings provide the best balance of visual quality and performance. The average of 56 FPS is smooth, with a minimum of 47 FPS ensuring no major drops below playable thresholds. The maximum of 64 FPS indicates headroom for less demanding scenes. High settings at 1080p reduce the average to 41 FPS, which is still playable but less consistent.

For 1440p, Low settings are the only reasonable option. The 56 FPS average at Low matches the 1080p Medium result, providing acceptable performance. Medium settings at 1440p drop to 42 FPS average, which may be tolerable for some players but introduces more variance as shown by the 35 FPS minimum. High and Ultra at 1440p are not recommended, as they produce averages of 31 and 29 FPS respectively.

At 4K, the data suggests the system is not viable for gaming. Even Low settings only achieve 37 FPS average, and Medium drops to 27 FPS. The minimum of 23 FPS at 4K Medium indicates significant frame rate instability. For any resolution above 1080p, players should prioritize resolution over settings, as the GPU's bandwidth limitations become the dominant factor.

The recommendation is to play at 1080p Medium for the best experience. This setting combination offers the highest average FPS while maintaining visual quality above the minimum. For players who prioritize frame rate over visuals, 1080p Low provides 76 FPS average, which is the highest measured performance in the entire dataset.

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

Resolution scaling in this dataset reveals a clear pattern of GPU-bound performance. Moving from 1080p to 1440p at the same settings results in an average FPS drop of approximately 26-30%. The exact figures are: Low settings drop from 76 to 56 FPS, Medium from 56 to 42 FPS, High from 41 to 31 FPS, and Ultra from 39 to 29 FPS. This consistent percentage drop across all settings indicates that the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints when resolution increases.

The transition from 1440p to 4K shows an even steeper decline. Low settings drop from 56 to 37 FPS, a 34% reduction. Medium drops from 42 to 27 FPS, a 36% reduction. High drops from 31 to 20 FPS, a 35% reduction. Ultra drops from 29 to 19 FPS, a 34% reduction. This amplified drop at the 4K transition point highlights the GPU's memory bus width as a critical limitation. The 160-bit bus and 380 GB/s bandwidth cannot sustain the data throughput required at 3840x2160 resolution.

The scaling behavior indicates that the Arc B570 is the limiting component. If the CPU were the bottleneck, we would expect frame rates to remain relatively stable across resolutions, as the CPU's workload does not increase significantly with resolution. Instead, the consistent and significant FPS drops at each resolution step demonstrate that the GPU's rendering capabilities and memory subsystem are saturated. The 10 GB VRAM capacity is sufficient for the game's textures at these resolutions, but the bandwidth cannot keep pace with the pixel count increase.

The data also shows that settings adjustments have a proportionally similar impact at each resolution. This suggests the GPU's compute units are not the limiting factor relative to memory bandwidth. If compute were the constraint, higher settings would cause disproportionately larger FPS drops at lower resolutions where the GPU has more headroom. Instead, the uniform percentage drops across settings and resolutions point to memory bandwidth as the primary constraint, with the 380.0 GB/s figure being the key specification determining this combo's performance ceiling in Cyberpunk 2077.